proper course.-A course that a boat would sail to finish as soon as possible in the absence of the other boats referred to in the rule using the term. A boat has no proper course before her starting signal.
Let say for a moment that Green was sailing a timed race, with no other boats on the course...
once green missed the mark, based on this definition, which is not a rule, I know.... IMO Greens proper course is to sail and finish as soon as possible, which means gybing to port and rounding the mark and not sailing above THAT course. Green Line. Greens proper course to finish as soon as possible is NOT to continue on close hauled beyond the mark. Red line in Drawing labeld green Green
So absent other boats, this is the course (IMO) green cannot sail above, such that she can finish as soon as possible.
This is like an exit ramp on the highway. green can either stay straight and wait until the next exit which will take longer, or get off at the earliest opportunity to so she can finish faster.
![green.jpg](./download/file.php?id=30&sid=411a6c9c67bf4785e122c02247b5753f)
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now lets over lay red boat. GREENRED drawing
1. Green has established overlap on Red from astern prior to entering the zone. Rule 17, is ON green cannot sail above proper course. and Rule 18.2a is ON red must allow room
2. Red begins to harden and is now above the lay line to allow room for Green to round the mark. Green is now on the lay line
3. we have a wind shift.. Green is now head to wind and still heading towards the mark. red being above old lay line is now on the new lay line and can make the mark by following the shift. Green does not have enough space to tack AND clear red's stern. Red is close hauled 17 is still on, and at this point does 18.2e turn on. Red is now unable to give mark room as a result of the shift and therefore does not have to give it...
4. Red begins her mark rounding, and green begins to fall off. 17 is still on
5. Red is now exiting the mark , and green is close hauled. 17 is on and Rule 11 is now on as the boats are still overlapped and on the same tack, 18.1C is ON which means rule 18 is OFF sine one boat is leaving a mark, and one boat could be construed as approaching the mark.
6. Green hails red "windward boat keep clear Rule 11" red continues down wind. Red replies "Sail your proper course Rule 17" Red hardens up and Protest Green R under rule 17. Green gybes away and protest red under rule 11.
Red Feels that green's proper course is to gybe to port and properly round the mark such that she can finish in the shortest possible time. since overlap was established by green from astern prior to entering the zone and that green CANNOT sail above that proper course which would have her finish in the shortest amount of time. Continuing on beyond the mark is contrary to finishing in the shortest time...
Green feels that red needs to harden up and windward boat MUST keep clear
![greenred.jpg](./download/file.php?id=31&sid=411a6c9c67bf4785e122c02247b5753f)
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AS RC
I feel that Green would be penalized since 17 is still ON her proper course is to finish as soon as possible which means gybing back to the mark and rounding the mark properly and not sailing above That course as the rule states