SituationThe sailing instructions state that ‘the starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the race committee vessel and the course side of the starting mark, which will be a yellow inflatable buoy’.
The race committee anchored a boat at the port end of the starting line and attached the yellow inflatable buoy to its starboard side.
Question 1Does a boat that touches the anchored vessel but not the yellow inflatable buoy, break rule
31?
Answer 1Yes.
The race committee vessel became part of the mark when the race committee intentionally attached the vessel to the mark, therefore, a boat racing that touches the race committee vessel breaks rule
31.
Question 2Would the answer to Question 1 be different if the anchor was attached to the yellow inflatable buoy and not the race committee vessel?
Answer 2No.
Question 3Would the answer to Question 1 be different if the race committee vessel and the yellow inflatable buoy were both anchored and in contact with each other?
Answer 3No.
Question 4Would the answer to Question 1 be different if the yellow inflatable buoy was on board the race committee vessel?
Answer 4No.
Question 5Is it an improper action of the race committee to anchor a boat at the port end of the starting line and attach the yellow inflatable buoy to its starboard side when the sailing instructions state that the port end starting mark will be a yellow inflatable buoy?
Answer 5No.
7 January 2019