Sportsmanship SS Issue 133
Sportsmanship SS Issue 133
Sportsmanship SS Issue 133
David Dellenbaugh’s
™
Play Fair! 3
Ten ways to promote good sportsmanship
I have two favorite quotes that express the essence
of what it means to be a good sport in sailing. The
first is from Paul Elvstrom, the Great Dane who won
“The number one rule in my book is honor,” said
Steele. “What’s most important to me in sailboat
racing is that the competition is fair – that everyone
four Olympic gold medals. Elvstrom once said some- is given an equal chance to win. I hope everyone sails
thing to the effect of, “You haven’t won the race if in with this feeling.”
winning the race you have lost the respect of your Steele is one of the vast majority of racing sailors
competitors.” In other words, Paul would rather lose who, like Elvstrom and Walker, do not believe in
a race than win it but behave in a way that his com- ‘winning at any cost.’ They try their hardest to win
petitors did not respect. This commitment to do what each race because that’s the goal (as Dr. Walker
is right and respectable, win or lose, is the essence of reminds us), but they remember and value all the
good sportsmanship. other reasons why they go sailing.
The second quote is from Dr. Stuart Walker, a To me, sportsmanship includes fairness, courtesy,
long-time competitive sailor and author who wrote, friendliness and many more qualities that are impor-
“Although winning is the object of the game, it is not tant both on the water and ashore. The bottom line on
the object of playing the game.” The reasons for play- good sportsmanship in sailing, as in most other parts
ing the game are typically to have fun, learn a lot and of life, is the Golden Rule. In other words, ‘Do unto
challenge ourselves to perform at the highest level others as you would have others do unto you.’
possible. It’s important to remember this whenever If you always treat your teammates, your competi-
it feels like winning is the only thing that matters. tors and everyone else involved with the sport (e.g.
Fortunately, we frequently see or hear about race committee members, judges, administrators) as
sailors being good sports, and these examples are you would like to be treated yourself, then you won’t
inspirational. I remember one year, quite a while ago, have to worry about sportsmanship. Here are some
when the US Sailing Sportsmanship Award went to practical ideas on how you and your teammates can
Scott Steele, one of America’s top boardsailors at the be good sports and encourage a more positive atmos-
time. During the Goodwill Games (an event similar phere in your fleet, club and class.
to the Olympics), Scott helped his closest competitor,
Grzegorz Myszkowski of Poland, get reinstated after 1. Abide by and enforce the rules. It’s clear
being incorrectly scored OCS. As a result, that winning is a major objective of sailboat racing.
Myszkowski won the gold Unfortunately, some sailors are tempted to overstep
medal and Steele the boundaries of the rules to attain this end. That’s
got silver. why it’s important to commit ourselves to sailing
Can you within the rules. When you play fair and square, you
help tune will likely win just as many races, and the respect you
my rig? get from your competitors will be much greater.
Another part of being a good sport is taking
responsibility for enforcing the rules. We all want to
be nice guys who don’t make waves. But our sport is
a self-policing one. If we don’t enforce the rules out
there, no one will. I’m not suggesting you become a
sea lawyer – but encouraging rule compliance will
make the game better for everyone.
JH Peterson photo
own, to self-penalize ourselves when
we break a rule, and to protest when
we believe another boat has broken a
rule. In this regard, our sport is unique
A big part of sportsmanship is appreciating the effort of all the people compared with a lot of other sports.
who (in most cases) volunteer their time to make our racing possible. – Dave Perry
International author, sailor, rules expert
voice if that is essential for communication. On a windy day, for
example, you may have to shout pretty loud to be heard by other boats
or even your own teammates. But it’s not necessary to make your hail
with a tone that is angry, condescending or intimidating. That just
O ur sport, like golf and a few others,
is different . . . we rely on the com-
petitors to know and follow the rules of
increases the tension level and makes the sport less fun for everyone. our game. In the typical sport where
No one likes, or respects, a yeller. many people compete at the same
time, the prevailing attitude is often,
4. Thank the race committee and volunteers. This may seem ‘It’s OK so long as I don’t get caught.’
like a very obvious thing to do, but if we took a survey of all the race That attitude doesn’t work in sailing.
officers around the world, I bet a majority would say they feel under- We depend on the sailors themselves
appreciated by the sailors. Volunteer race committees, regatta helpers to decide when they’ve broken a rule
and juries are the backbone of racing, and it’s almost impossible to and to voluntarily take a penalty.
give these hard-working people too much credit. A basic principle of the rules is that,
I recommend something more than a token ‘thank-you’ at the ‘. . . when competitors break a rule they
awards ceremony. Talk to them personally during the regatta and offer will promptly take a penalty or retire.’
words of support and appreciation. Get on the RC’s radio channel after This basic principle is often described
the last race of the day and say thanks. You may not agree with every as ‘Corinthian,’ but no matter what
action of a race committee or decision of the jury, but you can always word you use to describe this concept,
thank the members for volunteering their time and working hard. it is central to how our sport operates.
Another good idea is writing a letter of thanks to the membership We as competitors need to abide
by this basic principle for the good of
of the club where you’ve just sailed a regatta. Thank them for a good
our sport . . . When you break a rule (as
time and for all the sacrifices they made to help insure that your re-
we all do from time to time) take your
gatta was a success. Send your letter to the regatta chairperson (with
penalty. The Two-Turns Penalty was
a note of thanks to him or her as well), and say you wouldn’t mind if introduced some years ago specifically
your letter was posted on their bulletin board or in their newsletter. so competitors could take a penalty
and still either win the race or finish
5. Recognize good sportsmanship. I’m not a huge fan of giving well enough in a single race to win the
prizes for sportsmanship because I think the motivation for this kind regatta. Remember, if in finishing first
of behavior must be internal, not external. However, I do think that you have lost your self-respect or the
recognizing acts of good sportsmanship is a great way of creating a respect of your competitors then you
positive climate. This can be done at regattas, or by one-design classes have lost more than you have won.
and sailing clubs. One idea is to create an award for sportsmanlike
behavior that is voted on by competitors at a regatta or awarded by – Dave Rosekrans
members of a club or fleet at the end of the year. But impromptu ☛ Former president of US Sailing
Play Fair! 5
One of the best reasons
for being a good sport
is because all of us are
role models for new and
younger sailors. When a
person starts racing sail-
boats, they look to the
people who are older
and more experienced
for guidance on how
to behave. If they often
see races where there
are many collisions and
few penalty turns, for
example, that’s how
they will likely behave.
Prevent this by setting
a consistent example of
good sportsmanship.
recognition can often be just as effective, or even 8. Be a good role model. One of the best ways
more meaningful. A simple mention of sportsmanlike for young or less experienced sailors to learn about
behavior at an awards ceremony or at your fleet’s final what’s sportsmanlike in sailboat racing is from experi-
banquet is usually more than enough recognition for enced sailors they respect – like you! People who are
the person involved, and it works well to get everyone new to the sport tend to emulate the behavior of those
thinking about this topic in the future. who have been racing longer. If they see boats break-
When you are recognizing good sportsmanship, ing rules and getting away with it, they will likely act
look for ethical behavior that includes qualities such the same way. So set a good example!
as respect, fairness and integrity. Be careful of reward-
ing behavior that is simply required by the rules. It is 9. Commend your teammates. Unfortunately,
nice, for example, when a sailor takes a Two-Turns it’s not uncommon for skippers to be critical of their
Penalty rather than ignoring an obvious foul, but this crews while racing. But this is neither sportsmanlike
behavior should be the norm so you may not want to nor conducive to winning races. So think positively.
treat it as something exceptional. If you’re a skipper, look for ways to compliment
your crew: ‘Hey, that was a great roll tack.’ ‘Nice job
6. Congratulate your competitors when they with the pole.’ ‘Good call on the layline.” If you’re a
make a good move or sail a great race. Nothing feels crew, find ways to appreciate your skipper: ‘Great
better than being acknowledged and appreciated by start!’ ‘Good job steering the waves.’ And so on.
fellow sailors. But don’t just talk to the first few This type of encouragement will help everyone
boats – they will get congratulations from many other feel more confident and better about themselves.
sailors and they aren’t usually the ones who need en- It also makes it easier to handle a little constructive
couragement. You’ll have a much bigger impact if you criticism once in a while. This will improve not only
focus on the middle or back of the fleet. Try to notice your performance on the race course, but your
specific things that some of those sailors did well, and relationship after the race as well.
appreciate them. For example, you could commend a
team for getting one of the best starts in the fleet even 10. Don’t be a ‘sore loser.’ No one respects or
if that didn’t translate into a great finish. likes a competitor who is always bitter when they
don’t finish first. You can’t win every race, so focus on
7. Give other boats the benefit of the doubt. the other reasons why you compete. Try to give each
One of the best things you can do while racing is to race your very best effort and learn as much as you
treat your competitors as you would like to have them can – this way you will be a ‘winner’ no matter how
treat you. For example, let’s say you’re approaching you cross the finish line. A big part of being a good
the jibe mark and a boat that’s overtaking you from sport is respecting your competitors, especially when
behind is pressing for an inside overlap. When you’re they win – but that’s difficult for a bad loser.
not sure if they got an overlap in time or not, don’t
automatically yell ‘No room.’ Instead, give the other Sailing is a great sport because it puts the question
boat a break by saying ‘Go ahead,’ and then provide of sportsmanship into the sailors’ hands. If you treat
mark-room. This may cost you a boat or two in that other people with respect on the race course, they’ll
race, but it’s an admirable action that will earn you treat you the same way. And that will make the sport
respect as a good sport in the long run. much more fun and rewarding. •
Play Fair! 7
When you break a rule, play fair by . . .
Scenario 1: A few seconds after the warning signal for your start,
you fail to keep clear of a leeward boat. The resulting contact causes
damage to the other boat in the form of a broken hiking stick. Just after the
1a: What if this happened just after the preparatory signal? warning signal
Was Scenario 2: You are racing upwind on port tack and a starboard
OCS tacker has to change course to avoid you. However, they do not hail
‘Protest’ and you know they were OCS at the start and didn’t go back.
Scenario 12: Just after you finish the race, you are talking
with your crew and you inadvertently interfere with a boat In each scenario,
in the class behind you that is still racing toward the finish. Hey! ‘You’ are the Red boat.
Scenario 1 A) No penalty. The racing rules apply when you are sailing in the race area, but you can’t be
penalized (in most cases) unless you are actually ‘racing,’ which begins at your preparatory signal. This is true
even if you break a rule and cause damage to the other boat (though you could be liable for this damage). The
other boat may request redress (see rule 62.1b), but it would be sportsmanlike of you to offer them your hiking
stick to use for the race. They can accept your help until the prep signal (see rule 41).
Scenario 1a: C) Two-Turns Penalty (but if the broken hiking stick is considered ‘serious damage’ you would
have to Retire). Since your foul occurred after the preparatory signal (i.e. while you were ‘racing’), you have to
take a penalty. You are permitted (and, in fact, required) to take your penalty promptly, before the start.
Scenario 2 C) Two-Turns Penalty. A boat that was OCS maintains all her rights until she turns back and
sails toward the pre-start side of the starting line. Until then you have to treat her like any other boat. It does
not matter if another boat hails ‘Protest’ or not – when you know you broke a rule, you must take a penalty as
stipulated in the Basic Principle (Sportsmanship and the Rules).
Scenario 3 A) No penalty. You did break rule 14 (Avoiding Contact) because you failed to avoid contact
when doing so was ‘reasonably possible’ (all you had to do was keep a good lookout and bear off behind P).
However, rule 14(b) says that a right-of-way boat ‘shall be exonerated if she breaks this rule and the contact
does not cause damage or injury.’
Scenario 4 C) Two-Turns Penalty. You broke rule 14 (Avoiding Contact) because you failed to avoid
contact when it was ‘reasonably possible.’ Even though you were the right-of-way boat, you must take a penalty
because you caused damage. Since rule 14 is in Part 2 of the rulebook, you are allowed to exonerate yourself by
taking a Two-Turns Penalty.
Scenario 5 E) Retire from the race. The answer is similar to Scenario 4 above, except the damage you
caused was ‘serious.’ Rule 44.1 (Taking a Penalty) does not allow you to take a Two-Turns Penalty when you
cause serious damage, so your only option is to retire. This is true no matter which boat was damaged.
Scenario 6 E) Retire from the race. The Propulsion rule (42) specifically prohibits ooching. If you realize
that you broke this rule, you must take a penalty, even if the other boat did not say they were going to protest
you. Since rule 42 is not in Part 2 of the rulebook, you cannot take a Two-Turns Penalty for your infraction,
so your only option is to retire.
Scenario 7 B) One-Turn Penalty. You broke rule 31 (Touching a Mark), which says you shall not touch a
mark while racing. Rule 44.1 (Taking a Penalty) says that when you touch a mark you may exonerate yourself
by taking a One-Turn Penalty.
Scenario 8 C) Two-Turns Penalty. In this incident, you broke two rules – one for hitting the mark and
another for breaking rule 10 (Port-Starboard). However, rule 44.1b says, “when a boat may have broken a rule
of Part 2 and rule 31 in the same incident she need not take the penalty for breaking rule 31.” In other words,
you only have to take the penalty for breaking the right-of-way rule, which is a Two-Turns Penalty.
Scenario 9 E) Retire from the race. Though you didn’t foul any boats, by hitting the mark you were able
to round ahead of 10 boats that you would otherwise have had to duck. Since you were still ahead of some of
these boats after taking your penalty, you gained a ‘significant advantage’ in the race, so you must retire.
Scenario 10 B) One-Turn Penalty. It doesn’t matter whether anyone else saw this or hailed ‘Protest’ –
when you know you broke a rule you must take the appropriate penalty.
Scenario 11 A) No penalty. Since you failed to provide mark-room to A, you broke rule 18.2a (Giving
Mark-Room). However, the reason you broke this rule was because C failed to give you mark-room as
required. Therefore, you will be exonerated for your breach (rule 64.1a), so you don’t have to take a penalty.
Scenario 12 E) Retire from the most recent race. If you are not racing and you interfere with a boat that
is racing, you break rule 24.1 (Interfering with Another Boat). Though this rule is in Part 2, you can’t take a
Two-Turns Penalty (rule 44) because that applies only to incidents while you are racing. So you must retire.
Play Fair! 9
Should you file a protest? DIAGRAM
of the incident
to protest can be a tough decision. For example, you might decide More thoughts about protesting
What if the other boat’s infraction that you will always protest when When you hail ‘Protest’ during a
was minor? What if the skipper is you think another boat has broken race, you are notifying another
your friend? Or enemy? Many fac- a rule. Or maybe you will protest boat that you believe they broke a
tors affect your decision of whether only when there is: a) contact; b) rule. If they agree, they must take a
or not to hail ‘Protest.’ damage; or c) a change of position penalty (usually they can exonerate
in the race. Or perhaps you choose themselves by taking a Two-Turns
A protesting philosophy never to protest. (See box above Penalty). If they don’t agree with
When you’re trying to decide for much more about this.) you they can risk a protest hearing.
whether or not to protest in the Ideally, this protest philosophy Even if you hail ‘Protest’ on the
middle of a hectic race, it’s helpful will serve as your guide regardless water, you can drop your protest
to have a protest philosophy or of your personal feelings (positive later by not delivering it in writing
strategy already in mind. This or negative) for the sailor that to the jury. However, I think this
might be something you develop broke a rule. And you could think is a bad habit and not especially
with your crew at the beginning of of guidelines for when you won’t sportsmanlike. If you aren’t serious
each season, or a few guidelines file a protest too. For example, you about protesting, don’t pretend to
you considered before the start of might choose to avoid protests that be that way on the water – you will
a particular regatta. The goal is to seek primarily to a) advance your just force your competitor to take
take a consistent, fair approach to own position in the race or series; an insurance penalty. If you were
protesting that doesn’t require a or b) punish someone you don’t serious on the water because you
lot of thought each time you are like. These reasons are not consis- felt they really broke a rule, follow
considering a hail of ‘Protest.’ tent with the purpose of the rules. through with your conviction. •
Play Fair! 11
GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP
k1
Tac
your rights relative
k2
TURN 1 to other boats.
Tac
1
TURN 2
Jibe
‘Protest!’
2
Jibe
‘Sorry, doing
my turns.’
Your penalty turns
can be clockwise or
counter-clockwise, but
While you are making your both must be made in
The X penalty turns you must keep the same direction.
‘Incident’ clear of all boats (e.g. Boat X)
that are not making penalty
turns (see Rule 22.2).
Play Fair! 13
MARK-HITTING FAQs
Tack
to take my penalty on the course
side of the finish line? As soon as you TURN
are clear of other Before taking a
No. You can make your penalty turn One-Turn Penalty,
Jibe
boats, you must
anywhere you want (as long as you you must get ‘well
do your penalty
meet the requirements of rule 44). clear of other boats
turn ‘promptly.’
However, as rule 44.2 explains, you as soon after the
must ‘sail completely to the course incident as possible.’
side of the line before finishing.’
Do I always have to take a penalty As long as you do a tack and a jibe, you don’t have to
after touching a mark? complete a full 360° turn (i.e. you don’t have to end the
No. No penalty is required when: penalty by returning to the same exact course you were
• You hit a mark while you are not on when you started it). In this example at a windward
racing (i.e. before your prep signal mark, the Red boat needs to turn only about 270°.
or after you finish and clear the line);
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31 TOUCHING A MARK FB: www.Facebook.com/SpeedandSmarts
While racing, a boat shall not touch a Publisher: David Dellenbaugh Manager:
starting mark before starting, a mark Joanne DeLuca Art: Brad Dellenbaugh
that begins, bounds or ends the leg © 2015 Speed & Smarts
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Play Fair! 15
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