At position 1, Green boat is on Starboard tack and Leeward of Red boat, approaching the port finishing mark.
At position 2, Green boat luffs up to “Head to Wind” to pass the finishing mark.
Question 1:
Part 1 What rules apply at position 1?
Part 2 Who is the ROW boat at position 1?
Part 3 What rules apply at position 2?
Part 4 Who is the ROW boat at postion 2
Part 5 At position 2, can Green boat luff to “Head to Wind” to finish?
Answers:
Part 1 Rule 11, (Overlapped, same tack)
Rule 14, (Avoid contact)
Rule 18.2, (Inside Green boat is entitled to Mark-Room)
At position 1, Green boat entered the zone overlapped with windward Red boat and is entitled to Mark-Room. Rule 11 Requires windward Red boat to Keep-Clear of Green.
Part 2 Leeward, Starboard tack Green boat.
Part 3 Rule 11, (Overlapped, same tack)
Rule 14, (Avoid Contact)
Rule 18.2, (Inside Green boat is entitled to “Mark-Room”)
Part 4 Leeward, Starboard tack Green boat
Part 5 Yes!
When Green boat luffed to “Head to Wind”, she is still on the same tack she was on prior to her luff until she actually passes “Head to Wind”. If Green boat has enough momentum to sail across the finish line, Red boat must continue to Keep-Clear as required by Rule 11, (Same tack overlapped) and 18.2 where Green boat is entitled to “Mark-Room.” If Green boat passes “Head to Wind”, Rule 13 requires Green boat to Keep Clear of the new ROW Red boat and Rule 18.2 is turned off and Green is no longer entitled to Mark-Room. Since Red boat would obtain the ROW because of Green boat’s action passing “Head to Wind”, Red boat does not have to allow Room and opportunity for Green boat to keep clear (Rule 15). Remember that Green boat finishes when her bow crossed the finished line, but continues to be “Racing” until she clears the line. If Green boat breaks a rule by passing “Head to Wind” and interferes with Red boat while still racing, she would have to do a penalty turn, return to the course side of the finish line, and finish again, Rule 44.2.
Here is another situation that can change the effective rule in Graphic 1:
The Starboard side of the finish line is now a “Committee Boat”. Red windward starboard boat is close hauled and is fetching the mark. The committee boat is an obstruction and also a finishing mark.
Question 2:
Part 1 Who is the ROW boat?
Part 2. Can Green leeward Port tack boat hail to tack to pass the obstruction and finish?
Answer to Graphic 2
Part 1 The Green Leeward Port tack boat is the ROW boat.
Part 2 No. Rule 20.3 does not allow the Green boat to hail for room to tack at an obstruction which is also a Mark when the hailed boat is fetching that mark! The Pramble to Section C rules state that “When rule 20 applies, rules 18 and 19 do not. This question only asked if the inside Green ROW boat could hail to tack. Rule 20 does not allow for Green boat to hail to Tack while the Red boat is fetching the mark. Green boat still can sail up to “Head to Wind” and if she can squeeze by the Committee Boat and finish without contacting the committee boat, Red boat would still be required to Keep Clear (Rule 11). If the Green boat passes “Head to Wind” she would be tacking and must stay clear of the new ROW Red boat, (Rule 13). If these boat were going to the Port side mark, then Rule 18.2 applies because it is only a mark, not an obstruction also.
PREAMBLE, SECTION C – AT MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS
Section C rules do not apply at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water or at its anchor line from the time boats are approaching them to start until they have passed them. When rule 20 applies, rules 18 and 19 do not.
PREAMBLE, SECTION A – RIGHT OF WAY
A boat has right of way when another boat is required to keep clear of her. However, some rules in Sections B, C and D limit the actions of a right-of-way boat.
Fetching
A boat is fetching a mark when she is in a position to pass to windward of it and leave it on the required side without changing tack.
11 ON THE SAME TACK, OVERLAPPED
When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.
13 WHILE TACKING
After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course. During that time rules 10, 11 and 12 do not apply. If two boats are subject to this rule at the same time, the one on the other’s port side or the one astern shall keep clear.
15 ACQUIRING RIGHT OF WAY
When a boat acquires right of way, she shall initially give the other boat room to keep clear, unless she acquires right of way because of the other boat’s actions.
SECTION C – AT MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS
Section C rules do not apply at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water or at its anchor line from the time boats are approaching them to start until they have passed them. When rule 20 applies, rules 18 and 19 do not.
18 MARK-ROOM
18.1 When Rule 18 Applies
Rule 18 applies between boats when they are required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is in the zone. However, it does not apply
(a) between boats on opposite tacks, on a beat to windward,
(b) between boats on opposite tacks when the proper course at the mark for one but not both of them is to tack,
(c) between a boat approaching a mark and one leaving it, or
(d) if the mark is a continuing obstruction, in which case rule 19 applies.
20.3 When Not to Hail
A boat shall not hail unless safety requires her to make a substantial course change to avoid the obstruction. Also, she shall not hail if the obstruction is a mark that the hailed boat is fetching.