Section N - Protests and Penalties

MR CALL N9

Rule 16.1, Changing Course
Rule 21.2, Starting Errors; Taking Penalties; Backing A Sail
Rule 23.2, Interfering with Another Boat
Rule C7, Penalty System
Definitions, Proper Course (rule C2.3)

Question

Blue and Yellow are half way up a leg of the course to a windward mark and Blue has an outstanding penalty. Blue bears away to take her penalty.

At position 3, Blue has gybed and is now taking her penalty. Yellow luffs and passes head to wind. Yellow completes her tack at position 4. Yellow then luffs, and before Blue has completed her penalty Blue responds to the luff and keeps clear. Flag Y is displayed. What should the call be?

Answer

Signal that Blue has completed her penalty, and then penalize Yellow.

From the moment Blue gybes and until she returns to a close-hauled course, she is taking a penalty and must keep clear of Yellow under rule 21.2. Yellow is required to not interfere with Blue while Blue is taking the penalty, unless she is sailing her proper course.

When Yellow luffs after her tack is completed, she is not sailing her proper course and rule 23.2 requires that she does not interfere with Blue who is still taking her penalty. By causing Blue to have to respond to the luff before she had completed her penalty, Yellow did interfere with Blue while Blue was taking a penalty. It does not make any difference whether the interference by Yellow caused the penalty to be completed quicker.