Okay. It's Sunday and time for a new Rules Question.

Thought I'd jump in first.

Situation:

Starboard Boat (with Spin) approaching gates "hot" (slightly overstood -- traveler 1/3 out)

Port Boat (previously rounded gates) now approaches Starboard spin boat

Starboard Boat Hails "STARBOARD"

Port Boat Hails "HOLD YOUR COURSE"

Starboard Boat must "duck" Port Boat to avoid collision.

Seems a pretty straightforward application of Rule 10 "On Opposite Tacks".

All of this happened within 100 - 200m of the gates.

QUESTION: How close must one come to hitting a boat before you can say you altered course? And under spin, what really is altering course? My proper course is to ride the gusts and come up on the lulls. In the situation above, we were in a steady breeze (ie no gusts) and fetching the gates.

Rule 18 does not apply between a boat leaving a mark and a boat approaching it. The situation described is a simple starboard/port (rule 10) situation.

A right-of-way boat may take avoiding action when she has a genuine and reasonable apprehension of collision. What exactly constitutes "genuine and reasonable" depends on wind and water conditions as well as the types of boats involved. "Proper course" is not applicable. A boat changes course when her bearing changes compass direction. When a right-of-way boat changes compass course, she must comply with rule 16 (changing course) regardless of the reason for the change.

I hope that helps,
Eric