Rule 28.1, Sailing the Course
Rule 44.1(b),
Penalties at the Time of an Incident: Taking a Penalty
Rule 44.2, Penalties at the Time of an Incident:
One-Turn and Two-Turns Penalties
When taking a penalty after touching a mark, a boat need not complete a full 360°turn, and she may take her penalty while simultaneously rounding the mark. Her turn to round the mark will serve as her penalty if it includes a tack and a gybe, if it is carried out promptly after clearing and remaining clear of the mark and other boats, and when no question of advantage arises.
Assumed Facts
In each of the four illustrated situations, a boat touches a rounding mark that
she is required to leave to port and then makes a turn that includes one tack
and one gybe.
Question
In each situation, does the boat take a One-Turn Penalty that complies with
rule 44 and with rule 28.1?
Answer
When a boat breaks rule 31, her penalty is usually a One-Turn Penalty. However,
if, by touching the mark, she causes injury or serious damage or gains a significant
advantage in the race or series, her penalty is to retire (see rule 44.1(b)).
In each illustrated situation she takes a One-Turn Penalty that complies with
rule 44.2, provided that
(a) as soon as possible, and before beginning her penalty turn, she sails well
clear of any other boats and remains clear of them while making her turn;
(b) when she begins her penalty turn she is no longer touching the mark; and
(c) she makes her penalty turn promptly after she is clear of other boats.
Rule 44.2 does not require a boat that takes a One-Turn Penalty to complete
a full 360° turn, or a turn of any particular number of degrees, and it
does not prohibit taking the penalty while making another manoeuvre, such as
rounding the mark.
All four illustrated turns comply with rule 28.1. Provided that the string representing
the boat’s track when drawn taut lies on the mark’s required side,
the boat would comply with rule 28.1 even if (as not illustrated) a penalty
turn resulted in the boat making an extra 360° turn around the mark.
RYA 2005/4