Rules 'For Idiots'

In reply:

1) I believe if the normal manoeuver at that mark is to tack then he is allowed to tack (I could be wrong though). What I always do in this situation is try to approach slightly low so I can luff head to wind forcing the boat astern to go round my transom, then I can tack).

2) You are allowed to luff up to head to wind but must give the boat time to respond (which includes dropping the kite if applicable).

3) You may luff no higher than your proper course

4) If you are sationary and they want to you to head up they must again give you time (and room) to respond. This would include room to bear away to get your boat moving so you can head up. If there is another boat below you they also have to prove that there was room for them to take the gap.

I am sure other will chip in with more and perhaps contradict this!

Originally posted by tack'ho Issue one, well if your the leading boat get inside 3 boat lengths and slow down, no room inside following boat goes outside....then tack when you need to. It's not all about going fast you know

Indeed, this is even more effective if you are stuck at the back of a group of boats coming into a leeward mark. Slow down and you can often nip inside the lot of em and gain shed loads of places for very little effort.

Posts: 46

Posted: 02 May 09 at 9:27am | IP Logged

Replies are in italics

Gordon

Wonder if anyone can helkp me with interpretation of a few rules:

1 - If you are approaching a windward mark, to be left to starboard, on starboard tack and there is a boat directly infront of you on the same tack - can he tack at the mark even though you would/could hit him ?. Sometoimes you get a stream of boats following and if the front boat cant then technically the guy at the back of the queue would round first ?.

Rule 18 applies. The boat clear astern must give the boat clear ahead mark room (18.2b) UNTIL EITHER BOAT PASSES HEAD TO WIND. (18.2c). At this point 18.2b ceases to apply and if a new overlap is created then the outside boat must give the inside overlapped boat mark room (18.2a) unless, if the overlap is created from clear astern the outside boat, from the time the overlap begins, is unable to give mark room.

When you are clear ahead coming in to a mark where a tack is required you should slow down and force the following boat outside you.

2 - When a boat tries to pass to windward on a reach what are the new luffing rules ?

The rules have not changed - the boat overlapped to windward must keep clear. Rule 15 "acquiring right of way" does not apply as leeward boat was already right of way boat when she was clear ahead. Leeward, rightof way boat's actions are limited by rule 16 "change of course". Any luff is a change of course, so leeward boat must give windward boat room to keep clear. Leeward boat has no proper course restriction (rule 17) so may luff as far as head to wind.

3 - If yoy are passing a boat to leeward what are the new luffing rules.

When a boat establishes an overlap from clear astern to leeward of another boat she establishes a new right of way. Windward boat must keep clear  (rule 11) and leeward boat must initially give her room to keep clear (rule 15). Any change of course by leeward boat must give windward boat room to keep clear (rule 16.1). Leeward boat has established an overlap to leeeward from clear asternShe is therefore not allowed to sail above HER proper course, which may be a different course from the proper course of the windward boat.

4 - Can anyone clarify the rule when you're hapily sitting on the start line, waiting for the gun, stationary but on a close hauled course, and someone jumps in beneath you and tries to push you over/up ?

The answer is very similar. When a boat establishes an overlap from clear astern to leeward of another boat she establishes a new right of way. Windward boat must keep clear  (rule 11) and leeward boat must initially give her room to keep clear (rule 15). As you are stationary, this includes room to accelerate in order to attain sufficient speed to have steerage way. This may mean that you have to sail above the line!. Any change of course by leeward boat must give windward boat room to keep clear (rule 16.1). Leeward boat has established an overlap to leeeward from clear astern. She is therefore not allowed to sail above HER proper course, which may be a different course from the proper course of the windward boat (rule 17).However, before the starting signal a boat has no proper course, so she may luff you head to wind. However, as soon as the gun goes leeward boat must return to her proper course (which would be close-hauled if the start was a normal windward start)

Jeffers,

1.When arriving at a mark where clear ahead boat has to tack to round mark - the clear ahead boat is entitled to mark room until she PASSES head to wind. Luffing head to wind (but no further) to oblige following, clear astern, boat to go outside you is a legitimate tactic.

2.Definition of proper course states "a boat has no proper course before her starting signal". So rule 17 does not restrict a boat before the starting signal Even though the overlap was established from clear astern she may sail up to, but not beyond head to wind, as long as she gives windward boat room to keep clear. As soon as starting signal is given, if overlap was established from clear astern, even before starting signal, then leeward boat is restricted by rule 17 and must not sail above her proper course.

It is a frequent source of embarrasement for team racing umpires as boats sail away from start line, because they may not have established, often sometime before the start (30 secs is a long time in team racing), whether leeward boat is restricted by rule 17. By the way, a day out on an umpires boat is a fantastic way to improve your practical knowledge of the rules.

Gordon

 

i am really struggling with the replies to issue 1, it came up this weekend when i was keelboat sailing on a boat with a very long counter, ie swings very wide when tacking. it exaggerated a problem to which (even after studying the rules) i cant see an answer. the problem is, 2 boats approaching the starboard rounding windward mark. inside boat has the overlap at 3 boat lengths and calls for water. outside boat correctly gives inside boat water to tack, ie let inside boat go head to wind, but will not give windward/inside boat room to set sails on port tack and round mark. if you look at rule 18.2 b the moment tack is complete (ie head to wind) the obligation to give room is removed. so for a keeboat with big counter they physically cant get the boat onto the new tack without the outside boat bearing off, which they have no obligation to do now that the inside boat has tacked. any ideas?