In row 3 at start - boats don't keep clear #corkweek2024

It was tight racing for the start of race three of Volvo Cork Week 2024, a couple of the other J109's in the IRC 1 fleet through the rule book out the window, firstly not keeping clear while on port and then compounding the rule breaks by not keeping clear as the windward boat. It was frustrating for us as they had no intention of keeping clear and it put us in a awful position 3 deep at the pin and without speed, which forced us to take behind the rest of the fleet as they headed out to the favoured side of the course. The team on Joker sailed away, raising the yellow flag to accept a 1% race time penalty. Every day is a school day on the race course, what I learnt form this one is it is better to break the rules at the start to get in the front row and accept the 1% penalty. In an hour long race it is better to get a good first work position as the 1% is nothing compared to being buried at the start. It also highlighted how small the 1% time penalty is when compared to the tradition 720 degree turn which would have been used in the past. The team at bottom up boats hope you are enjoying the short clips from the 2024 racing season.