Merry Christmas.

Mark room,

I have just read this,here.

http://www.uksailmakers.com/news/2016/12/23/changes-to-the-racing-rules-for-2017?mc_cid=f1c0bedf6e&mc_eid=6d18099584

Rule 18.2(d) (Giving Mark-Room) Rule 18.2(d) provides a “shut off” time for when a boat is no longer entitled to mark-room under rule 18.2(b) or room under rule 18.2© and therefore is no longer “protected” by rule 21 (Exoneration). The “shut off” time is when the boat has been given mark-room, which is when she has been given the space she needs to round or pass the mark on the required side as needed to

Rule 18.2(d) (Giving Mark-Room) Rule 18.2(d) provides a “shut off” time for when a boat is no longer entitled to mark-room under rule 18.2(b) or room under rule 18.2© and therefore is no longer “protected” by rule 21 (Exoneration). The “shut off” time is when the boat has been given mark-room, which is when she has been given the space she needs to round or pass the mark on the required side as needed to sail the course, and has been able to sail close to the mark when her proper course would bring her close to the mark.

Does this mean that we can finally stop skippers' practice of "wide in.close out" when rounding a mark. In a case where a port rounding boat is on port,no need to tack for the next mark but demands wriggle room in spite of being windward boat. My interpretation of the Rules is if there is room for the inside boat between a leeward boat and the mark and she hits neither,she has been given "mark room".But many skippers refuse to obey the windward rule and state that they are only asking for room to pass the mark in a seamanlike manner or that Rule 21 applies.

Terry.

Eastbourne.

Wide in-close out is a function of having ROW and is not related to Mark Room. So should be no difference. So if you have Mark Room and the other boat has to keep clear under R 10, R 11 or R 12, you may still do the wide in-close out.

So in your example of a port tack windward boat, they were never entitled to wide in - just enough room to round the mark in accordance with the definition of Mark Room and Room

R21 only provides protection if you are sailing within the Mark Room or Room to which you are entitled - so if you get greedy and sail wide, affecting a ROW boat, you loose the protection of R 21

John

John,

Thank you very much for your reply. Just as I thought.

I've posted another query in a new Rules topic.