Rule 28 question

[Nef]

Recent large (120 boats +) distance race.

When approaching the finish line the wind shut down and the current carried 20 or so boats past the committee boat end of the line. Many of these boats found enough wind to sail under the finish line and circle up and around the finish pin to cross the line from the course side (crude drawing below). These boats received horns and were scored by the committee. Other boats felt Rule 28.2 required sailing back around the committee boat before finishing which took much longer.

From the race SI's -
8.2.6 Finish between the race committee boat and xxxxx buoy, leaving the race committee boat to starboard.

It doesn't really matter since I believe the boats flushed past the line were all later finishers, and not in line for the podium, but useful information for the future. Who was right?

 

[JimC]

This is exactly the situation in Case 106 in the case book.


Definitions, Sail the Course
Rule 28.1, Sailing the Race
When the string representing a boat’s track lies on the
required sides of finishing marks or gate marks, it is not
relevant that, when drawn taut, it also passes one of those
marks on the non-required side.
Facts
As boats approach a downwind finishing line, a tidal current takes one of
them outside one of the finishing marks. She sails beyond the entire
finishing line, rounds the other finishing mark, and then crosses the finishing
line from its course side.
Question
Has the boat complied with rule 28.1?
Answer
Yes. When the course requires boats to pass between two marks at a
finishing line or at a gate, a boat complies with rule 28.1 if the string
representing her track when drawn taut passes between the marks from the
direction of the previous mark (see the definition Sail the Course). She
complies with rule 28.1 even if the string also passes one mark of the
finishing line or gate on the non-required side. In this case the boat passed
the buoy serving as a mark of the finishing line on the non-required side
before passing it on the required side.

 

[Joakim]

Probably wasn't even necessary to round the pin. Just sail back through the line to the course side and then finish. Like you would do in a start after OCS.

Edit: Probably not OK. You need to go around either end. See Case 90.

 

[Joakim]

After some thoughts I'm not quite sure how well Case 90 can be applied to finishing. And even Case 90 is not 100% clear to me.

What's the actual difference between the taut lines of A and B in case 90? You are allowed to round marks additionally on the wrong or right side. But you are not allowed to go back? That cancels the rounding you made?

You are not allowed to just skip the marks rounded when not required to while tauting the line? E.g. lifting the taut line over the RC in Case 90 for B.

 

[JohnMB]

After some thoughts I'm not quite sure how well Case 90 can be applied to finishing. And even Case 90 is not 100% clear to me.

What's the actual difference between the taut lines of A and B in case 90? You are allowed to round marks additionally on the wrong or right side. But you are not allowed to go back? That cancels the rounding you made?

You are not allowed to just skip the marks rounded when not required to while tauting the line? E.g. lifting the taut line over the RC in Case 90 for B.

No you cant 'lift' the line over a mark with a required side . If you could the whole taut string concept would collapse.

 

[Foredeck Shuffle]

@Joakim, checked in with some folks with more experience than me and it was the consensus that your observation that Case 90 indicates that the finish would not count if the boat went around the finish line and then sailed up into the line, the crossed back over the line in the proper direction, due to the string being pulled away from the finish when taught.

 

[Mid]

 

[Steam Flyer]

@Joakim, checked in with some folks with more experience than me and it was the consensus that your observation that Case 90 indicates that the finish would not count if the boat went around the finish line and then sailed up into the line, the crossed back over the line in the proper direction, due to the string being pulled away from the finish when taught.

Yeah, but I also think it's kinda silly. Imaginary string?

The definition of "finish" does not include any verbiage about trailing an imaginary string, you just have to cross the finish line from the direction of the last mark. However I have given up on trying to guess what an appeals committee is going to hand down.

 

[TJSoCal]

Check the definition of Sail the Course.

A boat can finish according to the definition, but if she hasn’t also started and sailed the course according to those definitions she’s broken rule 28. Such a boat can be scored NSC without a hearing.