YACHTING RULES STARTING OF RACES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 639, 16 April 1929, Page 14

YACHTING RULES STARTING OF RACES

Local yachtsmen on occasions are found to be lacking in rule knowledge. This observation has been made before in these columns, and a case in point occurred in connection with the cruising race for keelers which was run by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and the Devonport Yacht Club on Saturday afternoon.

The boats were cruising about off King’s Wharf, waiting for “time,” and the report from the starting-gun. At the appointed moment for the start the gun mis-fired on both barrels, but the “blue peter” was lowered at the correct time of starting. Despite the signal from the flag, the majority of the boats continued to cruise about in expectation of the usual gun signal, and there was some bungling. This uncertainty should nob have occurred. A working knowledge of the rules applying to the starting of races would have met the position. The appropriate ruling of the Yacht Racing Association of Great Britain, as in, force under the Auckland Yacht and Motor-Boat Association, reads: “The signal to be made with the firing of the starting-gun is the lowering of the blue peter. I n the event of a gun missing fire the time shall be taken from the other signal.” The lowering of the flag was therefore sufficient indication of the start of the race. Familiarity with this important ruling would have saved trouble on Saturday. It appears in the Auckland Yacht and Motor-Boat Association’s official handbook.