Windward Mark Rounding, to Port. When Boats Meet.

[richarneall]

Dear Richard,

Can you help on this one?....

Windward Mark Rounding, to Port. When Boats Meet. Wind 12 knots.

Two boats approaching windward mark to be left to port.

Boat "A" on starboard, coming in about 2 boat lengths below the layline and not able to shoot the mark because of adverse tide.

Boat "B" is coming in on port slightly above the port layline with sheets eased slightly and approximately 1/2 boat to 1 boat length behind "A".

Boat "A" enters the 3 boat length circle sails up to the port layline and tacks onto port just ahead of "B" and sheets in around 2 to 3 boat lengths away from the mark.

Boat "B" with her momentum has to bear away underneath boat "A" to avoid sailing into her stern but ends up touching boat "A" on the starboard transom about 4 feet from her stem in the manoeuvre.

Question 1:
*Who infringed who and which rule takes precedence? there seem to be a lot in play.

Question 2:
* If after "A" had tacked onto port, rather than sailing below "A", could "B" have sailed above "A" and claimed (or forced) water at the mark on the basis that while "A" was on starboard and entered the 3 boat zone "B" was overlapped? or R18.3(b) shall give room if the other boat becomes overlapped inside her?

Thanks
Richard

[RichardThompson]

Answer 1
Rule 18 about mark-room does not apply while the boats are on opposite tacks at a windward mark. Depending on more precise information than you have given, the considerations for boats after they become on the same tack are:

(1) If A caused B to alter course to avoid contact before A completed her tack, A failed to keep clear while tacking and broke rule 13.

(2) After A completes her tack, B is clear astern and must keep clear under rule 12. When she later obtains an overlap to leeward of A, B must initially give A room to keep clear as required by rule 15.

(3) After A completes her tack, B must give A mark-room both when clear astern and later when overlapped to leeward. Mark-room is the space (think of it as a corridor) to sail from where she is to the required side of the mark.

(4) A will be exonerated from breaking rule 11, windward boat must keep clear, only if she is taking no more room than needed. Thus, if A is sailing in the corridor, she will be exonerated under rule 18.5 for failing to keep clear.

Answer 2
Rule 18.3 does not apply as neither boat is fetching the mark; see definition 'Fetching'. However, no part of rule 18.2(b) applies so that the requirement to give mark-room is governed by rule 18.2(a). So if B chooses to go to windward, she will be entitled to mark-room provided A is able to give it; otherwise rule 18.2(e) applies.

[richarneall]

Very clear, thank you.

Richard