Funny, I was in the exact opposite situation last Wednesday: A 29er was in front of me, I was a couple of boat length behind and to windward. But my layline is further than their layline as a 29er points better than my Stealth.

I saw the skipper looking at me, looking at the mark, finally realizing he was screwed and that he would have to go further, to my layline.

I took pity of him, shouted "You tack, I'll avoid you". He said thank you then tacked, I ducked his stern, tacked 10 boat length further and beat them to the mark. It is a far better way of proceeding IMHO.

BTW, they used their huge masthead spi to pass me again on the way to the side mark, but on the hotter reach to the finish line I regained on them, cut their wind and beat them by a mere second. I'm nice, but not that nice.