This reminds me precisely of what it's like to do the
'Rough Rider Regatta', especially when it used to go up the intercoastal waterway, for about a hundred miles.
There was usually a 'continuous obstruction' from the shallows outside the channel.
People that knew the rules played it fair, and sometimes a line of 3 or 4 boats would have to tack, b/c the lead boat was nearing the 'obstruction'- shallows.
That was usually about 10 boats out of 100+!
They even put the rule verbage in the NOR and R.I. at least one year.
Those were the days!
This discussion now is going to follow the playing by the rules discussion a couple of threads away.
The result was boat 1 jammed back to starboard and sat stalled until everyone was clear and gone. Boat 2 gained a few gray hairs but made the duck. Boat 3 continued on starboard lifted tack with nothing but a small pinch up to miss rubbing sides with 1.
99% of the racing that is done is for “fun” Rough riders for example, and in those events the starboard boats down the line all see what is coming and typically clear out before they have to play the boat handling game and start throwing rules. In a high level event there are those who add rule pushing for advantage to their skill set. Depending on the situation this can be considered a great tactical play and in others a dick move.
Boat 1 was knocked completely out of the race. Boat 3 did have to alter course to keep clear but the wind was extremely variable here and they lost essentially nothing in the process. Boat 1, if Jeff’s interpretation of the rules is correct, committed a foul. Boat 1 had to run a tack when they did so they do not feel they were at fault. Is it following the rules or a dick move for 3 to protest 1? How many of you guys would be happy to have to take time in the evening to sit in a protest room on this one?
