I don't agree with you Scooby.
The devil is in the details. I wrote " ... that is overtaking it ... "
Once the overtaking has commenced the leeward boat can not luff the overtaking boat. The leeward boat will then fail the "stay clear and allow room to others" rule that applies when changing its course or initiating manouvres. If the luffing is done after an overlap has been established then the leeward boat will also fail the rules that govern overtaking.
The courses (luffing) must be established prior to the overtaking situation occuring.
In effect you can not ACTIVELY force a flip or crash on any windward boat by ACTIVELY luffing at the time because this means that the windward boat was left without any option to stay clear except crash and therefor you will fail the "... allow room to others to stay clear of you ..." part of the rules.
If the windward boat misjudges the situation and has to flip or crash to avoid contact WHILE you are maintaining your old course then yes you have all the rights. But only in this situation.
Many people think you can ACTIVELY luff a windward boat in (all) situations, but that is not true. There are quite a few situations where one can not do this. And there are quite a few rules that rule against this.
One particular rule states that you can't actively luff a windward boat onto the start vessel. Many people forget about that one as well. If the windward boat is sailing close-hauled along side you and he can just clear the starting vessel while maintaining this course then the you as the leeward boat have no luffing rights. If he is also overtaking you and has established an overlap then you won't have luffing rights for this reason either.
Wouter
Then you need to re-read your rules book, you are talking total Crap.....The following Rules apply:
11 ON THE SAME TACK, OVERLAPPED
When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall
keep clear of a leaward boat.
16 CHANGING COURSE
16.1 When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other
boat room to keep clear.
The only time the leaward boat is limited is when she has come from clear astern (within two of her hull lengths)into the leaward position. Then she can luff but only to her proper course.
17 ON THE SAME TACK; PROPER COURSE
17.1 If a boat clear astern becomes overlapped within two of her hull lengths
to leaward of a boat on the same tack, she shall not sail above her proper
course while they remain overlapped within that distance, unless in
doing so she promptly sails astern of the other boat. This rule does not
apply if the overlap begins while the windward boat is required by rule
13 to keep clear.
As someone else says abouve, Mast-abeam has gone.
