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  • There's not enough information in the diagram to infer that Yellow tacked too close (or more specifically, Green had to alter course to avoid Yellow while tacking).

    What kind of boats are we talking about?  If you're talking about a 80 foot cruising monohull, or a slow tacking catamaran, perhaps it's too close.  Are we talking about a Laser or 470, both of which complete a tack in well less than a boat length?  Then very likely it’s not too close.

    How fast were they going?  Also greatly impacts the answer.  If these are for example, Tech Dinghies, which both tack quickly and go very very slowly, it’s not anywhere near too close.  If we're talking 505s, 49ers, or A Cats, then Yellow was not only too close, but likely needs a trip behind the wood shed. If we're talking small modern keelboats, say a J80, it's likely still not too close. They do specify light air, so I suppose much is happening "slowly", but that makes which boats you're talking about even more important. You can tack a Laser in no wind in a boat length.  Try that in a Lightning. Whereas an A Cat can be going 11-12 knots in "light air" of 6-8 knots, so nothing in particularly "slowly".

    The PC has to ask sufficient questions to determine the facts.  We don't have them here.  

    My inclination, absent any other information, would be to say it's on Green to show that Yellow tacked too close.  I personally don't see that in the diagram.  Absent a good explanation, I wouldn't be able to find sufficient information to indicate Yellow tacked too close.

    Why don't I see it? At point 2, Yellow appears to already be nearly head to wind, and Green is over 3 boat lengths away.  Most boats I can think of would be able to complete the last half of a tack in less than 2 boat lengths.  Unless they're very slow, or very slow to turn.  We can't really infer point "2.5" because they didn't draw it. We don't have that information.

    So if I were on the PC, my questions would be around when Yellow crossed head to wind, and where Green was at that time. A couple of boat lengths is plenty of time to avoid a collision on virtually any boat.  Thus, I'd say the burden is on Green.  Whether Green saw them or not, also irrelevant.  That's a safety/seamanship question, not a rules question. If Green has a large Asym, and isn't keeping track of their fleet, leading to crash maneuvers, that's not a rules issue. It's a seamanship issue.

    Generally, we're all bringing a lot of preconceived assumptions here based on the boats we have most experience with. But we don't have the information to see a rules violation in this diagram.
    Today 16:39
  • Not usually for me but a little story.

    I received a written complaint for my actions to the club commodore.

    There was an offshore race, two boats approached for a regular port starboard. When close the starboard crash tacked.

    A protest was lodged.

    Seemed to me a case 50 and I had this in mind at the hearing.

    As chair I asked the boat if he did anything, he replied no, is asked did you hail he said no I was tacking.
    There was no flag either.
    The pc which contained another ij said the protest was invalid.
    The third pc member an ex chair of the class told the boat he did not understand why the judges would not listen to him, hence the complaint.

    It gets worse. After closing the hearing, I asked the other boat if he knew he broke a rule but there was no hail. [See previous post] he said he thought he was well clear. So no action.

    In the complaint was that I spoke to the other boat but would not hear him. I suppose you cannot win.

    I decided that in offshore races, with over 10 kts with the boats slightly separated, it would not be possible to hear a hail. They always say they never heard it. So I just look for the other boat being notified.
    Today 15:00
  • Bullseye. H12 hull with an aluminum marconi rig, cuddy cabin deck layout, half wishboom.
    Yesterday 18:13
  • Ang, I think asking someone to do something, is probably ok, but the line is crossed when the protest chair starts 'statement taking' writing down what a witness says, taking possession of videos, and seeking out witnesses.
    Yesterday 14:29
  • Nice work on the AI summary ;-)
    Yesterday 00:00
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