If a crew member throws something in the water while racing...

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by rwidman

If you eat it and then poop it into a head (or even a bucket) , it becomes "raw sewage" and cannot be pumped overboard within three miles of shore (more in some places).

If you poop directly into the water, that's not covered by the rules.

Unless you live in the Tamar River where I live and then you can do whatever you like, even at the Marina, because the council discharges hundreds of tonnes into the river anyway.

[Jim Cate]

It saddens me to learn that sailboat racing, which I once enjoyed immensely, has come down to this sort of rule considerations in deciding which yacht is the winner.

Jim

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

It saddens me to learn that sailboat racing, which I once enjoyed immensely, has come down to this sort of rule considerations in deciding which yacht is the winner.

Jim

You in the right thread there laddy

[JPA Cate]

Rustic,

For the last 30-40 yrs., discharge of poop is illegal in the fresh water lakes, the "Great Lakes," and for good reason, they constitute the fresh water supply for many people.

Saltwater --maybe the word is biology-- is different. Saltwater fishes consume our effluent gladly. So the Tamar is a muddled situation. Preferable, I think, ultimately, although Jim might not concur, I think it is best to not discharge where there is not plenty of oxygen exchange, but other than that, the fishies do take care of our s--t. This is an extremely unpopular view in the US, but in some places in Mexico, the grunts wait for the morning discharge, and you hear them talking about it, like, "when are they going to make breakfast for us?" Sorry, guys, but this is true. No offense intended. Oddly, if we discontinue discharge, the fish population will move elsewhere.

If you've ever considered eating crabs, they, too, change excrement into lovely flesh to eat if you're not a vegetarian, or have religious rules against eating scavengers.

Ann

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

It saddens me to learn that sailboat racing, which I once enjoyed immensely, has come down to this sort of rule considerations in deciding which yacht is the winner.

Jim

I've never actually heard of a boat being DQed or even protested under Rule 55.

I think it is just a "feel good" addition to RROS.

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

It saddens me to learn that sailboat racing, which I once enjoyed immensely, has come down to this sort of rule considerations in deciding which yacht is the winner.

Jim

If it's any consolation, in over 150 races I've never seen a racer DSQ'd for throwing something over the side although I have witnessed uneaten food tossed on occasion. It was more a hypothetical question.

[Stumble]

Recently it has become more common to make an issue of Rule 55. Primarily at big name regattas like NOOD's and KWRW. The international press these regattas can get combined with the visual of large yachts dumping trash in the water is something ISAF is trying to avoid.

So far the only time I have seen it used was against boats that are using rubber bands to launch spinnakers. Even then they were pulled aside first and warned about the practice before being tossed.

[Dsanduril]

Surprised the sea lawyers haven't jumped all over this. Depends entirely on the definition of 'trash', which is not included in the racing rules definition section. And in my current neck of the woods food waste is very definitely not 'trash'. In fact, illegal for me to dispose of food waste along with 'trash' or 'garbage', it must be disposed of as food waste along with other compostable organic material.

At least MARPOL is specific about definition, the racing rules are vague and thus subject to interpretation as desired.

You can always throw your food waste (if indeed it is 'trash') on the committee boat:

24 TRASH DISPOSAL
Trash may be placed aboard support or official boats.