I understand your concern about the artificial nature of the scenario, Matt.

However, I do not see this as an attribution of fault to L, but simply as applying the rules to the assumed facts.

If W satisfies both parts of the definition of Keep Clear, she does not break rule 11 merely because L subsequently heels rapidly to windward and contact occurs. Rule 14(a) needs to be considered separately for each boat.

If the geometry is changed so that W no longer satisfies the definition of Keep Clear, then of course W breaks rule 11. However, that would be a different set of facts.

On those revised facts,

I suggest that it is important to not raise the flag until after the start signal. Consider the incident in the video clip in my post https://www.racingrulesofsailing.org/posts/5655-i-flag-start-when-must-flag-x-be-displayed#comment_21955 about radio sailing.

If the RC had hailed the boat immediately it broke R 31, then it could have started to correct its error immediately, and gained an advantage from the 'outside' help.

John

I am pleased to see seven references so far in this conversation to "sportsmanship", a basic principle of our sport.

When thinking of sportsmanship I always think of golf. If someone kicks a ball out of the rough back on to the fairway, or whatever, then they are clearly breaking a rule and simply cheating. And no one likes a cheat!

Sure it's a bit different in that competitor vs. competitor situations are rare in golf whilst common in sailing. Also the RRS are a bit more complicated and nuanced particularly when it comes to overlaps, the zone, proper course, and much more, so the breaking of a rule is not always as clear-cut in the sailing world.

I think it is critical that fair sailing, sportsmanship and safety be a constant focus when anyone joins the sport either as a child or an adult. I think one of the biggest issues is with adults who buy a boat and go racing in their new weapon with virtually no knowledge of or care for the rules. From a safety perspective, Organising Authorities that there is sufficient (current) experience on board to ensure the safety of the fleet as a whole.

There is also another cohort that is a concern. That is the children of "Opti-mums(dads)" where they encourage their child(ren) to win at all costs ... sometimes encouraging them to break the rules when they can get away with it and othertimes coaching them to weaponise the rules against other competitors :-(

Thomas ..
  Both Case 77 and Case 91 when taken together imply your answer I think.   Both pertain to the obligations of a keep clear boat when  the equipment of the ROW boat is out of its normal position. 

A boom swinging from the starboard to port side is a boom operating in its normal operating positions.   A KC boat sailing DDW so close along side a ROW boat that if the ROW boat flops her boom over, without ROW changing course, that the boom hits part of the KC boat .. the KC boat has not kept clear IMO.  

In other words, a ROW boat that has to prevent their boom from moving fully to the port side to avoid contact with a KC boat has executed "an avoiding action" IMO.  

I think this is affirmed in the negative when you read the cases I linked to above.  In those cases they discuss the obligations of a KC boat when equipment is or moves out of its normal location.  

IMO, unless there is a case that says otherwise, there should be nothing unexpected about a boat sailing DDW on port-tack flopping her main over such that she is sailing on starboard-tack. A KC should be keeping enough space between them to allow that.