A boat clear ahead of other boats is an obstruction that may be passed on either side. As boats approach to pass her, the one with an inside overlap is entitled to room under rule 19.2(b)

In an incident between two boats, the boat breaking a rule must be exonerated when a breach of a rule by a third boat made it impossible for the other boat that broke a rule to avoid doing so.

A boat clear ahead is an obstruction to boats clear astern.

A right-of-way boat compelled by a keep-clear boat to cross the starting line early is not relieved of her obligation to start as described in the definition Start.

When two boats are involved in an incident and one of them breaks a rule, she shall be exonerated when a third boat that also broke a rule caused the incident.

When boats are overlapped at an obstruction, including an obstruction that is a right-of-way boat, the outside boat must give the inside boat room to pass between her and the obstruction.

A leeward boat is an obstruction to an overlapped windward boat and a third boat clear astern. The boat clear astern may sail between the two overlapped boats and be entitled to room from the windward boat to pass between her and the leeward boat, provided that the windward boat has been able to give that room from the time that the overlap began.

A protest committee must exonerate boats when, as a result of another boat's breach of a rule, they are all compelled to break a rule.