The rules of Section A and B apply when boats are passing the committee boat in the pre-start.
Question
The situation occurs in the pre-start, with approx. 2 minutes to the starting signal. The committee boat is also a starting mark.
Between situations 3 and 4 Blue makes a big and rapid change of course, backing her jib to bear away, and does not give Yellow room to keep clear. There is contact between Blue and Yellow. Both boats Y-flag. What should the call be?
Answer
Penalize Blue. Rule 19, together with the relevant rules of Section A and B applies when the boats are passing the committee boat in the pre-start, so when Blue changes course she must comply with rule 16.1. Blue is a right-of-way boat changing course. She did not give Yellow room to keep clear and broke rule 16.1.