Can't believe I didn't think of this earlier...

We are trained as RC (and judges) to NOT protest boats for hitting marks unless it's ABSOLUTELY obvious. The reason given is that unless your angle of view is perfect, you cannot tell that the boat actually touched the mark.

This would be particularly true in this example. Who on the RC witnessed the stern hitting the mark? Where were they located? If they were on the signal boat and claim they saw the boat hit the pin end, that could be a tough sell in front of a good jury. If they were on a mark boat, were they in such a position that they could see air between the boat and the pin, and could clearly see the contact?

This is easier to think about if you're consider the weather mark. If the mark boat is upwind of the mark, the RC cannot see whether a boat hits the mark. Lots of people think they can, but in practice, the physics don't work. Unless you see a Hobie 17 wing hit the mark, and you're close enough to see the mark fabric wrinkle, etc. which means you're too close anyway. Seeing a person hit the mark is different, but usually only if you see them pushing the mark away from the boat.

EDIT: What I'm talking about here is being able to see a boat on starboard rounding the windward mark to port. Unless the boat t-bones the mark, from a position upwind of the boat and mark, it is not possible to see the hull hit the mark. This is easier to describe in person, with salt shakers and sugar packets. Beer doesn't hurt either...

Just food for thought...

Mike