Rule 10 On Opposite Tacks
Rule 11 On the Same Tack, Overlapped
Rule 12 On the Same Tack, not Overlapped
Rule 15 Acquiring Right of Way
Rule 64.1(c) Exoneration
Question 1 Yellow and Blue are on a beat to windward with Yellow on starboard
tack and Blue on port tack. Yellow goes through head to wind and completes
a tack clear ahead and slightly to windward of Blue’s course line.
Her tack slows Yellow down, and Blue creates an overlap to leeward, without
either boat changing course. The separation between the boats is only
a few centimetres. Yellow luffs to keep clear and there is immediately
contact. Both boats Y-flag. What should the call be?
Answer1 Blue has no need to alter course before Yellow completes her
tack. After Yellow completes her tack Blue has room to keep clear by bearing
away if needed, so Yellow fulfils her obligation under rule 15 to initially
give Blue room to keep clear. When Blue shortly thereafter acquires right
of way by establishing a leeward overlap, Blue must give Yellow room to
keep clear under rule 15. If, when the overlap is established, Yellow
makes every effort to keep clear but is unable to do so, then Blue breaks
rule 15. Yellow breaks rule 11 but will be exonerated under rule 64.1(c).
However, if Yellow does not make every effort to keep clear and Blue,
after initially giving room, is then required to take avoiding action
or there is contact, then Yellow breaks rule 11.
Question 2
Would the answer be different if Yellow completed the tack clear ahead
and further to windward, but was moving forward at slower speed than Blue
and slipping sideways reducing the separation between Blue and Yellow.