Windward boat

The proper corse part of the rule I find quite confusing, I have on at least 2 occaisions had an assymetric boat purposely bear away and sail below me to gain an overlap to leeward, once they have sailed into my wind shadow, they have luffed above the course to the next mark, claiming that as an assymetric boat, they are entitled to do so, as this is their "proper course". There had been no significant change in wind or sea conditions and were not dinghies, who I agree tend to heat up and soak in most conditions.

In both occaisions I felt this was an attempt to gain and keep an overlap for an upcoming mark, (bowsprit overlapped, but not boat) which otherwise due to the wind shadow they were having difficulty keeping. Forcing me above the 2 boat length circle, so they would have rights after the gybe.

Given that it was their choice to go below, and therefore sail below the course to the next mark, can they then claim that their proper course is then well above the next mark, given that if that was the case, they should have gone above me in the first place?

When I have been sailing assymetrics I have always gybed away, and then come back from below 2 boat lenghts and therefore assumed luffing rights in the same situation, am I just being too polite?

Andy

RRS applies between boats racing, whether or not they are in the same race.

If you want a fun mental exercise, figure out how rule 18 applies as between boats rounding a mark in opposite directions (which has happened to me at least 3 times now in the Solent).

My understanding was always

If boats are racing, whether or not they are in the same race, shared the same start or sailing the same course, the RRS apply.

A racing yacht has right of way over a cruising yacht under the collision regs. (in days gone by, a square burgee indicated a racing yacht, a triangular showed cruising)

Non-racing yachts are governed by the collision regs.

No doubt someone will tell me if I'm wrong.

Ian