Why do they protest?

Just back from an Optimist and Laser event in the Med.

We were surprised at the number of protests but what surprised me was why there were not more.

The Jury were on the water to apply Appendix P. On the Optimist start line the boats were inevitably gunwale to gunwale,  yet there was not a single protest for the breeches of rule 11. There were rule 10 protests for incidents on the racecourse but the start was just a row of boats in contact with one another (practically)

I don't know what the solution is - as a jury we could start bringing protests, it would probably be as random as our our rule 42 penalties. Would it improve rule observance? Does it matter? The comment I heard was that the boats are so tough there is never any damage. I just don't know.

The rules take second place to the culture within the class. If these were larger wooden boats I would bet there would be a better gap between them on the start line. - or more protests.

Due Process

A schools event where Team Managers found it unreasonable that Umpires do not penalise without a red flag being displayed promptly, got me thinking about due process.

A few months ago we had an incident locally. The organisation dealing with it insisted that they had to follow "due process". This was an important matter that would require all the facts to be present. They, therefore, requested written statements from everyone involved and of course since it was August they had to allow time as people might be on holiday. So it didn't get dealt with at their next meeting.

The people involved being volunteers, the requested statements did not appear, so the matter missed their next meeting. Meanwhile, the person involved in the incident has continued to operate. The landlord was not impressed by this and is now wanting things to be tightened up to the extent that it is probable that a number of activities will no longer be possible.

Another organisation expects volunteers to fill out an application listing your competencies for any post they want to fill. Only problem is that they fail to list the competencies they want - the form is generic and it says that they should list them only they haven't. It may be good process but can you be surprised if candidates cannot be bothered to apply.

Then yet another organisation spends two months producing a "Business Plan" and as soon as it is finalised there is a meeting to discuss changing the charging system as the projected income is too low ind it would be nice to increase it by a matter of several hundred percent.

Sometimes you need to consider whether you "due process" is fit for purpose.

Well, that didn't work

Seems I resolved in June to put more up, and here we are six months later thinking "I must make a New Year Resolution to blog more."

And all the time there were drafts sitting there.

So what got me back here was a couple of youth and school team racing events where there was a lack protests. I know how unreliable young people are, but surely the team managers could empasise the need to have a red flag and explain how to protest. It's not rocket science and every briefing emphasises the need to show the flag clearly. No one ever asks "Why do I need a flag?"

I also try and get youngsters to have pvc insulating tape with them so that they can tape shroud pins. In my old fashioned opinion if they come undone there is no redress and they should have their damage deposit docked if they damage the mast - so it could be expensive as well as costing a race.

The other thing they need is a bailer - it's not difficult to cut up a plastic milk bottle so that you can bail the boat out - the good crews have them - show you are a good crew and carry one.

And how do you expect to start well if you don't have a watch?

I despair - the blog may not help but I feel better for it!