Page 77 - Case Book 2017 - 2020 April 18

same helmsman in the races that are counted towards
W1 the overall trophy?
W4
W2
W3 ANSWER 1
L4 There is no requirement in the racing rules for any
Up, up! competing boat to be steered by any specific person.
Questions relating to a specific helmsman or crew are
Wind
L3 subject only to any restrictions imposed by class rules
Up, up! or the notice of race. In the absence of any such
restriction, anyone may steer a boat. Rule 46 requires
each boat to have a person in charge, but that person is
L2
not necessarily the helmsman.
QUESTION 2
A boat belonging to A.B. was entered in a five race
L1
series. The notice of race said that ‘points are attributed
to the helmsman, not the boat’. The boat was entered
with C.D. listed as helmsman on the entry form. C.D.
SUMMARY OF THE FACTS sailed as helmsman and finished in three races. A.B.
W was sailing with her boom out and sails flapping near sailed as helmsman in two races and did not finish
the starting line. L, sailing a steady close-hauled course, either race. How should this be scored? Was any rule
became aware of W and hailed her twice. After the broken?
second hail W began to respond but hit L's gunwale.
There was no damage. L hailed ‘Protest’. She asked W ANSWER 2
to take a two-turns penalty, but W refused. The protest No rule was broken at any time, since there is no racing
committee disqualified W and she appealed, claiming rule that addresses itself to the identity of the person
that she was not given room to keep clear. helming a boat. Nor was the notice of race rule broken.
The only reasonable interpretation of the notice of race
DECISION is that the points won by a boat in a race will be re-
W’s appeal is dismissed.
attributed to the helmsman of that boat, in that race. In a
It is clear from the facts found by the protest committee series, the winner will be the helmsman with the lowest
that the two boats had been overlapped for some (or best) attributed total points score. Awards will not
considerable time before the contact. When contact be made to boats. So A.B. should score points for DNC
occurred, the time during which rule 15 was applicable in three races, and DNF in two races. C.D. should score
had passed and the rule had ceased to be relevant. W finishing points in three races and DNC in two races.
was correctly disqualified under rule 11.
So when a boat has, for example, been helmed by three
L broke rule 14, as it was reasonably possible for her to different people during a series in which points are
avoid contact, but as there was no damage or injury she awarded to the helmsman, the results sheet should then
is to be exonerated, as provided in rule 14(b). show three different entries, each under the name of one
of the people but with the same sail number. The score
K345164 v K44454, Whitstable YC
for any one race is attributed to the appropriate entry in
the name of that person, sailing that boat, and the other
RYA 1990/2 (incorporating RYA 1963/5)
Rule 46, Person in Charge two entries of boat plus helmsman are scored DNC for
Appendix J, Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions that race.
If it is intended to restrict this further, the notice of race
The racing rules do not differentiate between helmsman
and crew. Restrictions on the helming of a boat may be and the sailing instructions need to say ‘A competitor
imposed by class rules or by the notice of race. In the shall be in charge of one boat only during the series’ or
absence of any other provision, an owner or person in ‘Only one set of results per boat shall count for a series
charge is free to invite anyone to steer the boat. The result’.
notice of race and the sailing instructions must state On the other hand, if the identity of the boat is not
clearly when points are to be awarded to helmsmen material, a relaxation clause could be inserted, such as
rather than to boats and state any restrictions or ‘A competitor may accumulate the points he was
qualifications that apply. awarded as a helmsman in the series, irrespective of the
boat in which he raced’ or ‘A competitor may
QUESTION 1
A boat is entered by her owner in a three race series accumulate the points awarded as a helmsman in that
with one discard. In the first two races of the series she class of boat in the series.’
was not steered by the owner. In the third race, the When the notice of race or a sailing instruction refers to a
weather being rather heavy, the owner steered and won ‘helmsman’, then if another person were allowed to steer
the race. at any time during the race, there would be two
helmsmen during that race. When awards are to a person,
Are the points awarded to the boat irrespective of
helmsman, whether he or she be the owner or some not a boat, and it is required to prohibit a temporary
other person? If not, should the boat be sailed by the helmsman, sailing instructions might state in clarification
‘only one person shall steer the boat throughout the race’.

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