Race 1, leg 1. Narwhal was sailing on starboard tack on the starboard layline to the windward mark. Jiraffe was approaching on port tack on the port layline. Jiraffe collided with Narwhal amidships. Jiraffe broke rule 10.
Narwhal suffered significant damage and was forced to retire from the race and the remaining races of the day. Damage includes a broken primary winch, broken stanchion, and hull damage.
Narwhal requests redress under rule 61.
Hearing No. 1 was heard together with hearing No. 2 in accordance with RRS 63.(2)(b) since both hearings arose from the same incident.
Jiraffe was represented by Simon Perry virtually by WhatsApp call. Narwharl was represented by Lucian Stone. Bullit was represented by Elliot Hansen.
Protest Committee: Nick Devereux, Bill Edgerton, Paul Miller
The hearing was re-opened under RRS 67.3(a)(2) on Saturday 26 April.
The hearing was re-opened under RRS 67.3(a)(2) on Sunday 27 April.
The wind was 10 -12 knots, flat water, 1 knot of tide with wind. Narwharl, Jiraffe and Bullit were approaching Mark 1 on port, with Narwharl 4 boat lengths ahead of Jiraffe and 2 boat lengths to leeward. Bullit was half a boat width to windward of Jiraffe and overlapped to Jiraffe’s midship. Narwharl tacked onto starboard 1 and a half boat lengths from the windward mark and on the starboard layline with Jiraffe and Bullit on a collision course with her. At 2 boat lengths away from Narwharl, Jiraffe bore away. At 1 boat length away from Narwharl, Bullit bore away. At half a boat length away from Narwharl, Jiraffe luffed back towards a close-hauled course. Contact occurred between the bow sprit of Jiraffe and the port side of Narwharl, in line with the base of the tiller. Contact then occurred between the bowsprit of Bullit and the port midships of Jiraffe. The boats became entangled for several minutes. Bullit and Narwharl hailed protest and displayed red flags after becoming untangled. Jiraffe had a hole just in front of the port shroud and a cracked and displaced bowsprit. Narwharl had a broken primary winch, broken guard rail and some small holes to the port hull. Bullit had a damaged bowsprit and a snapped bobstay. All three boats retired from the race. Jiraffe and Narwharl did not sail in races 2, 3 and 4. Bullit sailed in races 2, 3 and 4.
Jiraffe on port tack failed to keep clear of Narwharl on starboard tack, and broke RRS 10.
Bullit on port tack failed to keep clear of Narwharl on starboard tack, and broke RRS 10.
Bullit to windward failed to keep clear of Jiraffe to leeward, and broke RRS 11.
Jiraffe the outside boat at the obstruction, failed to give Bullit room to pass between her and the obstruction, despite being able to do so from the time the overlap began. Jiraffe broke RRS 19.2(b).
Since Bullit broke RRS 11 while she was sailing within the room to which she was entitled, she is exonerated under RRS 43.1(b) for this breach.
Since Bullit was compelled to break RRS 10 as a consequence of Jiraffe breaking RRS 19, she is exonerated under RRS 43.1(a) for this breach.
Jiraffe did not avoid contact with Narwharl even though it was reasonably possible, and broke RRS 14(a).
It was not reasonably possible for Narwharl the right-of-way boat to avoid contact with Jiraffe when it became clear that Jiraffe was not keeping clear. Narwharl did not break RRS 14(a). It was not reasonably possible for Bullit the boat sailing within the room to which she was entitled to avoid contact with Jiraffe when it became clear that Jiraffe was not giving room. Bullit did not break RRS 14(a). Narwharl’s place in races 1, 2, 3 and 4 was made significantly worse through no fault of her own by physical damage because of the action of Jiraffe that was breaking RRS 10 and took an appropriate penalty.
Bullit’s place in race 1 was made significantly worse through no fault of her own by physical damage because of the action of Jiraffe that was breaking RRS 19 and took an appropriate penalty.
The protest is upheld, and redress is granted.
Since Jiraffe took an applicable penalty, she is not further penalized under RRS 60.5(c)(2).
Redress is given to Bullit. Bullit is to be scored in race 1 points equal to the average, rounded to the nearest tenth of a point (0.05 to be rounded upward), of her points in all races sailed before the last scheduled day of the regatta if racing is later scheduled on that day, except race 1. No other boat’s score shall change.
The following paragraph has been updated after a reopening.
Redress is given to Narwharl. Narwharl is to be scored in races 1, 2 and 3 points equal to the average, rounded to the nearest tenth of a point (0.05 to be rounded upward), of her points in all races in the series, except races 1,2,3 and 4. No other boat’s score shall change. See World Sailing Case 116.