Thoughts from the Lake

Just back from the SW BUSA Team Racing Qualifiers at Chew Valley Lake. Amazed that someone actually confessed to reading this Blog. Also amazed at non-protests. Best one was someone returning to start calling starboard on a boat that was just starting on port - the Port tack boat did not protest - should have read rule 22.

Also discovered that there is a change in the way scoring works in that a boat retiring as a penalty now results in +6 points to that team. It's in D2.5(b) Penalties - some distance from D4 Scoring a series so may be missed by organisers.Will that make life more difficult for Umpires and require more hearings?

I wrote about arm signals in an UKTRA post and take heart from the fact that even the experts missed it. Check the UKTRA SI's. Interestingly, the SI's this weekend had missed out the requirement to wear a Buoyancy Aid at all times when afloat, but we thought we could use RRS1.2 if anyone came afloat without one.

Also new in the Team Racing Appendix is a procedure for dealing with a knock out series. The scoring of a series seems to have been extensively re-witten but I am not sure that there is much change.

I'm still struggling with th concept of fetching the mark. The boat that tacked at the finish mark was not subject to 18.3, as they were not fetching the mark. So once the overlap was established she had to give room, but only if she was able to once the overlap is established 18.2(e) Its basically TR Call E7 but a mirror of it, being the finish line. Of course it could apply at other marks if the wind is shifty.

Next weekend is the Race Officials Conference so there might be more to say after that.