Passing (or stopping someone pass) on a reach??

1 yes, 2 NO, therefore 3 no. If a boat goes to leeward you cannot sail below your proper course, or the boat overtaking to leeward above her proper course, if it will interfere with the other boat. Before the overlap is gained, you can sail above or below proper course, but not in such a way that the other boat cannot avoid you. It is normal to not want the boat to go to windward, but to leeward, unless there are other tactical considerations (like the way round the next mark).

Originally posted by ds797 Ok are these statements correct.....? 1- If I'm trying to pass a boat in front, if I try to sail to windward of her she can luff up to head to wind (which I would have to also do to avoid collision). Yes 2- If I'm trying to pass to leeward of her, she can immediately turn up to around 90 degrees to "block" me from passing that side. There is nothing to stop her turning up to windward, but that will not block you. If she is clear ahead of you, she can bear away to block you, until she becomes overlapped on you, when she will be the windward boat and must keep clear, and at which point you will probably become limited by rule 17. 3- Therefore the boat in front can basically weave around by up to around 180 degrees to block me from passing. She can go up by about 90 degrees. She will only be able to bear away by about 10 to 40 degrees (depending on separation) before becoming overlapped to windward and required to keep clear. So the only way I could pass would be to head off way to leeward of her and establish an overlap some distance downwind of her? There is no rules reason why you need to give her a wide berth.  Once you become overlapped to leeward you gain right of way and if you just want to sail to the next mark as fast as possible rule 17 limitations will not bother you.  You need to sail low enough to foot faster than she is going so as to break through. Obviously the front boat "weaving" is not sensible for the front boat to do in a multiboat handicap race as the people behind will catch up, Continuous 'weaving' doesn't work, but luffing sufficient to deter a larger/faster boat from rolling you to windward is the thing to do.  but if its a series and you need to finish in front of me it would be a usable tactic......

Well done Rupert. It is always interesting to read the definitions! Admittedly for 'overlap' you have to read 'Clear Astern and Clear Ahead' and the definition takes some understanding (easier if you draw or use model boats.