The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-06
THE CHARACTER OF A MARK.
REPORT OF THE NEW FORK Y4CHT
CLUES REGATTA COMMITTEE.

INTERPRETATION OF the Racing Ruies-Ths
Report Prompted by the Collision Be.
tween the Yachts Volunteer and Oracle
or Block Island Last Summer.
At the annual meeting OF tho New Yorl;
Yacht Club Thursday night the Regatta Com.
mittee OF last year. Messrs. s. Nicholson Kane
Irving Grinnell. and Chester Griswold. made
. report which contained one OF the most
interesting interpretations OF racing rules
ever recorded. IL will be remembered
that in the Goelet cup races of Newport
last summer the sloop Oracle fouled the
schooner Volunteer at tho first mark placed
Of Block Island. Both yachts were close
hauled on the starboard tack and were coming
together at the mark. the Oracle being nearest
10 the mark. Finding he could not clear the
stakeboat to windward. instead OF bearing
away to lseward Of 1t Joseph 7. Earle Of the
Oracle called on Gen. Paine Of the Volunteer
70 tack.
Gen. Paine luffed. but as lacking would cost
MIN tho race. and feeling sure he would not be
obliged to tnck BY the clubs rules, he refused.
he two boats coming together. and the Noiun-
ter getting out OF the affair with q big hoie In
her mainsail. while the man in the mark boat
pAid out chain and barely escaped being
knocked overheard.
Both men entered protests. tho Regatta
Committee deciding in favor OF the Volunteer.
Tho question raised involved the character Of
Q mark and the decision Of the Regatta Com
nittee attracted widespread attention. Dixon
Kemp OF the London Field brought the matter
before the yachtsmen OF Great Britain and it
was freely discussed on both sides Of the
Atlantic. The decision was upheld by most
yAchtsme en-. although there were some VINO
thought the volunteer should have lacked s,,d. g,
and Of the CLUBS racing rmIss , Especially
iss Dr OF eoston d during the
race may be Iesailed or not ut tho option Of
the Regatta Committee
rounding marks It provides that II an over.
lap exists between two yachts when both Of
mark on q required side then tho outside
yacht must give the inside yact room to ,pnss
clear of the mark A yacht shall not, how
snothsr yacht and the mark after the latter
sesa her h% 81 s rus
eh.l Object nsd TO indcsts the uSS
aaSess s: any e Question 81 sea 'S IL
Of The same rule Is as follows: When 81. q 2
p ssne Toek oa
cannot 70 clear by altering her coprs9w with
ont fouin1 smother yacht then this latter
give room; and in case one yacht is forced to
tack or to bear away in order to give room. tho
also or
BE without danger OF fouling:"
Il: to ca nS RgtHa f bn1e
ont form. Il has been chan ged several times
rules a icing made more more clear and iorcibie
The character Of u mark has been discussed
BY various committees and cubs; PVT has
bort is a. follows:
=. It has been made evident to US by cues.
as an oSstruSsion to sea room In our opin
great importance. and We therefore establish
conditions under which . yachts obligations
s ond x ~ hsE
principles. which We think should govern will
ton. and thus In either case guide will be
furnished for our successors.
which has sea room on one SIDE only An Iso
Lated cs ehoss
's an ae
Proach can be calculated and allowed FOR. On
the Sssr hand reef 9F %
safe passage between-is, an obstruction. for
rock. vessel. or any other formidable object be.
comes an obstruction when the question Of
ssy snt9 If Similar
Passing ' ana houndins MARKS section Is Is
sT ebeee nsed to tie ss9y
adds that It does not in the preceding section
g ssanx q nT
strueted. These two sect lions. then. Which
marx. when being passed or rounded Is not
70 be regarded as an obstruction to sea room;
s It, AZ sa nasS Os o sap be rs s
megnituds And. to reduce its character to an
vd; sns SsG n Fssa
obstrScon. Thsreio'r e!I passine OK r %
mept q danger, For this reason section 4
yssht room to pass clear. with a Il iuiY but
without tscki9s; and then The rules pass, e
the element Of danger enters; And here ca a
Xssht hind s'S BY anether yacht from clear,
Ming ashore il iorced on the other Side where
there Is no seq room existing Having no
therefore. to enable her to clear. an outside
yacht is called on not only to luif. but also to
1ssT nsJsy yafb fSsn na that she
cannot luh round 9 mark. she must wear OF
pass to leeward; and either may be hazardous
Oh q crowded turn. But she must calculate
such chances, and. IL the turn be crowded
should wear at a safe distance from it. For /,
must be remembered. on the other hand that
the pream bles to the rules state that al Mt
tsmpts to win race by other means than faii
calling and superior speed and skill are to be
discouraged 1t must also he r,ancnI bcred
that the proper time 70 tack in order tc
Wind a mark often involves the. incest
calculation. And II. between two yachts. one
stands on long enough to clear on II required
side. and one tacks short and having to tack
again could force the other round. then, SUI
porior skill would be penaliZed. And it is to
avoid the imposition of such penalty that the
rules thus broadly distinguish IL mark from an
The general rule. then.igoverning. passing
and rounding marks is established by see
lions IA and To- But there is one exception.
II is made when the mark is a vessel or other
formidable object and II yacht, Is In peril OF
fouling It under dangerous conditions: Here
the mark is treated rs nm obstruction through
the crisis. or. in other words. when ind while
the question OF danger enters. II II true that
being mark there must DO sea room on both
sides; And therefore yacht is. responsible
for tho danger II. crring In judging her
ability to clear on one side. she has
Numbered on SO far that shs can no longer
pass on the other. From this responsibility a
shit OF wind. or u rise or fall or faint Of wind.
or an unexpected trond or force Of tide. would