There is much talk of increasing juvenile participation in our sport. If that happens, I think it would be a good idea to have a clear understanding of the rules and a clear understanding of the expectations.
Here are some rules that it would be appropriate to start off with (for kids and adults):
Basic Principle - Sportsmanship and the RulesCompetitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that when competitors break a rule they will promply take a penalty, which may be to retire.
Sailboat racing is a self-policed sport. We are all expected to follow the rules, and take a penalty for an error.
Rule 1 "SAFETY". Safety (our own and others') is paramount. We must carry appropriate safety gear, and operate our boats in as safe a manner as practical. We must also help anybody in danger.
Rule 2 "FAIR SAILING"A boat and her owner shall compete in compliance with recognized principles of sportsmanshp and fair play.
Good sportsmanship is a fundamental tenet of our sport.
Rule 14 "AVOIDING CONTACT"A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible.
No matter who has right-of-way, everbody must avoid hitting another boat if they can. The rest of the rules in Part 2 of the rulebook simply spell out the process for avoiding contact.
Now, on to something more advanced, but appropos to the discussion:
ISAF Cases 26 and 87, and Rule 14(a):
A right-of-way boat need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not keeping clear.
A right-of-way boat is not obligated to take "avoiding action" until it is evident that the give-way boat cannot keep clear. At that point, however, it may be impossible for the right-of-way boat to avoid contact. Technically, the right-of-way boat doesn't break rule 14, but taking avoiding action sooner would have been better.
ISAF Case 50:
When the (protest) committee find that S did change course and that there was reasonable doubt that P could have crossed ahead of S if S had not changed course, then P should be disqualified.
In other words, a right-of-way boat does not have to wait until the give-way boat cannot keep clear. She need only wait until there is a "reasonable apprehension" that the give-way boat will not keep clear. At that point, it is appropriate to take avoiding action, and the give-way boat has not kept clear.
Say, for example, that there's a Starboard/Port crossing situation where it is not clear that P will cross S cleanly. P maintains that she would have crossed had S held her course. P argues that S bore away when P could still have taken action (such as swinging her transom away) to keep clear. S states that had she and P held course, that S believed they would collide. S says she waited until the last moment that she felt she could safely avoid contact and acted to do so. Even though P could potentially have avoided contact if S had held course, S acted upon a "reasonable apprehension" of collision - and therefore P broke rule 10.
So, the message is - take avoiding action when you need to in order to prevent contact.
Regards,
Eric
US Sailing Certified Judge
