Dolly (aka Darling) marks
DN 805:
Please consider a situation with 12 boats on-the-wind on the starboard tack and 12 on the port tack . all that are on the same tack sailing abeam of each other with no bow ahead of the other and only 50% able to fetch the darling mark. Does the starborad tack windward most boat that is fetching the windward mark need to tack because because the leeward most boat cannot fetch the Darling mark? Does the leeward most port tack boat need to lay off to allow the boats to windward of him leave the Darling mark to port? When does the outside boat on each tack need to begin make room? At a standard windward mark starboard tack has right of way over port tack. Is the space between the Darling mark and the standard mark a "no sail" zone? Is it classified as a mark or is it an obstruction?
Similar situation at the leeward end of the course. Let's say the boats are on port tack coming to the leeward end of the course. 12 boats essentially even. Does the windward boat have the right to lay off far enough to make sure he can pass both mark on the required side? Seems like the windward boat would need to "float" down an awfully long way, and all the boats would need to "float" down with him. The leeward boats would likely choose to gybe away and come back toward the leeward mark on starboard.
What if its hard ice and blowing 22 mph? What if is light air in sticky snow?
Are you requiring too many maneuvers to be made as the fleet approaches the main mark and the Darling mark?
Using a Darling mark is essentially doing little except expanding the diameter of the mark at each end of the course to the size of the combined marks and that diameter would exceed 100 meters. I'd be surprised if you'd consider using windward or leeward marks that are 100 meters in diameter. \
I repeat. It cannot be easily resolved.
Fredrik Lönegren DN S-8:
Dear Jane Try to bee more open minded. Look at the possibilities and the safety.
The mark is not a circle. It’s only a forbidden to cross between the marks.
Its working very well. We have using this for many years now and the safety and sports manna ship are better with dolly marks. Trust us we have the experience.
Example of sailing instructions that we been using in Europe, and its no problems at all.
Dolly marks" will be placed 100-125 meter from the leeward and windward mark. Note: It is always forbidden to cross between the smaller dolly marks and the bigger rounding marks.
Try it !!
Ken Smith:
Never tried it, but many discussions with those in the East and those in Europe that have. At the NA annual meeting, the issue was discussed. There were none that spoke against the idea of use of the darling mark, and the executive committee was directed to explore the use of the darling mark by a unanimous vote.
Positive: This use of Darling marks moves the crossing situations at the weather mark, where those approaching on a port tack must find a way into the incoming starboard tack boats, well away from the mark itself.
comment: This is the point in our racing where a collision is more likely than at other points in the race and the collision involved has the highest potential of being violent and/or involving the largest number of boats. It is also the point where most boats are either at their maximum speed or are accelerating into the mark for a high speed rounding.
Positive: After rounding the weather mark, one could not gybe immediately and sail a course into the approaching starboard tack boats. While the downwind boat is the give-way boat, moving this point well away from the mark reduces the possibility of a boat going head-on into a crowd of boats. Thus, the likelihood of a head-on collision is reduced.
Positive: This use at the leeward mark reduces the likelihood of a fast-moving downwind starboard tack boat seeking to round or finish into the crowd of port tack boats approaching to round or finish. It moves the point where the starboard tack boat is likely to gybe further up the course where there is more room to maneuver and the port tack boats are less likely to be tightly grouped, as they would be when converging to finish.
Comment: Our racing encourages most to set up for the leeward mark rounding on a port tack. If a group is rounding and a fast-moving starboard tack boat appears before them, clearly that boat has right of way, but at our speeds and in crowd, in a situation where the boats are closest to skidding, the event could easily lead to a bad outcome. The worst is if the starboard tack boat is finishing and the incoming port tack boats have crossed the finish line but still have a lap to do. Both sets of boats intend to depart the area in different directions that conflict.
Positive: In the course of the race, the use of the leeward darling mark eliminates the possibility of tacking at the leeward mark. This reduces the chance of an up-wind starboard tack boat passing through a crowd of off-the-wind boats converging at the mark who must also now give way to the on-the-wind boat approaching, maybe nearly head-on.
Ken Smith:
Most of the negative have to do with extra equipment and race committee tasks. Please add replies to place your opinions up for discussion!
Because the use of Darling marks has been discouraged by the NIA, there is a lack of resolved or appealed protests so some situations are a bit unclear, at least to me. Perhaps some discussion of specific situations should follow, so all can understand what would have happened in certain situations.
1. If approaching sailing on-the-wind on a starboard tack, a boat is unable to make the weather mark and has no room to tack because of those sailing to the weather mark to his right, he must either turn sharply down wind to avoid passing between the mark and the darling mark, gybe and sail back on port looking for a place to tack. The Darling mark adds an obstacle, not an obstruction, to this. If another boat to his leeward carries him across the line between the mark and the Darling mark, is he also disqualified?
2. One of Jane's hypothetical situations: consider a situation with 12 boats on-the-wind on the starboard tack all that are on the same tack sailing abeam of each other with no bow ahead of the other and only 50% able to fetch the [windward??] mark. Does the starboard tack windward most boat that is fetching the windward mark need to tack because because the leeward most boat cannot fetch the Darling mark?
Discussion: On the wind, the windward boats must give way to the leeward boats on the same tack. leeward boats may maneuver to windward as long as they are on the same tack. Those that cannot make the weather mark have no new right to tack, but instead must gybe. I don't see that fetching the darling mark is relevant. However, if two boats (six boats in Jane's case) are in this situation, and the windward-most boat not fetching the weather mark seeks to gybe, there appears to me to be an issue as he is the give-way boat and could be forced between the weather and Darling mark by the leeward upwind boat(s). How is this resolved in Europe or elsewhere when the Darling mark is used?
Note: I could not understand the other situations in Jane's post or how the presence or absence of a Darling mark would change the outcome. It seems to me the current rules make the obligations of each boat clear as it is now.
RANDY ROGOSKI:
Racers who keep a sharp lookout for other boats with a commitment to avoid collissions, even when having the right of way, are the key to safe racing.
Long race courses also are helpful because they spread the fleet out and reduce mark rounding traffic.
Most collissions occur because of a failure in vigilance, excessive risk taking at mark roundings, or disregard of the right-of-way rules.
My view is that the race committee has enough to do without having to also deal with dolly/darling marks.
They solve nothing for racers who remain careless.
Randy Rogoski
US 4192
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