Ok all you rules junkies....here's one for you...
First the setting:
Winds 15-20
boats Nacra 20s (could really be any high performance spin boat)
OK....
S has rounded the windward mark, hoisted their spinaker and is headed downwind on starboard.
P is coming into the windward mark on Port and is close hauled.
S & P are on a direct collision course with about 100 to 150 yards between them. P knows he has to avoid S, and cannot go above S because he is already close hauled, so he starts to sheet out and bear off to go below. Just as P begins to bear off, S is hit with a puff and also bears off. (assume S is NOT hunting...at least not intentionally) P now sees S bearing off, and so quickly changes to go above, sheets in and pushes the stick. Puff is gone and S now comes back up forcing P to once again change and bear off quickly to avoid collision and go below at the last second. S also had to blow their spin to go higher to avoid the collision and protests P for causing him to alter course.
Now....It is my opinion that although ROW boat has an obligation to hold their course once the give way boat has altered to avoid, given the performance characteristics and conditions here, S was probably in his rights to bear away to avoid capsizing and therefor P had to alter course from their original intent. HOWEVER....am I wrong to assume that once S bore away, they should no longer be within their rights to come back up, thereby forcing P to alter for avaoidance yet again???? Or....(as S insists) is he perfectly within his rights to alter course up and down as part of his "normal course"???
Hey, I just noticed this. I was the Starboard boat. The facts here are pretty close except for a few things I'd like to add.
I came around A and Hoisted. I just get the chute flowing and I notice Port boat right on my line. My chute starts flowing good and the hull starts to pop. I notice the collision course from Port boat at this time. I see him head off about 5 degrees at about 25 boat lengths from me just as my hull pops and I head off about 10 degrees. I continue to fly my hull downwind. I think 25 boat lengths is a little early for me to have to hold my course. I then continue to watch him closely to decide which side of me he is going to try to pass. I can't figure out after the initial 5 degree change any action to avoid me. He continues to head on a direct collision course. Maybe a boat width to windward or a boat width to leeward but who can tell what he really intends? We get about 2 boat lengths away playing chicken and I decide the pain will be less for me if I turn up hard which I do (30 degrees at least). Luckily at the same time he turns down hard. (Had he turned up hard it would have been a collision but at least not as fast). I have no idea how I didn't go over but as soon as turned up hard I yell protest and sail on.
I continued to hold my course for many boat lengths (10-15) at least) without any decernable action by the Port tack boat to avoid me. I had to alter course hard to avoid a collision at top speed.
The port tack boat in this situation has to be clear to which side he intends to pass. When the port tack boat initially made his turn down and I turned down with him he could have still turned down further. Heck he still had time to head down and jibe at that point.
Starboard boat has to give port room and time to avoid. I did that. Port boat didn't react. As starboard boat I feel it's my obligation to hold my course at the critical moment to give the port tack boat the opportunity to avoid. If I change my course to avoid too early that can cause more problems.
The port tack layline is a dangerous place to be. I have no problem with someone wanting to be there. They have to be ready to make major course changes to avoid boats on that layline.
Mike Hill
www.stlouiscats.com
