"Art Engel" wrote in message
...

Interesting comments - you are obviously familiar with the reasons for some
of the changes.

Stefan wrote:

In article ,
says...

o Rule 16.2 has been modified (again!) so that it only applies when
a port boat is ducking a starboard boat.

This would seem a major change. Consider port crossing a short distance
ahead of starboard. Under RRS2001 starboard cannot start to pinch up to
make life harder for port. Under RRS2005 they can. Given that the
intention of the 1997 rewrite was to make collisions less likely, I
don't understand this one.

No change under RRS 2005-08. Under RRS 2001-04 S pinching enough so
that P can no longer keep clear breaks rule 16.1. Since 16.1 won't
change under RRS 2005-08 S will still break 16.1.


If that is the case, why is 16.2 needed at all?


o Rule 18 now applies in some circumstances when both boats tack
around a mark. (the current rule states that if the proper course
for either boat is to tack, rule 18 is out. The new rule says one
but not both.) I think this needs to be read carefully, because
at first read it appears to say more than it does. My initial
take is that this change only makes a practical difference in a
situation where two boats are on opposite tacks and the proper
course for both of them is to tack. This would seem to be an odd
occurrence (i.e. boats in different races that share a common
mark).
I welcome more discussion on this - I'm not sure I've read it
correctly...

Would this be a relevant situation? Windward mark to be rounded to port.
Starboard tacker is short of the layline so both boats must tack. Port
tacker approaches on collision course. Under RRS2001 rule 18 does not
apply. Under RRS2005 it does. Personally I think the situation under
RRS2001 is better because it is unclear which is the "inside" boat when
close-hauled on opposite tacks.

In your example, since the boats are on opposite tacks on a beat to
windward rule 18 does not apply under either RRS 2001-04 or RRS
2005-08. No change.


Yes I got that wrong.

Where there would be a change is where both boats are on starboard
tack (at a leave-to-port windward mark) and neither boat can fetch the
mark. Under RRS 2001-04 rule 18 cannot apply since both need to tack.
Under RRS 2005-08 rule 18 can apply since both must tack. This is an
inconsequential change in my view.

The reason for the change was a rare situation at leeward marks. Two
boats enter the zone on port but the only proper courses for the next
mark require both to tack immediately after passing the mark. Under
RRS 2001-04 wording rule 18 wouldn't apply even though except for the
tack after the mark it would be a typical rounding. Under RRS 2005-08
rule 18 will apply since both boats must tack to sail a proper course.


"Hard cases make bad law". The wording of rule 18 is now so opaque I could
not
understand it after 10 minutes of repeated reading. I am interested in the
racing rules -
95% of racing sailors are not. Making the rules incomprehensible in order to
cover rare situations cannot be the right way forwards.


o The first sentence of Rule 18.2 c has been reworded so that it's
stated in the past tense, rather than the present tense. I don't
know that this makes any practical difference at all.

This is a team racing problem. If the clear ahead boat is miles ahead
of the next boat but waits around until the next boat gets to the mark
there is an argument that under RRS 2001-04 rule 18.2(c) couldn't
apply because they weren't both "about to round or pass" the mark when
the first boat entered the zone. With "was clear ahead" that argument
disappears and the first boat to reach the zone will have right of way
even if she enters the zone before the 2nd boat is also "about to
round or pass." [Angels on the heads of pins!]

Likewise,
the change that says rule 18.2 c no longer applies *and remains
inapplicable* if the clear ahead boat passes head to wind.

Under RRS 2001-04 and RRS 2005-08 both, rule 18 can turn off when
boats become on opposite tacks. Under RRS 2001-04 there was an
argument that 18.2(c) could reapply when rule 18 started applying
again. Under RRS 2005-08 that argument is not possible.

o Rule 19.1 (room to tack at an obstruction) has been rewritten,
but the change seems to be motivated by making the text clearer.
I don't see that the practical application of the rule is any
different. (but I may be missing something subtle)

Fairly major change here (in a very minor rule). In RRS 2001-04 if a
boat was hailed wrongly they simply could ignore the hail and there
was no penalty for a "bad" hail. Under RRS 2005-08 a "bad hail" can be
protested but the hailed boat must respond whether or not it is a bad
hail.

o Rule 22.2 (interfering with another boat) has been modified to
include boats on another lap or leg of the course. This is truly
new - you can't change course if your only purpose is to interfere
with a boat on another leg of the course.

I'm baffled by that one. In match or team-racing, interfering with a
boat on another leg of the course would seem entirely part of the game.

Match racing and team racing have their own rules on this so this is
pretty much a fleet racing change only. It will have an impact but I
don't think it will be major.


Except that the team racing appendix does not over-ride 22.2, so it will
apply.

I find it hard to regard any of these changes as improvements.

I think they are all very minor improvements and for the most part
(rule 19 is an exception) eliminate unusual arguments that 99.9% of
sailors never considered.

Art Engel
e-mail: artengel123 (at) earthlink.net
Web: http://www.racingrules.org