Approaching the windward mark

i had a situation at my club this weekend where by we were approcing the windward mark on starboard and my dad sailing the same type of boat behind me did not have an overlap but he said i tacked in his water who was in the right??

Not sure I understand. Was he already on starboard on the layline and you tacked in front of him? If so, there are limits on how close you can tack, but you can - in theory - get pretty close. Basically you need to be back on a close-hauled course before he needs to start avoiding action. However if it came to a protest, you'd probably find the committee would expect you to prove you left enough room, which can be hard to do.

I did some expensive damage to a keelboat once in this kind of situation. While I am sure I did not tack too close, the other guy just took no avoiding action at all and ploughed into my windward quarter, producing nasty graunching sounds and cracks in the hull. I didn't see how I could prove I was in the right in a protest so I did turns, then made an insurance claim. It all got a bit unpleasant. Best avoided, I'd say.

13 WHILE TACKING

After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course.

I think you'll find that as soon as you tack you lose your rights - so you have to keep clear.  The best tactic is to luff which slows you and the other boat will then overlap to leeward, you are then free to tack.

I think i love u knightmare....joke!!!  But really, ta thanks sooooooooo much!!! Ta to redback too, u seem full of all sorts of vital info!!!!!

Thnx!

Isnt a windward mark one that you have to sail close hauled to (dont quote me im just going by logic,) I searched the definitions in the rule book and it doesnt have it.

18 Rounding And Passing Marks and Obstructions

in short if the boats are overlapped, then the outside boat shall give the inside boat room to round the mark, and if the inside boat has right of way the ouside boat shall also keep clear.

It doesnt apply at start marks (if surrounded by navigable water) and if the boats are on oposite tacks, and the proper cours for one or both boats to get round the mark is to tack.

I hope this helps and doesnt confuse you further. If you want the rule in full give me a post (but I only have the 2001-2004 rules at the moment)

Thanks for that.  Yes I was talking fleet racing.  Its as I suspected - the leading boat cannot tack until the overlaped boat does, but he can luff head-to-wind. 

At our club we do try and go for port rounding - its safer, but starboard rounding does make for some interesting situations.