Question 1
Blue on port tack and Yellow on starboard tack are approaching the windward mark on a collision course. The umpires agree that Yellow sails beyond the point where her proper course would be to tack to round the mark. Blue tacks to starboard and keeps clear of Yellow. There is a Y-flag at position 4.

What should the call be?

Answer 1
Penalize Yellow with a red flag (or possibly a double).

When Yellow first enters the zone overlapped inside Blue, she is entitled to mark-room under rule 18.2(a)(1). However, as an inside overlapped right-of-way boat, Yellow breaks rule 18.3(b) by sailing farther from the mark than needed to sail her proper course before she tacks, and in doing so she affects Blue’s course. Display the yellow flag.

A boat is in a “controlling position” when she is ahead and able to manoeuver towards the next mark without impediment, or she is in a position to be able to impede, affect or change the actions of the other boat without breaking a rule.

Because Yellow could not force Blue to tack without breaking rule 18.3(b), she was not in a “controlling position” in this situation. By breaking rule 18.3(b) and forcing Blue to tack Yellow gained a controlling position.

If the umpires were satisfied that Yellow has broken rule 18.3(b) deliberately or has gained an advantage by breaking the rule after allowing for a penalty, they would give Yellow a second penalty under rule C8.3. See also MR Call .

If the umpires were not satisfied that either of these conditions existed, the umpires would give Yellow a red-flag penalty under rule C6.5(b).

Question 2
Blue on port tack and Yellow on starboard tack are approaching the windward mark on a collision course. The umpires agree that Yellow sails beyond the point where her proper course would be to tack to round the mark. Blue tacks to starboard to avoid Yellow, but before she reaches a close-hauled course Yellow has to luff to avoid Blue. Both boats display a Y-flag at position 4.

What should the call be?

Answer 2
Penalize Yellow with a red flag (or possibly a double) and Blue.

Blue breaks rule 13.1 by not keeping clear while tacking. Because Blue is neither compelled to break a rule, nor entitled to room or mark-room, she cannot be exonerated for her breach.

Yellow, the inside overlapped right-of-way boat, breaks rule 18.3(b) by sailing farther from the mark than needed to sail her proper course before she tacks, and affects Blue’s course while doing so.

Coming into the situation, neither boat was in a controlling position because neither boat could impede, affect or change the other boat’s course while complying with the applicable rules. See Answer 1. By breaking rule 18.3(b), Yellow gained a controlling position on Blue.

If the umpires were satisfied that Yellow broke rule 18.3(b) deliberately or gained an advantage by breaking the rule after allowing for a penalty, they would give Yellow a second penalty under rule C8.3. This should be a red-flag penalty under rule C5.3 (red and second yellow flag) so that Yellow is behind Blue in the race. See also MR Call .

If the umpires were not satisfied that either of these conditions existed, the umpires would give Yellow a red-flag penalty under rule C6.5(b) (yellow and then red flag). This would put Yellow behind Blue and Blue would still have a penalty.

Question 3
Blue on port tack and Yellow on starboard tack are approaching the windward mark on a collision course. The umpires agree that Yellow sails beyond the point where her proper course would be to tack to round the mark. Blue holds her course. Yellow has to tack to avoid Blue. Both boats display Y flags at position 4.

What should the call be?

Answer 3
Penalize Blue with a red flag (or possibly a double) and Yellow (with possibly a double).

Yellow, the inside overlapped right-of-way boat, breaks rule 18.3(b) by sailing farther from the mark than needed to sail her proper course before she tacks, and affects Blue’s course while doing so (Blue is unable to bear away to round the mark).

Blue breaks rule 10 by not keeping clear. Because Blue is neither compelled to break a rule, nor entitled to room or mark-room, she cannot be exonerated for her breach.

Coming into the situation, neither boat was in a controlling position because neither boat could impede, affect or change the other boat’s course while complying with the applicable rules. See Answer 1.

If the umpires were satisfied that Yellow broke rule 18.3(b) deliberately, they would give Yellow a second penalty under rule C8.3. See also MR CALL .

By breaking rule 10, Blue has gained a controlling position. If the umpires were satisfied that Blue has broken rule 10 deliberately or has gained an advantage by breaking the rule after allowing for a penalty, they would give Blue a second penalty under rule C8.3. See also MR Call .

If the umpires give both Yellow and Blue a double penalty, then Blue‘s second penalty should be a red-flag penalty under rule C5.3 (red and second blue flag) as Blue gained a controlling position. This would put Blue behind Yellow and Yellow would still have a penalty.

If the umpires were not satisfied that either of these conditions existed, the umpires would give Blue a red-flag penalty under rule C6.5(b).