Oppostie Gybes, leeward Mark

Being doing too much umpiring perhaps - it is on a starboard hand rounding that the port tack boat would be inside.

The principle remains the same  the inside boat  or the boat clear ahead IF she is not also right of way boat (when boat astern is on starboard, and boat ahead is on port) can only sail straight to the mark from where she enters the zone (however slow or uncomfortable that course may be). That does not mean that a port tack boat is allowed to continue to sail a "hot" angle then gybe onto a hot angle on starboard then gyge back - sailing a sort of Z course from where she enters the zone. If sailing to the mark means sailing dead downwind... TOUGH!

As for rule 18.4 - which only applies if boat is inside, overlapped and right of way (that is leeward boat or on starboard) - imagine a starboard boat coming in to a port hand mark at the same time as a port tack boat - she would be inside overlapped and right of way, so entitled to sail a "hot" angle until her proper couse is to gybe, and port boat would have to keep clear. When starboards proper course is to gybe she must do so. If after gybing she is clear ahead she can still do a tactical rounding (enter wide, leave tight), however, if she is now overlapped to windward she is only entitled to sail to the mark not a boatlength or so wide of the mark.

Gordon

Hence why most good assy sailors will know which way they are round and approach the mark on the appropriate 'tack' to ensure they get an inside overlap.

At the Fireball nationals at Paignton many years ago all the boats were playing the angles downwind because it was so light. We decided to go left and everyone else went right. We took half the fleet and called for water (as it was) and got the reply 'since when?'. I replied 'in theory since we gybed on to starboard about a mile or so away'. Had a chat with the guy after (once he got over his grumpy stage) and he thought it was a genius move (we were helped by the tide and a puff or 2 of wind).

it could reasonably include a gybe in the situation discussed though.


Yes jeffers, it seems a bit of flock mentality going left!

Once in an RS400 club race I had spinnaker issues and while they were sorted ran DDW. Quite quickly, and the VMG was amazing.

I then got the knickers up and took the whole fleet on starboard at the (two boat) zone.

Pepsi and Phoenix used to sail well longer than the rest of us "sheep" in the sigma 33 procession, all for that starboard /zone moment of glory

Surely by the time you reach 3 boat lengths its less
about hot angles and more can you sail low enough to
execute a fast drop?

garry

Thinking triangles and sausages here.

Edited by Garry

I do believe the Mark Room does include room to gybe (if required). This is where things might get a little hazy as how much room do you need to gybe, esp. id you have a drop to do as well....

Personally I find it easier to try and stay out of trouble and minimise any loss from getting stuck on the outside.

The other way is of course to try and sail tactically and cut back inside or not let them get the overlap in the first place. Difficuly I grant you when you might be dead running with a assymetric sailing the angles.