How to read the Race Results

This is a question that comes up from time to time. Here are the specifics!
Race Results can be found on the Results page.

Yacht of the Year (YOY)

Yacht of the Year results are broken into two sections. The top of the page includes overall “Series” results for each division. This is your standing to date for the overall YOY trophy.

YOY races use the Low Point scoring system – the fewer points your boat has, the better! Note that discards come into play after a certain number of races throughout the year – these can change the standings dramatically and give additional boats a chance for year-end awards.

YOY – Overall

The above is an example of the overall series scoring for Division 1. It is found at the top of the Yacht of the Year results.

Sailed:  Number of races sailed to date

Discards:  Number of discarded races based on number of sailed races (see SI’s). Discarded races appear in parentheses.

Rating System: We use PHRF Time on Time for ratings.  See the Ratings and Divisions page for more details.

Entries: Number of boats registered in the division

Total: Total number of points a boat has accumulated

Nett: Number of points, excluding discards

Notes: See the Ratings and Divisions page for more details.

Note that SCSC also presents awards based on standings for each sub-series (Spring, Summer, and Fall). Those are published as needed, and typically just prior to the award ceremony.

YOY – Individual Race

The above is an example of the individual race scoring for Division 1, Spring Series race #1. It is found below Overall Scoring for Yacht of the Year results.

Start:  Which start the division participated in for this race. Typically 1, 2, or 3.

Finishes:  Means that the “Finish” column is an exact recording of the time on the R/C’s stopwatch. This time, minus the Start Time (see “Time” below) equals the Elapsed Time.

Time:  Time of the Start signal. Our R/C uses stopwatches started at an arbitrary time. Some clubs use GPS time.

Distance:  Distance of the course, typically measured to the hundredth of a mile.

Course:  The course sailed. This field usually does not denote changes of course or shortening of course.

Wind dir:  Average wind direction during the race.

Ave wind:  Average wind speed, as noticed by the R/C occasionally at the start and during the race.

PHRF TOT:  The boat’s PHRF handicap for Time-On-Time scoring. See the Ratings and Divisions page for more details.

Finish:  Finish time, as recorded on the R/C’s stopwatches. (also see “Time” above)

Elapsed:  Actual time to sail the course. “Finish” minus “Time” fields.

Corrected:  Elapsed time adjusted for the boat’s handicap via a nifty mathematical formula.

BCE:  (Back Calculated Elapsed) Shows how much time you needed to knock off your elapsed time to win.

Points:  How many points the boat gained in this race.

Notes:  See the Ratings and Divisions page for an explanation of the codes used here.  Scroll to the bottom of the page.

Beercan Races

Beercan Races are similar to Yacht of the Year races, with two major distinctions:

• Beercan Races are scored using the High Point system. In other words, the MORE points you earn, the better!
• Beercan Races do not have an overall trophy. Therefore, the top section (overall scoring) is largely irrelevant.

Other Races

SCSC holds many other types of races throughout the year. Aside from Beercan races, they are typically scored using the Low Point system (like the YOY races). See the NOR or SI’s of each event for specifics.

Welcome to Committee Boat Corner, with your Principal Race Officer, Patrick!  I will bring up topics related to US Sailing Rules noticed during races.

I will reference the US Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), the US Sailing Appeals book (noted as “Appeal”) and the ISAF Case Book (noted as “Case”).  The Appeals book is available to any US Sailing member in PDF form for free, or in print for a few bucks.  The ISAF Case Book can be found here: http://www.sailing.org/documents/caseandcall/case-book.php

Welcome to the inauguration of “Committee Boat Corner”!  This first post covers a wide range of topics.  They are based upon incidents over the past two or three weeks.

1)  Taking a penalty  (doing turns)

If you wish to clear yourself of protest, you MUST do your turns as soon as safely possible.  You do not have time to consult your rule book.  Turns should be done on the same leg, with the exception of nearing the next mark – in which case turns at the mark or shortly after are acceptable.

Which rules apply?  Let me quote the US Sailing Appeals Book, Appeal 60:
“Rule 44.1 permits a boat to take a penalty at the time of the incident. Rule 44.2 requires the boat to sail well clear of other boats as soon as possible afer the incident and promptly make two turns as described in the rule. Together, these rules require a boat that decides to take a penalty to do so as soon as possible afer the incident. The rule does not provide for time for a boat to deliberate whether she has broken a rule. If she delays in doing her penalty turns, she is still liable to be disqualified.”

2)  What if another boat caused me to break the rules?

If you have rights over another boat, and that boat breaks a rule which in turn causes you to foul a third boat, you should protest!

This happens occasionally:  Say you are the Leeward boat (L) on port with Windward boat (W) overlapped above you.  Starboard boat (S) is coming at both of you.  Despite your hails, W fails to tack and you force S to bear off…  S hails PROTEST!  You should in turn protest W!

RRS 64.1(a) states that “when as a consequence of breaking a rule a boat has compelled another boat to break a rule, the other boat shall be exonerated.”

Appeal 52 Talks about this in more detail.

3)  There was a collision, what now?

First of all, let me state that collisions are NEVER ALLOWED.  Ever.  A protest should result from EVERY contact between boats.  See RRS 14.

But what about RRS 14(b) – the part about exoneration if no damage or injury?  What is “Damage”?

The ISAF Case Book talks about “Damage” (Case 19):

“It is not possible to define ‘damage’ comprehensively, but one current English dictionary says ‘harm . . . impairing the value or usefulness of something.’

This definition suggests questions to consider. Examples are:

 – Was the current market value of any part of the boat, or of the boat as a whole, diminished?
 – Was any item of the boat or her equipment made less functional?”

4) I saw another boat break a rule against another boat, what can I do?

Per RRS 60.1 and 60.1 (a):  “A boat may…protest another boat, but not for an alleged breach of a rule of Part 2 or 31 unless she was involved in or saw the incident.”

In simple terms, if you saw it happen, you may protest on behalf of another competitor.  This is especially important when the incident involves someone new to the rules!  We do NOT want new sailors taken advantage of.

Rule 60.2 also permits the Race Committee to protest, despite the RRS “Basic Principals” which state that competitors are expected to enforce the rules.