Umpire´s Call Book for Team Racing

Section K - The Finish

TR CALL K2

Rule 20, Room to Tack at an Obstruction

Question

Y and B are beating on port tack towards the committee boat at the starboard end of the finishing line.

B can fetch the committee boat but Y, the leeward boat, cannot. Y sails up to this boat and hails for room to tack. B does not respond. Y hails a second time, luffs and passes head to wind, whereupon B tacks and protests. What should the call be?

Answer

Penalize both.

Because B can fetch the committee boat, which is a mark, Y is not entitled to hail for room to tack. Y breaks rule 20.1 by hailing. However, when a boat hails for room to tack, rule 20.2(b) requires the hailed boat to respond to the hail regardless of whether it meets the requirements of rule 20.1. B fails to do so and breaks rule 20.2(b).