Finishing at gates

[Dreadnought]

Just for clarification; if we set a course which ends at a gate formed by the two start buoys, the finish line is still as per the sailing instructions unless stated otherwise on the course board:

6 - The Finish line is drawn between the triangle and post of the starters hut and the start outer limit buoy.

In other words, you can sail inside the inner distance mark to finish a shortened or completed race.

If we set a course which uses a gate other than the start/finish line and the course is shortened before it, the gate itself would form the finish line. This would only happen if we laid marks specially for this so this is unlikely.

[Dreadnought]

Meanwhile....

if a race is shortened away from a finish line or gate, the finish line is a transit of the start box (or safety boat with S flag flying) and the next buoy.

So, if we are travelling between 3 and B and the shorten course is signalled, the finish line is a direct line between the race box and B.

This can alter the rounding in some circumstances - you have to take the most direct route to the finish line.

[Dreadnought]

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[Dreadnought]

I have purchased a couple of vuvuzelas from the chandlers. They are labelled as fog horns.

They can be used to shorted the course as was done last week. If the race officer wants to finish a race between a mark of the course and the patrol vessel the patrol vessel must be positioned at right angles to the previous buoy on the outside of the finishing mark.

The patrol vessel crew must make two sounds. A whistle or a horn will do if they have not got a cannon with them. They must display the S flag which is a blue rectangle inside a white rectangle. The race officer should not display flags or lights or sound the horn. There is a complete set of flags in the front of the new zap cat.

The patrol vessel crew can relay the results via VHF.

Ideally, shorten the course on the normal finish line.