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Sailing Rules - Rules Quiz - Racing Rules Of Sailing
this situation does not include the "Hold your Course" call....
Situation
Two J/24s are on a beat to windward and are approaching each other on opposite tacks. The true wind velocity is 12-15 knots.
The Answer
Facts Found:
Situation 1 Green (on starboard) and Red (on Port) were approaching each other in a crossing situation with Green slightly ahead. When the boats were approximately 3 boatlengths apart, Green hailed "Starboard". There was no apparent reaction on Red. At one boatlength, faced with an apparent collision, Green luffed sharply to tack. At the same time, Red bore away sharply in an attempt to pass astern of Green. Seeing Red's course alteration, Green reversed her helm to bear off and swing her stern away from Red. There was no contact and Red passed about 2 feet astern of Green. Green protested Red under Rule 10. Red protested Green under Rule 16. Situation 2 Green (on starboard) and Red (on Port) were approaching each other in a crossing situation. When the boats were approximately three boatlengths apart, Green hailed "Starboard". At one and a half boatlengths, Red started to bear off to pass astern of Green but Green started to bear off at the same time. Seeing this, Red continued to bear off but so did Green. As Green passed to windward of Red, her sails blanketed Red's sails resulting in contact between the rigs and serious damage to Red's mast. Green protested Red under Rule 10. Red protested Green under Rule 16.
Conclusions and Rules that apply:
Situation 1 Rule 10 requires Red to keep clear of Green. If Red keeps clear, Green should be able to "sail her course with no need to take avoiding action...." Rule 14 requires both boats to avoid contact if reasonably possible. Further, Rule 14(a) states that Green (the right-of-way boat) "need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat (Red) is not keeping clear...." Given the conditions and the speed of the boats, once the distance had closed to one boatlength, it was reasonable for Green to assume that she was going to be hit if she didn't do something and that Rule 14 required her to act. The only reasonable way to avoid contact was to tack, and Green began to do so. When Red finally bore off, Green again changed course to comply with Rule 14, this time swinging her stern up to avoid contact. The fact that there was no contact resulted from the action of both boats, not Red alone. Since Green was not able to sail her course, Red failed to keep clear and is disqualified under Rule 10. As to the Red's protest of Green under Rule 16, if Green did break Rule 16 she was compelled to so by Red's breaking Rule 10 and is exonerated under Rule 64.1(c). Red's protest is disallowed. Situation 2 Rule 10 requires Red to keep clear of Green and Rule 16.1 requires Green to give Red room to keep clear when she changes course. Red would have kept clear of Green if Green had not borne off and then continued to bear off further. By doing this, Green did not give Red room to keep clear and therefore broke Rule 16.1. In addition, since her maneuver brought about a collision with damage, Green also broke Rule 14 and is disqualified under both rules. Despite her efforts, Red failed to keep clear of Green and therefore broke Rule 10 however, she is exonerated under Rule 64.1 (c) and Green's protest is disallowed.
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