All@Sea said..
Beam reach, bigger, faster boat to windward? I've been known to let the bigger boat through and try to lock onto their transom to ride their wake. The loss of a boat length can be quickly overcome, and I've made a lot of distance on similar sized boats using this method in fresh breezes. The more wind (and wake) the better.... Having said that, would anyone protest that as receiving (nonconsensual) outside assistance? Sorry for the thread drift.
Riding the stern wave. This is a great trick when you pull it off, I'm always amazed at how effective this is.
I'm not very good at it, I still struggle to position myself in the right spot, but when you get it right its awesome!
We did this to a Lyons 60 and got sucked along for miles, the poor boat doing the dragging can't do much to stop you either.
Chris 249 said..shaggybaxter said..hoop said..shaggybaxter said..SandS said..A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible. However, a right-of-way boat or one entitled to room or mark-roomneed not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not keeping clear or giving room or mark-room, and shall be exonerated if she breaks this rule and the contact does not cause damage or injury.
in other words all boats should avoid contact , even a boat with right of way .
Had my first tickle on the race course from a guy this weekend that failed to follow this.
Start line lay was a reach, we're lined up to cross near the start boat. Further down the line to by two boat lengths to leeward, a 26' suddenly luffs hard toward us, hollering for mark room. He was yelling how he couldn't let me in as we'd blanket him.
I watched him come up onto our line, he's still heading for , and pushng us toward, the start boat, I'm thinking he will fall back soon. Nope. I throw the boat hard over, we bump him with the transom on the turn and end up with the startboat fending off our bowsprit as we go around.
I was really quite shocked at the ease of which he decided a collision was ok. I get he was in the rules to luff me, but seriously? Last time I checked we're not racing for sheep stations.
Did he sail above his proper course to the next mark? If not then you were barging. It's up to you to get out the way. If you're racing you have to play by the rules. You can't just fall back on how seriously each individual is taking it.
Absolutely, he sailed above his proper course. That's wrong when applied to the barometer of say common sense, but technically right when applied to the rules, as there is no proper course before the start.
It's not really wrong when applied to common sense. It's a race. It's really hard for smaller boats if big boats come in and say from the small boat's perspective "f*ck you mate and f*ck the rules, I'm coming through and I'm going to roll over you and stop you dead in my dead air".
With respect, it's your job to foresee these issues. If you don't want people to have to defend their clear air and their chance in the race, then it's best to not make them defend themselves.
Sure, we're not racing for sheep stations, but that applies both ways. If the small boat can be told "hey mate, have your start and your race stuffed up, it's not a serious race" then the big boat can just as fairly be told "hey mate, hang back late and have your race stuffed up, it's not a serious race".
If it's not serious, then there's no reason at all to bend the rules - why bend the rules to win a little race. If it is serious, then there's no reason at all to bend the rules - you definitely shouldn't bend the rules to win a big race.
Hi Chris,
I agree with you, and I dont think there is any way I put in words the reality. I've never used my size to muscle over smaller boats, ever. This case was the same, he was proverbially miles away down the line, and there was never an inkling from me, my crew, or the other boat for the few minutes we were all stooging along before the gun.
If it was a normal line set, and there wasn't multiple divisions doing a massed start, I wouldn't have though twice about someone protecting their end. I admit reading my own text sounds wrong, I think you had to be there to see my side of it.
Cheers,
SB
