Section N - Protests and Penalties

MR CALL N3

Rule C7.3, Penalty Limitations

Question 1

Rule C7.3(c) requires a boat with two penalties to take one of them ‘as soon as reasonably possible’. Rule C7.3(d) requires a boat with a red-flag penalty to take her penalty ‘as soon as reasonably possible’. How must she comply with this requirement when the proximity of another boat or an obstruction, or both, prevent her from luffing or bearing away to begin her penalty tack or penalty gybe?

Answer 1

She may delay bearing away (luffing, when the penalty is to tack) until there is no likelihood of her making contact with the other boat or the obstruction; however, when the obstruction is continuing or when the other boat obstructs her and by sailing a parallel course continues to obstruct her, she must tack (or gybe) to get clear or she may reduce speed until she is no longer obstructed by the other boat. Should the other boat then tack to prevent her from taking the penalty, she must again tack, gybe or reduce speed to further attempt to get clear.

Question 2

A boat with a penalty is penalized again. Part of the penalty would be within two of her hull lengths of a rounding mark were she to take the penalty immediately. What is she required to do before taking a penalty?

Answer 2

She may sail the course she would have sailed without the second penalty until she can take the second penalty without any of the penalty being taken within the zone (see rule C7.3(b)). She must then take the penalty.

Question 3

A boat with a penalty is penalized again while her spinnaker is set. What is she required to do?

Answer 3

A boat is required to take the penalty as soon as reasonably possible, even though her spinnaker is set. She must lower the spinnaker head below the main boom gooseneck under rule C7.3(a) and take her penalty as soon as reasonably possible, but not before starting.