Section M - The Umpiring Process
MR CALL M11
Rule C5.1, Signals by Umpires
Rule C6.5, Protests and Requests for Redress by Boats
Rule C7.2(b), All Penalties
Rule C7.3(b), Penalty Limitations
Question 1
Yellow displays flag Y. Blue takes a penalty as soon as she sees Yellow's flag Y and
before the umpires signal a decision. What should the call be?
Answer 1
Display the green and white flag. Rule C7.2(b) allows a boat to take a penalty before
being signalled to do so. Rule C5.1 says the green and white flag means ‘No penalty’.
Here no penalty is imposed because it was already taken.
Question 2
Would the answer be different if Yellow had an outstanding penalty?
Answer 2
No. The umpires would display the green and white flag and Yellow’s penalty
would remain.
Question 3
Near the end of a leg of the course to a windward mark the umpires decide to penalize
Blue but delay signalling her until she has rounded the mark. However, she takes the
penalty before rounding the mark. Is this allowed?
Answer 3
Yes, see Answer 1. However, under rule C7.3(b) she is not allowed to take any part
of a penalty within the zone of a rounding mark.
Question 4
Yellow, with a penalty, breaks a right-of-way rule, is protested by Blue, sees Blue's
flag Y displayed and takes her penalty before being signalled by the umpires. At the
time she sees the flag Y, she is rounding a mark. Should she take the penalty
appropriate to the leg she is on or the one appropriate for the time of the umpires’
signal?
Answer 3
A boat taking a penalty before it is signalled shall take the penalty appropriate to the
leg she is on.