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Glenn,
There was no video to cross-check that the OCS calls were accurate. However, I believe they were all correct based on the following:
(1) The St. Pete RC was very experienced, and routinely ran large one-design regattas (including Thistles). They are known for excellent race managment. The PRO was a co-author of the US Sailing Race Management Handbook.
(2) The pin boat also had experienced people and also helped identify OCS boats.
(3) Had there been any questionable boats or unidentified boats, the RC would have signalled a General Recall rather than OCS.
(4) There were no requests for redress from any OCS boats. To me that means they accepted the RC identification of OCS boats.
(5) After the races each day, I did not hear any scuttlebut about anyone being OCS and getting away with it.
(6) The fleet was not super-aggressive. Most of the problems were due to current.
(7) I was an eyewitness to all the starts. None of the OCS calls were even borderline questionable, nor were there any boats that could not be identified.
In reply to Glenn:
I was on the Signal Boat as an observer for the FSSA during the MidWinters when VHF was used to hail OCS boats. The results that were posted after each day’s racing showed who was OCS. I do not believe that there is any retrievable record of the results of each race, because that was 6 years ago. However, I can state with certainty the following facts (in the same order as Glenn’s requests):
(1) The RC determined with 100% accuracy which boats were OCS.
(2) The RC did not hail any boats as OCS incorrectly.
(3) The RC did not hail non-OCS boats at all, which is the correct procedure. The absence of a hail means a boat is not OCS.
(4) The RC did not hail any non-OCS boats as OCS incorrectly.
(4) (Second question) VHF was very effective in relaying OCS calls. The line was long, it was windy, and the current was strong. After the race, at least two OCS boats told me they thought they started correctly, and would have not known they were OCS (due to the current) if not for the VHF hail. They returned to start correctly and were grateful to be scored in their finishing positions instead of driving 1000 miles for an OCS.
I should also note the following: (1) The pin boat helped identify the OCS boats, and quickly relayed that information to the Signal Boat, who made the VHF hails. (2) The “X” flag was raised and a single sound signal made (per the RRS) within 2 seconds of the start in every race where there was one or more OCS boats. And the VHF OCS hails were made within 14 seconds of the start (I timed both).
Dan Goldberg, FS 4991
