If all they did was snicker, you got off way too easy! I'm not talking about protests, either...
Ding, by default RRS, you can't touch the barging buoy without penalty since the definition of mark was changed a few years ago. The SIs have to be carefully written to make that the case.
I agree with your comment about over thinking the gadget-fix approach.
Mike
This was about 5 or so years ago - and the SI's made the barging buoy neither obstacle nor mark nor extension of the committee boat...you could make sweet love to it for all the rules cared....but, straddling it (and the rode) wasn't a smart strategy for speed.
