We had some discussions this past weekend on this event.
Just prior to the start at a packed comittee boat. Just as the gun is fired the boat dead astern taps a boat directly in front of them. Seems straight forward, the boat from astern is wrong, but, the boat from astern states other boats were barging in on the line to windward thus not allowing them to head up to avoid the contact. The boat astern hails one of the barging vessels and the barging vessel agrees and does a penalty turn. So the question is. If a boat inflicks a faul on your cat, thus causing you to foul another cat, do you have to do a penalty turn?

Rules of the road #1; if you're being fouled by a boat, hit THAT boat - not another if given a choice!

You are not to be held accountable for the actions of another but if it goes to the protest room, it is important that the boat(s) that were fouled lodge a protest. i.e., the guy that rear-ended the other needs to be sure he files protest against the barging boats that caused him to do so.

64.1(b) is the rule that applies here, if in fact it was shown that the barging boats caused the collision.

Thanks guys.