A question about the rules at A-Mark.
In all cases the boats are on starboard tack in the Zone aproaching A-Mark to be rounded to port.

Consider three scenarios:
1) Boat 1 is clear ahead and slightly below the layline. Boat 2 is astern and laying the A mark. If Boat 1 has to tack to round the mark, according to Rule 18.2(c), Rule 18.2(c) no longer applies and the situation becomes a Tacking & Port/Starboard situation. I believe this is correct.


2) In another case, Boat 1 is ahead and to leeward overlapped with Boat 2 astern and to windward. Boat 1 must tack to round the mark, but Boat 2 is laying the mark. Rule 18 again does not apply because according to Rule 18.1(b) one but not both boats must tack. So again the situation would become one of Tacking & Port/Starboard. (If Boat 1 is able to lay the mark by luffing, she is ok, but she can not cross head to wind). I believe this is correct.

3) Boat 1 is ahead and to leeward, Boat 2 is overlapped astern and to windward. Neither boat is able to lay the mark without tacking. I believe Boat 1 is the right of way boat and is allowed room to tack since Rule 18 includes the phrase "room to tack or jibe when either is a normal part of the manouvre", and no other rules seem to apply when both boats must tack in the zone. Is this correct? How would Boat 1 prove that Boat 2 needed to tack also?

Comments and insights are welcome.

sm