From: will@ogre.cica.indiana.edu (William Sadler)
Subject: Re: Olympics Sailing News/Results
Organization: Indiana University
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 14:20:52 GMT

In <l7googINN51q@west.west.sun.com> chandler@tabasco.West.Sun.COM (Don Chandler) writes:

>Interesting.  The "Round-the-ends" rule, according to the Rules, is
>signaled by the "I" flag (square yellow flag, with black circle in the
>middle).    The general practice here (SF Bay) has been to not have the
>round-the-ends rule in effect, and then, when a fleet does have a
>general recall, put it into effect for their second start sequence, for
>exactly the reason you cite: prevent yet another general recall.  

>I know that the various YRA's have their own standing rules, but,
>still, I've never seen a black flag used here nor have we run races
>where a yacht was automatically DSQ'd for being over early.  It
>certainly isn't part of the suggested USSA Championship Sailing
>Instructions or the USSA Rules.  What is the rationale behind having
>this provision?

That has been my experience too.  The only person I have talked to
who has seen this saw it in collegiate racing.  Occassionally (when the
fleet keeps having to general recalls you'll hear someone yell "put
up the black flag."

>AHA! Spoken like a true racer who believes it's the RC's responsibility!!!
>Sorry to take pot shots at you, but "What you hate" isn't the issue.  It
>is your responsibility, and the guy to leeward of you, to insure you start
>correctly---no matter how much a given situation p#$&%%es you off, it does
>not move the onus to the RC.  If he really is over early, your recourse is to
>protest the guy to leeward.  Most of the time, though, if the RC really
>can't see a lot of boats that might be over early, the right call is to
>do a General Recall.

Agreed.  The one situation in particular I am think of was at a club
where the guy who was in front of me was friends with the people on
the committee boat.  I told them at the end of the race he was over early
and they basically said, "no he wasn't-- mind your own business"


>FLAME/SPEECH ON:
/discussion of why everyone needs to RC/

>FLAME/SPEECH OFF

>I'm not trying to attack you personally, but in general, the people who
>criticize RC's are the very one's who could help improve racing.  The knowledge

I couldn't agree more.  I often do help out with the RC.  Though usually
I just help set the lines then get in my boat to sail the race.

It's great that in San Francisco this sort of dedicated RCing and racing
exists.  But here in the Midwest one-design racing is dying a slow death
and it is hard to find volunteers for race committees.  Finding
a volunteer who knows what they are doing is next to impossible.  Just seems
like the RCing (particularly the starting lines) at every regatta I have 
been to this year have been really bad.  Hopefully, this trend won't continue.

Will
>Well, there you have it....the opinion of a well-battered RC person.
>Please don't take it personally, but I've been on a mini-crusade to get
>more racers involved in race management.  My yacht club's current Race
>Committee chairmen are avid racers taking their first cut at running
>races, and have admitted to me several times that they never realized
>what was involved, how easily things go wrong, and, actually, how much
>fun it is!  Try it, you might like it!

>Don


--
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*   _______________\|/_      Will Sadler     will@cica.indiana.edu        * 
*   Laser 44888    /|\                       sadler@iubacs.bitnet         *     
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