First downwind leg approaching mark 2. SUI on layline and HUN under layline. Both boats have dropped their spinnakers. HUN enters zone clear ahead and one boatlength to windward of SUI. SUI soaks to give plenty of mark room to HUN. Inside zone HUN loses control and crash gybes and causes contact with SUI causing significant damage.
Jury:
Craig Mitchell (Chair) - IJ - GBR;
Jean Miltiade Bouyoukas - IJ - FRA;
David Hudson - IJ - RSA (remote);
Alessandro Pezzoli - NJ - ITA;
Tom Cheney - GBR.
Jury Member Craig Mitchell witnessed the scenario and presented evidence.
Andy Wibroe from the Technical Committee was an observer.
Validity:
There was Damage to both boats, both boats hailed protest and displayed red flags.
Situation:
Wind Strength: 14-16 Knots, Wave Height: 1.5 meters.
Black Star and Black Battalion were approaching the leeward gate of the first downwind leg both on port tack.
Black Battalion entered the zone of the left turn mark clear ahead by 2-3 lengths.
Black Battalion gybed onto starboard 2 boat lengths from the mark.
Black Star continued on port for 6 seconds and subsquently gybed to windward of Black Battalion.
Immediately after, there was contact between the boats with subsequent compression damage to the starboard side of Black Battalion's hull, a broken stanchion on the aft port quarter of Black Star, compression damage to the port side of Black Star and a broken Spreader.
Black Battalion did not take a penalty and Black Star retired.
Validity:
The Protest is Valid.
Situation
Black Star failed to keep clear as a windward boat and broke rule 11.
Black Star did not avoid contact and broke rule 14.
At the point it was clear that Black Star was not keeping clear of Black Battalion, Black Battalion was not able to avoid contact and did not break rule 14.
Black Star took the appropriate penalty by retiring as per rule 44.1(b).
No Further Penalty.