To protest or not to protest, that is the question

I'm a bit of a control freak. I like things to be organised, and I like people to abide by the rules. Which is why I'm getting very frustrated with some of the antics
I observe on race tracks around the country.
The Racing Rules of Sailing is a pretty heavy document – 91 rules and 16 appendices. Judging by the number of decisions overturned on appeal, even juries don't always get them right. But if you are going racing, you should have a basic understanding of the simple rules such as port/starboard and windward/leeward.
During a recent regatta, we watched in horror as a port tacker sailed straight at a boat on starboard. A collision was averted only when the starboard tacker took evasive action. The port tacker continued on blissfully unaware and did the same to us. Only a crash gybe averted a major catastrophe and even then the two boats touched.
The perpetrator did his two penalty turns, which indicated he had some knowledge of the rules. But how could he possibly charge straight at another boat when he had no rights? Twice in 60 seconds.
Another thing that annoys me is stupidity on the start line. Many club racers are either totally ignorant of the windward/leeward rule, or they pretend to be. Does this scenario sound familiar? A windward boat is called to go “up” by the right-of-way leeward boat. To do so the windward boat  will have to cross the line early and go around. So he simply does nothing. Usually, the right-of-way boat makes a halfway decent start anyway, even though he had to bear away, and it's just a club race so he doesn't bother protesting. No-one wants to go to the room.
He makes a note to find the skipper afterwards and have a quiet word, but by the time the gear has been put away and he's had a few beers, he's forgotten all about it. Which means the offender got away with it. Again. And will continue to do so.
I get to watch quite a lot of junior racing, and I'm usually impressed with their knowledge of the rules. Even in 100 boat Optimist fleets where the start and first mark rounding are total chaos, you will see a kid who's been caught in the wrong put his or her hand up and quickly execute a 720.
The reason that the kids get it right and the adults get it wrong is that in club keelboat racing there are a lot of people who haven't had formal coaching. They have come to sailing late, and have never been formally taught the rules.
In Eric Twiname’s book Start to Win reviewed on page 60, he says that until a sailor can make basic decisions automatically he is doomed to mid-fleet finishes. Similarly, until skippers can make rule calls automatically, without having to work out which boat has the right-of-way, there will be infractions.
I know some clubs do have the occasional rules session. But it's obvious that the people who need to attend don't. So here’s a suggestion aimed at clubs that run twilights and cruising divisions, where less experienced sailors tend to hang out. What about a pre-season rules quiz? Create 10 common scenarios and send them to the skipper of every boat that has entered the series. Before they can compete, the skippers have to hand them in with at least eight out of ten answers correct. At least it would make them THINK about the rules.
The other solution, the one none of
us wants to take, is to get the red protest
flag out.
The purpose of this editorial is to encourage you to do that, even if you'd rather not. There comes a time when repeat offenders have to be shown that enough is enough. If they don't know the rules, they need to learn. If they do know the rules and are choosing to ignore them, then it’s time someone called them. From now on, I’m going to be one of those someones.
If you’re looking for me at the club, I’ll be the bloke drinking on his own in the corner, because no-one will talk to me. But at least everyone I race against will know the rules!
Happy sailing.
Going to the room
If these blokes behaved on the start line the way some club racers do, people would die!
Roger McMillan – Editor

I'm a bit of a control freak. I like things to be organised, and I like people to abide by the rules. Which is why I'm getting very frustrated with some of the antics

I observe on race tracks around the country.

The Racing Rules of Sailing is a pretty heavy document – 91 rules and 16 appendices. Judging by the number of decisions overturned on appeal, even juries don't always get them right. But if you are going racing, you should have a basic understanding of the simple rules such as port/starboard and windward/leeward.

During a recent regatta, we watched in horror as a port tacker sailed straight at a boat on starboard. A collision was averted only when the starboard tacker took evasive action. The port tacker continued on blissfully unaware and did the same to us. Only a crash gybe averted a major catastrophe and even then the two boats touched.

The perpetrator did his two penalty turns, which indicated he had some knowledge of the rules. But how could he possibly charge straight at another boat when he had no rights? Twice in 60 seconds.

Another thing that annoys me is stupidity on the start line. Many club racers are either totally ignorant of the windward/leeward rule, or they pretend to be. Does this scenario sound familiar? A windward boat is called to go “up” by the right-of-way leeward boat. To do so the windward boat will have to cross the line early and go around. So he simply does nothing. Usually, the right-of-way boat makes a halfway decent start anyway, even though he had to bear away, and it's just a club race so he doesn't bother protesting. No-one wants to go to the room.

He makes a note to find the skipper afterwards and have a quiet word, but by the time the gear has been put away and he's had a few beers, he's forgotten all about it. Which means the offender got away with it. Again. And will continue to do so.

I get to watch quite a lot of junior racing, and I'm usually impressed with their knowledge of the rules. Even in 100 boat Optimist fleets where the start and first mark rounding are total chaos, you will see a kid who's been caught in the wrong put his or her hand up and quickly execute a 720.

The reason that the kids get it right and the adults get it wrong is that in club keelboat racing there are a lot of people who haven't had formal coaching. They have come to sailing late, and have never been formally taught the rules.

In Eric Twiname’s book Start to Win reviewed on page 60, he says that until a sailor can make basic decisions automatically he is doomed to mid-fleet finishes. Similarly, until skippers can make rule calls automatically, without having to work out which boat has the right-of-way, there will be infractions.

I know some clubs do have the occasional rules session. But it's obvious that the people who need to attend don't. So here’s a suggestion aimed at clubs that run twilights and cruising divisions, where less experienced sailors tend to hang out. What about a pre-season rules quiz? Create 10 common scenarios and send them to the skipper of every boat that has entered the series. Before they can compete, the skippers have to hand them in with at least eight out of ten answers correct. At least it would make them THINK about the rules.

The other solution, the one none of

us wants to take, is to get the red protest

flag out.

The purpose of this editorial is to encourage you to do that, even if you'd rather not. There comes a time when repeat offenders have to be shown that enough is enough. If they don't know the rules, they need to learn. If they do know the rules and are choosing to ignore them, then it’s time someone called them. From now on, I’m going to be one of those someones.

If you’re looking for me at the club, I’ll be the bloke drinking on his own in the corner, because no-one will talk to me. But at least everyone I race against will know the rules!

Happy sailing.

Going to the room

If these blokes behaved on the start line the way some club racers do, people would die!

Roger McMillan – EditorI'm a bit of a control freak. I like things to be organised, and I like people to abide by the rules. Which is why I'm getting very frustrated with some of the antics
I observe on race tracks around the country.
The Racing Rules of Sailing is a pretty heavy document – 91 rules and 16 appendices. Judging by the number of decisions overturned on appeal, even juries don't always get them right. But if you are going racing, you should have a basic understanding of the simple rules such as port/starboard and windward/leeward.
During a recent regatta, we watched in horror as a port tacker sailed straight at a boat on starboard. A collision was averted only when the starboard tacker took evasive action. The port tacker continued on blissfully unaware and did the same to us. Only a crash gybe averted a major catastrophe and even then the two boats touched.
The perpetrator did his two penalty turns, which indicated he had some knowledge of the rules. But how could he possibly charge straight at another boat when he had no rights? Twice in 60 seconds.
Another thing that annoys me is stupidity on the start line. Many club racers are either totally ignorant of the windward/leeward rule, or they pretend to be. Does this scenario sound familiar? A windward boat is called to go “up” by the right-of-way leeward boat. To do so the windward boat  will have to cross the line early and go around. So he simply does nothing. Usually, the right-of-way boat makes a halfway decent start anyway, even though he had to bear away, and it's just a club race so he doesn't bother protesting. No-one wants to go to the room.
He makes a note to find the skipper afterwards and have a quiet word, but by the time the gear has been put away and he's had a few beers, he's forgotten all about it. Which means the offender got away with it. Again. And will continue to do so.
I get to watch quite a lot of junior racing, and I'm usually impressed with their knowledge of the rules. Even in 100 boat Optimist fleets where the start and first mark rounding are total chaos, you will see a kid who's been caught in the wrong put his or her hand up and quickly execute a 720.
The reason that the kids get it right and the adults get it wrong is that in club keelboat racing there are a lot of people who haven't had formal coaching. They have come to sailing late, and have never been formally taught the rules.
In Eric Twiname’s book Start to Win reviewed on page 60, he says that until a sailor can make basic decisions automatically he is doomed to mid-fleet finishes. Similarly, until skippers can make rule calls automatically, without having to work out which boat has the right-of-way, there will be infractions.
I know some clubs do have the occasional rules session. But it's obvious that the people who need to attend don't. So here’s a suggestion aimed at clubs that run twilights and cruising divisions, where less experienced sailors tend to hang out. What about a pre-season rules quiz? Create 10 common scenarios and send them to the skipper of every boat that has entered the series. Before they can compete, the skippers have to hand them in with at least eight out of ten answers correct. At least it would make them THINK about the rules.
The other solution, the one none of
us wants to take, is to get the red protest
flag out.
The purpose of this editorial is to encourage you to do that, even if you'd rather not. There comes a time when repeat offenders have to be shown that enough is enough. If they don't know the rules, they need to learn. If they do know the rules and are choosing to ignore them, then it’s time someone called them. From now on, I’m going to be one of those someones.
If you’re looking for me at the club, I’ll be the bloke drinking on his own in the corner, because no-one will talk to me. But at least everyone I race against will know the rules!
Happy sailing.
Going to the room
If these blokes behaved on the start line the way some club racers do, people would die!
Roger McMillan – Editor