by tag1945 » Thu Oct 06, 2011 6:21 am
Gerry
I'm not sure what you mean "lose your rights." First and formost, Section A rules applies!!!! There is only 4 rules in Section A and one of them always applies unless they are specifically turned off by another rule, such as Section D rules 21 and 22.
<font color="blue">SECTION D - OTHER RULES
When rule 21 or 22 applies between two boats, Section A rules do not. </font id="blue">
What happened in this rule discussion, was a clear ahead boat entered the zone and rule 18.2b gave that boat the right to Mark-Room. When she, after missing the mark, tacked to properly round the mark, the second sentence of rule 18.2c turned off 18.2b and the only rule that applied at that time was a Section A rule. In this case rule 13 while tacking and rule 10 when the boat arrived at a close hauled course on Starboard tack.
A lot of people believed that rule 18.3 applied because the boat tacked in the zone. But the mistake there was a misunderstanding of what turns on Rule 18.3.
Since the boat that tacked is now on Starboard tack, the other boat is on Port tack, the port tack boat must keep clear of the starboard tack boat, Rule 10. You cannot apply what happened at a leeward mark to a weather mark. If you read the rule discussion in the last EC-12 Class News, I provide more details.
<font color="blue">18.3 Tacking when Approaching a Mark
If two boats were approaching a mark on opposite tacks and one of them changes tack, and as a result is subject to rule 13 in the zone when the other is <b>fetching</b> the mark, rule 18.2 does not thereafter apply.</font id="blue">
As you can see, for 18.3 to be turned on, one of the boats must tack in the zone, the other must be <b>fetching</b> the mark and they must be on opposite tack. Since the other boat was not "fetching the mark" rule 18.3 was not turned on.
It is important that you use the definitions for words and terms that are spelled out in the RRS book. In the case in this discussion, one boat did tack, the boats were on opposite tack, but the other boat was not <b>fetching</b> the mark.
Definition:
<font color="red">A boat is fetching a mark when she is in a position to pass to windward of it and leave it on the required side without changing tack. </font id="red">
Another thing you must remember is that the rules apply to marks based on the wind direction at the time you enter the zone. In this case the offset mark was a leeward mark. A wind shift could have turned this mark into a windward mark and it would be possible for a boat to be fetching the mark! When you take another boat to protest, it is extremely important to note the wind direction at the mark in question at that time. The course board that labels the marks is not the way rules identify the marks, it is always the wind direction at the mark. In big boat sailing, Marks are shifted often to ensure a specific wind direction at each mark. We cannot do this all the time.
Rule 18.2
(c) When a boat is required to give mark-room by rule 18.2(b), she shall continue to do so even if later an overlap is broken or a new overlap begins. However, if the boat entitled to mark-room passes head to wind or leaves the zone, rule 18.2(b) ceases to apply.
One added note:
Definitions as defined in the RRS are not dictionary definitions! Make sure you look up the definitions for words or phrases use in the rules as the definitions are part of the rules that the words are used in.
Tom
AMYA 6571