Forum: The Racing Rules of Sailing

Overtaking Starboard Boat

Peter Vancolen
Nationality: United States
2 one design boats down wind (winds 18, gusts to 25) to a leeward mark more than 15+ boat lengths way. Red on Starboard, Blue on Port.  With a gust of wind and a surf down a wave, there was contact. Blue protests Red for not giving blue time to keep clear Rule 15. Red protests blue for port boat not keeping clear. In the protest room, Red describes how she was catching up to blue with the intent of getting on the inside for mark room at the next mark. A gust at the same time as a wave sped her up, she tried to turn to port to avoid but not fast enough. Blue stated that the overtaking boat never said anything nor did it give her enough time to avoid because her air was covered.  Thoughts?

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Created: 20-May-11 20:03

Comments

Tim Hohmann
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Umpire In Training
  • Regional Judge
-1
Did Red contact Blue's transom, or her quarter?
Created: 20-May-11 20:10
Mark Townsend
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • International Race Officer
  • International Umpire
  • International Judge
6
Blue on port failed to keep clear of Red on starboard, and broke RRS 10. 
Created: 20-May-11 20:27
Peter Vancolen
Nationality: United States
0
Tim, Light contact was Red bow on Blue transom by the corner. No damage or injury with regards to 14. 
Please explain how the location of the contact is relevant in this case (RRS 10) and / or describe a scenario where the contact location is relevant. 
Created: 20-May-11 20:32
Al Sargent
Nationality: United States
0
Peter, 

How much time elapsed between positions 1 and 2, and positions 2 and 3?

How much wind, how big a wave, and what kind of boats are involved? Are they flying spinnakers or not?

Asking since room to keep clear (RRS 15) can depend on the boat and circumstances.  A mainsail-only boat like a Laser or Opti can quickly sail by the lee to avoid contact, while a boat with a large spinnaker in heavy air might not be able to do so without broaching to windward, digging their spinnaker pole in the water, and potentially breaking their rig. 
Created: 20-May-11 20:45
Peter Nielsen
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Regional Judge
  • National Umpire
3
The location of contact, in this case, doesn't matter at all. This is a clear RRS 10 and it's one of the most basic quiz questions in a 30 question quiz. What many racers don't get is, RRS 12, boat astern shall keep clear, only applies to boats on same tack. When boats are on different tacks, then RRS 10, Port/Starboard, applies. No matter if one boat is astern of the other.

edited
Created: 20-May-11 20:51
Tim Hohmann
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Umpire In Training
  • Regional Judge
0
Peter, I guess you're right that if they were on opposite tacks the location of contact isn't relevant. It could be relevant if they were on same tack - if R contacted B's transom then B was clear ahead and R broke rule 12. If contact was on B's quarter then an overlap was established. If R established an overlap to leeward PC would need to determine if B broke 11 or R broke 15.

In this instance I agree with Mark - R on starboard had ROW the entire time and B had plenty of opportunity to keep clear. R's sudden surge was B's bad luck/judgment.

Mark, do you think B also breaks 14? If it was possible for her to keep clear, wasn't it also reasonably possible for her to avoid contact?
Created: 20-May-11 20:52
Catalan Benaros
Nationality: Argentina
0

Blue DSQ x rule 10
If there is DAMAGE, bothe are DSQ

Created: 20-May-11 20:59
Tod Sackett
Nationality: United States
0
Peter Rule 10 boats on Opposite tacks... did you reverse that? 
Created: 20-May-11 21:04
Mark Townsend
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • International Race Officer
  • International Umpire
  • International Judge
1
CONCLUSIONS
  1. Blue on port failed to keep clear of Red on starboard, and broke RRS 10.
  2. Blue did not avoid contact when it was reasonably possible, and broke RRS 14.
  3. It was not reasonably possible for Red the right-of-way boat to avoid contact with Blue when it was clear that Blue was not keeping clear. Red did not break RRS 14.
    OR
    Red the right-of-way boat did not act to avoid contact when it became clear that Blue was not keeping clear. Red broke RRS 14.
DECISION
  1. Red is exonerated under RRS 14(b) since the contact did not cause damage or injury. [If you find RED broke 14]
  2. Blue is DSQ  
Created: 20-May-11 21:33
Clark Chapin
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • National Judge
  • Club Race Officer
1
I agree with the comments of Peter Nielsen, except that I believe he miss-spoke and meant to say that "RRS 12, boat astern shall keep clear, only applies to boats on the same tack. When boats are on different tacks, then RRS 10, Port/Starboard, applies. No matter if one boat is astern of the other."
Created: 20-May-11 21:35
Aldo Balelli
Nationality: Italy
Certifications:
  • National Race Officer
  • National Judge
0
if there is damage, no DSQ for RED;  she tried to avoid contact when it was clear BLUE was not keeping clear. Or that is what i understand from the facts
Created: 20-May-11 21:35
John Christman
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Club Race Officer
  • National Judge
  • National Umpire
1
Going down the list of rules:
10 - applies - boats are on opposite tacks, Blue must keep clear of Red.
11, 12, 12 - do not apply
14 - always applies
15 - does not apply - the ROW did not change during the incident, so no 'initially'.
16 - does not apply - Red did not change course preventing Blue from keeping clear.  Speeding up and slowing down are not course changes.

Agree with Mark T.  Blue broke 10 & 14, Red broke 14.  Blue DSQ.  Red, no penalty, 14(b).
Created: 20-May-11 21:50
Peter Vancolen
Nationality: United States
0
Al - small boats, Main & jib, no spin.

In my opinion, when Blue saw Red coming up from behind, Blue should have gybed to Starboard as well to change the situation from RRS10 to 12 forcing Red to overtake cleanly. Seeing as how Red stated she was maneuvering for an inside position, once both boats were on starboard and Red did get the overlap, Red would be bound to sail her proper course RRS17. I can see how RRS15 would come into play depending on when Blue gybed to starboard. Would Red have needed to anticipate this?
Created: 20-May-11 21:58
Philip Hubbell
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Club Race Officer
  • Judge In Training
0
Red on starboard has ROW. Nothing changes that from top to bottom.
Red did not alter course in a manner to prevent Blue from keeping clear.
There is no rule requiring announcement of speed increase.
(18 does not apply, therefore they are not overlapped, so location of contact is irrelevant.)
Both failed to avoid contact.
Red is exonerated because ROW and no damage. 
Blue is exonerated of contact because not able to predict sudden acceleration of Red, and no damage.
Blue failed to keep clear of ROW Red. DSQ Blue.
Created: 20-May-12 00:36
Mark Townsend
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • International Race Officer
  • International Umpire
  • International Judge
0
Blue is exonerated of contact because not able to predict sudden acceleration of Red, and no damage.

Not sure I agree that Blue did not break RRS 14. Blue is required to keep clear and there was contact. 
Red's actions are consistent with seamanlike sailing in existing conditions. Blue's failed to allow sufficient space given the existing conditions, which include the wind and sea conditions, resulted in Red being unable to sail her course with no need to take avoiding action.
Created: 20-May-12 01:30
Philip Hubbell
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Club Race Officer
  • Judge In Training
1
Mark, you are conflating contact (14) and keeping clear (10).
Blue can be exonerated of 14, yet DSQ for 10.
Created: 20-May-12 01:35
Tim Hohmann
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Umpire In Training
  • Regional Judge
0
Phil, I expect that's possible but not the case here. Blue was not ROW and was not sailing within room she was entitled to. If Blue had kept clear, there would not have been contact. Thus no exoneration for Blue.

If you want to say Blue was sailing within room (to keep clear) that she was entitled to, then did she break rule 10? 
Created: 20-May-12 01:49
Philip Hubbell
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Club Race Officer
  • Judge In Training
0
What?

Created: 20-May-12 02:22
Mark Townsend
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • International Race Officer
  • International Umpire
  • International Judge
0
Red is the right of way boat and did not alter course in a manner to prevent Blue from keeping clear.
We reached a conclusion that Blue on port failed to keep clear of Red on starboard, and broke RRS 10.
The contact is evidence that Blue has failed to keep clear. Given the conditions Blue needed to take action earlier to keep clear and allow Red to sail her course with no need to take avoiding action.

Therefore Blue breaks RRS 10 & RRS 14.
Red breaks 14 but is exonerated under RRS 14(b)
Created: 20-May-12 02:30
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