Rules Quiz
The Situation:
Two Mumm 30’s (Green and Red) are maneuvering
to start a race. With about 30 seconds to go to the starting
signal, Green is early and luffing her sails to slow down. Red
is approaching the starting line on a reach and going at full
speed.
Facts Found:
Red was beam reaching at about 6-7 knots. Green, with
her sails luffing, was sailing on a close reach and moving
towards the line at about 1-1/2 knots. Red decided not to try
to go between Green and the Committee Boat and instead
passed astern of Green. Immediately after crossing Green’s
stern, Red luffed sharply to a close-hauled course. At that
point, she was approximately 1-1/2 boatlengths astern and
slightly to leeward of Green. Red immediately started hailing
for Green to “come up”. Red closed the distance rapidly,
all the time hailing Green to “come up”. About 5 seconds
before the starting signal, Green trimmed her sails. Shortly
after that, Red established an overlap on Green about 3 feet
to leeward. At the starting signal, Green altered her course
to close hauled and her stern hit Red’s windward topside
about 10 feet aft of her bow. Both boats hailed “Protest”. Red
protested Green under Rule 11. Green protested Red under
Rule 14, 15 and 17.
Conclusions and Rules that Apply:
After Red luffed to close hauled astern and to leeward of
Green, she was subject to Rule 12 and her hails to Green were
meaningless. Green was not required to anticipate the fact
that Red would establish an overlap.
When Red finally did establish an overlap, Rule 11
applied and the burden to keep clear shifted from Red to
Green. However, Rule 15 required Red to “initially give the
other boat (Green) room to keep clear,….”. (See the definition
of Room.) Contact occurred between the boats sometime less
than 5 seconds after the overlap was established. Given the
prevailing conditions, Green’s response to her new burden
to “keep clear” was prompt and seamanlike. She simply was
not given enough room to do so. Red is disqualified under
Rule 15 for not giving Green room to keep clear.
For an animated version of this situation, visit
www.ukhalsey.com, Rules Quiz 8.
48° No r t h , Ja N u a r y 2010 Pa g e 86
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