Starboard Boat ducking Port Boat question

If Starboard had a genuine apprehension that you weren't going to be able to keep clear then I believe you're in the wrong.

Case 50 in the case book is worth looking at.

http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/CaseBook20092012with2011changes-[9701].pdf

If you ended up to windward of them after they had tacked then it sounds as if you hadn't ducked very far, so a PC might be readily convinced that there was a fair chance you weren't going to make it past the transom.

1. No

I am part of a highschool sailing team and it was during practice, so there was not a protest committee, but my coach ruled for the boat on S

rule 16.1When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other 
boat room to keep clear.

The thing is you rarely get port/starboard collisions when both boats were sailing along without alteration of course. Almost invariably port has attempted to give way but misjudged it, maybe by starting to turn too late.

If port is attempting to get across starboard's bow then its usually not too bad, because unless port has really misjudged then unless starboard has been brought up in the dodgems school of racing, starboard just has to bear away a bit to clear ports stern, at which point port has to take their penalty. This often leaves port very aggrieved, because they may be convinced that starboard didn't need to duck. Ben Ainslie caught a DSQ in I think the last Olympics in precisely that situation. So if you cross ahead its high risk for Port's race.

The really bad collisions tend to happen when port is attempting to go behind stbd. As you bear away the boat:-
i) accelerates as its now on a reach
ii) quite possibly heels, and the rudder becomes less effective.
the result is that port is now unable to turn fast enough or quick enough, and spears into the side of starboard.
I suspect, without evidence, that most collisions casing significant damage happen in that circumstance.
So if it looks as if port isn't taking enough avoiding action early enough then starboard is going to get very nervous about being T boned.
So what should port do? Fortunately the best thing for port to do to avoid collisions and give Starboard full confidence they won't be hit is also the fastest thing to finish the race. You bear away early, allowing for the speed increase, until you are pointing well behind their stern. You then point back up onto a beat so that as you pass their stern you are already pointing as high as you need, and at full speed or better, yet only need a tiny flick of the tiller if you are a bit too close.



In "right" port is off a collision course very early. In "wrong" port is on a collision course right up to the last second - and thus not keeping clear. Port also ends up two or three boat lengths to leeward of right.

So I guess your coach - and a PC would probably agree - was thinking your course put you closer to wrong than right.

Edited by JimC - 04 May 11 at 8:56am