The text below is posted on our club's website, at https://nsc.ca/an/racing/results/ocs-vs-dns/. I would welcome input on this subject.
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It seems at least once or twice every year, we have a boat that starts a handicap race with the wrong fleet. This usually happens in our JAM (non-flying sails) fleets. The question that arises is how should a boat that starts in the wrong fleet be scored?
Obviously, if a boat starts with a later fleet,
SI 11.4 applies; that SI requires that boats start within 4 minutes of their start signal, and if they do not, the boat gets scored DNS. But if the boat starts with an earlier fleet, it is open to discussion as to whether they should be scored “On course side” (OCS) or “Did not start” (DNS). There does not seem to be a definitive answer to this question. As far as the points are concerned, it doesn’t matter, but which is more appropriate?
It is the author’s opinion that DNS is more appropriate if a boat is on the course side of the starting line or one of its extensions from before her preparatory signal, and never returns to the pre-start side of the line, as would be the case if the boat starts with an earlier fleet. An OCS score might suggest that the Race Committee displayed, or should have displayed, an “X” flag, but that would not be the case in this situation; in most instances, it would not be reasonable to expect the RC to note a boat that starts with the wrong fleet. Furthermore, even if the RC did note that a boat had started with an earlier fleet, it would be very confusing to others in the fleet for the RC to signal an individual recall, and to leave the “X” flag displayed for 4 minutes. In practice, it usually only comes to light that a boat started with the wrong fleet when the race is scored, and a boat’s finish time is ~6 minutes less than expected.
It should also be noted that the de facto definition of OCS in Appendix A is “Did not start; on the course side of the starting line at her starting signal and failed to start, or broke rule 30.1.” Notably, this definition does not mention the extensions of the starting line, referenced elsewhere in the RRS. Hence, per this definition, a boat that is on the course side of one of the extensions of the starting line is not OCS, though she has obviously not met the definition of start. This is another compelling argument in support of DNS vs OCS, for a boat that starts minutes ahead of its start signal.
A final argument in support of DNS vs OCS is that per the RRS, a boat isn’t racing until its preparatory signal. It seems inappropriate to score a boat OCS if they were never racing. DNC (Did not compete) is also not appropriate in this situation, as the boat did come to the starting area.
Though in prior years, in our interclub racing in Ottawa, we were inconsistent in how we scored boats that started with an earlier fleet, since 2024 we have been consistent in scoring such boats DNS.
It would be nice if this guidance were incorporated into the World Sailing
Race Management Manual, or some other authoritative document, though at this time, I am not aware of any such guidance.
OCS is inappropriate, as there are many times when boats use a dip-start or some other maneuver that is perfectly legal under the rules, and those maneuvers put them on the course side of the line and its extensions. Unless the SIs prohibit it, I don't believe there is any restriction on being OCS during the time prior to one's start signal.
The consensus was that 'on the course side of the starting line' did not include 'on the course side of the extensions of the starting line' and that if the race committee, round about the time of a boat's starting signal did not observe her in on the course side of the starting line (inside the 'H') before her starting signal' no recall signal should be displayed and the boat should be scored DNS.
Theoretically, if the race committee, at the time of her starting signal, saw the boat, way up the course but still inside the 'H', infinitely extended, they should signal a recall and/or score the boat OCS, but:
I think it's a pretty fair inference that OCS <=> X Flag.
Beau,
I strongly disagree.
Once a boat has come to the starting area, she can't be scored Did Not Come to the Starting Area.
A boat started one fleet ahead and was on course side by 10 m.
We had a time penalty of six minutes for OCS,
and so the boat's scoring was based on its sailed time plus 11 minutes.
Technically this is DNS of my understanding.
A boat starts when, her hull having been entirely on the pre-start side of the starting line at or after her starting signal.
I believe a boat that sails off with the wrong fleet is scored DNS and is subject to RRS 23.1.
Definitely not ocs.
Is dns only really is of importance if a5.3 applies for a long series, for everything else dnc seems appropriate.