Question
Blue has a penalty outstanding as she approaches the finishing line. She
lowers her spinnaker, luffs, passes head to wind, returns to a close-hauled
course on the other tack, reverses her mainsail and sails backwards across
the finishing line, now above close-hauled. Has she finished?
Answer
No. Blue cannot finish until she has taken her penalty. She has not borne
away to a downwind course as required by rule C7.2(a)(2). The umpires
will signal as required in rule C5.6 that the boat is no longer taking
a penalty and that the penalty remains. |