General recall sound signal mistaken for next class preparatory sound signal
*note: it was the sound signal that was mistaken, not the flag
I am subbing in as crew in a race series (local races, scored independently for spring and fall, one race every Tuesday). Last Tuesday, the weirdest thing happened: the race committee had the black flag displayed, and apparently quite a few boats where over the line. The race committee boat did not have the support from a line boat, and apparently could not identify those who were over, so they flew the general recall flag but only gave one sound signal. I figured it was the preparatory signal for the next class. My skipper noticed one boat turn back, but he figured that she knew she was over the line under black flag. All the other boats in the class continued the race.
The second start followed the start procedure of the other classes (rule 29.2 was modified by the sailing instructions in this sense), and only one boat started then. She was scored first, with ALL the other boats (15?) receiving a DNC. My skipper (who's also subbing in) didn't want to get involved.
If I had been racing all season and it was my standing on the line, I would definitely have submitted a request for redress, arguing that although rule 29.2 was modified to move the next start after other classes, the race committee still should have made TWO sounds rather than one. A fellow crew member from the boat that returned argued that it is the flag that counts, not sounds.
What do you guys think?
*note: it was the sound signal that was mistaken, not the flag
I am subbing in as crew in a race series (local races, scored independently for spring and fall, one race every Tuesday). Last Tuesday, the weirdest thing happened: the race committee had the black flag displayed, and apparently quite a few boats where over the line. The race committee boat did not have the support from a line boat, and apparently could not identify those who were over, so they flew the general recall flag but only gave one sound signal. I figured it was the preparatory signal for the next class. My skipper noticed one boat turn back, but he figured that she knew she was over the line under black flag. All the other boats in the class continued the race.
The second start followed the start procedure of the other classes (rule 29.2 was modified by the sailing instructions in this sense), and only one boat started then. She was scored first, with ALL the other boats (15?) receiving a DNC. My skipper (who's also subbing in) didn't want to get involved.
If I had been racing all season and it was my standing on the line, I would definitely have submitted a request for redress, arguing that although rule 29.2 was modified to move the next start after other classes, the race committee still should have made TWO sounds rather than one. A fellow crew member from the boat that returned argued that it is the flag that counts, not sounds.
What do you guys think?