176 UNDE R S TANDING THE RAC ING RUL E S OF SAI L ING THROUGH 2 0 2 4
becomes important as boats approach the leeward mark on opposite tacks on widely differing angles. For instance, say that two boats are reaching on op- posite tacks to a leeward mark to be left to starboard. When the starboard tack boat (S) reaches the zone, the port tack boat (P) is five lengths from the mark, but based on the angle of S’s course, P is overlapped on the inside of S. Therefore, P is entitled to mark-roomfrom S under rule 18.2(b) if she needs it! However, as two boats approach a windward mark on opposite tacks, they are on a beat to windward, and rule 18.1(a) says that rule 18 does not apply to
