Rolex Sydney Hobart: Second Protest against “clubhouse” overall honours leader
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 30 Dec 10:24 UTC
BNC running to the finish of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race – December 30, 2025 © CYCATV
The International Jury for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race will hear a protest, on Wednesday, by the yacht Min River (AUS) against the overall honours leader BNC – my::NET / LEON (FRA).
The initial protest covers the way the French/New Caledonian sheeted a sail using a pole, presumably as they were running to the finish of the race.
Overnight, after considering the matter, the French crew of BNC – my::NET / LEON made a declaration at the time start of the Hearing today at 0900hrs.
The Race Committee must have believed that a rule may have been infringed, and lodged a second protest to the International Jury.
The International Jury announced a 30 minute delay to the start of the formal hearing, where presumably both complaints will be heard as one.
The information provided in both media statements issued by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is limited to just acknowledging the receipt of the protests and the now delayed time and place of the Hearing.
From the photos before the finish the sail is appears to be a spinnaker according to the Definition, in the Equipment Rules of Sailing. The sail is attached to the stern of the yacht by a rope that is a Guy according to F1.4 (d)(i). The sheet is led through a block on the bow and sheeted into the bowsprit, and presumably back to the cockpit for cleating/adjustment.
The rule quoted in the protest covers the use of a whisker pole. However extrapolating the girth measurements the sail would appear to be a spinnaker under Definition G 1.3(f) (see below).
The definition of a bow sprit says it can only be used to “connect rigging and/or the tack of a headsail, headsails or a spinnaker.” Tacking the clew of a head sail or spinnaker to a bowsprit is not permitted under the Equipment Rules of Sailing.
The nub of the Min River complaint (without having seen the full protest document) would appear that the sail should not have been sheeted through the bowsprit, and using that protrusion as a whisker pole.
There are several issues to be decided by the International Jury.
The first is probably whether the sail which used the pole was a spinnaker or jib. This should be quite easily determined by checking the measurement certificate for the French yacht. That finding then determines whether the sail used fits the permission given under Rule 55.3(a) or if the sail is being flown in accordance with F1.4 (d)(i) and whether it is permissible for the sheet of a sail to be held outboard by a bowsprit.
A shot taken presumably during the race, shows BNC flying a conventional spinnaker and pole. In all shots the spinnaker/whisker pole has an uphaul and downhaul attached.
In the first CYCA media statement, the Race Committee of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race advised that it has received a protest from Min River against the current clubhouse leader, BNC – my::NET / LEON, citing a breach to Australian Sailing Racing Rule of Sailing 55.3(a).
The second read: This morning at 0900 hours the skippers from BNC – my::NET / LEON made an official declaration with regards a breach of the Racing Rule of Sailing 55.3.
Following the declaration, the Race Committee has protested BNC – my::NET / LEON for a breach of the Racing Rule of Sailing 55.3.
The hearing has subsequently been delayed 30 minutes.
The International Jury will hear the protest at 0900 hours AEDT on Wednesday 31 December 2025 at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania in Hobart. the Int Jury Chairman is the highly experienced David Tillett (AUS), assisted by Jamie Sutherland NZL IJ, Philippe Mazard FRA IJ, Russell Green NZL IU, Richard Slater AUS IJ/IU.
Media statement and Equipment Rules of Sailing.
According to the media release Racing Rule 55.3 is as follows:
55.3 Sheeting Sails: No sail shall be sheeted over or through any device that exerts outward pressure on a sheet or clew of a sail at a point from which, with the boat upright, a vertical line would fall outside the hull or deck, except:
(a) a headsail clew may be connected (as defined in The Equipment Rules of Sailing) to a whisker pole, provided that a spinnaker is not set;
The full Rule 55.3 says
55.3 Sheeting Sails
No sail shall be sheeted over or through any device that exerts outward pressure on a sheet or clew of a sail at a point from which, with the boat upright, a vertical line would fall outside the hull or deck, except:
(a) a headsail clew may be connected (as defined in The Equipment Rules of Sailing) to a whisker pole, provided that a spinnaker is not set;
(b) any sail may be sheeted to or led above a boom that is regularly used for a sail and is permanently attached to the mast from which the head of the sail is set;
(c) a headsail may be sheeted to its own boom that requires no adjustment when tacking; and
(d) the boom of a sail may be sheeted to a bumkin
All terms are subject to the Equipment Definitions of the Equipment Rules of Sailing where:
F1.4(c) HULL SPARS A spar attached to the hull.
(i) BOWSPRIT A hull spar extending forward to connect rigging and/or the tack of a headsail, headsails or a spinnaker.
F1.4(d) OTHER SPARS
Other spar types include their rigging, but not running rigging.
Other Spar Types:
(i) SPINNAKER POLE
A spar attached to the mast spar and connected to a spinnaker guy.
(ii) WHISKER POLE
A spar attached to the mast spar and connected to a headsail clew
Rule F4(b) shows how to measure a spinnaker and whisker pole, there is no length restriction on either according to the Equipment Rules of Sailing.
Sail Definitions
G 1.3(d) HEADSAIL: A sail set forward of the mast spar or of the foremost mast spar if more than one mast, where the measurement between the half luff point and the half leech point is less than 75% of the foot length.
G 1.3(f) SPINNAKER: A sail set forward of the mast spar or of the foremost mast spar if more than one mast, where the measurement between the half luff point and the half leech point is equal or greater than 75% of the foot length.
