When a finishing line is laid so nearly in line with the last leg that
it cannot be determined which is the correct way to cross it in order to finish
according to the definition, a boat may cross the line in either direction and
her finish is to be recorded accordingly.
Summary of the Facts
At the finish of a race boat A crossed the finishing line in the direction,
she believed, of the course from the last mark, leaving mark F to starboard.
She recorded the time she crossed the line. The race officer did not record
her as having finished and did not make a sound signal. Hearing no sound
signal, A sailed the track shown in the diagram and finally crossed the
line leaving mark F to port, at which time the race officer recorded her
as having finished and made a sound signal. A requested redress, asking
that the time she recorded at her first crossing be used as her finishing
time. The protest committee found as a fact that the committee boat was
swinging back and forth across a line parallel to the last leg, but believed
that the race officer was watching closely to determine the correct direction
for each boat to cross the line. Redress under rule 62.1(a) was denied
and A appealed.
Decision
A’s appeal is upheld. Positioning the finishing line marks so that
boats cannot easily determine in which direction they should cross the
finishing line is an improper action on the part of the race committee.
When a boat cannot reasonably ascertain in which direction she should
cross the finishing line so as to conform to the definition Finish, she
is entitled to finish in either direction. A is therefore entitled to
redress under rule 62.1(a). She is to be given her finishing place calculated
from the time she herself recorded when she crossed the line for the first
time.