In just a few days the new Racing Rules of Sailing go into effect.
There were fewer changes to the rules than in the last few quadrenniums
but at least one very significant change has been made. The mark-room
zone has been increased from TWO to THREE hull lengths. In team racing
however, the mark-room zone has remained at TWO lengths. Rule 86.1
allows the sailing instructions (but not the class rules) to change the
definition of "zone" to two or four hull lengths.
The question is: do we want college sailing to use a two length zone
instead of a three length zone for our fleet racing and if so, how?
ICSA meets this Saturday, January 10 in Park City and the first
committee report is from the Procedural Rules committee headed by Geoff
Becker. This might already be on Geoff's radar. As such debate should
end by this Friday.
Why make this change:
1. In the spring nearly half our racing is team racing. The rest is
fleet racing in the same boats on the same venues.
2. Our leeward gate marks would need to be at least six lengths apart or
else a boat clear ahead could "own" both zones. Wider gates mean more
variation in wind for different gate marks on our inshore venues.
3. Tacking within the zone at the windward is hard to avoid for many
boats on our short courses and in shifty winds, the odds of breaking
18.3 increases with a three length zone.
Why not make this change:
1. Most of the rest of the sailing world, such as youth and one-design
sailing, will be using a three hull length zone.
2. Some of our judges may have difficulty with this, just as some have
had with our college dinghy class rule changes to rule 42.
3. Maybe three lengths will be better.
Here is my opinion: I believe our procedural rules should require our
sailing instructions to change the definition of zone from three to two
hull lengths. Except for our lasers in heavy wind, our boats are slow
and highly maneuverable and do not need three lengths to sort out
roundings. With a three length zone our gates would need to be
significantly wider and tacking in at a windward mark becomes even more
prohibitive, especially in a shifty wind.
Transitioning from a two length zone to a three length zone for our
non-college racing might be easier than switching from three to two in
the middle of practice with both fleet and team racing in the same week.
The rule makers must have had some reason for allowing SI's to change
this definition. Certain high performance classes such as Tornados,
49ers, A scows, and TP 52s approach leeward marks at speeds approaching
one hull length per second in heavy air. They might want four lengths.
If any class wanted the shorter two length zone, would it not be the
college dinghy?
Ken Legler
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