2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race: The Race Committee has lodged a protest against Wild Oats XI

[Cap't Billy]

AIS fried prior to race start would mean that WOXI was NOT fit to race. The post race declaration would be a falsified statement by the "fried" statement in itself! It'll be like saying that the engine dies before the race, but we won't need it anyway!?! WTF's going on with the RC???

That it could receive but not transmit and that no one noticed for the whole race gets a bit hard to swallow alright but we didn't hear the arguments.  In that Facebook post quoted here earlier I think it was said that they didn't know it was "fried' until they got to Hobart.

 

[animeproblem]

It's nice to know the AIS on Oats is working now. Providing a nice safety net as they poddle off home, north up the Tasmanian coast.

Yeah obviously in an emergency AIS is totally useless, completely reliable trackers are so much better. (Should have looked about for that sarcasm font thing)

 

[Maw]

It is shameful that there are so many on this forum that desperately wanted WO DSQed and are really butthurt that it didn't happen.  Now they are attacking the Oatley family without knowing them and their values.  Bob would be upset, but upset at the loathsome sledgers' on this site suggesting the family were cheats, particularly those from outside of Australia who only know of the family by what is written by faceless idiots on a sailing website.  I guarantee none of those people would have balls to say those statements to their face or even by email and sign your real name.

TrT, you call it butthurt.

I call it expecting accountability.

We shall agree to disagree I fear.

 

[Cal20sailor]

It is shameful that there are so many on this forum that desperately wanted WO DSQed and are really butthurt that it didn't happen.  Now they are attacking the Oatley family without knowing them and their values.  Bob would be upset, but upset at the loathsome sledgers' on this site suggesting the family were cheats, particularly those from outside of Australia who only know of the family by what is written by faceless idiots on a sailing website.  I guarantee none of those people would have balls to say those statements to their face or even by email and sign your real name.

James Lyden. 

So much for your guarantees.  

 

[savoir]

That it could receive but not transmit and that no one noticed for the whole race gets a bit hard to swallow alright but we didn't hear the arguments.  In that Facebook post quoted here earlier I think it was said that they didn't know it was "fried' until they got to Hobart.

If it really was " fried " then how did they manage to fix it one hour after finishing ? Don't forget that during that hour they were kind of busy docking and spraying champagne and talking to reporters and stuff.

Multiskilling presumably.

 

[Rail Meat]

It is shameful that there are so many on this forum that desperately wanted WO DSQed and are really butthurt that it didn't happen.  Now they are attacking the Oatley family without knowing them and their values.  Bob would be upset, but upset at the loathsome sledgers' on this site suggesting the family were cheats, particularly those from outside of Australia who only know of the family by what is written by faceless idiots on a sailing website.  I guarantee none of those people would have balls to say those statements to their face or even by email and sign your real name.

I don't have enough facts to conclusively determine if one or more people on WOXI cheated. Frankly, the facts that are available don't paint a very pretty picture. However,  it is far from conclusive. 

What is conclusive and indisputable is that they failed to meet their obligations under the SI to transmit AIS. And that failure gave them a advantage. 

That failure should have resulted in some form of penalty.  Probably enough to cost them the victory given the tight racing.  And any other boat that failed to transmit should also be penalized.  Not necessarily dsq, but penalized in some way. 

Winning under these circumstances is a tarnished victory, and lacks honor. 

And I would be happy to tell that to anyone in the crew or the Oatleys that. In person or email. 

Michael Hennessy

 

[Cap't Billy]

If it really was " fried " then how did they manage to fix it one hour after finishing ? Don't forget that during that hour they were kind of busy docking and spraying champagne and talking to reporters and stuff.

Multiskilling presumably.

Ed Zachary!  Another thing that makes the story harder to believe.  Someone above suggested that maybe all it needed was a cold boot (you know computer talk for stopping and restarting it - not that thing on the end of your leg).  I'd like to know the whole story and I don't think anyone here knows it.  it's just that I've been embarrassed before going off half cocked with half the facts when the rest of a story emerged.  But SA is not where you go for any benefit of the doubt. 

 

[Sidecar]

It is shameful that there are so many on this forum that desperately wanted WO DSQed and are really butthurt that it didn't happen.  Now they are attacking the Oatley family without knowing them and their values.  Bob would be upset, but upset at the loathsome sledgers' on this site suggesting the family were cheats, particularly those from outside of Australia who only know of the family by what is written by faceless idiots on a sailing website.  I guarantee none of those people would have balls to say those statements to their face or even by email and sign your real name.

My bold edit..... You first, and your relationship to WOXI. Happy to give you mine by return. PM me if you are shy.

I don’t care why the AIS wasn’t on during the race, WOXI’s signed declaration effectively says that it was, which we all know, including RO, PC and IJ, to be incorrect. Additionally, intended or not, WOXI may have benefitted from being AIS invisible.

The RO, PC and IJ have not done their job.

 

[Cal20sailor]

My bold edit..... You first, and your relationship to WOXI. Happy to give you mine by return. PM me if you are shy.

I don’t care why the AIS wasn’t on during the race, WOXI’s signed declaration effectively says that it was, which we all know, including RO, PC and IJ, to be incorrect. Additionally, intended or not, WOXI may have benefitted from being AIS invisible.

The RO, PC and IJ have not done their job.

And bingo was his name.  Couldn't agree more.  

 

[zenmasterfred]

It is shameful that there are so many on this forum that desperately wanted WO DSQed and are really butthurt that it didn't happen.  Now they are attacking the Oatley family without knowing them and their values.  Bob would be upset, but upset at the loathsome sledgers' on this site suggesting the family were cheats, particularly those from outside of Australia who only know of the family by what is written by faceless idiots on a sailing website.  I guarantee none of those people would have balls to say those statements to their face or even by email and sign your real name.

WTF:  The boys don't even sail on "their" boat, at least the old man was a sailor.

 

[trt131]

 WOXI’s signed declaration effectively says that it was

I did not realise that the document was in the public domain

 

[paps49]

It is shameful that there are so many on this forum that desperately wanted WO DSQed and are really butthurt that it didn't happen.  Now they are attacking the Oatley family without knowing them and their values.  Bob would be upset, but upset at the loathsome sledgers' on this site suggesting the family were cheats, particularly those from outside of Australia who only know of the family by what is written by faceless idiots on a sailing website.  I guarantee none of those people would have balls to say those statements to their face or even by email and sign your real name.

What is shameful is that a professional crew sailing the Oatley businesses floating advertising platform accepted the spoils of a victory that was not theirs.

Either....

The AIS got fried in Sydney prior to the race in which case they were not entitled to start and filed a false post race declaration.

Or...

They deliberately switched off the transmit function then lied about it.

Feel free to print this and pass it on to the family, I have previously told Mr Richards in person my thoughts on his behavior.

Tony Papworth.

And your name is?

 

[Cal20sailor]

I don't have enough facts to conclusively determine if one or more people on WOXI cheated. Frankly, the facts that are available don't paint a very pretty picture. However,  it is far from conclusive. 

What is conclusive and indisputable is that they failed to meet their obligations under the SI to transmit AIS. And that failure gave them a advantage. 

That failure should have resulted in some form of penalty.  Probably enough to cost them the victory given the tight racing.  And any other boat that failed to transmit should also be penalized.  Not necessarily dsq, but penalized in some way. 

Winning under these circumstances is a tarnished victory, and lacks honor. 

And I would be happy to tell that to anyone in the crew or the Oatleys that. In person or email. 

Michael Hennessy

Mike, can't send you a PM, if you are up to it, please PM me an email address.  I'm not selling life insurance just an offer to help.  Jim 

 

[paps49]

I did not realise that the document was in the public domain

Well I will bet you 100 bucks it would be if it backed up ONE of their stories.

 

[Cap't Billy]

What is shameful is that a professional crew sailing the Oatley businesses floating advertising platform accepted the spoils of a victory that was not theirs.

Either....

The AIS got fried in Sydney prior to the race in which case they were not entitled to start and filed a false post race declaration.

Or...

They deliberately switched off the transmit function then lied about it.

Feel free to print this and pass it on to the family, I have previously told Mr Richards in person my thoughts on his behavior.

Tony Papworth.

And your name is?

It was post 797 about a FaceBook from a WOXI crew where we first get the idea that the AIS got fried in Sydney somehow when the cameraman fired up.  It goes on to say that they didn't know it wasn't working properly until they got to Hobart. 

I don't know what they declared - apparently Sidecar does somehow but he isn't posting it here that I have seen.

It kind of starts to line up for me.  You're MR and you arrive in Hobart after a couple of days with not much sleep looking at what you think is a satisfying result.  You've had a Champagne shower and probably shotgunned a couple of beers by the time someone with a camera comes up to you and after saying: "did you know your AIS wasn't transmitting" pokes a mike in your face.  His ill considered comments make more sense in that light.  First he's heard of it.  Maybe they handed in the finish report still not even knowing that the thing wasn't working.  We don't know that because there never was a hearing.

I just have trouble imagining that they would turn the thing off for the whole race on purpose.  I think if they had known it was cooked from the start that cat would be out of the bag by now too.  They would have had to know that they were going to be caught at that.  If you are crooked I can see an advantage to going dark for a few hours while you slip away from the competition.  But for the whole race?  There isn't enough in it to justify breaking the rules for the whole course. 

 

[Sidecar]

I did not realise that the document was in the public domain

I have no idea, and it doesn’t matter, if WOXI actually declared that they didn’t have AIS on during the race,, then the RO, PC and IJ still didn’t do their job.... It actually makes it worse for the reputation of the race itself.

 

[Sidecar]

I don't see why BJ comes out bad from this.........Expect the CYCA to either drop the rule or add clauses about it's use to allow it to be off at the skippers except in certain circumstances...

Agree re BJ. The other option for the CYCA if they regard AIS as so important to safety is to work out how to police and enforce the rule they already have. No exceptions.

 

[trisail]

Paul Elvstrom said it all.

 

[Francis Vaughan]

I don't see why BJ comes out bad from this.

Basically because they went moaning to the media. That is a dick move if you don't follow it up with a protest. 

The SI's have rules about talking to the media they start with:

33.2  Skippers and crew members of boats may speak to, and provide material to, accredited members of any media prior to, during and after the race, regarding the race and the prospects, performance or strategy of boats entered or participating in the race, subject to:

• any comments and material supplied not undermining or interfering with, or having a detrimental impact on, the Organising Authority and its officers and employees, the Race Committee, the International Jury, Measurers or Rolex SA;
  

and so on. Currently publicly accusing your opponents of cheating is not considered bad behaviour. But it is hard to make a case that it isn't. They get awfully close to the edge of some of the above.

They basically made a public accusation of cheating, and then hid behind a false spirit of "we don't protest." Which is essentially translated as, "we feel free to make accusations, but we won't provide the accused a forum to exonerate themselves." Just leave it in the media with the hanging doubt that the win was deserved. 

 

[Chucky]

In an emergency, it's the EPIRB, VHF DSC , HF DSC and HF DSC that is used. AIS is only for collision avoidance (not the only way to avoid collisions) and allowing your competitors snoop on you. For MOB you only need an AIS receiver.

For avoiding collisions with shipping, an AIS transmitter is not useful for modern large racers. Naviguesses I believe spend a lot of time below at their computer and will be watching for shipping and will plot courses accordingly. The transmitter is more useful for slow moving cruisers and solo racers giving the shipping a chance to change course in advance.

I wonder why the CYCA decided to mandate using AIS transmitters? 

You really do show your lack of knowledge in all your posts.

AIS is by far the best equipment technology to be available to yachts at a reasonable price in the last 10 years. Based on all the yachts in the hobart race and shipping traffic avoiding collisions is a high priority. I hope I am never in any yacht race against your yacht either in Port Phillip Bay or in the ocean. Please stay at the Squadron and do not sail with any other clubs in Melbourne.

please think before you post any more shit and try taking in the experience of the other posts!

ps the orcv has made AIS mandatory for a while in their ocean races.