For those that don't have the current rule book.

ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008

I have been following with interest. I forced a Fireball to capsize onto me at a multi-fleet regatta. We were sailing different courses but were both rounding the same mark. He was wanting to continue downwind to the finish whilst I was turning back up for the A-mark. I came broad reaching in with my Nacra5.2 while he was spinnaker sailing downwind. I was overlapped with him for minutes but sailing a much different angle. As I came closer alongside (leeward) I advised him of my intention to go up at the mark. He replied with the mast abeam nonsense. By the time we arrived at the mark I was ahead but still overlapped. So I turned up. And he capsized onto me ripping his spinnaker. He retired and I lost a position.
I would like to say in my defense that I didn't know at the time that he would capsize (no spinnaker exposure). And obviously he was refusing to dowse or cut it loose.

We were both a little bull headed and I hadn't forseen the consequences. I was racing open class and therefore time. He was racing in his fireball class and therefore position. He could have given way without losing position while I would have been losing time.


In my open class racing I often turn around the A-mark to see a few port lay liners coming at me. Our closure rates can be rather high and I know they are sweating it as I round down onto the broad reach. I often have my head down somewhat on the bearaway as we run through the offwind checklist. I just wish the port lay line crowd would knock it off. I bellow starboard, sit down, and hang on. No crash and burns yet.