Section M - The Umpiring Process
MR CALL M13
Question
At the end of a leg of the course to a leeward mark, just as Blue reaches the zone,
Yellow hails ‘Overlap’, but Blue has just seen the wing boat signal the umpires that
there was no overlap. May Blue rely on the wing boat's signal and thereby decide to
deny room to Yellow?
Answer
No. Competitors who use such signals take a considerable risk. Decisions are made
by the umpires, not the wing boats, and the umpires’ decision may not be based on
the wing boat's signals.
The same principle applies to signals made by on-board observers.