re. the confused mark room, which I believe started this whole thread, clear this up for me:
Two boats coming into the 3 boat lenght circle, one is on port, the other is on starboard. The port boat gets to the circle first and then has to tack (or gybe) to round, but is also inside of the starboard boat.
Does the starboard 'right of way' go away when the port boat gets to the circle first?
This could be at either A or C mark, with the two boats coming in on their respective laylines. If I am interpreting the rules correctly (and I'm not sure I am) the Inside boat, the first to the circle, regardless of tack, has "Rights" to round in a seaman like manner, not in a NASCAR like manner.
Is that how we are to interpret this?
Note: I am still talking about the current 2009-2012 rules here
Timbo,
The application of Rule 18 is slightly different at windward and leeward marks. One of the main causes for this is the definition of overlap. When sailing closer than 90 degrees to the true wind, overlap does not apply between boats on opposite tacks. When sailing greater than 90 degrees from the true wind, overlap does exist between boats on opposite tacks.
In practice, this means that at a leeward mark, boats on opposite tacks can have an overlap, and the inside boat at the zone is owed room. That room includes room to gybe and round the mark. However, rule 18.4 applies:
18.4 GybingWhen an inside overlapped right-of-way boat must gybe at a mark to
sail her proper course, until she gybes she shall sail no farther from
the mark than needed to sail that course. Rule 18.4 does not apply at
a gate mark.
So, if you are an inside overlapped boat approaching a leeward mark (not a gate), you are owed room to gybe and round the mark, but you cannot sail further than needed before gybing.
(rule 18.4 is actually deleted in team racing, making the mark trap possible)
At a windward mark, say to be left to port, a port tack boat cannot have mark room on a starboard tack boat because overlap does not exist between boats on opposite tacks. If the boats are inside the zone, the actions of the port tack boat are restricted by both rule 10 (opposite tacks) and rule 18.3:
18.3 Tacking When Approaching a MarkIf two boats were approaching a mark on opposite tacks and one of
them changes tack, and as a result is subject to rule 13 in the zone
when the other is fetching the mark, rule 18.2 does not thereafter
apply. The boat that changed tack
(a) shall not cause the other boat to sail above close-hauled to
avoid her or prevent the other boat from passing the mark on
the required side, and
(b) shall give mark-room if the other boat becomes overlapped
inside her.
