Rum Race - Ship Channel

[STuma]

In the last Rum Race, I noticed at least 8-10 boats that deliberately sailed into the ship channel. Please note the Houston Ship Channel is an obstruction, as noted in the Sailing Instructions:

"Boats shall not enter the Houston Ship Channel. The Houston Ship Channel shall rank as an obstruction."

There are several people that noticed the same thing. The Commodore brought this point up during the awards, but I noticed many who entered the ship channel were not present at the party afterwards. This goes along with the ones who would benefit from the free seminars, don't attend. I do not mind publically calling these people out, but I would rather someone speak to them privately and remind them the Houston Ship Channel is off limits for this event. I can identify about 6 of the ones who entered the ship channel just after rounding E mark. There are enough people watching to be able to identify the culprits... and I am in full support of giving these boats DSQ for violating an obstruction. I can assume they might not have known; because, who really reads the sailing instructions anyways???

If any of you know any of the ones who sailed into the ship channel, please remind them that area is off limits.

[jmiller59]

Renaissance (me) is one boat who was  "called out" for entering the ship channel by a spectator in a large motor yacht. I did not know who this was but I am told it was Jason Siebert, a GBCA member. I will emphatically state now that my GPS clearly showed that we were very close to the ship channel but did not enter. At the time we could clearly see the channel marker east of us - we had not entered. 

The rule for not entering the ship channel is obviously a safety concern.  I am in full support of this rule.  I did not intend to get as close to the ship channel as as I did. I was forced between choosing to tack into a collision coarse with a large motor yacht and skirting the ship channel.  Regardless of right of way, I am very reluctant to tack into the path of a large motor yacht. When I ran out of room i went ahead and tacked. The yacht turned away and it was a non event. 

Two points I want to make. First - Scott, I have no idea if I was one of the boats you think were in the channel as I did not see who was there. There were three other boats behind me, directly in my wake who also did not appear to be in the channel. I am responding to this because the spectator erroneously accused me of entering the channel. I can only say that if you think I was in the channel, you are mistaken.  My GPS is older, but it is 12 channel WAAS enabled. I trust it and the charts loaded on it.

Secondly, any GBCA members should know better than to motor in close proximity to the fleet.  If you make a skipper even think about altering course because of your presence, you are in the way. Non sailors may not know or care, but I expect our own community to behave with more respect of sailboats in a race.

[Terry Young]

Sometime things look different from different angles, we are all sports men, but most important we are sailing friends, sometimes we make a mistake and should do the right thing. The boat I am on, made mistake one time and started a few seconds early( had a timer problem) and realized it at the finish, and had placed well, and the time difference would not of changed our finish, but never the less it was wrong and we disqualified our self, no one else knew we were a few seconds early, but we did. It may be easier to do the wrong thing, but you become a better person(and sailor) when you do the right. I think, I read this in a fortune cookie one time "if your depth finder shows the water getting deeper you should of tacked sooner". Now let's go have fun, sailing together.

[WTnick340]

After I read these posts, I watched the raceQs replay of race 4. I saw it was clearly obvious at least one boat entered the Ship Channel, mine. Now that's embarrassing.
After rounding the mark, I was looking for an opening to tack and cross a line of starboard tackers to windward without fouling any of them. The position of the inbound ship made it look like none of us were that close to the channel yet. RaceQs shows I got a couple boat lengths into the channel before I tacked. I should have paid more attention to the chart plotter and I definitely will the next race.
Thank you for reminding us to be more aware of our position when we are near the Ship Channel. I have sent an email to the commodore requesting to be disqualified from race 4 for sailing out of bounds.
You are right, there were several boats that entered the Ship Channel in race 4. But, at least for me, it was in no way deliberate nor caused by not being able to attend the party afterwards.
Hope y'all are having a great time in Galveston this weekend. Wish I could be there, hope to be able to be in race 5 next weekend.

[gwittich]

A procedure to consider is hailing for "ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION" (RRS 20).

[gadangit]

A procedure to consider is hailing for "ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION" (RRS 20).

I did this a couple years ago.  The skipper next to me wasn't happy in the moment, he thought I had more room than I did.  If it had been a reef I don't think he would have minded.

The way we were sailing he had to tack out so I could tack.  We talked it out later and his final (legitmate) complaint is I should have tacked immediately upon his tack.  He was right, it took us a bit longer to tack than it should have.  I made it up to him later by sailing below him when we went by. 

Chris

Chris

[shawn]

First I love Race Q
Second we usually have someone on the bow just like a start to watch the channel and call it along with the GPS.
It is an obstruction and need to be treated as such.

[Terry Young]

Question, would the ship channel be and obstruction or just bad planning( you could still sail safe ahead, but would be out of the race). If you call for "ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION" it does not give you right of way, till the other boats tacks or calls "clear to tack" this requires a response or and action.  If the other boat does not hear you're  hail, they do not know what you are doing or that you have a problem. Note from RR#20 " and then wait for the other boat to respond"

[shawn]

I dont think averyone will give way unless you call it an obstruction.  Since we dropped the no luffing rule I have be luffed by boats that werent in our class.  Besides Terry when you yell just about anyone can hear you.

[STuma]

Question, would the ship channel be and obstruction or just bad planning( you could still sail safe ahead, but would be out of the race). If you call for "ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION" it does not give you right of way, till the other boats tacks or calls "clear to tack" this requires a response or and action.  If the other boat does not hear you're  hail, they do not know what you are doing or that you have a problem. Note from RR#20 " and then wait for the other boat to respond"

My thoughts, for what they are worth; if a boat does not hear you yell obstruction, they are more than likely far enough away to not be an issue. If a boat is close enough to cause an issue with tacking or jybing and they do not respond, that is a different scenario. Since we do not have protests, I would have a conversation with them afterwards. If this boat is close enough where they pin you from the mark to the channel, there is plenty of time to talk to them and explain the dangerous situation. If they refuse, luff them, stop and tack behind them, don't be a victim. Is this desirable, no... but it keeps you safe and clear. If someone decides to exhibit this behavior, there are enough of us to have a friendly conversation with them.

But, 20.2 (a) states "After a boat hails, she shall five a hailed boat time to respond" and (b) "A hailed boat shall respond even if the hail breaks rule 20.1" with part (c) "A hailed boat shall respond either by tacking as soon as possible, or by immediately replying 'You tack' and then giving the hailing boat room to tack and avoid her". And, part d & e are also important; (d) "When a hailed boat responds, the hailing boat shall tack as soon as possible." (e) "From the time a boat hails until she has tacked and avoided a hailed boat, rule 18.2 does not apply between them."

There are only a few key words that a boat shall respond to or hail, "Protest" and "You tack" are two of them. Any variation can come under fire in a protest situation. If you respond "Clear to tack", I assume you are talking to your crew and you are tacking- which if you aren't and I tack, could cause a big issue. The rule does not state you have to wait for them to decide to respond. Obstructions are pretty clear. I have not heard of any issues where a boat got pinned and had to sail into the channel. The ones I saw, did so willingly. Having someone pin you into the channel is a pretty extreme example.

[STuma]

I dont think averyone will give way unless you call it an obstruction.  Since we dropped the no luffing rule I have be luffed by boats that werent in our class.  Besides Terry when you yell just about anyone can hear you.

There have been many times that I have tacked before a boat called "Obstruction". If you wait until you are required to tack, more than likely there will be a bad set of waves, crew is not ready, or now you have a boat on your hip preventing you to tack.  It is usually a bad idea to wait.

[Tye Dyed Gary]

  I have been doing the rum race since the beginning when they mailed out the SI's to all senior members want them or not. The Houston Ship Channel has always been an obstruction. Now, the ship channel is wider and "E" mark is farther north and closer to the channel. We just need to pay more attention to where we are and sail accordingly. It's a Rum Race, we all share the prize.  Have Fun   

[Terry Young]

BAD! SHAWN !!! :-) Some of us do not have as good of hearing as you.

[Funk]

Just cover your eyes and hope for the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!