Port/Starboard hailing

Absolutely. One of the great aspects of a self policing sport like ours is that we can use some common sense when looking at rules and apply the letter of the law as and when its appropriate.

So, if you are approaching a port boat when on starboard, and if you carry on your current course, he will clear you, are you allowed to pinch in order to force him to tack off (assuming you are giving time and oppotunity?) or to take a lift which does the same? And if so, are you still allowed to if you have hailed?

Even if the rules don't require it, I'm all in favour of yelling starboard, with no offence offered or taken. 
I find quite unnerving the seemingly novel practice of sneaking up phantom-like without uttering a sound. It's almost as if there's some sort of too-cool-to-hail thing going on.

We should not rely on the other chap hailing.

Originally posted by Wobble Originally posted by RS400atC We should not rely on the other chap hailing. If you hailed every port boat at Cowes week, you'd lose your voice by Tuesday. Also it becomes just part of the noise, you hear someone call starboard and put it down to the boat you are watching and are clearly going to miss, meanwhile there is another unseen boat behind the main. There is little point in hailing a competent opponent who is well aware that you are there, if you are already sure he will avoid you. Agreed. I wouldn't hail anyone who is obviously aware that I am there, unless it becomes clear that s/he is too dim or bloody-minded to comply with the rule. Originally posted by RS400atC Equally a hail is well received if I'm distracted by other things or whatever. Which is why hailing is more than useless bawling. How many of us can honestly say that we have never been surprised by a boat on starboard?