...whoever it is out there who thinks you can back up to the line when called over early, you have NO rights when doing so...
I 100% agree with you on this. HOWEVER.....There was a rules seminar done by the judge at last years F18 North Americans. He was of the opinion that you could back up with rights (His rational was that if you went head to wind without tacking, then you were still on startboard tack, and that boats behind you are technically overtaking you......so, you had rights). If there are more judges out there with that opinion, then it could get intersting in the room!
I agree with the judge who gave the seminar. Mike has it right with:
RRS 21.3: A boat moving astern by backing a sail shall keep clear of one that is not.
Interesting terminology. So, if you're in a ripping foul current, you could back down and have rights, as long as you're not back(wind)ing a sail???
A boat (let's say on starboard tack, but that's really not crucial) can turn all the way head-to-wind and still be on starboard tack. If she stalls and drifts backwards, she is still on starboard tack, can still be leeward of another boat, and can still be clear ahead of other boats. In short, she retains her rights
as long as she is not backing a sail.
As soon as she backs a sail, however, rule 21.3 kicks in and according to the preamble to Section D (which states "when rule 21 or 22 applies between two boats, Section A rules do not"), rules 10, 11, 12, and 13 switch off.
For example, look at the "dial-up" often seen at the start in match racing. Boat A comes to the line downwind on port tack while B approaches on starboard. If A cannot cross B, she heads up. B heads up to keep A pinned and this continues until both boats have turned fully head-to-wind. At this point, A is sill on port tack and B is still on starboard and has right-of-way. Typically, A pases head-to-wind and bears all the way down to a close hauled course. Now A is also on starboard tack and as leeward boat has gained right-of-way. Sailing away at this point isn't usually a good tactical move, so A typically heads back up to head-to-wind.
Ok, now the two boats are side-by-side, both head-to-wind, and they do sometimes start drifting backwards. As neither is backing a sail, rule 21.3 doesn't apply. Rule 11 does instead. At one America's Cup start, the boats were drifting backwards at 6 knots - faster than the umpire boat could move in reverse. The umpire boat had to turn around to get out of the way (which is irrelevant to the rules, but a nice story).
Now, that's an example from match racing, and although match racing rules are often different than fleet racing rules, in this case they are the same.
Regards,
Eric
US Sailing Certified Judge.
