Racing Rules: 19.2(c) clarification

Print Page | Close Window

19.2(c) clarification

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Racing Rules
Forum Discription: Discuss the rules and your interpretations here
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13070
Printed Date: 24 Jun 25 at 1:19pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: 19.2(c) clarification

Posted By: flaming
Subject: 19.2(c) clarification
Date Posted: 21 May 18 at 5:18pm

I've recently started sailing in a new fleet, a very well established fleet with excellent sailors. Recently I came across a situation where the behaviour of the whole fleet with respect to rule 19 differed from my interpretation of it, and as a newbie to the class I thought it best to check my understanding before I say anything.

Situation is that boats are running along a continuing obstruction against a strong current. The advantage is to be hard against the obstruction so the fleet is basically in line astern. As each boat blankets the one in front there is a lot of catching the boat in front going on. Most boats are sailing considerably less than 1 boat width from the obstruction.

What was happening was the boat behind was getting it's bow just overlapped between the stern of the boat in front, at a distance of inches, and the obstruction and then instantly demanding room to sail between the boat in front and the obstruction. This was being given.

19.2(c) says

"While boats are passing a continuing obstruction, if a boat that was clear astern and required to keep clear becomes overlapped between the other boat and the obstruction and, at the moment the overlap begins, there is not room for her to pass between them, she is not entitled to room under rule 19.2(b). While the boats remain overlapped, she shall keep clear and rules 10 and 11 do not apply"

To me that means that since there was not at least a boat width between the obstruction and the leading boat when the boat behind obtained its overlap that room should not be called for or taken. So in other words if you are sailing less than 1 boat width from the obstruction at all times you are safe from being passed between you and the obstruction.

Am I right?

Replies:

Posted By: GML
Date Posted: 22 May 18 at 7:38am

You are correct, unless the boat behind is on starboard tack and the boat in front is on port tack at the moment the overlap is created; in that case the boat clear astern is not required to keep clear and so 19.2(c) does not apply.

See RYA cases 1968/11 and 2014/4 for more discussion of the entitlement to room at a continuing obstruction.

Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 22 May 18 at 8:23am

Agree, this is common on rivers, and where the banks are soft, any boat trying this would end up in the reeds.

-------------
Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Posted By: flaming
Date Posted: 23 May 18 at 10:05am

Thanks guys, follow up question....

Would the room involved be just hull width, or does the boat in front need to have left enough room for the boom at 90 degrees to the hull as well, given that this is how everyone is sailing?

Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 23 May 18 at 10:12am

I'd have said there would need to be room for the boat and all equipment in it's normal position which, on a dead run, means the boom at right angles and either a kite or goose winged jib.

-------------
Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Posted By: PeterG
Date Posted: 23 May 18 at 11:21am

Definitely with all equipment in "normal position" - boom, goosewinged jib etc

-------------
Peter
Ex Cont 707
Ex Laser 189635
DY 59

Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 23 May 18 at 11:50am

The definition of room in the RRS is:

Room The space a boat needs in the existing conditions, including space to comply with her obligations under the rules of Part 2 and rule 31, while manoeuvring promptly in a seamanlike way.

I seem to remember there is also a case about sailing into space that is not suitable/big enough (non-navigable water).

It may be worth looking through the Casebook to find it (I dont have the time right now). I would argue that if the boats are that close to a continuing obstruction and someone goes between a boat and said obstruction rather than to the clear side then they have made their own problem.

-------------
Paul
----------------------
D-Zero GBR 74

Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 23 May 18 at 12:15pm

Well, there is a case about sailing into space that is big enough:

https://www.racingrulesofsailing.org/cases/1064?page=7" rel="nofollow - Case 63

https://www.racingrulesofsailing.org/notes/new?notable_id=1064&notable_type=Case&page=7" rel="nofollow - Definitions, Mark-Room
Rule 18.2(b), Mark-Room: Giving Mark-Room
Rule 18.2(c)(2), Mark-Room: Giving Mark-Room
Rule 21(a), Exoneration

At a mark, when space is made available to a boat that is not entitled to it, she may, at her own risk, take advantage of the space.

And there's a case about what 'room' is

https://www.racingrulesofsailing.org/cases/636?page=3" rel="nofollow - Case 21

https://www.racingrulesofsailing.org/notes/new?notable_id=636&notable_type=Case&page=3" rel="nofollow - Definitions, Mark-Room
Definitions, Room

When a right-of-way boat is obligated to give mark-room to a boat overlapped inside her, there is no maximum or minimum amount of space that she must give. The amount of space that she must give depends significantly on the existing conditions including wind and sea conditions, the speed of the inside boat, the sails she has set and her design characteristics.

Posted By: GML
Date Posted: 23 May 18 at 1:18pm

I'm not aware of a case that clarifies how much space there needs to be between the outside boat and the continuing obstruction. What I think we can say is that the inside boat can't ask the outside boat to move further away from the obstruction in order for the inside boat to get through the gap - the inside boat is only allowed to go into the gap if it is big enough for her to pass through at the moment the overlap begins - see RYA case 2014/4. (Note however that the outside boat may subsequently be required to move out if the continuing obstruction projects further out - see RYA case 1968/11).

(Note that RYA cases are not definitive except in the UK).

Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 23 May 18 at 2:54pm

Also interesting is whether you can go into a shallow (shelving) gap with your rudder and centreboard raised, then put them down once you are occupying inside berth ...

Whilst the points made may seem perdantic, these are real world problems.

-------------
Happily living in the past

Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 24 May 18 at 4:59am

Assuming that it is seamanlike to sail the boat with foils raised.

What allowed you to go in there with an entitlement to room in the first place was the fact that there was room, that is the space needed, in the existing conditions, while manoeuvering in a seamanlike way.

Once there, the room you are entitled to is the space needed while manoeuvering in a seamanlike way.

If it was seamanlike to sail in there with your foils up, then it is seamanlike to keep your foils up while you are in there.