It's so simple!

THE SHROUDS NEED TO BE TAPED!

At Reading we had at least three shrouds come adrift where the rigging link or the shackle came undone. It shouldn't happen! A simple piece of electrical tape can prevent it. So the CHUMP sends out the instruction to the changeover boat - ensure the shrouds are taped. OK ome the reply.

And yet on the second day I am still coming across boats without tape covering the rigging plate or the shackle attaching the shroud to the boat. A piece of electrical tape costing less than 1p can save a mast costing (according to Google) between £997 and £1215.

And when it comes off. PLEASE tack the boat, so that the strain is taken on the other working shroud. You would think that would be obvious but we still see university students sitting there with the mast adopting a banana shape to leeward and them pointing at this useless piece of wire dangling from the windward side of the mast. 

What I forgot.

 Gave a chat at the NSSA SH Team Racing and wish I had remembered to mention that Rule 15 often comes into play on the run when the boat going left down the run or just on the left gybes onto starboard.

They gain right of way but Rule 15 requires them to initially give the other boat room to Keep Clear. The other boat generally being on port has to gybe in order to keep clear. Here comes the problem for the Umpires "Room" is " while manoeuvering promptly in a seamanlike way" 

Should conditions be light is it seamanlike to not allow the boom to swing out and hit the other boat after the gybe? If the wind is strong then the boom has to come out or a dinghy risks capsizing, a keelboat may risk a broach. But when does the wind get light enough that we expect a sailor to hold the boom?