By the way I have a pretty big rant!!
Who came up with the B.S. idea that you could sail an entire race like you didn't foul anybody then do a 360 or 720 before you finish. The rules state a penalty turn must be done as soon possible without disturbing others. I hate it when there is a protest at the first mark involving a pack of 10 boats, the boat that fouled does a penalty turn at the end of the race and only losses one place instead of lossing 10 places. Who started this nonsense I blame America's Cup Racing.
Anybody else know who started it?
Actually ISAF racing rules committee started this by making the following mistake.
In the rule where you touch a mark on the course it says you must do a penalty promptly without hindering anybody else.
In the rule where you foil another competitor it only says that you have to do a penalty turn.
By explicetly writing "prompty" (or something to that extend) in one rule but NOT using it in the other rule it gives good ground on which to claim that you can do your penalty turn whenever you want as long as you didn't foul on a mark.
Somebody who was making the racing rules simply forgot to include an important aspect in one of the rules and this is the result.
But it is that way and any good racer can and should make use of that in my opinion. Because if you don't then you only limit yourselfs as some other crew will. Then it is better to all (as in more fair) if we all do it at a time of our chosing.
Wouter
