Proper Course FAQs

Originally posted by johnbrooker Thanks Jim, didn't know that. Is it actually wrong to use the term 'luffing rights' though since the title should have the terminology in it that people would search for. Otherwise no one will see it!  It seems to adequately describe what you are allowed to do when luffing. It's not saying there is a right to luff necessarily- rather it's saying which rights you have should you decide to luff. And thanks for your re-wording suggestion. I think it's a little mind-boggling for an amateur sailor but that may be the only way to word it 100% correctly.

Originally posted by Jack Sparrow Originally posted by Rupert Again, just taking away the tactics. Maybe, maybe not... but you might just have a sport left. Rather than just a memory of water chess.

In the end you have a pastime left using collision regulations if you take away the interaction between boats. Or just a time trial. Out thinking a competitor has always been part of sailing boat racing, and to do that you need a set of rules which allows interplay between boats when they meet.

Marks are neutral zones? Like those mixed pedestrian and car zones in Holland?  Maybe you  can do it like they do at crossroads in the USA: the car that arrives first has priority.  Oh, hang on....

I'm not sure how it would work in practice, especially with three or four boats overlapped approaching the zone. Quite a challenge to get into line astern. I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out how it could work. Perhaps some examples. How about, for instance:

1 - Boat on port, Boat on starboard both on lay line, enter the zone near enough together as best can be judged.
2 - Boat on port approaches line of boats on starboard that have overstood so she could tack under them and make the mark
3 - Three boats overlapped approaching the zone.


Edited by JimC - 20 Jul 20 at 7:11pm