Section M - The Umpiring Process

MR CALL M14

Rule C2.9 (18.2), Giving Mark-Room
Rule C2.14 (31), Touching a Mark
Rule 43.1(b), Exoneration (room or mark-room)
Rule C6.1(a), Protests and Requests for Redress by Boats
Rule C8.2, Penalties Initiated by Umpires

Question

Blue and Yellow are rounding a mark and Yellow touches it with her hull. Neither boat displays flag Y. The umpires see Yellow hit the mark, but in their judgement, Blue did not give Yellow sufficient room to pass the mark. Should they take any action?

Answer

The umpires should give no signal. Although Blue broke rule C2.9 (18.2(a) or (b)), she cannot be penalized because no boat protested, and rule C8.2 does not permit umpires to initiate a penalty when a boat breaks a rule of Part 2.

Yellow broke rule C2.14 (31) by touching the mark. However, she is exonerated by rule 43.1(b).