John Ball

Interesting question! I would summarise the facts from your post as follows and have attached a diagram. Red on port and Green on stbd were running downwind, with Green close astern. The boats had not reached the zone on the next mark. During a gust, Green closed the gap, and her port bow became overlapped with Red’s stbd quarter by about an inch. There was contact. Stbd immediately hailed ‘Protest’. There was no damage. There are several rules and definitions to consider: the definitions of Room and Keep Clear and R10, R 14, R 15, and R 16.1. R11 and R 12 do not apply as the boats were on opposite tacks (gybes). As the boats had not yet reached the zone, R 18 did not apply. Conclusion and rules that apply. Red was required to keep clear while Green was astern and once they became overlapped under R 10. Green did not break R 15 as there was no change in ROW and R 10 applied through the incident. Green did not break R 16.1 as she did not change course – note that a change in speed is not considered a change in course. When the overlap was created, Red did not have sufficient room to keep clear, but her obligation to keep clear began earlier, while Green was astern. Green broke R 14, but if the incident happened quickly, due to the gust, it may not have been reasonably possible for Green to avoid Red. My take is that Red, on port is dsq under R10. What is more problematic, is whether or not to also dsq Green, on stbd, under R14 for not avoiding contact. As there was a gust and it happened quickly, we may conclude that is was not reasonably possible for Green to avoid the contact, and so Green did not break R 14. John

This sounds like 'dither'. See the RMG manual on Input Deadband. Input Deadband Input deadband is the amount dithering in the Rx signal that a servo can tolerate without responding to by constantly jittering. This is adjustable from 0.8 to 10 microseconds. Deadband adjustment allows the optimisation of TX fine trim control. The default setting is 5 microseconds. (this is for the E version, earlier ones have different values) John

Most Tx are designed for aircraft, and dual rate or exponential are frequently not available on CH3 Throttle - some make it available in Heli mode. If you have an RMG winch, then the easiest way to get an exponential effect for fine control of close hauled, is by setting Scaled Linear Travel SLT) to single ended and then you can set how to scale the movement - I use about 25% for the close hauled setting. If you have an arm winch and it is correctly aligned for close hauled, then you also get a built in scaled travel. John

The class rules just say D.1.5 DECK LIMIT MARK The deck limit mark shall be displayed on the centre plane of the hull near to the mast position. It shall be a minimum of 5 mm in diameter. Yes, as low as possible yet near the mast and on a section of deck large enough for 5mm mark. John

The mainsail tack may not be lower than the top of the lower limit mark. The gooseneck position is not specified, and you may relocate it lower. John

You mention jib leach open with little topping lift. This is also related to a lack of prebend. With prebend, the backstay puts tension on the forestay, and that upward force on the jib boom at the tack, creates a downward force on the clew - and that will tighten the jib leach and topping lift. John

World Sailing has issued a number of changes and error corrections to the RRS 2025-2028. The main items that I noted are a return to the previous wording for Obstruction, now back to sailing the course Definitions, Proper Course Change the definition to: Proper Course A course a boat would choose in order to sail the course as quickly as possible in the absence of the other boats referred to in the rule using the term. A boat has no proper course before her starting signal. The other change is a name change for Umpired sailing, which will require updating of any NOR/SI that reference this document. Appendix E Preamble and Online Rules Documents In the Appendix E preamble, change ‘A Test Rule for Umpired Radio Sailing’ to ‘Development Rules for Umpired Radio Sailing’. In Online Rules Documents, change ‘Test Rule for Umpired Radio Sailing’ to ‘Development Rules for Umpired Radio Sailing’. John RRS-2025-Changes-and-Corrections.pdf

I have updated all the articles on my web site for the new RRS that come into effect on Jan 1st 2025. https://sites.google.com/site/johnsrcsailingrulesandtactics/ I have added a new item to the Appendix for short items at the bottom of the home page - R18.2 or R 18.3 at the windward mark. This item looks more closely at when to apply 18.2 or 18.3 and the effect of the significant change in 18.3 for windward port roundings. John

The number of degrees for a penalty is irrelevant. A penalty is one tack and one gybe (in either order) in the same direction. It is that simple. John

For a 'simplified' version of the RRS, see my web site https://sites.google.com/site/johnsrcsailingrulesandtactics/ and check out the Chapter 1 Bonus item ' Simplified racing rules for beginners'. This is a minimal set of 'guidelines' to get started and avoid collisions. I also suggest reading Chapter 1. The definitions as it covers the major sailing terms like port/stbd, overlap/clear ahead, windward/leeward. John

Read the WS Call Book for Radio Sailing , Call B2, especially the answer to question 2, and also see Call P4. R 44 includes 'significant advantage' but E4.3(b) just refers to 'advantage'. John

My answer to Q1 is No - the penalty is completed after one tack and one gybe - that could be as little as 180 to 270 degrees. Once the penalty is complete, you are no longer subject to 21.2 (keep clear while taking penalty) and are racing again, but as you alter course to head to the next mark, you may become subject to R 15 or 16.1 and have to give room for another boat to stay clear. For Radio Sailing Appendix E4.3 modifies R 44.1 to one turn. Q2. If the infringed boat hits others, then you are likely into a 'significant advantage' situation, and multiple turns would be appropriate until the advantage is gone. I have a chapter - Chapter 9 The Penalty Turn on my web site https://sites.google.com/site/johnsrcsailingrulesandtactics/ I have already drafted updates for the RRS 2025 - 2028 but have not yet added them to the web site (will replace all chapters in December). Here is a draft copy attached. John Penalty Turns 2025-2028 draft.pdf

I was just watching the A fleet heat of Race 8 at the IOM Worlds. There were a couple of good shots of Zvonko's Viss on the last down wind leg, and the beat to the finish line. It looked to me that he was using one of these new vangs and it did appear to add extra area on the run, but I think the main reason for it is that it works in conjunction with those big bumps on the after deck. To me it looked like the vang was closing the gap between the boom and the deck near the mast, but it was also closing the gap between the vang/boom and the deck bumps further aft - acting to create an end-plate effect, increasing the efficiency of the rig. If I am right, then the way to gain any benefit from the new vang would require major deck changes to existing hulls to add bumps. John

A mark only exists when it starts or ends the leg of the course you are sailing - so the start/finish marks do not normally 'exist' while sailing the other legs. BUT - sometimes the RC will make the start/finish a no-go area to ensure boats sailing the course do not interfere with the RC work of registering boats finishing. In that case the start/finish line becomes an obstruction. To invoke this, the RC must clearly announce it and/or make it part of the SI. John

I would also recommend using the tubing and wire solution. One spreader has the wire glued in place and the other slips onto the wire - makes it easy to disassemble the rig for travel. However the main advantage of the fixed spreader is that is helps stop the mast from rotating if you don't have a pinned mast step. The gooseneck/vang puts a rotating force on the mast on a run, and the spreaders help stop the mast rotating to keep everything in place. An advantage of the clip on is you can adjust the height - lower allows more flex in the rig - higher stiffens the rig. But you can get the same flexibility by drilling low and high positions for the spreader. John