port/ starboard

Could have just ducked him if you REALLY didn't want to tack! Unless I am mistaken there is no rule stating that "A boat on port tack shall be allowed to remain on port tack if that is her chosen direction up the beat, a boat on starboard tack must allow her to pass ahead so that she is not forced to tack undesirably." 

Originally posted by Medway Maniac Ducking would most likely have involved mangoman (I must ask you where you got that handle from, Mike) running headlong into a very solid navigation mark. But Mike's objection seems to me the usual one to rounding windward marks to starboard.  Port tackers have to ensure they have a lot of room to manoeuvre round incoming starboard tackers.   That said, when I'm 20 boats back in a big fleet queued up on starboard coming into a port-rounded windward mark, those few extra boat-lengths that I'd need to sail to enable me to give way at a starboard rounded mark don't seem a bad option.

I'll explain where the name came from one day !!

There is no way I could have ducked him, I just didn't anticipate his huge change of direction

Looks like I'll just have to be more aware in future situations

I probably should have hailed that I couldn't tack because of the moored boats to windward of me .... well they were about 30 yards away I guess .... takes me a long time to turn that thing round you know ...... perhaps I should have said I thought we were using AC rules....