Has Yellow finished correctly? She hits the finish mark as she finishes, so she needs to take a penalty turn and cross from the course side. She gybes to port and rounds up, passes HTW and then crosses the line before reaching a close hauled course. So has Yellow completed her penalty turn?

I have written a new short article on what constitutes a tack. It is on my web site near the bottom of the home page - see Appendix D What constitutes a Tack

https://sites.google.com/site/johnsrcsailingrulesandtactics/

John

In a similar vein, a yacht tacking from port to starboard does not gain starboard tack rights until her sails are full on the new tack. In my opinion, if the port tack vessel has to start an evasive manoeuvre before the starboard tack yacht's sails are full, then the tacking yacht has broken Ruel 13. Unfortunately I seem to be in a minority on this point as yachts to leeward and slightly ahead on port think they can tack with impunity and yell starboard as they come head to wind,

Or they will generously warn you that they are "Tacking", as if that absolves them of the fact that they are tacking in your water or into you!

Hi John949

what you are describing is a clear breach of R 13. In addition, as ROW has changed, R 15 also applies briefly and the port tack boat must be given room to keep clear once STBD reaches close hauled course.

Note that the term 'full & by' was dropped from the RRS many many years ago - replaced by 'close hauled course'

John

2 hours ago, Peter Baldwin said:

Or they will generously warn you that they are "Tacking", as if that absolves them of the fact that they are tacking in your water or into you!

Obligation to give time and room to keep clear does seem to get 'forgotten', esp. at windward marks. And, with the tacking aspect, can get 'subjective'.

Often worthwhile, I think, even if you are going to complete your tack in adequate time, to let the other boat know. Unless in a title-deciding match race, then a collision is likely to disadvantage both (or more)....

Hi Colin et al,

I cover the subject of boats tacking at the stbd lay line on my web site - scroll to the bottom and look for my Appendix C When is 'tacking too close' too close?

John

This happened to me at the weekend and the boat involved refused to do a turn and just said l was on starboard. At club level the argument is not worth the trouble but how do we sort this at an event especially with a he said she said?

Hi RoRo,

I suggest you look in the WS Case Book and share with your fellow sailors.

Look at cases 15 and especially Case 27 for applying R 13. Case 27 is exactly the described issue.

Rule 13, While Tacking

CASE 15 In tacking to round a mark, a boat clear ahead must comply with rule 13; a boat clear astern is entitled to hold her course and thereby prevent the other from tacking.

CASE 27 A boat is not required to anticipate that another boat will break a rule. When a boat acquires right of way as a result of her own actions, the other boat is entitled to room to keep clear.

Also for R 15 see Case 81 however that is a marks to stbd scenario.

CASE 81 When a boat entitled to mark-room under rule 18.2(a)(2) passes head to wind, rule 18.2(a)(2) ceases to apply and she must comply with the applicable rule of Section A.

John

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by John Ball
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