Section P - Protests and Penalties
RS CALL P1
Rule 61.1(a), Protest Requirements: Informing the Protestee
Rule E2.1, Hailing Requirements
Rule E6.3, Informing the Protestee
When rule 61.1(a) applies, as altered by rule E6.3, compliance with the requirement
to hail fulfils the requirement to notify the protestee.
The protest hail procedure in radio sailing requires the number of the protesting boat
to precede the number of the protested boat, with the word ‘protest’ or a variant
thereof between the numbers.
Question 1
For a protest in a radio sailing class by (say) boat 95 against boat 44, is “95
protest 44” the only protest hail that complies with rule E6.3?
If not, which other hails would comply? For example:
95 protests 44
95 is protesting 44
95 protested 44
44 has been protested by 95
44 is protested by 95
44 is being protested by 95
44, protest by 95
Protest, 44 by 95
Protest by 95, 44
Any of the above with the word “number” preceding the number itself.
Answer 1
It is accepted that any use of “Protest” as a noun or verb will comply with rule
61.1(a), and the same applies to rule E6.3. However, the order stated by rule E6.3 is
explicit, and only the first three further examples above comply with that rule.
The inclusion of the word 'number' in a hail does not invalidate the protest.
As required by rule E2.1(b), sail numbers shall be hailed as individual digits
("Nine Five" not "Ninety-five").
Question 2
How can the requirement to inform the other boat in rule 61.1(a) be complied with
if the protestee remains unaware of a valid protest against him?
Answer 2
When rule 61.1(a) applies, as changed by rule E6.3, compliance with the
requirement to hail fulfils the requirement of the first sentence to inform the other
boat at the first reasonable opportunity.
Rule E2.1(a) requires that the hail shall be made so that the competitors to
whom it is directed might reasonably be expected to hear it, and that the hail
shall be repeated as appropriate.
It is appropriate to repeat a hail when:
- The hailed boat does not respond by taking action to take a penalty
- The competitor controlling a boat does not hail acknowledgement that he
intends taking a penalty