Why doesn’t the Race Committee throw them out?

The question comes up a lot. If something happens on the race course, why doesn’t the Race Committee just disqualify the boat that did something wrong? Short answer: We’re only the Race Committee - not judge, jury, and executioner.

It’s an interesting question. What if a competitor does something in full view of competitors that is obviously wrong? Let’s say that a boat hits a mark of the course and does not attempt to exonerate herself. Can the RC throw her out for breaking a rule? The answer, according to the Rules of Sailing, is no. The RC is just like any other boat out there on the race course when it comes to witnessing competitors break rules. Only the Protest Committee can throw out a competitor for hitting a mark and not exonerating herself.

So what should be done? If you see a boat breaking the rules, you should protest her. You could say, “Protest. I saw you hit that mark!” This lets the boat attempt to exonerate herself. If she does not, then you should inform the RC at the finish and file a protest (using the protest form) as per the Sailing Instructions.

So why can’t the RC just do this for you? Well, there are several reasons. First, you are the competitors and we are just impartial third parties. Second, you are sailing close to the other boats and are more likely see a rule being broken. Third, you can hail to the competitor that you are protesting – the RC cannot hail to competitors. Fourth, we’re actually working on other things and do not closely monitor the boats for rule violations.

If the RC witnesses a competitor break a rule and no other competitor could have witnessed it, the RC will protest someone. The RC wants the race to be fair for everyone, so the RC will protest if necessary. But remember that the RC can only Protest a competitor just like you. We will protest if necessary, but it is better for you to protest since you are a better witness.

That being said, there a couple times when the RC can make decisions. If you are on the course side of the starting line at the start, the RC can record that without a hearing. The RC can also record that a boat didn’t finish within the time limit without a hearing. Other than that, everyone gets a hearing in front of a Protest Committee. It's kind of like getting your day in court.

Here is a copy of the protest form. Be sure to use it (or one like it) if you want to protest.