Forum: The Racing Rules of Sailing

How much room do yo need to give a capsized boat

Adrain Law
Nationality: United Kingdom
Scenario is Boat A is on a broad reach/run on starboard having just gone around the leeward mark, Boat B is close hauled coming towards it but capsized. Boat A leaves Boat B 5 to 10m to its starboard. Boat B rights itself but before the helm gets in it capsizes ontop of him and onto Boat A.Under Rule 23, should Boat A have anticipated this and given more room?
Created: 20-Mar-08 23:35

Comments

P
John Allan
Nationality: Australia
Certifications:
  • National Judge
  • Regional Race Officer
0
I'd say that 5 to 10 m is usually a perfectly safe distance to avoid a capsized boat.

When the capsized boat begins to right, then capsizes on the other side this is a sudden and unintended change, and I would take the view that it was not possible for the other boat to avoid, and it was not possible for either boat to avoid contact.

Added later:

If the boat that had been capsized was already upright and the possibility that it would re-capsize was obvious, I'd be looking at 10m rather than 5.
Created: 20-Mar-09 01:20
Tribhuwan Jaiswal
Nationality: India
Certifications:
  • National Judge
  • National Race Officer
0
I agree with John Allan. The capsize on he other side cannot always be anticipated. It was not possible to avoid contact due to sudden unintended movement of the capsized boat.
Created: 20-Mar-09 03:59
Al Sargent
Nationality: United States
0
Hard to make a call without seeing a diagram. Is this within a boatlength or two of the mark, or several lengths away?

If the latter, several lengths or more away, common sense dictates that you steer so that any point on your boat (including the end of your boom or spinnaker pole) is one mast length away from the capsized boat. IMO, it's not a question or 5 or 10 meters. It's whatever the mast height is. That will be less for an Opti but more for a J105. I'm saying this not as a judge but someone that's spent lots of time racing in windy conditions (San Francisco Bay).

If it's the former (right near the mark or in the zone), I'll leave it to those better informed about the rules than I.
Created: 20-Mar-09 15:55
Tim Hohmann
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Umpire In Training
  • Regional Judge
0
Which tack was boat B on prior to the capsize?

Did she pass head to wind during the capsize?

If so, did she reach a close-hauled course on the other board?
Created: 20-Mar-11 23:01
Adrain Law
Nationality: United Kingdom
0
When Boat B came up and then blew into/over onto Boat A it was on port although obviously still out of control.

Incident was at least 30m away from the mark .


Created: 20-Mar-12 10:17
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