Rules Query

A starboard tack boat (Boat A) is sitting on the line with a minute to go before the start.  Another starboard tack boat(Boat B) sails into the gap below and to leeward of Boat A and naturally hails boat A to keep clear. But boat A is stationary and he knows that sheeting in to avoid boat B will initially create sideways movement and inevitable contact with boat B. But whilst stationary he cannot head up or respond to boat Bs luffing. In other words hes damned if he does and damned if he doesnt. There is finally contact between the two boats; who is in the wrong and who is in the right??

As the winward boat A must keep clear of B. But B must also allow A sufficient time to respond. In this scenario A cannot repond due to the proximity of the two boats and the absence of any forward motion. Answers please ???

Boat A is entitled to room, even to bear away and gain steerage way, and this must be given. In an umpired race boat B would be chucked as long as A started to respond as soon as the overlap was established. B might argue that if A did nothing she would have kept clear, but i think it would be hard to persuade the jury.

If you end up being the boat A, the best thing to have done was to have defended the space, but if you were caught out the best thing to  do is to make sure all the boats around are looking, and count very aloud the seconds till you hit, which of course you will, best to keep it under 5, then push off for the best start, ruining bargers day and no way you can possibly lose the protest, unless visiting a particularly malignant club.

As boat B just make sure you have enough room to leeward, in which to drop into, while making sure boat A remains stalled, but you must keep clear of him, if no space below, you could be in trouble, and unless boat A is a muppet in the protest room.

Won a cracking one in a match race because of this, because B remained above close hauled after the gun had gone. They were gutted! having thought they had got us bang to rights.

Andy