dial down

Originally posted by catmandoo its not allowed in handicap racing !!! unless your match racing on handicap

Now suppose that Stbd has "dialed down" at some distance, and then ports luffs up so that they are now going to clear starboards bow. I suspect 16.2 comes into play again and there could be circumstances where S ends up having sailed themselves into ducking port...

Originally posted by Timmus soon there will be little purches on board for solicitors

There's never been any great shortage of amateur lawyers when it comes to RRS...

Edited by JimC - 16 Sep 13 at 2:38pm

Originally posted by yellowwelly Originally posted by JimC Now suppose that Stbd has "dialed down" at some distance, and then ports luffs up so that they are now going to clear starboards bow. I suspect 16.2 comes into play again and there could be circumstances where S ends up having sailed themselves into ducking port... certainly a feasible scenario... especially on a shifty puddle.

Jim C - could you explain how port tack luffing to clear starboard's bow could possibly be interpreted as keeping clear by sailing to pass astern! 16.2 cannot apply if port tack boat is crossing a starboard boat's bow.

However in this situation starboard would have to remeber to give port room to keep clear if she (starboard) changes course.

I always suggest that on a two (or more) handed boat that one person should always be saying whether boat is ROW or keep clear...

Picking up the OP's point, I'd say that one situation where a dial down can be hugely beneficial, even when sailing in a fleet, is when P is about level with S and likely to make a lee bow tack stick.

If S bears off a bit whilst still a few boat lengths away she speeds up and forces P to tack sooner than they would otherwise have done. As soon as P commits to the tack S resumes their close hauled course and immediately gets separation as well as gaining speed, so instead of being lee-bowed she will now have every chance of rolling the other boat.