Rule 19.2, Room to Pass an Obstruction: Giving Room at an Obstruction
A discussion of how rule 19.2(b) and the definitions Obstruction and Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap apply when two overlapped boats on the same tack overtake and pass to leeward of a boat ahead on the same tack. There is no obligation to hail for room at an obstruction, but it is prudent to do so.
Rule 19.2(b), Room to Pass an Obstruction: Giving Room at an Obstruction
A close-hauled port-tack boat that is sailing parallel and close to an obstruction must keep clear of a boat that has completed her tack to starboard and is approaching on a collision course.
Rule 64.1,Decisions: Standard of Proof, Majority Decisions and Reclassifying Requests
A boat is not permitted to protest a race committee for breaking a rule. However, if she tries to do so, her ‘protest’ may meet the requirements of a request for redress, in which case the protest committee shall treat it accordingly.
When a boat fails to finish correctly because of a race committee error, but none of the boats racing gains or loses as a result, an appropriate and fair form of redress is to score all the boats in the order they crossed the finishing line.
A leeward boat is entitled to luff to her proper course, even when she has established a leeward overlap from clear astern and within two of her hull lengths of the windward boat.
Rule 63.2, Hearings: Time and Place of the Hearing; Time for Parties to Prepare
Part 5 of the racing rules aims to protect a boat from being unfairly treated, not to provide loopholes for protestees. A protestee has a duty to protect herself by acting reasonably before a hearing.
When two protests arise from the same incident, or from very closely connected incidents, they should be heard together in the presence of representatives of all the boats involved.
When a protest committee finds that in a port-starboard incident S did not change course and that there was not a genuine and reasonable apprehension of collision on the part of S, it should dismiss her protest. When the committee finds that S did change course and that there was reasonable doubt that P could have crossed ahead of S if S had not changed course, then P should be disqualified.