Match Racing in Handicap fleets

A leg is the course between two marks.  I think if we were talking different laps you might be right but that's not the case here. (Your query will tell you - although I'm surprised its not in the case law).  The key point is that they are sailing in the same race.  I would absolutely agree with you if it was different starts and different races, but it's not.  

I think Oulton Ben has a point - the slower boat was not on a leg until she started, therefore the faster boat was on a different leg and not sailing her proper course.

Interestingly enough the series organiser, Andy Rice, wrote an article coming out against sailing boats down the fleet in his Y&Y column recently. And that includes Ainslie's epic against Scheidt. So that would suggest that this tactic is against the spirit of the SJ series.

Clutching at straws here, but is there a definition of what constitutes a series? You could argue that a Series needs three things; its own entry, a NoR and SI's. The SJ series had a NoR, but did it have an expicit entry process and SI's? If not, the Sail Juice events may not actually be a series and therefore the Fireball's actions were not advantageous to getting their best result at the regatta in which they were actually competing - the Draycote Dash - which they are obliged to do.

Of course, it's all just meant to be a bit of fun so it seems a shame to take it all so seriously. That's for the other 5 days of the week.

Originally posted by Peaky Clutching at straws here, but is there a definition of what constitutes a series? You could argue that a Series needs three things; its own entry, a NoR and SI's. The SJ series had a NoR, but did it have an expicit entry process and SI's? If not, the Sail Juice events may not actually be a series and therefore the Fireball's actions were not advantageous to getting their best result at the regatta in which they were actually competing - the Draycote Dash - which they are obliged to do.

Edited by Little Monster - 27 Feb 12 at 11:18pm

I can't see that having the start in flights afects this at all - it is quite common at narrow river clubs, where 1/2 the fleet might start 2minutes after, but the earlier starting boats are quite within their rights to stop a later starting boat from overtaking, however soon after the start.

The 1st race arguement holds water, provided it is illegal to sail someone down the fleet in the 1st race of the last class open meeting of the year in order to win the traveller trophy?

What I can't work out is that if this Fireball (I've not looked at the results, so dunno who it is) is a fast enough boat to have been in with a chance of winning the sailjuice event, he didn't trust his ability enough to try and win the Dash, and with it the whole winter series?

Originally posted by sargesail ..... Surely Boat 1 starts - it is on the leg to mark 1.  3 minutes later boat 2 starts - until one of them rounds mark 1 they are on the same leg.  When they have both rounded mark 1 they are on the same leg again. ..... I think there are some under the impression that the Fireball manouevrred against an opponent before the opponent started.  That's not the case, but I also don't think it's what you're saying here.  I think your implication is that the Fireball can't sail other than her proper course until the other boat has started.  I can't see where you get that from in Rule 23.2: ..... If it is not actually interfering it can do what it wants.