Rule 28.1, Sailing the Course
When a boat’s string passes a mark on the required side, she does not break rule 28.1 if her string, when drawn taut, also passes that mark on the non-required side.
Assumed Facts Question |
Answer
Boat A complied with rule 28.1. After starting, she left each starting mark
on its required side. Then she sailed around the entire starting line as shown.
Even so, the string representing her track, when drawn taut, leaves each starting
mark on the required side as it crosses the starting line. Rule 28.1 does not
prohibit extra turns around a mark, provided that the string when drawn taut
lies on the required side of each mark. For example, if a boat touches a rounding
mark while leaving it on her starboard side as required by the sailing instructions,
and then makes a clockwise penalty turn around it, she complies with rule 28.1.
Another example, as boat A illustrates in this case, is when a boat’s
string passes the two starting-line marks on the required side, she does not
break rule 28.1 when her string also passes one of those marks (in this case
the race committee boat) on the non-required side.
Boat B broke rule 28.1. After starting, she left the port-end mark to port and
the starboard-end mark to starboard, as required. However, she later drifted
back across the starting line and then left the starboard-end mark to port.
When the string representing her track is drawn taught it will not pass through
the starting line and therefore will not leave the starboard-end mark on the
required side.
See Case 106 for a discussion of a similar incident at a finishing line.
Yacht Club Argentino 1996/3