54. Facts found: At the finish of a club race, the RC boat was anchored on the wrong side of the finish mark which was to be left to starboard as shown at left in the diagram. D.F.L. rounded the finish mark to starboard and crossed the line facing back the way he had just come. D.F.L. then protested the other 48 boats for not doing the same.

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Decision: According to the Finish Definition, "A boat finishes when any part of her hull, or crew or equipment in normal position, crosses the finishing line in the direction of the course from the last mark ..." The implication of the finish definition is that this is the ONLY possible way to finish (in accordance with rule 28.1 [Sailing the Course]), and if this conflicts with the requirement to leave all marks to starboard, then the requirements of the definition must take precedence. (In the 'old' Rules, this was spelled out in rule 51.1(a) which said: "A yacht shall ... finish only as prescribed in the ... finishing definition..." Under the new Rules, this requirement is no longer spelled out but is certainly implied.
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Thus, the other 48 boats finished correctly and D.F.L.'s protest is not upheld.
In addition, since D.F.L. was a party to this hearing, she shall be penalized as set out in rule 64.1(a), i.e. (d.v.s.) she shall be scored DNF (Did Not Finish).

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Case #55
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