Rules Quiz
The Situation
Boats are approaching a reaching mark on starboard tack
1
where they will have to gybe to port tack to sail to the next
mark.
Yellow
Facts Found:
Yellow and Green were overlapped as they approached the
Green
zone. Yellow was to windward and ahead of Green. At about
the same time as she reached zone, Yellow broke the overlap.
She immediately hailed Green, “No overlap, no room.” (1)
Green hailed back that she wanted room at the mark. Yellow
reached the mark and gybed to round it. Having been a little
to windward of the course from the last mark, Yellow made
a wide rounding. When Green reached the mark, she saw an
opening and attempted to round inside of Yellow (2). In doing
2
so, hit Yellow on her port quarter (3) causing slight damage.
She also touched the mark (4). Both boats hailed “Protest”
and flew their protest flags. Realizing that she had touched
the mark, Green sailed clear and did a One-Turn Penalty to
exonerate herself.
Yellow
Green
Conclusions and Rules that apply:
Yellow and Green were overlapped as they approached
the zone. At approximately three of her lengths from the
mark, Yellow broke the overlap. Yellow thought she broke
the overlap just before entering the zone. Green thought the
overlap was broken after Yellow entered the zone. RRS 18.2(d)
applies and states that “If there is reasonable doubt” that a
boat broke an overlap in time, it shall be presumed that she
3
did NOT. Therefore RRS 18.2(b) applies at the zone, and even
after the overlap is broken, Yellow owes Green mark-room (see
RRS 18.2(c)). Not only that, but as soon as she is overlapped
contact
to leeward of Yellow, Green has right of way. Yellow breaks
rule 11 when she fails to keep clear. Yellow should do a Two-
Turns Penalty or she will be disqualified. In attempting to Yellow
Green
gybe inside Yellow, Green was taking mark-room that she was
entitled to. However, when she hit Yellow and caused damage,
she risks disqualification under RRS 14(b) so Green should
also do a Two-Turns Penalty. Note that if Green caused serious
damage, she is required by RRS 44.1 to retire. Green did do a
One-Turn Penalty because she touched the mark. However,
she touched the mark trying to turn inside of Yellow, a boat
that was required to give her mark-room.
4
RRS 64.1(c) says that if a boat breaks a rule because she
was compelled to do so by another boat that has broken a rule,
she should be exonerated. Therefore, Green did not have to
exonerate herself for touching the mark.
contact
For an animated version of this
situation, visit www.ukhalsey.com,
Green
Rules Quiz 6.
UK-Halsey Sailmakers has reposted
its animated rules quizzes to reflect
Yellow
the changes in the rules for 2009-2012.
48° No r t h , Ju N e 2009 Pa g e 71
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98