I was reading through the new rules and trying to put myself into the position of both the give way boat and the right of way boat, to see how I would deal with each situation, if these rules were enacted. I don't really race a super 'go fast' M32 or a full foiling AC45 so it's a little difficult to see why some of the proposed changes were necessary, other than trying to -not- crash and burn and waste a lot of money on rebuilding the boat.

When I first started racing sailboats, the number 1 rule that has always stuck with me was, "Avoid a collision at all costs" and if you feel you were in the right of way and had to tack/jibe/alter course to avoid a collision, fine, steer clear and then protest that other boat, but always avoid a collision, and then keep racing.

When did it become permissible to allow hitting the 'wrong way' boat?

After watching the past 2 AC series, I can see where these much faster boats need new rules, or perhaps the same rules, but with much larger lead times (remember when Mast Abeam in a 5kt leaner made sense?) than what we have today (2 boat length circle at a mark might need to be 10 lengths) to make coming into a mark at 25-45 kts safe, even if you are on Starboard. WTF do you do if some jackass try's to squeeze in on port when you are coming in hot at those speeds?

Maybe all foilers (and why not ask the Moth guys?) need a new set of parameters to make the old rules safer, when traveling at 3X the wind speed. Should 'hunting' on Starboard be allowed, when if you both bear off you are closing at over 80 knots nose to nose? Or is doing that just going to make the sailors better?

I do know that if they fk it up and collide head on at those speeds, someone is going to get hurt, badly, and that's a pain nobody needs.


Blade F16
#777