Page 8 - January/February Kwasind

1 1 1 1 Helping Those in in Danger
A boat or or competitor shall give all all possible help to to any person or vessel in danger 62 REDRESS
62 1 A request for redress or or a protest committee’s decision to consider redress shall be based on on on a a a a claim or or or or possibility that a a a a a a boat’s score or or or or place in a a a a a a race or or or or series has been or may be be through no fault of her own made significantly worse by
(a) an improper action or omission of the race committee committee protest committee committee organizing authority or or technical committee for the event but not by
a a protest committee decision when the boat was a a a party to the hearing (b) injury or physical damage because of the action of of a a a a a a a a boat that was breaking a a a a a a a a rule of of Part 2 or of a a a a a vessel not racing that was required to keep clear (c) giving help (except to herself or her her crew) in in compliance with rule 1 1 1 1 or (d) an action of of a a a a a boat or a a a a a member of of her crew that resulted in a a a a a penalty penalty under rule 2 or or a a a a a penalty penalty or or warning under rule 69 2(h) 62 2 2 A request shall be in in writing and identify the reason for making it If the request is based on on an incident in in in the the racing area it shall be delivered to the the race office within the protest time limit or two hours after the the incident whichever is later Other requests shall be delivered as as as soon as as as reasonably possible after learning of the the reasons for making the the request The protest committee shall extend the the time if there is good reason to do so so No red red flag is required 64 2 Decisions on on Redress
When the protest committee decides that a a a boat is entitled to redress under rule 62 it it shall make as fair an an arrangement as possible for all boats affected whether or or not they asked for redress This may be to adjust the scoring (see rule A10 for some examples) or or or finishing times of boats to to abandon the race to to let the the results stand or to make some other arrangement When in doubt about the facts or probable results of any arrangement for the race or or series especially before abandoning the the race the the protest committee shall take evidence from appropriate sources MAKING IT FAIR? - REQUEST FOR REDRESS
I I I I Andrew Alberti
At some regattas protest committees spend more time on on requests for redress than on on protests but I don’t believe that I have spent much time in these articles discussing them What is is a a a redress? The Oxford dictionary defines redress as “remedy or set right (an undesirable or unfair situation) set upright again” Under the racing rules some undesirable or unfair situations can can be fixed some cannot Redress
is covered by
rule 62 A number of conditions must be be be met before any redress can be granted The first two conditions are in the the the first paragraph First the the the boat’s score in the the the race or or series must be made significantly worse A single place is probably not significant Second it must be “through no no fault of her own” You cannot claim redress for damage from a a a a a a collision when you are at fault If it was clear to you you that you you were On Course Side (over the the line early) then you cannot get redress even if the committee signals it it incorrectly After looking at the first two conditions that apply to any redress one of the four four redressable situations must apply The four four situations are listed a) to d) in rule 62 1 Let’s start with giving help part c c c According to rule 1 1 1 1 sailors should provide help to anyone in danger This is is a a a a a key obligation It is is also something that is is rewarded If you you (or someone else on on your behalf) requests redress after you have spent time and lost places rescuing someone you can be given a a a a place that the committee thinks fairly reflects where you would have finished in in in the race had you not stopped racing to help Larry Lemieux’ rescue in the 1988 Olympics provides the most famous Canadian example Larry was in in in second place in in in an early race in in in the series when he saw a a a a a a a 470 sailor separated from his boat and so left his own race to save the 470 sailor Although Larry was given redress for his his result in the race race his his later races didn’t didn’t go so so well so so he didn’t didn’t win a a a medal based on standings He was however given a a a a a special medal by
the the the President of the the the IOC and was fêted in in the the the sailing press Like many protest committee members I am always happy to to encourage people to to provide help so a a high percentage of requests for redress under this section of the rule are successful Improper actions or omissions of the race committee are the most frequent reason people request redress but they are also the the least likely to be granted First a a a a a a race committee action that causes you to lose a a a a a a position is not a a a cause for redress – there must be an identifiable improper action or omission Putting the wrong colour mark in in the water or not making a a a a sound signal for an individual recall are improper actions or or omissions A big wind shift that allows the last-place boat to finish first or a a a a dying wind that causes some boats to miss the time limit are probably not Even if there there is an improper action there there may be no redress granted Both of the the first two conditions the the boat’s “score being made significantly worse” and “through no fault of her own” have to be met Once the the committee decides that there was an improper action and that a a a a a a a boat’s score was made significantly worse they have to decide what redress to to grant Rule 64 2 says that the committee has to to 8 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 • KWASIND
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