Hitting a finish line mark.

[graham]

if you have finished a race once your bow is over the line . Is it breaking the rules if a further aft part of the boat touches the mark as you continue across the line?

If so how is a penalty taken if your time is allready recorded?

 

[XDC]

Is 31 still applicable?

Long time since I had to know them.

 

[graham]

Thanks for that XDC Rule 31 is clear that you can't touch a finishing mark after you have finished but what happens next? If your finishing time is recorded theres no point doing a penalty turn.

 

[DFL1010]

Rule 31 applies. Bear in mind that all the italicised words are definitions. So, definition of racing:

A boat is racing from her preparatory signal until she finishes and clears the finishing line and marks or retires, or until the race committee signals a general recall, postponement or abandonment.

Clearly if the boat hits the mark whilst crossing the line, she has not cleared the finishing line, so she is still racing, and thus breaks R31. Note also, finish is a defined term:

A boat finishes when, after starting, any part of her hull crosses the finishing line from the course side. However, she has not finished if after crossing the finishing line she
(a) takes a penalty under rule 44.2,
(b) corrects an error in sailing the course made at the line, or
(c) continues to sail the course.


So, if you break R31 at the finish line, you can take a penalty under R44.2. If you do so, you have not finished, so once you recross the finish line that's your finish time/position.