Penalties For RC Volunteers Who Don’t Show Up

In 2013, NSC added Sailing Instructions pertaining to people who volunteer for Race Committee duty, but then don’t show up for that duty, or cancel with little notice. While some racers do read the Sailing Instructions, many may not have fully appreciated the implications and consequences of these changes. In short, if you or your crew do not show up for an RC duty for which you have volunteered, your boat will be penalized. The same is true if you cancel with inadequate notice. See the full text of SI 18.10 below.

So why was this change introduced? The volunteer RC Duty program is critical to the success of our Interclub racing. Without the volunteers, we simply could not run our racing program. And when a volunteer cancels on short notice, it puts that race in jeopardy. Prior to 2013, boats could be penalized, but the only penalty was disqualification from a race, which was considered too harsh for a single volunteer missing one RC duty.

Hence the penalty of 3 points was introduced; the penalty is small to allow it to be applied regardless of circumstance. A lesser penalty of 2 points is applied if someone cancels within 24 hours of their duty. This is somewhat equivalent to the “handicap” that a boat might incur in a race if one of their crew didn’t show up as expected for a race. This penalty is automatic, and does not imply that the volunteer’s absence was unjustified. But it would be unfair to put the RC Volunteer Coordinator in the position of deciding whether a volunteer’s absence was justified. As with the crew that doesn’t show up, the penalty is the same, regardless of the reason.

Of course, we do not want to have to apply the RCN penalty, and this may be avoided if the volunteer can find their own replacement.

Since skippers will be the ones penalized if their crew don’t show up, they may wish to keep track of the duties for which their crew have volunteered.

For questions or comments on the above, please contact the RC Volunteer Coordinator.

SI 18.10: “When an NSC skipper or crew does not show up for an NSC RC duty for which they have signed up, then the finish position for their boat, in the next race in which the boat races, shall be increased by 3 points for each crew member that did not show up for RC duty. Similarly, if an NSC skipper or crew cancels their RC Duty with less than 24 hours notice, then the finish position for their boat shall be increased by 2 points for each crew member that cancels on short notice. If the boat does not race within three weeks of the RC duty which was missed, or prior to the end of the current series, whichever comes first, then the points noted above shall be added to their finish in the last race in which they raced, prior to the night on which they were a no-show for RC duty. For dinghies and catamarans, the above penalties shall apply to all races sailed on the night in question. Boats so scored shall appear in the results as “RCN” (for RC No-show), with the appropriate number of points.”

Page updated: 2022-07-14.