Section A - Definitions and Fundamentals

MR CALL A5

Definitions, Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap

Question 1

At a close finish on a leg of the course to a leeward finish line, Yellow eases her spinnaker halyard, sheet and guy so that the sail is further ahead of her bow than normally. When does she finish? What action should the umpires take?

Answer 1

The definition Finish (rule C2.1) makes it clear that a boat finishes when her hull crosses the finishing line, and the umpires should therefore take no action.

Question 2

Would the situation be different when two boats approach a leeward mark and there is a question about whether they are overlapped?

Answer 2

For the purpose of overlap, a spinnaker in normal position would be taken into account. However, if the umpires see the halyard eased they may judge that it is no longer in normal position and use the hull (or equipment in normal position) to determine whether there is an overlap.

Question 3

Would the answer be different if Yellow was in the process of taking down the spinnaker?

Answer 3

No. A spinnaker in the process of being set or taken down is not ‘equipment in normal position’ in the context of the definition where this term is used.