Page 53 - Case Book 2017 - 2020 April 18

SECTION 3

RYA CASES SINCE 1962

RYA 1962/1
Rule A3, Starting Times and Finishing Places
Rule J1 and J2, Sailing Instruction Contents
RYA 1962/8
When the sailing instructions do not specify a time limit Rule 11, On the Same Tack, Overlapped
for starting or finishing, a boat may start within a
reasonable time after her starting signal, and she is Rule 19.2(a), Room to Pass an Obstruction: Giving
Room at an Obstruction
entitled to a finishing position whenever she finishes.
Rule 19.2(b), Room to Pass an Obstruction: Giving
QUESTION 1 Room at an Obstruction
What time limit, if any, should a race officer place on a
late starter?
The word ‘side’ in rule 19.2(a) (as also in rule 18.1)
ANSWER 1 refers to the side of the boat on which the obstruction
The rules themselves do not debar a boat from making a (or mark) is to be passed, and not to any ‘side’ that the
late start and she should be allowed to do so whenever it obstruction (or mark) may happen to have.
is reasonable. When a race committee wants a time limit There is no zone at an obstruction that is not also a mark.
for starting, it must say so in the sailing instructions.
Rule 19.2(b) does not apply when it is not possible to
QUESTION 2 identify which of two boats overlapped at an obstruction
When may a race committee remove the finishing is the outside boat and which the inside boat.
marks?
PW1
ANSWER 2
The finishing line must remain effective until the last
boat has finished or retired, or until the expiry of any PL2
time limit in the sailing instructions, whichever is the Wind
first to occur.
PL1
Questions from Royal Akarana YC, NZ

RYA 1962/4
Rule 45, Hauling Out; Making Fast; Anchoring PW2 S2
When a boat that is afloat is being held by a crew
member at or after the preparatory signal, the question
of whether rule 45 has been broken depends on the S1
reason for so doing and on whether that crew member
is standing in or out of the water.
SUMMARY OF THE FACTS
In answer to questions, the RYA stated that:
PW, running on port tack overlapped to windward of
1. If a crew member is standing in water about six PL, caused PL, close-hauled on port tack, to alter course
inches deep on a concrete ramp, holding a boat which is to avoid contact. In the absence of the other, each would
afloat, this does not break rule 45. have passed ahead of S.
2. If the crew member is holding the boat as before, on PW was disqualified under rule 11 and appealed on the
the same ramp, but standing just out of the water, the ground that the protest committee had failed to take into
boat is made fast, which, at and after the preparatory account any right to room under rule 19.
signal, rule 45 permits only for bailing out, reefing or DECISION
repairs.
PW’s appeal is dismissed. She did not keep clear of PL
However, if the person holding the boat was not a crew as required by rule 11, and she had no entitlement to
member, the action would be outside help in breach of room under rule 19.
rule 41.
S was an obstruction to PW and PL. PL, holding right
Questions from Royal Suva YC, Fiji of way over PW under rule 11, exercised her
entitlement under rule 19.2(a) by choosing to pass the
obstruction on her starboard side. Note that in this rule,
as in rule 18, the ‘side’ is always the side of the boat to
which that word applies, and not any side either that a
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