Vashon Island Race Redress Decision
Combined Requests by Duke, Xiphius, and Les Cheraux Blancs

Facts Found:

  1. The Winter Vashon Race is one race in a series of 4 races in the Southern Sound Series. The race and series includes 9 classes which includes Classes F and G.
  2. The wind was blowing 18-20 knots out of the north as Classes F and G approached the North end of Vashon Island.
  3. The sailing instructions state the course length is 30.7 NM and the course rounds Vashon and Maury islands in the clockwise direction, with a temporary mark at the north end of the island. In accordance with the sailing instructions for the Winter Vashon Race, the RC set a temporary inflatable mark approximately ˝ mile north of Point Vashon Island.
  4. A competitor, Gardyloo, hit the temporary mark and severed the anchor line with the kelp cutter on its keel.
  5. The RC Mark Boat, who was in the vicinity of Blake Island at the time the mark started to drift, saw that the mark was adrift and went to retrieve and reset it. In total it took approximately 25 minutes after the mark’s anchor line was severed, for Mark Boat reach the drifting mark and to reset the mark in its proper location.
  6. The Mark had drifted to approximately 150 yards off of Point Vashon resulting in course that is about .47 nm shorter than the course with the mark in the correct position (See figure below).
  7. While the mark was adrift and before it was reset some boats in Class F and Class G rounded the mark. The remainder of Classes F and G rounded the temporary mark after it was reset in its correct location.
  8. All boats in class F and G rounded the mark.
  9. The boats in Class F that rounded temporary mark after it was reset were:
    1. Cherokee
    2. Xiphius
    3. Les Chevaux Blancs
    4. Slingshot
    5. Blown Away II
  10. The boats in Class G that rounded temporary mark after it was reset were:
    1. SHOWTIME
    2. Falcon
    3. Skookum Too
    4. Duke
    5. Carpe Diem
  11. Duke requested 5 minutes redress.
  12. Xiphius requested 9.75 – 15 minutes redress.
  13. Les Cheraux Blancs requested 17 minutes redress.

Conclusions and Rules that apply:

The Race Committee, in accordance with rule 34(a), replaced mark in its correct position.

Within the meaning of rule 62.1(a) the temporary mark being out of position was a result of a competitor fouling the mark and not a result of an improper act or omission on the part of the Race Committee as required for redress by rule 62.1(a). Although Xiphius & Les Chevaux Blancs in Class F and Duke in class G sailed an additional distance as compared to those in their class that rounded the mark while it was adrift, the 0.47 NM difference is well with the variation in distance that boats will sail while circumnavigating an island in a 30.7 MN race. In the existing conditions the fact that the mark was adrift for a period time did not result in a significant impact to their scores for the race as required for redress under rule 62.1.

Decision:

The requests for redress by Xiphius & Les Chevaux Blancs in Class F, and Duke in Class G are denied.

Redress Denied.

Protest Committee:

Wayne Balsiger, Norm Smit, Kerry Nielan