The Sailing committee have agreed to a change to the club’s sailing instructions with immediate effect…
The changes are in red
5.0 FINISHING
5.1 Finishing Line
5.1.1 The finishing line will be an extension of the line through the transit poles between the OOD box and between the two limit marks.
5.1.2 When Flag S is flown from the OOD box mast the race will finish when this line is next crossed after the last mark of the course is rounded.
5.1.3 Finishing at a mark: When Flag S is flown from the mast of a Committee boat not underway, the race will finish between the mast of that Committee boat and the nearby rounding mark.
5.1.4 Boats will finish when next they cross the finishing line after completing the required number of laps or, at the discretion of the OOD, after the leading boat in their fleet has already been finished. Boats completing the designated number of laps will be positioned above those not completing.
5.1.5 In addition to the procedure for shortening course in rule 32, the race committee may also award a finishing score to a boat that is still racing by displaying from a boat, flag W with one sound signal. A boat so notified is no longer required to sail the course (changing rule 28.1), shall stop racing and return to the shore. A finishing score under this sailing instruction will be the score the boat would have received had the boat sailed the course and finished within any time limit, without gaining or losing any place, or the boats average lap time. However, when two or more boats that are overlapped are notified, they will be scored as if they were tied. The decision by the race committee to use this procedure or not to use it shall not be grounds for requesting redress, changing rule 60.1(b).
5.2 Time Limits
5.2.1 At the discretion of the OOD, any boat not finishing within 25 minutes of the winning boat on Sundays, or 35 minutes of the winning boat on Wednesday evenings will be deemed to have retired.
What does this mean?
5.1.4 means that if a boat has been lapped, the OOD has the option to finish it when it next passes the finish line after the lead boat finishing.
5.1.5 essentially means that a boat may be finished anywhere on the racecourse if the OOD feels that them finishing early will help the progression on the sailing event.
If you are finished early, you will be scored below those that have finished the correct number of laps.
You can’t protest the OOD for making this decision!
For handicap boats, you will be given an average lap time based on the number of laps you have completed.
We’ve added the first part to 5.2.1 to allow the OODs discretion when timing out competitors, for example, if there is a novice who has put the effort into staying out to try and complete the course. Of course, the OOD could use rule 5.1.5!
