Active RRS 2009-2012 thread

I've just watched the video (without sound).

I'll play it with sound, but my first impressions are that a) this is a novel definition of "tack" - i.e. rename "gybe" to "tack",

b) even under the new rules, when a boat acquires right of way, it must allow the give-way boat room (and time) to keep clear. If you're tacking inside the zone a boat at a down-wind mark, that's probably insufficient.

c) Practically, it takes me several seconds to tack, then gybe - by this time, the boat clear ahead has only to carry out 1 gybe. It's likely that the boat clear ahead would have rounded the mark.

d) Practical tactics.

Why on earth would a boat clear ahead at the zone want to stop by going head-to-wind? The boat clear astern must keep clear, the fastest thing to do is to ignore the following boat & luff after rounding the mark...

Colin

Re-reading the appendix "D" - team racing rules, rule 18 (b) is amended to cover this situation. (... when one boat tacks within the zone ...) 

Unfortunately, 18 (c) isn't deleted (rule 18 (b) does not apply when one boat tacks in the zone), so for team racing we have rules 18 (b) and 18 (c) in conflict....

COlin

Ok,

Rule analysis:

This is in a team racing context - so appendix D applies - and this changes the rule 18.

The zone is 2 boat lengths (D1.1 a)

Rule 18.1 is probably applicable - except for section c) "between a boat approaching the mark and one leaving it" - I could argue that the boat which taked was leaving the mark - i.e. sailing away...

anway, rule 18.2

a) the boats are not overlapped at the mark zone.

b) (modified by D1.1 b) if a boat is clear ahead when she reaches the zone, or she later becomes clear ahead when another boat passes head to wind, the boat clear astern at that moment shall thereafter give her mark room.

In the video, the boat clear ahead was clear ahead at the zone, therefore the other boat shall give her mark room.

c)  ... if either boat passes head to wind ... 18.2 b) ceases to apply

d) (deleted by D 1.1 c)

e)not applicable.

So - which rule applies - 18 2 b)? - it appears to be inactivated by section c).

In that case, we're back to the fundamental rules 15 & 16 - gaining right of way and preventing a keep-clear boat from keeping clear.

The keep-clear boat isn't required to predict another's change in course/tack/gybe.

Of course, the fact that we now have a 2 boat-length mark zone makes the manoeuvering really tight (remember that leaving the mark zone activates 18.2 c) as well.

Summary- it's not clear if rule 18 actually applies to this situation due to internal conflicts - due to the team racing modification from section D.

If rule 18 doesn't apply, then the "mark room" concept is irrelevent, and we're left with the rules 14 (avoiding contact), 15 (acquiring right of way) and 16 (changing course).

The boat on starbord gybe has acquired right of way - but is this too close in time/distance to allow the other to keep clear - Rule 16?

Colin

Just a quick comment (& thanks!)

" Rule 18.2 b ceases to apply when the boat passes head to wind." - but not for team racing - Section D (team racing rules) modifies rule 18.2.

That's where I see an inconsistency - it appears that section D should have deleted section 18 2 c) as well - but didn't, so we have section b) where the tacking situation is considered, and section c) which states that if a boat tacks, section b) is not applicable.

I checked the team racing "Calls" - and it isn't in the current set.

Mind you, with the section D making the zone only 2 boat lengths, we may be looking at a theoretical situation rather than a real tactic.

Colin