Racing Rules: Can a call for room to tack be made

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Can a call for room to tack be made

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Racing Rules
Forum Discription: Discuss the rules and your interpretations here
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8130
Printed Date: 08 Aug 25 at 3:07pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Can a call for room to tack be made

Posted By: Fraggle
Subject: Can a call for room to tack be made
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 2:46pm

Scenario, 2 laser radials, close hauled both on port and overlapped. Its handicap racing and we have to go through the gate each lap. We're both approaching the committee boat end of the gate. Boats are level with each other and the windward boat will make the gate, the leeward boat is aiming at the stern of the committee boat with no room to tack.

Is the leeward boat entitled to room to tack in this scenario or do they have to slow down/gybe round etc?

In this case the leeward boat managed to pinch enough to squeeze through without touching either the windward boat or the committee boat (millimetre clearance I reckon). Just not sure on what the rules were with this scenario.

Replies:

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 3:22pm

Well,
its a mark of the course,
its on a beat to windward.
its large enough to be an obstruction.
So work through rules 18, 19 and 20.

To me
Rule 18 states that L is entitled to mark room and W is required to keep clear.
Rule 19 doesn't apply
Rule 20.3 states that L may not call W for room to tack.

Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 09 Aug 11 at 4:18pm

I'd agree with that. If L can squeeze through without tacking, then W has to give her room to do so. If she can't, tough. Should have planned the approach better.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Posted By: Fraggle
Date Posted: 10 Aug 11 at 9:26am

Cheers for the replies. I was leeward boat and had never actually been in the scenario before and wasn't sure what my rights were. Having asked other sailors after the race I still wasn't sure and wanted to know for future reference (hopefully won't get in the situation again).

As for planning it better, each previous lap tacks had been required to get through the gate from the leeward mark. This time I rounded the mark with another radial and started working at undertaking him (he was tending to pinch). I was slowly managing this when realised that tide/wind changes meant no tacks required and by this point I was stuck unless I slowed right down, gybed or squeezed through.

Managed to squeeze through and completed the undertake once through the gate.

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