Recently, I have been wondering what should be the proper response (both as a competitor and as the race committee) to the presence of weeds during the course of a race. Two situations come to mind--first, what to do when in a series of heats different competitors acquire weeds. Second, what to do about a heat when virtually all of the competitors pick up weeds at some point or another.
It somehow doesn't seem a "fair test of sailing" that a competition could be decided by an unseen, unavoidable weed.
Weeds
Moderator: Rob Walsh
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Hiljoball
- Posts: 284
- Joined: 06 Jan 2006, 00:47
- Sail number: CAN 307
- Club: West Coast Radio Sailing
- Design: V8
- Location: CAN
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Re: Weeds
Hi Roy,
Interesting question. Here are the rules I see that apply directly.
Rule 4 decision to race
This suggests that the sailor, knowing that there may be weeds, decides to start and continue in the race, acccepts the chance of being affected by weeds.
R 32.1.e abandon after the start for any other reason affecting safety or fairness of the competition
This allows the RC to abandon the race if they choose.
I cannot see any reference that wpuld allow a request for redress for running into weeds. However. . .
To me be the issue would be that the RC acing in one race under R 32.1.e, may leave open a subsequent request for redress later, in another race, by not acting under R 32.1.e having done it once for one set of competitors.
If the RC abandons one race, then every time someone runs into some weeds, they would be complaining to the RC to abandon that race. I see it as a can of worms, best left unopened. Weeds are a fact of life. They affect all competitors randomly. The cream still rises to the top.
John
Interesting question. Here are the rules I see that apply directly.
Rule 4 decision to race
This suggests that the sailor, knowing that there may be weeds, decides to start and continue in the race, acccepts the chance of being affected by weeds.
R 32.1.e abandon after the start for any other reason affecting safety or fairness of the competition
This allows the RC to abandon the race if they choose.
I cannot see any reference that wpuld allow a request for redress for running into weeds. However. . .
To me be the issue would be that the RC acing in one race under R 32.1.e, may leave open a subsequent request for redress later, in another race, by not acting under R 32.1.e having done it once for one set of competitors.
If the RC abandons one race, then every time someone runs into some weeds, they would be complaining to the RC to abandon that race. I see it as a can of worms, best left unopened. Weeds are a fact of life. They affect all competitors randomly. The cream still rises to the top.
John
John Ball
CRYA #895
IOM CAN 307 V8
In my private capacity
CRYA #895
IOM CAN 307 V8
In my private capacity
. Therefore sometimes you need to retire to get the boat ashore.-
FarhaanBehardien
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 26 Oct 2019, 18:21
Re: Weeds
Thanks Hijobal for your nice and clear response. Everyone should be clear in mind about the games rules. Although Roy mentioned this thread a long time back, he deserves a big thanks for raising the voice in this subject. Now a days while playing the race we will not fave a similar doubt anymore.