Rules Question

[Doug Wotring]

Part one.

After a start the fleet is sailing on a Starboard tack as the fleet approaches the shore the boat closest to the obstruction hails for room to tack. the 4 boats to the outside (all overlapped) also hail for room to tack.

These 4 boats tack while clear ahead of the remaining boats in the fleet. The boat that was on the outside is hailed by a boat that was clear astern and to windward prior to the tack off the obstruction to tack (starboard over port). The outside Boat on Port tack cannot tack without all other boats tacking and driving the boat closest to the obstruction to tack onto shore.

The Starboard tack boat fails to avoid the port tack boat and hits the port tack boat 4 inches forward of the backstay, thus there was plenty of room for him to duck behind and showing that the inpacted boat would have ended up bow to bow with him and the remainign fleet if he had attempted to gybe and duck the starboard boat.

Isn't it true that as the Port tack boat could not tack to starboard due to boats avoiding an obstruction and could not duck the starboard tack boat for the basic fact of position and speed, not to mention the remainder of the fleet following the lead starboard boat which all would have hit the inpacted port tack boat. That the Starboard tack boat in question has violated a rule?


Part 2 Similar.

After a start the inside boats are on port tack while the outside boats are on starboard. Three inside boats approach an obstruction and hail for room and tack to starboard to avoid a point of land. Similar situation: Center boat cannot tack back to port without causing the inside boat to run aground. This boat also cannot duck the lead starboard boat as there is only enough room for the boat leward of him to duck and pass before the rest of the oncoming fleet.

who is a fault.

I was un der the impression that you must give room to those that need to avoid an obstruction....as well as those boats that are giving that boat room.

[yachtie]

Doug

Simply - YES [:D]

RRS 19

[:o)]

Chris
NZL1 Longtack
&
NZL110 Swept Away

[PegLeg]

Chris - Not quite that simple.

Doug - Situation 2 is not possible as described.

The 3 port tackers who by reason of asking for and taking "room" by tacking are now on Starboard tack along with the "outside boats already on starboard. Thus, there is no port starboard situation just windward/leeward/overtaking etc and other rules apply. There is no longer any obstruction to cause a call for room or a reason to tack back to port. That is unless I'm missiing something. Please send me a diagram if you still feel there was some obstruction needing to be avoided.

Situation 1 is missing some factual information to make a good determination.

Specifically. Can the lead "inside" boat, after tacking to port, keep clear of the starboard boat regardless of the lost position that would result. The determining factor would be in how far to windward and how far behind the lead starboard boat was from the port claiming room. The positions of any of the other boats in the fleet are irrelavent.

For example:

If the lead inside boat, at the time she calls for room is overlapped with anyone who is overlapped with the outside boat then all must give room at the same time (see the definition of "clear ahead or clear astern)including the outside boat. Definitions are an integral part of the rules.

However if there is no intervening overlap between the inside and outside boats then when the lead inside tacks she (and all those going with her) must observe rule 10 (port/starboard basic.
In this case she can claim her right to avoid the starboard tack boat (obstruction) by either tacking back (but because of rule 13 probably can't get on a starboard tack in time to avoid her hip huggers) or by "ducking" the starboard boat.

Since the original "outside" boat was not overlapped with any of the 4 original "inside" boats (fact from your description) it can be concluded that there were several boat lengths between inside and out at "tack time" and that the inside lead could have crossed or ducked the starboard boat had she been on her toes. It does not appear (from your description) that she would have to jibe just run off big time.

Either that or the lead inside did a lousy job of tacking and her barndoor did her in. The only other reason for being "crunched" would be if none of the other 3 original insiders did not give the lead boat room to duck the starboard boat, in which case one (or more) of them was the root cause of the foul.

The only time a closehauled starboard tacker must duck a port tack is when she has responded to the call for room by saying "you tack or she just wants to be the nice guy and let the port boat pass.

Please read the rules carefully and make sure all the facts and positions are described properly. The penalty for not being up on the rules will be either many DSQs or 720s.

The best descriptions for the rules are on the ISAF website. Go there and enjoy a whole evening of entertainment.

Peter G. Kremlick
Certified US Sailing Judge
[}:)]

[Carl]

Pete,

And I drew you for the first match racing at the Nationals.
It should be fun - I will have to read up on the rules!!!!!

Carl [:)][:)][8D]

[Frank Angel]

Carl,
Be sure to study Appendix “Câ€