Charlie: If NC (the middle boat) cannot head up when you try to take her up, she will be exonerated at your protest hearing if she protested the windward boat at the first reasonable opportunity and she raised her protest flag at the first reasonable opportunity . Otherwise, her protest will not be heard, the windward boat will get off even though she broke a rule, and at your protest hearing, NC should be disqualified. In the past experience that you referred to, the middle boat should have been disqualified, unless she took a two turns penalty. If she didn't do her turns, the protest committee erred by exonerating her. Rule 61 and sub paragraphs of the RRS cover protest requirements. It's always a good idea to protest a boat that has broken a rule, since it might make a difference between exoneration and disqualification.
Alan Bergen 35 Mk III Thirsty Rose City YC Portland, OR I hope some of the racers among the list might want to chime in on the following. Before the start this weekend, 2 boats 'barged' down the line, one immediately to windward and starboard of me (WP) who I protested immediately after the incident, hailed that I(WP) protested him (NC) and flew the red flag. He (NC) did not protest the boat to weather of him until all of us were near the weather mark. Either for that or another technical reason, his (NC) protest was thrown out (details unknown since the protest was not heard at a hearing/meeting as yet) but I was informed of it by his email. My question for the list is the following: AFAIK, I (WP) could not protest any boat except the one nearest to me (NC), which I did. He (NC) protested the boat to his starboard/windward (Q) which he could not take up because that boat (Q) did not yield his position, as he should have. Probably would have forced him over the starting line but immaterial AFAIK. There were no obstructions involved. Am I out of luck since his (the middle boat) protest (NC) was thrown out? I know from a similar past experience when the middle boat did not protest the boat to his starboard/windward side before the start, that he (the middle boat) was exonerated since he was prevented from going up by another boat and did not bother to protest the boat to windward of him. Thus I was 'hosed' since he was exonerated and the real culprit (the boat to his starboard/windward side) got off with no penalty. The current situation is identical except the middle boat (NC) did protest the most windward boat (Q), but his protest was thrown out on a technicality (likely not timely enough). I have an inkling that a BOHICA moment is approaching, as in Bend Over Here It Comes Again!! Charlie Nelson Water Phantom C&C 36 XL/kcb
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