| Protest 19 |
| Yomo v Race Committee (Request for Redress) (Race 5) |
| Abstract YOMO protested INTRIGUE, AUSTRALIAN MAID, BABY TONGA, SHATOOSH, LAWANA, & OCEAN AGASSY for not sailing the course. AUSTRALIAN MAID (case 20) and INTIGUE (case 24) requested redress claiming they (and others) had been advised by the race committee to sail the course she did and that it should therefore be held as a valid course. In an interview, Ross Chisholm the relevant Race Officer, explained that he had made several VHF broadcasts advising a course change at the gate in response to learning that the Navy Boat, which should have anchored between two yellow marks (to make two gates), was unable to anchor properly due to deep water and insufficient anchor rode. The Race Committee accepted that it had made an error in not displaying Flag L. YOMO’s protest is upheld as she sailed the correct course and the others did not, but request is granted to all the boats which complied with the Race Committee’s instructions, even though they were not properly indicated with an L flag. The fairest arrangement for all boats is to allow the results to stand, for any boat that sailed between the two yellow marks. Thus no results to be altered. |
| Facts Found 1. The gate boat drifted out of position but remained in the general vicinity of the gate. 2. The RC displayed code flag L and announced by radio that the gate would be between the two marks. 3. Some boats sailed between the gate boat and one of the gate marks. 4. Some boats sailed between the gate marks. 5. There was little advantage gained from taking either course. |
| Rules |
| Conclusion No boat's finishing position was made significantly worse by by the actions of the race committee. The race committee did not make an improper action. |
| Decision Request for redress refused. |
| Committee Bryan Willis (IJ) Mark Pryke (IJ) Al Chandler (IJ) Prasart Sribadhung (IJ) Egil Wold (IJ) Howard Elliott (IJ) |
