The rules of Part 2 apply between boats that are sailing in or near the
racing area and intend to racing, are
race or have been racing. However, a boat not racing shall not be penalized for breaking one of
these rules, except rule 14, when the incident resulted in injury or serious damage, or rule 23.1.
When a boat sailing under these rules meets a vessel that is not, she
shall comply with the International Regulations for Preventing
Collisions at Sea (IRPCAS), or government right-of-way rules. If the
notice of race so states, the rules of Part 2 are replaced by the rightof-
way rules of the IRPCAS, or by government right-of-way rules.
When boats are on opposite tack, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.
When boats are on the same tack, and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.
When boats are on the same tack and not overlapped , a boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead.
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 a 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 .
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 a 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 .
A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible. However, a right-of-way boat, or one sailing within the room or mark-room to which she is entitled, need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not keeping clear or giving room či mark-room.
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.
If a boat clear astern
becomes overlapped within two of her hull
lengths to leeward of a boat on the same
tack, she shall not sail above
her proper course , while they remain on the same tack and
overlapped within that distance, unless in doing so she promptly sails astern of the
other boat. This rule does not apply if the overlap begins while the windward boat is required by
rule 13 to
keep clear .
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.
18.2 Giving Mark-Room
(a) When boats are overlapped, the outside boat shall give the inside boat mark-room unless rule 18.2(b) applies.
(b) If boats are overlapped, when the first of them reaches the zone, the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside boat mark-room . If a boat is clear ahead, when she reaches the zone, the boat clear astern at that moment shall thereafter give her mark-room
(c) When a boat is required to give mark-room by rule 18.2(b),
(1) she shall continue to do so even if later an overlap is broken or a new overlap begins;(d) Rules 18.2(b) and (c) cease to apply if the boat entitled to mark-room, passes head to wind or leaves the zone.
(e) If there is reasonable doubt that a boat obtained or broke an overlap, in time, it shall be presumed that she did not.
(f) If a boat obtained an inside overlap from clear astern, or by tacking to windward of the other boat and, from the time the overlap began, the outside boat has been unable to give mark-room, she is not required to give it.
18.3 Passing Head to Wind in the Zone
If a boat in the zone of a mark, to be left to port passes head to wind from port to starboard tack and is then fetching the mark, she shall not cause a boat that has been on starboard tack since entering the zone, to sail above close-hauled to avoid contact and she shall give mark-room if that boat becomes overlapped inside her. When this rule applies between boats, rule 18.2 does not apply between them.18.4 Gybing
When an inside overlapped right-of-way boat must gybe at a mark to sail her proper course , until she gybes she shall sail no farther from the mark than needed to sail that course. Rule 18.4 does not apply at a gate mark.
19.1 When Rule 19 Applies
Rule 19 applies between two boats at an obstruction, except
(a) when the obstruction at an mark, the boats are required to leave on the same side, or (b) when rule 18 applies between the boats and the obstruction is another boat v overlapped with each of them. However, at a continuing obstruction rule 19 always applies and rule 18 does not.19.2 Giving Room at an Obstruction
(a) A right-of-way boat may choose to pass an obstruction on either side.
(b) When boats are overlapped, the outside boat shall give the inside boat room between her and the a obstruction, unless she has been unable to do so from the time the overlap began.
(c) 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,
(1) she is not entitled toa room under rule 19.2(b), and20.1 Hailing
A boat may hail for room to tack and avoid a boat on the same tack. However, she shall not hail unless
(a) she is approaching an obstruction and will soon need to make a
substantial course change to avoid it safely, and
(b) she is sailing close-hauled or above.
In addition, she shall not hail if the obstruction is a mark and a boat that is fetching it would be required to change course as a result of the hail.
20.2 Responding
(a) After a boat hails, she shall give a hailed boat time to respond.
(b) A hailed boat shall respond even if the hail breaks rule 20.1.
(c) A hailed boat shall respond either by tacking as soon as possible,
or by immediately replying ‘You tack’ and then giving the hailing boat room to tack and avoid her.
(d) When a hailed boat responds, the hailing boat shall tack as soon
as possible.
(e) From the time a boat hails until she has tacked and avoided a hailed boat, rule 18.2 does not apply between them.
20.3 Passing On a Hail to an Additional Boat
When a boat has been hailed for room to tack and she intends to respond by tacking, she may hail another boat on the same tack for room to tack and avoid her. She may hail even if her hail does not meet the conditions of rule 20.1. Rule 20.2 applies between her and a boat she hails.20.4 Additional Requirements for Hails
(a) When conditions are such that a hail may not be heard, the boat
shall also make a signal that clearly indicates her need for room to tack or her response.
(b) The notice of race may specify an alternative communication for
a boat to indicate her need for room to tack or her response, and require boats to use it.
When rule 21 or 22 applies between two boats, Section A rules do not.
21.1 A boat sailing towards the pre-start side of the starting line or one of its extensions after her starting signal to start or to comply with rule rule 30.1 , shall keep clear of a boat not doing so until her hull is completely on the pre-start side.
21.2 A boat taking a penalty shall keep clear of one that is not.
21.3 A boat moving astern, or sideways to windward, through the water by backing a sail shall keep clear of one that is not.
If possible, a boat shall avoid a boat that is capsized or has not regained control after capsizing, is anchored or aground, or is trying to help a person or vessel in danger. A boat is capsized when her masthead is in the water.
23.1 If reasonably possible, a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat that is racing.
23.2 If reasonably possible, a boat shall not interfere with a boat that is taking a penalty, sailing on another leg or subject to rule 21.1. However, after the starting signal this rule does not apply when the boat is sailing her proper course.