rules query

i thought if you are on starboard coming into a mark it doesn't matter if there is anyone on port inside you because they are on port so they have no rights. don't the rules say if there is confusion remove the mark from the situation. so in your case jeffers i cant see why starboard was penalized.

but the rules tell you to remove the mark if your confused.

You need to quote the whole exception to rule 18... While boats are on opposite tacks, either on a beat to windward or when the proper course for one of them but not both is to tack to round or pass the mark.

In this situation one boat is required to gybe to round the mark.

It is also unfortunate that in the Ent / Laser example the protest committee didn't clarify the situation - this would be one to appeal (depending, of course, on the facts found.



Edited by Garry

Mike, on a starboard rounding leward mark (never used a t championships unless it is part of a gate), a port boat is intitled to 'room', when overlapped at the 2 boatlength circle with a starboard boat.

Hence why on a Starboard rounding of a windaward mark you can stuff a boat on Starboard if you are on port. Just Ensure you will keep clear if your course does not change and don't let the starboard boat tack in your water (if they do they should do a 720).

They way to counter if you are on starboard is to slow up and ensure that you force the port boat to tack off, then you are free to tack.

It is scary how many people do not know these relatively simple things. We are better now through a series of informative articles where some of these situations have been analysed by our rules guru and printed in the quarterly newsletter.

He does detail what each boat could (or should) have done to gain the most or minimise the loss.

The golden rule is always try and keep out the way, if you end up fighting with another boat for the same piece of water you are only going to slow each other down and maybe let a lot of people through.

Had this at a leeward mark at the first SGP, we were coming in just behind a huge group, I called for the helm to slow up...we did, huge gap appeared as everyone had a wide exit and up we popped, made about 10 places in 1 rounding.

Just my 2p....