Black flag in Prestart at the MR Europeans in Sopot

Description of incident:

During pre-start manuevers Blue on port did not keep clear of Yellow on starboard. There was a contact resulting in cutting one of two stern lines holding the cameraman at the stern of Yellow. There was Y flag.

Umpires penalized Blue for breaking rule 10. Few seconds later it turned out that cameraman standing on Yellow’s stern is not able to hold on in his previous position and have to get on board.

Umpires initiated black flag penalty on Blue due to safety issues claiming that Yellow was not able to continue racing.

Note: Cameramen were present at all boats standing at the stern and being supported by two additional lines.

Questions:

1. What should the call be?
2. Was the action by umpires appropriate in terms of rule C8.3?
3. Can you consider cameraman as the normal part of equipment?
4. Can you consider safety issues as the reason to initiate black flag penalty?

1 Penalize Blue, however;

(a) There need not have been contact with the boat; if Yellow had to take avoiding action could be sufficient.

(b) If the contact was only with the cameraman or part of his equipment (support rope- camera etc) then it would be a green and white flag.

A cameraman and any equipment he carries is not part of the boat (Call MR 21) another example would be contact with an observer

2 No. The situation described does not fit any of the criteria contained in C8.3, (a), (B) or (c).

3 No (call MR 21)

4 Yes - but not for this reason.

A better course of action in this case would be for the umpires to request the race be abandoned, which a race officer should do in these circumstances. (This is what the umpires should do if the ropes simply broke without there being any contact.)

Alternatively the umpires could do nothing and Yellow should request redress. The PC would then make an appropriate decision. (Which in this case would probably be a re-sail).

Leebow tack in the Prestart

This is one of the nenalties we gave during the semifinal at the Gstaad Ski Yacting this year.
By loking at the picture it's quite a simple case:
The reason for the penalty yellow got at position 4 is not particular interesting. Rule 13 applies for the yellow boat and even if the yellow boat had completed his tack there is still rule 15 who requires yellow to give the red boat room to keep clear as yellow become right of way boat by it's own action.

From a tactical point of view it's more interesting discussing alternatives of yellow.

Let's consider the following facts:
Yellow is on port and on collision course as red has a higher speed the yellow.

Option 1:
Yellow tacks faster in order to gain the right of way position as leeward boat rule 11. If the red boat is now not able to slow down his speed the red boat will become clear ahead of yellow. In this case yellow will fully control red and my push him further to the left side and keeps control of the right side of the starting line.

Option 2:
Instead of tacking, yellow may start to bear away hardly, ease the main and keeps the pressure on the gib, resulting during a short moment in a collision course but keeps bearing away and therefore she is keeping clear of red.
In this case red can not start to alter his course towards yellow and have to keep sailing his course.
The result will be yellow cross astern of red, gains the right side of the prestart area and is in control of red.

What do you think about this 2 options?

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