Rules Discussions
Last Updated 5/5/2007
The following are from the weekly rules discussions done at the after-racing locations each Tuesday night.
P = Port tack boat S = Starboard tack boat W = Windward boat L = Leeward boat
Question - After the starting signal, boats L and W are heading towards the left end of the starting line (pin end), however in this example we will create an obstruction by using a committee boat and anchor line that is replacing the flag we normally use every Tuesday night. Both L and W have started, i.e., crossed the starting line, but neither can clear the anchor line without tacking. L hails W for room to tack, but W holds her course. L luffs her sails to avoid hitting the anchor line, and W tacks away. L protests W. How would you decide this one?
Answer - Boat L's protest is disallowed. The race committee boat is a starting mark. Because its anchor line requires the boats to make substantial alteration of course to avoid it, the anchor line ranks as an obstruction. Rule 19.1, Room to Tack at an Obstruction permits a leeward close-hauled boat to hail for room to tack at an obstruction. However rule 19.2 states, "rule 19.1 does not apply at a starting mark or its anchor line surrounded by navigable water from the time boats are approaching them to start until they have passed them...". Boats L and W have not passed the anchor line yet, therefore W is not required to give L room at the mark.
Question - A port tack boat P and a starboard tack boat S are approaching the windward mark (A). P tacks to pass the mark, and completes her tack (i.e. arrives at a close-hauled course) within the two boat length circle. At that moment she is one length ahead and slightly to windward of S, and moving more slowly than S due to her tack. S holds her course. As P begins to bear away around the mark it becomes apparent that S will hit P's leeward side, and that there will not be room for S to sail between P and the mark without hitting either. P luffs away from the mark and S passes between P and the mark with no contact. P protests S. How would you decide this one?
Answer - P's protest is disallowed; neither boat broke a rule. When P completes her tack within the two-length zone to pass the mark she does not cause S to sail above close hauled to avoid her nor does she prevent her from passing the mark. Therefore P does not breeak rule 18.3a Passing Marks and Obstructions- Tacking. Rule 18.3b requires P to keeep clear of S if S becomes overlapped inside her at any time while the boats are passing the mark. Furthermore, S is not required to give P any room to keep clear whatsoever because rule 18.3b says that rule 15 Acquiring Right of Way does not apply. By keeping clear of S, P complied with rule 18.3b and rule 11 On the Same Tack, Overlapped.
Question - Two boats at the start, L and W are both approaching the right-hand side of the starting line. Both boats are sailing close-hauled and L, is overlapped by about two feet on W and on a course to pass one length to leeward of the race committee boat. Ten seconds before the staring signal and when two lengths from the reace committee boat, L hails to W, "No room, your're barging!". L then slowly luffs head to wind. W makes no attempt to get away from L though there is room and time for her to do so, and there is contact with no damage. Both boats protest each other. How would you decide this one?
Answer - Boat W is penalized under rule 11. On the Same Tack, Overlapped, and Rule 18.1 Passing Marks and Obstructions. When the rule applies, states that rule 18. does not apply at the starting mark or its anchor line surrounded by navigable water from the time the boats are approaching them to start...". Therefore the situation is governed by the rules in Section A and B. Rule 11 requires W to keep clear of L, which she failed to do. Rule 16. Changing Course, requires L to give W room to keep clear when she changes course, which she did. Because L could have avoided contact, she breaks rule 14., but is not penalized.
Question - Two starboard-tack boats, A and B are approaching the race committee boat marking the right-hand end of the starting line to start. With 15 seconds before the starting signal, B overlaps A, to windward from clear astern. Boat A luffs and boat B is able to keep clear. B's helmsman passes A's mast and hails "Mast abeam, do not sail above your close-hauled course." Boat A continues to luff until head to wind, and B continues to keep clear and protest A for sailing above close-hauled. Five seconds later the starting signal sounds. With boat A head to wind, B does not have room to pass between A and the race committee boat. Boat B tells A to bear away immediately to her close-hauled course, but A continues sailing head to wind thereby forcing B onto the wrong side of the race committee boat. Boat A then bears away and starts. As B circles around to start herself, she again protests A, this time for denying her room at the starting mark by sailing above close-hauled. Who had rights?
Answer - Both of B's protests against A are disallowed. A as the leeward boat, was the right-of-way boat throughout both incidents under rule 11. On the Same Tack, Overlapped. When she luffed (changed course), rule 16. Changing Course, requires that she give B room to keep clear, which she clearly did based on B's performance. Before the starting signal, A has no limit on where she can sail, i.e. she is permitted to sail up to head to wind, even when overlapped by just a couple of feet on B. The "mast abeam" position has no significance under the rules; therefore, A breaks no rule by sailing up to head to wind.
After the starting signal, the only rule that requires A to sail no higher than her proper course after the starting signal is rule 17.1 On the Same Tack, Proper Course. However rule 17.1 only applies when A becomes overlapped to leeward of B from clear astern. As this is not the case, rule 17.1 does not apply and A breaks no rule by continuing to sail head to wind after the starting signal.
Question - Boats A and B are approaching the leeward mark broad reaching on starboard tack. A is below B or closer to the pin. When A comes within two of her lengths of the mark, B becomes overlapped to windward of A. A swings wide of the mark in preparation to making a tactical "swing wide-cut close" rounding. When she gybes, her boom strikes B's port shroud with no damage. B protests, claiming that A took more room than she is entitled to.
Answer - Boat B is penalized (Yes, boat B!) under rule 18.2(b), Padding Marks and Obstructions. When boat A comes within two of her boat lengths of the mark, B is clear astern of her at that time, and is therefore required by rule 18.2(b) to keep clear of A while A is passing the mark. This requirement continues even though B becomes overlapped with A. Rule 18.2(b) puts no restrictions on how A makes her rounding provided she is at all times "about to pass" the mark (which typically means remaining within the two-lenght zone and steering a course to pass the mark). Now we know some thought boat A was at fault and even though A breaks rule 14. Avoiding Contact, by not avoiding contact with B when it was reasonably possible for her to do so, there is not damage so she cannot be penalized under rule 14.
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