Three boats running  but not within the zone.

Boats are overlapped and roughly abeam.

Looking from astern the two right hand boats are on port gybe. the left hand boat is on starboard gybe.

The right hand boat luffs up the centre boat.  The left hand boat claims starboard rights.

The centre boat is unable to respond to either call and remain clear of contact.

What rights are involved and under what rules?

Mike Ure

Hi Mike,

Here is a diagram that sounds like your incident. Some facts are missing, - separation between boats, how Yellow established overlap with Red (may add R 17).

The rules that I see applying are

R10 P/S as Green is on stbd,  so Yellow and Red must keep clear

R 11 (W/L) for Yellow and Red on port - Red keeps clear.

R 16.1 Yellow alters course and has to give room for Red to keep clear - but Green on stbd is Obstruction limits Red's ability to stay clear.

R 19.2(b) Yellow as outside boat has to give room between her and the obstruction for Red

John

Edited February 19, 20242 yr by John Ball
added 19.2(b) comment

i would agree with that view the scenario could be similar to this from the 2021 - 2024 Case Book

CASE 11
When boats are overlapped at an obstruction, including an obstruction that is a
right-of-way boat, the outside boat must give the inside boat room between her
and the obstruction.

Thanks  John.

Your diagram is correct, and the overlaps were long established, so your summation is accurate.

Mike Ure

One of the 1st things I was taught by Martin Roberts was "talk to each other". There are very few situations that just happen, and at some stage the overlaps were established, or non existent, and in any hearing the protest committee will work from the last known position of certainty.  As the rules switch on and off depending on the timing and positions it is important that each boat can be clear on the sequence if it comes to a hearing.

By talking (not shouting) between the skippers it alerts the observers that something may be happening, the skippers involved can assess the situation and the racing becomes better and less confrontational.

 

Darin's / Martin's advise is (as most often) spot on!
While the rule situation might seem crisp and clear, I doubt that most skippers while racing would come to the same result i.e. the boat on stbd is an obstruction and as a result I can't luff my fellow competitor into him. These are the incidents, that have a high probability of landing in a jury room when not talking to each other.
 

One way to look at is this.  Green is on starboard so red, on port, must keep clear.  Yellow must not prevent Green from doing so.  I agree completely that Green should be talking to Yellow to ask for room.  

On a different tack (sic) I think that if I was red then I'd gybe onto Starboard (assuming we are heading for the same mark).