That’s fine, and is just as definitive as using the boom as your indication.
if you have a wind indicator on your mast…
That seems like the only definitive way to determine your windward side, as it allows you to apply the rule.
what methods do you use?
I use the definition, not the pointing of the boom or the heeling of the boat.
This is just another item that really needs to be defined and added to Appendix E, with the other exceptions. It is HERE that such things are proposed and discussed, and finally taken to the ISAF, who implements it into the RRS.
It’s some of both. WE need clarity of the rules because many people need to know the proper definitions of things like Windward side," in practicle use on the water, and it’s because you are on shore that you need to have a definitive way to tell.
IMO using the boom or boat heel, are indicators of what is happening on the boat. if my boat is heeling to port, I have no problems saying to a fellow competitor, (Hey, I’m on starboard tack) the wind is coming over the windward side of the boat hitting the sail, result in the port heel.
Same thing with the boom. wind coming over the starboard side will shift the boom to the port.
A mast head wind indicator is also good and can indicate the same thing, but at a distance are very hard to read…
Sailing ON a boat, I would use all of the above to determine windward/leeward. but I also have the added benefit of touch,feeling the wind and which way its coming from.
IMO I don’t think anything could be done to the rule to make it any easier to determine windward leeward. Unless you specify in the rules that the main boom determines windward/leeward, on all points of sail and not just when the wind is from astern…
It seems to me, that you want to “dumb down” the rules (for lack of a better term) or make the rules more “layman” in nature… Yes I know that no one want to be a sea lawyer, or get lost in the rules… But, learning the rules and figuring out what makes windward leeward port starboard and using that to your advantage on the race course is part of the challenge of racing.
rather than the problem of windward leeward. how about figuring out a definitive way to mark the 4 boat length ZONE on the water at the marks…
Sailing is a lot like golf. Any one can sail, and anyone can golf. but, sailing by the rules and golfing by the rules are much different than their recreational counterpart… But bother require the skill in knowing the rules and how they apply
In most conditions when going to weather the wind direction is well known. The only time it becomes an issue is in light drift conditions. In those conditions standing on the boat may not even help to determine wind direction. Also to be on a tack you are ~ 45 deg to 90 deg from the wind. I would argue if you can’t tell that in most conditions you are not going to have much fun racing.
Personally I find the rule sufficient. It is needed for sailing by the lee as a swing rig boat can easily have the boom on the windward side of the boat. With the way the rule is written it is clearly known which tack the boat is on.
I still get messed up, depending on the direction the boat is. It’s easy to tell when you ON the boat. But standing on the shore… that messes things up. Especially when going down wind.
Sailing down wind the rules say to use the main boom to determine the tack. I would agree that some times it can be hard to tell which side it is on when you are on shore and looking at the side of the boat. The only answer there is more practice.
How about a new direction for this topic, sort of.
When you are luffing, how do you determine what take you are (or were) on. This is important as you can see, because you aren’t moving, or may even start backing. I remember it was discussed on TV during the 2000 ACC (luffing) matches. We do a lot of luffing in my area to use up extra time before a start, and you may get a few boats standing still just on the starting line.
I think this is covered the RRS for match racing, but I don’t have that document.
You would start on a tack that you were sailing then you can head up to head to wind, beyond that you are tacking. So your tack would be determined by what tack you were on before the luff. Also once you go past head to wind you are no longer luffing, but tacking and no longer have any rights. Clear as mud?
In the start phase, if some-one is standing still on the line and you establish an overlap to leeward they become the keep clear boat and if the leeward boat luffs onto a collison course, you have to keep clear even if it means you have to move onto the course side at the start …
