Section M - The Umpiring Process

MR CALL M8

Rule 11, On the Same Tack, Overlapped
Rule C7, Penalty System
Rule C8.3(b), Penalties Initiated by Umpires

Question

Blue, to windward, fails to keep clear of Yellow to leeward. Yellow protests and Blue is penalized. Sometime later Yellow protests again. When should the umpires consider that a rule is broken a second time?

Answer

When the umpires are satisfied that Blue could have taken action to stop breaking the rule after the first penalty is signalled, but fails to do so, they should consider that the rule is broken a second time. The umpires may also decide that the second breach is deliberate and initiate a penalty without any flag Y being displayed under rule C8.3(b).