NEW RULE 18 - THE THREE-LENGTH ZONE

The bank is a continuing obstruction. RRS 18.5 stipulates that a boat clear astern that obtains an inside overlap is entitled to room to pass the obstruction only IF at the moment the overlap begins there is room to do so.

The classic situation is when several boats are overlapped with one boat near the bank and unable to give room to the inside boats In addition, each right of way boat may be a contiuing obstruction for other give way boats. The protest committee has  to decide if, when the the last boat to establish an overlap does so, there was room to pass. Makes for fun hearings!

 

Gordon

I think of it as a clarification rather than a change. In essence we have removed the confusion of 'about to round' which most people ignored anyway and moved the focus onto the number of boatlengths which everyone used to focus on anyway.

 

I can think of a few clubs where the marks are less than 4 boat lengths from the bank, they'll have some mark-shifting to do if this comes in

Stupid question, but why was this rule introduced in the first place? To stop boats forcing out competitors to leeward by luffing them near downwind marks?

I've seen club races where on reaches and runs where the whole fleet trying to desperately get on the inside of the boat in front sailing in a banana path since it is easier than overtaking directly and it just seems silly.

At the moment rule 18 often turns on outside two boat lengths. This isn't well understood. It means you are probably required to start giving water to the inside boat before you get to the circle. The change to the rule actually reflects what most people think - that you only have to start giving water at 2BL, but that isn't the rule as it stands.