Rules Q & A
Do you have a question about any of the rule explanations or situations in Learn The Racing Rules? If so, please send your question by clicking here and I will try to answer it in the space below. Thanks, David
9/2/09 Rule 18.3 From RG, Model Yacht racing
Dave, in your video you explain how rule 18.2 discourages boats from approaching the windward mark on port tack. But I think a port tacker has an advantage in certain situations. Let’s say a boat (call her B) was on port tack and tacks inside the zone. When she completes her tack, she is clear astern of a starboard fetching boat (A). In light conditions it is then possible for B to get an inside overlap on A (especially if A was wide of the mark and bears away to round it).
My question is simply – when B gets an inside overlap can she go between A and the mark as long as she doesn’t force A to sail above close hauled? It seems to me the answer is yes, and if I am right then this seems to be an anomaly in the rules.
DAVE: I agree the answer is Yes. In your situation, boats are on opposite tacks and one (B) tacks inside the zone while the other (A) is fetching the mark. Therefore, rule 18.3 applies and it turns off rule 18.2 (Giving Mark-Room). With rule 18.2 turned off, neither boat is required to give mark-room (unless the fetching boat A gets an inside overlap as per 18.3b).
Therefore, both boats have to follow the basic right of way rules, and the boat that tacked has to abide by the limitations of rule 18.3. As long as A is clear ahead of B, B must keep clear — but if B gets a leeward overlap then B has the right of way and A must keep clear. B is OK as long as she doesn’t cause A to sail above closehauled (or prevent A from passing on the required side of the mark).
I don’t think of this as an anomaly in the rules because the new rule 18 was written so it doesn’t turn off the basic right-of-way rules (which happened with the 2005-2008 version of rule 18).
