I would suggest the following modifications. Mainly because close-hauled course is only defined by your angle to the wind.

(1) the relative angle of a boats heading relative to something else, (2) the path through which a boat is or will be traveling.

• change of course (1)
• close-hauled course (1)
• differing, collision, converging courses (language used in cases) (2)
• proper course (2)
• sailing the course (2)
• shorten the course (2)

Also, proper course does not exist unless there is a rule in question. In other words, for each rule there exists a proper course and each of those proper courses can be the same but do not have to be.

This means proper course could be a straight line through the water like you say but it could also be a chosen trajectory/path to round the marks as quick as possible.

Short answer: No.

I've never run across this. For reference, Webster's has this to say, relevant bit included:

1 : the act or action of moving in a path from point to point

e.g. the planets in their courses

2 : the path over which something moves or extends: such as

a : racecourse

b(1) : the direction of travel of a vehicle (such as a ship or airplane) usually measured as a clockwise angle from north also : the projected path of travel

(2) : a point of the compass

Definition 1 implies "2", e.g. the path a boat takes around a race course, while definition 2 suggests "1", e.g. a bearing or heading. We can apply definition 1 to the path a boat must take to complete the race. However, both definitions have something in common, that being a direction or path, e.g. "I must go 1 mile on a bearing of 180 and round that mark to port". Therefore, "course", as defined by say "sailing the course" is really covered by both definition 1 AND definition 2 because of the last bit of b(1): "projected path of travel".

Point is, given all the examples you mention, course implies direction, and as such, given the definition, we're covered and there shouldn't be any confusion.

Now, if the RRS had done something silly like define a regatta as "a series of courses" (see definition 4), then we'd have an issue. :)

Good point.

As judges, we also should be mindful of the distinction between "Course(1)" and "heading."

Also, proper course does not exist unless there is a rule in question. In other words, for each rule there exists a proper course and each of those proper courses can be the same but do not have to be.

Daniel, I'd like to suggest a tweak to your understanding as stated above. Below is the PC definition

Proper Course: A course a boat would sail to finish as soon as possible in the absence of the other boats referred to in the rule using the term. A boat has no proper course before her starting signal.

So, last things first .. a boat has no proper course before her starting signal. So let's jump to after her starting signal.

Now I can see why you said what you said above, because the definition talks about a course a boat would sail in the absence of the other boats referred in rule. What that is saying is that when you consider proper course, you remove the other boats that are applying the term from the scenario and then ask yourself, 'without those other boats present, what course would the boat in question sail?'

When you remove those other boats, the rule which applied to those boats also goes away. A boat's proper course is in the absence of those boats .. and thus also absent is the rule which makes those boats pertinent. Therefore, a boat's proper course does not change based upon the rule which is being applied.

In my OP, you will see a US appeal and a Case. Read those 2 carefully and you will see what I'm talking about. In Appeal 4, the intervening boat's proper course is defined by her need to keep clear of a leeward boat (RRS 11), not RRS 17 in which proper course is used. Likewise in Case 75.

Well,

sometimes it's about richness of language...

I heard that the Eskimos have 11 different words for snow, as their landscape offers many types, and what type they get would make quite a difference to them in their day-to-day life.

No need to say that in Italy we have two separate words for harvest:
1. Harvest = Vendemmia, when it's about grapes to make wine
2. Harvest = Raccolto when it is about anything else
and that is possibly because wine means so much to us...

Similarly the different meanings of course addressed in this post translates into two separate words in Italian
1. Course = Rotta when it is about (1) the current straight-path a boat makes through the water;
2. Course = Percorso when it is about (2) the path through the water around and between marks a boat must complete to race.

Yet we'd always find out what's the course like in due course, because we're lazy and we never read the S.I.
And what if you're the first to round the top mark?

-- Claudio