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rules question at start, pinned under a boat to windward
In article ,
says...
John Allan wrote:
[This followup was posted to rec.boats.racing and a copy was sent to the
cited author.]
Clever. Given my "posted newsnet address...."
That's Gravity trying to be helpful: it was actually saying that a cc
was sent to _me_, as the cited author.
snip
Now it's hard for me to pin down the situation exactly from your
description (whether that is my fault or yours I don't know) but it
sounds as if A (to windward) has let themselves get into a really bad
situation. I think if I was B, I'd tap A's transom,
Ahh, the famous "love tap": went out in 1995 I believe.
If you tap A with anything you will probably infringe RRS 14 at least.
14(b) says I won't get penalised for a "tap".
I disagree. The stem of RRS 14 requires B (or any other boat) to avoid
contact if reasonably possible: B alters course so as to cause contact,
then I don't think one even gets to look at subparagraph (b).
I think that RRS 14 is poorly drafted: the exceptions (a) and (b) refer
to "right of way boat _or_ one entitled to room". In this case B is the
right of way boat, but if changing course (under RRS 16.1) must _give_
room to A.
There are people who need
one to be convinced; my suspicion is this may be such a circumstance.
Can't see that from the scenario. I think basically it's B that is in
trouble here under RRS 15: only way off the hook is if B initally
established the overlap with sufficient room, and has since sailed up to
A, in which case it would be quite difficult to get into the bow to
quarter relationship.
Why do you say it went out?
Since old Rule 32 Avoiding a Collision became RRS 14 Avoiding Contact.
If it's your boat you tap A's transom with you will prima facie infringe
RRS 12.
If you "tap" A's quarter, rather than transom, you will probably infringe
RRS 16.1.
I should indeed have said "quarter". Given the overlap I think the most
likely impact point is the corner of the transom/quarter. Though I'm
not really familiar with the shape of the Etchells.
shout PROTEST
loudly,
A bit of noisy dialogue with A wouldn't go astray first: up up up, water
for the leeward boats, c'mon get UP, I've got leeward boats coming at us
etc etc.
Agreed there! I took that for granted!
and hope everyone else had the sense not to get involved!
Why wouldn't the leeward boats get involved: they're the ones seeking
their right of way?
Because in a situation where boats collide there is always the chance of
something getting broken (hence 14); they might get tangled up; and at
the least they'll lose a lot of speed.
OK, so "involved" in the protest situation versus "involved" in a
collision situation: gotcha.
But there are those who seek out
those kind of situations.
Forcing infringements on the starting line seems a pretty sensible tactic
to me.
John
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