Port layline at the windward mark, who's right?

Our rules expert Richard Thompson answers..

Richard’s main role in the sport is as Vice Chairman of the RYA Racing Rules Group. This is combined with the additional duties of RYA National Judge and National Umpire. He has crewed for many years in International 14s including once winning Prince of Wales Cup. Having now hung up his harness and cancelled his extreme sports insurance, Richard spends his summer racing a Swallow in Chichester Harbour, with occasional success. Winter time is also spent on the water as a team racing umpire. Richard asks to ensure that questions are specific to an incident or problem encountered, and to give as much detail as possible. He is also keen to point out that his answers are inevitably a personal opinion and not those of the RYA!

Jim Porter asks:
Three boats are approaching the windward mark on the port layline. W1, L1 & L2. W1 has an overlap on L1 & L2. As they approach the mark L2 is outside the two boat length circle. W1 calls for room at the mark on L1as he enters the two boat length circle. L2 tacks and call starboard. L1 tacks inside two boat length circle and calls starboard. W1 tacks and hits L1 and the mark. L1 yell protest as does W1.

Who's right? Does it matter that they are approaching the windward mark or would the rules apply the same no matter were they are on the course


Jim, you have set out a common problem. I hope the diagram below accurately represents the situation you described when approaching a windward mark to be rounded to port.



As is often the case the answer is "It depends." Small differences in the relationships between the boats can make a big difference to the outcome. This is why the rules enable a protest committee to try and establish facts directly from the competitors involved in the incident, preferably whilst memories are fresh.

When Green tacks she must comply with two rules. First she must keep clear until she has completed her tack, which is when she is close-hauled on starboard tack, as rule 13. Then she must give room to enable Yellow to keep clear as rule 15.

When Green has tacked Yellow may have two options, either to tack to leeward of Green or to bear away and pass behind Green. If she wishes to tack she must hail Blue for room to tack, give Blue time to respond and then tack herself, all as rule 19.1. If she wishes to bear away she must give room for Blue, if Blue wishes, also to pass astern of Green. If only one of these options will enable Yellow to keep clear then she must take that option.

As you suggest correctly these rules apply whether or not the boats are close to the windward mark. In this incident it is irrelevant that the tacks may have been inside the two-length zone.

Your question indicates that a protest committee would find that:
(a) Yellow could not have passed astern of Green, and
(b) Yellow hailed and tacked almost simultaneously to avoid Green, and
(c) Blue had no choice but to try and tack and, in doing so, she ended up hitting both Yellow and the mark.
Thus, after Green tacked, neither of the options described above enabled Yellow to keep clear without breaking a rule.

My conclusions on these findings are:
1. Blue broke rule 31.1 as she touched the mark.
2. Yellow broke rule 19.1 by hailing for room to tack and not giving Blue time to respond.
3. Green broke rule 15 as she failed to give Yellow room to keep clear after Green acquired right-of-way.

Provided there had been a valid protest I would disqualify Green, unless she had exonerated herself with a 720 degree turn. Blue and Yellow are exonerated as their infringements were caused by Green.

For further reading you might like to look at the ISAF Team Racing Call Book which has several helpful explanations of the rules. This can be downloaded free of charge from the ISAF web site using this link: http://www.sailing.org/rrs2001/trcb.pdf; note the file size is 1.2Mb so downloading on a slow modem will take a long time. Many of these calls are applicable to fleet racing and your question is very similar to Call D6. Beware of the calls at a leeward mark where the team racing rules are different.

Good sailing
Richard

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