Probably the most misunderstood and misused term in the racing rules is
proper course. When I hear someone hail "proper course" on the water, or use the term in a discussion afterwards, it is - far more often than not - used incorrectly.
In fact, there are only a handful of places (two definitions and three numbered rules) were the fleet racing rules use the term. Let's begin with the definition of
proper course itself:
"A course a boat would sail to finish as soon as possible in the absence of the other boats referred to in the rule using the term. A boat has no
proper course before her starting signal."
Simply put, a boat's proper course is the course she would sail if the other boat (not all boats, but the one(s) mentioned in the rule) wasn't there. Now, it's certainly possible that boats may have different proper courses. When two different boats are on a beat to windward, for example, one may outpoint the other. Therefore one's proper course is to sail closer to the wind than the other. Even if the boats are identical, the crew may have different opinions about the fastest way to sail the racecourse. One may wish to foot for speed and the other to pinch. Downwind, one may want to sail hot and the other deep. Or, one boat may seek favorable wind or current one way, and the other another way. When arguing proper course in a protest hearing, a boat needs to have a plausible reason why she would have sailed that course even if the other boat wasn't present. That is the litmus test that the protest committee will use.
Now, let's move on to RRS 17 "On the Same Tack;
Proper Course", which is the primary rule involving proper course. It states:
"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."
When in effect, rule 17 restricts a boat from sailing above her proper course. To know whether or not the rule applies, you have to look back to the time when the two boats became overlapped on the same tack - which may be quite a while prior to their actual encounter. If the leeward boat established overelap from clear astern within two of her hull lengths, then she may not sail above her proper course.
Rule 17 does not prevent a leeward boat from sailing above her proper course if
- she was clear ahead just before overlap was established,
- the boats were farther apart than two of her hull lengths when overlap was established,
- the boats are overlapped on opposite tacks,
- the boats were overlapped on opposite tacks within two of her hull lengths and one of them gybed,
- if she promptly passes astern of the windward boat, or
- if the leeward boat became overlapped from clear astern while the windward boat was tacking (and required to keep clear by rule 13).
The gist of that is twofold
- If a boat on the same tack is overtaking you to windward, you may head up (to head-to-wind) to prevent her from passing.
- If you are overtaking a windward boat, you may not head her up in order to pass.
Also, it's important to note that there is no proper course before the starting signal (the signal, not when a boat crosses the starting line). You
may overtake to leeward and head a boat up during pre-start maneuvers, but once the start is signalled, you must turn back down to your proper course.
The next mention of proper course is in another definition. Mark-Room(a) says "...
room to sail to the
mark when her
proper course is to sail close to it...". That mention is just there to close a loophole in the rules where a boat entitled to mark-room at the finish could close another boat out by sailing to the mark. If it isn't a boat's proper course to sail to the mark, mark-room does not entitle her to.
Now let's move on to the various places rule 18 mentions proper course. RRS 18.1 states "... however, it does not apply (a) between boats on opposite tacks on a beat to windward, (b) between boats on opposite tacks when the
proper course at the mark for one but not both of them is to tack,...". Part (b) and it's mention of proper course is essentially the same as part (a), except it closes a loophole if one of the boats has overstood the mark and is not "on a beat to windward".
RRS 18.2(c) states "When a boat is required to give
mark-room by rule 18.2(b),... if she becomes
overlapped inside the boat entitled to
mark-room, she shall also give that boat
room to sail her
proper course while they remain
overlapped". This rule means that when a boat owes another boat mark-room, and tries to slip in between her and the mark, the other boat may cut her off, provided that maneuver is not outside the other boat's proper course.
RRS 18.4 states "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". When in the zone at a gybe mark, or a single (i.e. not a gate) leeward mark, if a boat's proper course would be to gybe, she must gybe when her proper course dictates. She may not drive another boat farther away before gybing.
Finally, RRS 24.2 says "Except when sailing her
proper course, a boat shall not interfere with a boat taking a penalty or sailing on another leg". That is, you cannot sail out of your way just to disadvantage a boat taking a penalty or sailing a different leg of the course.
That's it. By far, RRS 17 is the most commonly applicable of these rules, followed by RRS 18.4. The other times proper course is mentioned are to close loopholes and for good sportsmanship. Note that no rule requires a boat to sail her proper course. Some rules restrict a boat from sailing above below, or beyond it, but no rule actually compels her to follow it.
I hope that helps,
Eric Rasmussen
US Sailing Certified Judge
Chair, SAYRA Appeals Committee
