Section D - The Windward Leg
TR CALL D6
Rule 10, On Opposite Tacks
Rule 15, Acquiring Right of Way
Rule 19, Room to Pass an Obstruction
Rule 20, Room to Tack at an Obstruction
Rule 43, Exoneration
Question 1
On a beat to windward X is on port tack, ahead and to leeward of opponent B and teammate
Y. X tacks onto starboard. At position 3 her tack is complete and B calls for room
to tack. Y tacks as soon as possible, but there is not room for B to tack between X and
Y. B protests. What should the call be?
Question 2
The circumstances are the same, except that at position 3, B bears away to pass astern
of X. Y also bears away to pass astern but there is insufficient room and she makes
contact with both X and B. Y protests. What should the call be?
Answer to Questions 1 and 2
If X completes her tack so close to B and Y that they can neither both keep clear by
tacking, nor both keep clear by bearing away to pass astern of X, then X breaks rule
15, Acquiring Right of Way. Penalize X.
If B and Y could have kept clear by tacking, but B chooses to bear away astern of X
and there is insufficient room for Y, then B breaks rule 19.2(b), penalize B. Y is
exonerated under rule 43.1(b) for breaking rules 10 and 11 because she was sailing
within the room to which she was entitled under rule 19.
If B and Y could have kept clear by bearing away, but B chooses to hail for room to
tack and Y responds as soon as possible to the hail but there is still contact between the
boats, then B breaks rule 20.2(a) by not giving Y time to respond to her hail. Penalize
B.
If, when a boat acquires right of way, she forces another boat to break a rule while
keeping clear, she has not given that other boat room to keep clear and therefore
breaks rule 15.