Rule 20.1(b) Room to Tack at an Obstruction:
Hailing and Responding
When, in reply to her call for room to tack when close-hauled approaching
an obstruction, a boat is hailed ‘You tack’, and when she does so
and is then able to tack again to keep clear in a seamanlike way, the other
boat has given the room required.
Summary of the Facts
A and B were International Dragons. A was approaching the shore closehauled
on starboard tack, clear ahead and to leeward of B. A hailed for room
to tack, and B replied ‘You tack.’ A tacked and B held her
course. A was then on a collision course with B and tacked again. Both
of A’s tacks were made in a normal, seamanlike way. After A’s
second tack she was overlapped to leeward of B. Shortly afterwards B tacked
and A did likewise. A protested B for not giving room as required by rule
20.1(b). The protest committee concluded that B failed to give A ‘room
to tack and avoid her’, and disqualified B, stating that she had
‘failed to keep clear of A after her tack.’ B appealed.
Decision
B’s appeal is upheld, and she is to be reinstated. A’s actions
show that she had room to tack and avoid B. B therefore met her obligation
under rule 20.1(b).
It is important to distinguish a requirement to keep clear from a requirement
to give room. When a boat with right of way is required to give another
boat room for a manoeuvre, right of way does not transfer to the boat
entitled to room. After A tacked onto port tack, B was not, as the protest
committee evidently believed, required to keep clear of A; instead, it
was A that was required by rule 10 to keep clear of B. B was only required
by rule 20.1(b) to give A room to tack and avoid B, and B did so.