Asymmetrics - Luffing to the point of capsize?

That's the way to do it, as a RoW boat pushing a situation to contact is always risky. If there is no contact the worst it'll be for you is green flagged. We have such a hard time trying to get this across to new team racers.

I don't disagree with (almost) any of this, my comments and interpretation were purely to do with the situation we were talking about which was an aggressive luff from L immediately causing W to capsize. If L is not changing course (or has not very recently) then she is in no danger of protest at all.

Originally posted by sargesail  And equally I think that if half the L's with contact go against the leeward boat in Team racing then that illustrates that in 50% of cases 16.1 was not a factor....which means that (since the vast majority of luffs don't end with contact or a protest call), that in the vast majority of luff situations 16.1 is not a factor.

Just plucking rough numbers out of my head but I'd say that at the level I see (UK uni circuit) 50% of luffs result in contact/protests (especially on starts or down the run). That means that in TR 25% of all luffs have a 16.1 element, I'd say that's pretty large!

As a point of interest when I first started TR from fleet racing I used to always assume the windward boat was wrong in a luff with contact unless it was very very obviously otherwise. Nowadays though I find I am almost watching the leeward boat more than the windward (not quite but close).

All of this discussion only applies if a leeward boat is changing course (eg. luffing)  it the windward boat has simply burned over the top then got themselves in trouble without leeward changing course then its all on them.

As for the particulars of that call, it is simply a match racing call and applies whenever appendix C is in force completely independent of the boats being sailed. Having said that obviously most MR is done in keel boats so that is where the focus is. But the rules and principles do not change just the time and space needed as boats and conditions change.  

For example, if you are overtaking to windward you must leave enough space to 'keep clear' of them (allow them to alter course in either direction without immediately causing a collision) You are under absolutely no obligation to anticipate that they will luff, even if its the most obvious thing in the world, even if they shout that they are going to! Until they actually alter course you do not need to do anything more than keep clear. Once they do alter course you must continue to try and keep clear but they must give you time and space to do so, and that time and space is completely dependant on the conditions and the characteristics of the boats.

I think people often forget just how limiting R16.1 is, I'd say in almost 50% of luffs I see in team racing which result in contact it goes against the leeward boat.

Originally posted by sargesail And I don't think the MR call has any cross relevance....it's an Umpires Call, no more no less.

While I don't think it can be directly applied I think you can take from it the intention of the rules. After all it tells umpires how to rule in this situation and even in match racing (in this case) they are governed by the same rules. It clearly shows that the definition of room to keep clear should take into account sail handling which is very applicable in this case.