The Racing Rules of Sailing
RRS 42 and RRS 45
The situation:
45 FD's are on the starting line 3 minutes before start.
One boat is near by the pin-end ( arr. 3 boatlenght in direction to the starting vessel and a half boatlenght behind the line) and the crew (frontman) is in the water (standing on the ground) fixing boat position.
RRS 42.1 says: Except when permitted in rule 42.3 or 45, a boat shall compete by using only the wind and water to increase, maintain or decrease her speed. Her crew may adjust the trim of sails and hull, and perform other acts of seamanship, but shall not otherwise move their bodies to propel the boat.
RRS 45 says: 45 HAULING OUT; MAKING FAST; ANCHORING
A boat shall be afloat and off moorings at her preparatory signal. Thereafter, she
shall not be hauled out or made fast except to bail out, reef sails or make repairs.
She may anchor or the crew may stand on the bottom. She shall recover the anchor
before continuing in the race unless she is unable to do so.
In my opinion it is an inpropper action under rule 42 because there was no emergency or an other incident to do so. The only reason was to fix the boat in a good position. But by reading the rules I can´t give a reasonable explenation according to the rules.
Who can help?
Thanks
Stefan
45 FD's are on the starting line 3 minutes before start.
One boat is near by the pin-end ( arr. 3 boatlenght in direction to the starting vessel and a half boatlenght behind the line) and the crew (frontman) is in the water (standing on the ground) fixing boat position.
RRS 42.1 says: Except when permitted in rule 42.3 or 45, a boat shall compete by using only the wind and water to increase, maintain or decrease her speed. Her crew may adjust the trim of sails and hull, and perform other acts of seamanship, but shall not otherwise move their bodies to propel the boat.
RRS 45 says: 45 HAULING OUT; MAKING FAST; ANCHORING
A boat shall be afloat and off moorings at her preparatory signal. Thereafter, she
shall not be hauled out or made fast except to bail out, reef sails or make repairs.
She may anchor or the crew may stand on the bottom. She shall recover the anchor
before continuing in the race unless she is unable to do so.
In my opinion it is an inpropper action under rule 42 because there was no emergency or an other incident to do so. The only reason was to fix the boat in a good position. But by reading the rules I can´t give a reasonable explenation according to the rules.
Who can help?
Thanks
Stefan
Created: 26-Aug-02 10:44
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One could also make it shorter .. limit it to only the last min before the starting signal borrowing wording from 30.1,
"... during the last minute before her starting signal..".
According to RRS 48.2,
RRS 45 states:
In my view, these two rules must be read together:
Standing on the bottom is allowed under RRS 45, but only if the crew is already in the water for a permitted reason under RRS 48.2.
Therefore, intentionally leaving the boat with the purpose of standing on the bottom to hold or stabilize the boat is prohibited under RRS 48.2, even though RRS 45 allows standing on the bottom.
In my opinion, the only situation in which holding the boat while standing on the bottom is allowed is when the crew has left the boat unintentionally, for example due to an accident such as a capsize. In such a case, the crew did not violate RRS 48.2, and RRS 45 permits them to stand on the bottom while recovering the boat.
For the situation described at the starting line, the crew member left the boat intentionally to fix the boat’s position. This is not an emergency, nor an accidental departure, nor swimming. Therefore, even though RRS 45 allows standing on the bottom, the action is not permitted because the way the crew entered the water violates RRS 48.2.
As others have pointed out, anchoring during a race is quite common in some distance races (Block Island Race comes to mind). I've anchored in that race and in the bay outside Ensenada to hold position against a tide once the wind died.
I understand why holding your position at the start line by standing on the ground feels wrong to some. But I don't think it is precluded by the rules.
I also think there are few cases where it is possible and makes sense to do this.
I think RRS 48.2 covers the entire action of being outside the boat.
So I do not believe that a sailor can leave the boat “to swim” and then perform a completely different action afterwards.
"She may anchor or the crew may stand on the bottom."
Anchoring and crew standing on the bottom are used in the sentence as equivalent actions.
That said .. I can see your argument that the way 48.2 is worded isn't clear relative to the connotation of 45.
Maybe someone on the forum can ask for clarification from the Q&A Service. I'd guess that they would say that intentionally going into the water to stand is encompassed within "to swim".
I think "to swim" here is a very broad sense of purposely going into the water and remaining in the water. .. and if the water depth allows .. such a crew could stand on the bottom and not break a rule.
As a non defined term, refer to common / dictionary definitions, which all seem to state ‘to go away’. I don’t think most people would consider standing next to something and holding it as having ‘gone away’.
Rule 45
Rule 45 states:
Rule 42.1 states that the boat shall compete using only wind and water to increase, maintain or decrease her speed.
Situation 1: Merely holding position
Suppose the crew member stands beside the boat and lightly holds it to prevent it drifting into another competitor while adjustments are made.
In that case, one could argue that the crew member is not increasing or decreasing the boat's speed, but merely exercising a right expressly permitted by Rule 45.
There would be no breach.
Suppose the crew member repeatedly pushes the boat forward, drags it backwards, or walks along the bottom to reposition the boat into a better starting position.
Now the crew member is no longer merely "standing on the bottom"; he is using an external force to alter the boat's motion.
That would almost certainly breach Rule 42.1 because the boat is no longer competing using only wind and water.
Rule 45 permits contact with the bottom.
Rule 42 prohibits using the bottom as an engine, brake or steering mechanism.
The protest committee would need to determine the facts:
Those factual findings would determine whether Rule 42 was broken.
your facts found is right.
The frontman fixed the position of the boat. There was no current or thometinhg else that makes it neccesary to do so. It was also not neccesary to do it to avoid contact with another boat. It was simply to fixed it in a good starting position.
It´s impossible to see wheater the crew is walking over the bottom in a slow way because the depht of the water is arr. 1.5 m. And it was in light to middle wind with max. 6 - 8 kts.
I see an advantage for: still holding the boat in a good starting position. It was an obstruktion for other boats under RRS 19. So it was not neccesary for it to have a look to other boats which are sailing.
@ John Allan,
Case 5 didn´t answer to this special case. And case 5 is the only one in ths area.
@ Angelo,
Maybe someone on the forum can ask for clarification from the Q&A Service. I'd guess that they would say that intentionally going into the water to stand is encompassed within "to swim".
I will ask an IJ to do it.
RRS 42.1 provides
Except when permitted in rule 42.3 or 45, a boat shall compete by using only the wind and water to increase, maintain or decrease her speed.
RRS 45 provides
[A boat] may anchor or the crew may stand on the bottom.
and (emphasis added)
Her crew may adjust the trim of sails and hull, and perform other acts of seamanship, but shall not otherwise move their bodies to propel the boat.
If the action of the crew standing on the bottom propels the boat, the boat breaks RRS 42.1, but not otherwise.
If Appendix P is in force, we should apply the usual requirements that there should be two judges observing and agreeing that RRS 42 is broken, then a penalty may be given.
If Appendix P is not in force, If the protest committee hears evidence that establishes on the balance of probabilities that the crew standing on the bottom propelled the boat the protest committee should conclude that the boat broke RRS 42.1 and penalise the boat.
I think it's a pretty fair implication that a crew standing on the bottom in accordance with RRS 45 is holding on to the boat.
Remember the long threads we had about 'finishing with crew overboard in contact/not in contact with the boat'.
I think a crew that is in contact with and holding on to a boat, as specifically provided in RRS 45 has not 'left' the boat and RRS 48 is not broken.
Yea .. that's another angle. I had thought that there was a Case/Appeal on that .. but just looked under finish and didn't find it.
I try another view:
I agree if a boat was capzized that one or both of the crew are in the water to straight up the boat. And if - for example - the helm is again in the boat to clear it up and the frontman is on the bow to fix it while clearing that must be possible and not prohibitet.
But to get an advantage at the startingline ... I´m not shure that this is the intention of the rule.
Anchoring to hold position against a foul tide is a seamanlike manoeuvre that has been a common part of racing for over 100 years (and anchoring, hoisting a black ball and requiring another boat to avoid you in accordance with RRS 22 was a common practice racing the Admirals 'Cup races on the Solent, and I presume still is.
At the risk of sailing in circles here .. the clear intention of rule 45 (IMO) is to allow:
So .. if you are racing in shallow enough waters that this is possible and you don't want to allow it, simply add the SI I wrote earlier.
Problem solved.
in this point I agree with you because there is a current. In this case the current may made that the boat is drifting backwards. And the boat is doing it only for it´s own and ohter boats racing will do the same. On the startingline with no current and the intention is only to get an advantage in addtion to the problems with RRS 19 for the other boats which may get a disadvantage that is my problem.
If this is allowed in any option I say that in futur a lot of boats will be handle in that way with a art of the crew in the water.
Sentence 3 permits a boat to anchor, or, equivalently, for crew holding the boat to stand on the bottom. Sentence 3 is not subject to any conditions at all.
Whether or not there is adverse tide or current or some other apparent reason for doing so is not relevant to a boat being allowed to anchor.
Boats are always allowed to manoeuvre or take actions that do not break the rules, or, as in this case, are specifically allowed by the rules, in order to gain tactical or strategic advantage over their competitors See Case 78. That's a fundamental feature of the game of sailing.
Or do you mean like Manfred Curry?
I am simply wondering whether the use of a sea anchor (or perhaps a drogue) qualifies as being anchored under rule 45. And then, what if the line attached to said 'anchor' extends say 10-50m out from the vessel. And if another vessel passes over this line and drags it with them then whose problem is this. And if while retrieving this 'anchor' they accidentially propel themselves forward then is this a breach of rule 42?
A drogue/sea-anchor doesn't seem to conflict with 42.1 ... deploying such a device might fall within "other acts of seamanship".
A drogue uses the water to decrease a boat's speed relative to the water (increase the boat's water-drag). Unless otherwise forbidden in the class rules or the race-docs for the event, using a drogue would seem fine.
PS: that said .. I think 45 is about fixing a boat's position relative to the bottom ... not slowing a boat's movement relative to the water, as the water may be moving (current). Though a sea-anchor uses the term "anchor" .. it's a water-drag increasing device .. not a position-fixing device.
Consider the discussion in the OSR. I think that using a drogue when prudent seamanship demands it, is an act of seamanship and is allowed.
I agree that a drogue or 'sea anchor' isn't an anchor for purposes of RRS 45 (or RRS 22).
He, famously, fitted 'water brakes' to his small racing sailboat. It was a great scandal.
Let's nail this down while we're at it. In the OSR, one of the sea-anchor's purpose is to "reduce drift" .. this is what we are talking about here.
Let's find a place that restricts its presence or use. Like a mentioned before, the OD Class Rules are the place I'd look first, not as listing that it's specifically disallowed, but rather by being a "closed rule set" and stating the equipment allowed (I haven't looked, but I'd imaging the FD class have such a rule-set). The J/105 is a closed ruleset and it would not be allowed for OD racing (unless the event Cat-designation required having one onboard).
When thinking about OSR categories and event Cat-designations, these set minimum requirements for build and equipment. If an event is designated a Cat4 event, I couldn't find anything that prevents a boat from having/deploying equipment meant for Cat2.
So let's nail down the rule that would disallow it in general (outside of CR's).
Slowing a boat by dragging a hand, foot or say a paddle or bailer breaks RRS 42.
Does anyone disagree with that?
42.3f says a "boat may reduce speed by repeatedly moving her helm."
It's generally accepted that we can back a sail (though we lose some right of way rights when we do so).
It says
"Sails are intended to transmit power from the wind to give a vessel forward speed. From the earliest days of square riggers, they have also been backed to stop forward motion.
Rudders are intended to transmit power from the flow of water to change the direction of the boat. In the process, drag is increased, and the boat is slowed."
A bailer, your hand or foot is not "intended to transmit power from the flow of water." A paddle is, but it includes power put out by the person powering it.
Thus, I would agree with you that dragging something other than the rudder would break the rule.
The drogue is a little grayer. An anchor is a regular part of a boat's equipment whose role is to slow or stop a boat. It is explicitly permitted. One could argue a drogue also fits this description. One could be used for safety, I believe. Using one for a tactical advantage seems over the line.
So, let's say I have an emergency rudder and that mine is a modified companionway hatch of say 0.8 square metres that can be hung over the stern. So, when I turn it to 90 degrees and deploy it to 'anchor' me to the water mass, am I breaking a rule?
Take that crew holding the boat and standing on the bottom. They bend their legs at the knees and are now hanging-still holding onto the toe-rail. Is that person now breaking 42? (How is a swimmer to return to the boat?)
If not, why?
If so, are we then saying you can put your entire body in the water .. but not your hand? Can't crew sit on the rail and have their feet touch the water?
Using an anchor for tactical advantage: we've just been there: it is expressly permitted by RRS 45, which is carved out of RRS 42.1 first sentence.
My argument follows the case I cited. When rule 42 says "using only the wind and water" it doesn't really mean that--since some piece of equipment must interact with the wind or water. Case US25 explains that using rudder(s) or sails is OK because they are specifically "intended to transfer power" from water or wind, respectively.
If I follow that line, a piece of equipment that is intended to interact with the water (i.e. drogue) might also be an acceptable way to engage with the water, while a hand, foot or bailer don't fit that description.
So, I'm comfortable with excluding dragging a body part or bailer. The drogue I think would be accepted, but would not be shocked to be proved wrong.
I thought about an emergency rudder. I hadn't gone so far as to imagine one made from a hatch board, but thought a paddle could be considered an auxiliary rudder.
What would case 25 say about that? I'm not sure. I could see a committee either deciding only a built-in rudder would be permitted or that a paddle or modified hatch board still qualifies as a rudder and would therefore be permitted explicitly to steer and slow the boat.
I've always taken it as the canonical example of impermissible decrease the speed.
I have never given or heard of a Rule 42 penalty given for body parts used to slow a boat. Repeatedly moving the helm is an effective brake.
We should analyse the clauses separately for application, but interpret Rule 45 as one coherent rule for its purpose and structure.
If we step back from the individual clauses, I think the central idea of Rule 45 is control of the boat’s physical relationship with the outside environment while racing.
The boat starts racing afloat and off her moorings.
After the preparatory signal, she cannot be hauled out or made fast, except for the specified necessities such as bailing, reefing or repairs.
The rule then says:
If she anchors, she must recover the anchor before continuing, unless unable to do so.
Don't use being attached to, supported by, or in contact with the environment as an uncontrolled means of racing; where the rules expressly allow such contact, stay within the limits of that permission.
Rule 45 regulates the boat's use of external physical support while racing: it prohibits being hauled out or made fast, but deliberately permits anchoring and standing on the bottom within the limits established by the rule.
What is not allowed is to "shove off" or give a good "pull" when you restart. Your competitors will protest you under rule 42.
In the situation quoted in the OP, the Flying Dutchman was not breaking any rule when the crew member hopped out of the boat to hold it in position. He would break a rule if he gave any kind of shove as he got back on board or if he walked the boat forward. There is no testimony that this occurred.
One assumes that if conditions were the 7-8 knots with no tide as described, then the crew either got back on board 15 seconds before the start or had a really terrible start. (speaking as a former crew of an Olympic Gold medalist in the FD class)
The fixed boat has not to avoid contact or to keep clear from an other boat in leeward.
I can/may belive that the meaning of the RRS 45 is for example while or after capzising to clear the boat up. Therefore it must be possible to swim because otherwise capzising is a prohibited action.
The most of the rules are rules for fairness and safety regulations. And the question is: is it a fair action to fix a boat on the or near the starting line for a better position? I´m a little bit in a doubt.
1. Standing in the water holding the boat or anchoring is always legal. If you can use it to your advantage , that is fair. Any other boat can do the same. Provided you comply with 42 and dont push or pull off, this is legal and part of sailing.
2. In real life, in good breeze, in the absence of a foul current, it does not pay to be at a standstill at the start. So this is all a bit academic.
Nonetheless even if there was a tactical advantage that I do not fully understand, it is legal to anchor.