Rule 12, On the Same Tack, Not Overlapped
Rule 14, Avoiding Contact
Definitions Clear Astern and Clear
Ahead; Overlap
Definitions, Keep Clear
A boat required to keep clear must keep clear of another boat’s equipment out of its normal position when the equipment has been out of its normal position long enough for the equipment to have been seen and avoided.
Summary of the Facts |
Decision
The contact was caused by B bearing away. At the time of contact, A’s
spinnaker was not in its normal position, and B’s bow was astern of A’s
hull and all of her equipment that was in normal position. Therefore, there
was no overlap (see the definition Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap), and
rule 12 applied. It required B to keep clear of A’s hull, equipment and
crew, including her spinnaker.
B broke rule 12 by failing to keep clear, because by sailing towards A’s
spinnaker she created a need for A to take avoiding action (see the definition
Keep Clear). B’s crew had been able to see A’s spinnaker streaming
from the top of her mast for quite some time before the contact, so B’s
failure to keep clear could not be blamed on the fact that A’s spinnaker
was not in its normal position.
Case 77 addresses an incident that appears to be similar but is significantly
different. There, B passed the mark close astern of A with no knowledge that
A would lose control of her spinnaker. B could not have been expected to foresee
that A’s spinnaker would suddenly trail astern by 20 feet (6 m).
In this case, B also broke rule 14 by causing contact she could have avoided.
However, A did not break that rule because it was not reasonably possible for
her to avoid the contact. Even if it had been possible, as a right-of-way boat
she could not be penalized because there was no damage or injury (see rule 14(b)).
B was properly disqualified for breaking rule 12. She also broke rule 14. Her
appeal is dismissed.
USSA 1987/271