Proper Course

Depends on many things, were they still within the mark rounding zone? If the boat was behind and to leeward then they had rights (as long as there wasn't still a water situation applying). Beyond that it's a question of whether the the overlap was gained from clear astern or not. It sounds like the front boat bore down on the rear boat, which sounds like the wrong boats did turns to me. I don't think there is any obligation to give someone room to bear away and hoist their kite....

Personally I would say it is TS to the boat that was to windward, this would be a simple winward leeward situation if it came to protest. The fact that the windward boat wanted to hoist his kite to bear away is pretty much irreleavnt, he bore away in to the right of way boat. As long as the pole on the 4000 was in the appropriate position for the leg being sailed (ie it the pole was out the kite was up or being hoisted) then it does nt matter how the over was eastablished.

I am not sure of the rule that covers this but it does say something like the boat that is too leeward 'shall not sail above their proper course'. There is also another rile that says a boat ahead shall not sail below their proper course unless they immediately gybe.

i appreciate the other boat say that their proper course was to bear away but they could not because the leeward boat had established an overlap...

As I said at the begiunning it sounds like a simple winward leeward to me. The 'leading boat' should have gone high and then bourne away to hoist.

Just my 2p, if it is wrong I am sure the other rules 'gurus' here will correct me.

 

Hi everyone,

These are some of the rules that cover this scenario:

 SECTION C

AT MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS

To the extent that a Section C rule conflicts with a rule in Section A or B, the

Section C rule takes precedence.

18 ROUNDING AND PASSING MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS

In rule 18, room is room for an inside boat to round or pass between an

outside boat and a mark or obstruction, including room to tack or gybe

when either is a normal part of the manoeuvre.

18.1 When This Rule Applies

Rule 18 applies when boats are about to round or pass a mark they are

required to leave on the same side, or an obstruction on the same side,

until they have passed it. However, it does not apply

(a) at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water or at its anchor

line from the time the boats are approaching them to start until

they have passed them, or

(b) while the boats are on opposite tacks, either on a beat to windward

or when the proper course for one of them, but not both, to

round or pass the mark or obstruction is to tack.

18.2 Giving Room; Keeping Clear

(a) OVERLAPPED – BASIC RULE

When boats are overlapped the outside boat shall give the inside

boat room to round or pass the mark or obstruction, and if the

inside boat has right of way the outside boat shall also keep clear.

Other parts of rule 18 contain exceptions to this rule.

(b) OVERLAPPED AT THE ZONE

If boats were overlapped before either of them reached the twolength

zone and the overlap is broken after one of them has reached

it, the boat that was on the outside shall continue to give the other

boat room. If the outside boat becomes clear astern or overlapped

inside the other boat, she is not entitled to room and shall keep clear.

(c) NOT OVERLAPPED AT THE ZONE

If a boat was clear ahead at the time she reached the two-length

zone, the boat clear astern shall thereafter keep clear. If the boat

clear astern becomes overlapped outside the other boat, she shall

also give the inside boat room. If the boat clear astern becomes

overlapped inside the other boat, she is not entitled to room. If the

boat that was clear ahead passes head to wind, rule 18.2(c) no

longer applies and remains inapplicable.

(d) CHANGING COURSE TO ROUND OR PASS

When after the starting signal rule 18 applies between two boats

and the right-of-way boat is changing course to round or pass a

mark, rule 16 does not apply between her and the other boat.

(e) OVERLAP RIGHTS

If there is reasonable doubt that a boat obtained or broke an

overlap in time, it shall be presumed that she did not. If the outside

boat is unable to give room when an overlap begins, rules

18.2(a) and 18.2(b) do not apply.

18.4 Gybing

When an inside overlapped right-of-way boat must gybe at a mark or

obstruction to sail her proper course, until she gybes she shall sail no

farther from the mark or obstruction than needed to sail that course.

 

16 CHANGING COURSE

16.1 When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other

boat room to keep clear.

 

I think that the inside boat is under an obligation to gybe at the first opportunity. There is no indication that it did not do so.  As I understand it, the inside boat is also supposed to complete the manoeuvre in a 'seamanlike way', I suspect that this will vary according to the wind, waves and other conditions (which have not been described).

 

I suppose that the 'proper course' saga comes into play again and who is to say what the 'proper course' is for a single handed asymmetric boat which has just gybed his main and is in the process of hoisting a kite in the prevailing conditions, until the kite is set. (Maybe it would have been alot simpler for us all if the racing rules defined 'proper course' as the shortest distance between two marks of the course but making allowances for manoeuvres being completed and sails being set).

 

 17 ON THE SAME TACK; PROPER COURSE

17.1 If a boat clear astern becomes overlapped within two of her hull lengths

to leeward of a boat on the same tack, she shall not sail above her proper

course while they remain overlapped within that distance, unless in

doing so she promptly sails astern of the other boat. This rule does not

apply if the overlap begins while the windward boat is required by rule

13 to keep clear.

17.2 Except on a beat to windward, while a boat is less than two of her hull

lengths from a leeward boat or a boat clear astern steering a course to

leeward of her, she shall not sail below her proper course unless she

gybes.

 

 From the description given, it would appear that whilst rounding the mark the boats were clear ahead/clear astern and within the two length zone, both of each other and the mark.

 

I suppose that it could be said that the outside boat should have anticipated the manoeuvres of the inside single handed assymetric boat and kept clear or gone behind.  It could also be said that the providing the inside boat completed his manoeuvres as soon as possible and in a 'seamanlike way' then he had done nothing wrong as he was merely completing the gybing of his mainsail and hoisting his kite at the first opportunity. There is no evidence to suggest that he did not gybe straight away or overstood the mark in order to do so.

 

Ian  (Yorkshire Dales S.C.)

 

 

Edited by iansmithofotley

To add some extra confusion - you do not have to anticipate and you must give the keep clear boat the opportunity and time to respond.  So in this case was the pole put out so close to the other boat as she bore away that it wasn't possible to avoid it?  Otherwise IMHO it would be W in the wrong all other things being equal. 

Well thanks for the contributions.  I feel pretty good now, as leeward boat I was probably in the right and doubly so since I had also did my turns.  During the turns a couple of 400s and a B14 got past but we went on to beat them all.

I guess the incident wouldn't have happened if I'd kept a better lookout but I imagine it was the distraction of having to look down into the boat to grab the wing-wang that did it.