Forum: The Racing Rules of Sailing

Unannounced changes to the sailing instructions - which version applies?

Al Sargent
Nationality: United States
2 days prior to a regatta, the race committee posts the sailing instructions.  The SI's show mark #2 (the further upwind weather mark) is yellow, and mark #1 (the weather mark closer to the starting line) is red.

At some time between the original SI posting and the evening before the race, the RC posts a 2nd version of SI's in which they switch the colors of the windward marks. In this version Mark #2 (the further mark) is red, and Mark #1 is yellow. (see images of the two SI versions below)

The race committee did not post any amendment to the SIs announcing this change, nor do they mention anything at the skipper's meeting.

Which version of the sailing instructions is valid?

Extra details:

Conditions were windy (20 knots), so some competitors on the water (who had looked at the Original SIs) assumed that that mark 2 had dragged from its position to windward of mark 1, to a position to leeward of mark 1.

Thankfully, there were no protests since the leading boats in the race just went around both weather marks, and the rest of the fleet followed them. But had they not, there could have been a protest.

image.png 87.9 KB
Created: 21-Aug-01 13:58

Comments

Mike Forbes
Nationality: United Kingdom
Certifications:
  • National Judge
0
I would consider both versions to be correct as no amendment made.   Anyone downloading the Si s before the change has every right to believe them to be correct unless officially amended.   
Created: 21-Aug-01 14:13
Jos Spijkerman
Nationality: Netherlands
Certifications:
  • Regional Race Officer
  • International Judge
  • International Umpire
3
Rule 90.2(c)
Created: 21-Aug-01 14:25
Carl Schellbach
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • National Race Officer
1
Marks should be described by text in the body of the SIs, diagrams are a nice addition. When were the SIs promised in the NoR? Was the second post within that time? Was there a different date or other identifying characteristic in the postings? The lesson here is that communication - of any sort - with the sailors is a key to success. Even if you're wrong in the execution, communicating the RC's intent is critical to a fair race. In any event, if Mark 1 is described in the text as something other than what is shown in the diagram, then it is the RC's bad and if people went to the wrong mark the race should probably be abandoned. Redress for a bunch of boats would be a can of worms that I (as one who avoids the protest room like the plague) wouldn't want to get anywhere near - thank goodness for judges like Mike who take that on!
I must say, I do like the downwind starts!
Created: 21-Aug-01 14:40
Philip Hubbell
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Club Race Officer
  • Judge In Training
0
I salute the sportsmanship of the fleet rounding both marks.
RC dodged a bullet.
Created: 21-Aug-01 20:23
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