236 UNDE R S TANDING THE RAC ING RUL E S OF SAI L ING THROUGH 2 0 2 4


board-tack boat, she cannot blame the hailed boat. Therefore, a boat must not sail into a position, before hailing, where she cannot allow sufficient time for a response.


“I thought that when two port-tack boats were approaching a starboard- tacker, it was whoever hailed first that got to tell the other what to do.”


No! Rule 19.2(a) reminds the right-of-way boat that she has the right to choose on which side she will pass the obstruction. And if she wants to tack, rule 20.1 gives L or A the right to call for room to tack whenever she will have to make a substantial course change to avoid the obstruction; and re- quires W or B to respond to L or A’s hail. When two port-tack boats (PW and PL) are approaching a starboard-tack boat (S), Appeal 24 says, “PW estab- lished an inside overlap on PL when the two boats were several lengths from the obstruction. However, this fact alone did not give PW right to room under rule 19.2(b)…Therefore, PL was under no obligation to give PW room to pass astern of the obstruction if in fact PL desired to tack.” If PL chooses to pass astern of S and PW wants to pass astern of S also,


then Case 11 reminds PL that, as an outside boat passing an obstruction, “under rule 19.2(b) PW was entitled to room to pass between PL and the stern of S.” But if PL chooses to hail for room to tack under rule 20.1, PW must comply by tacking or replying “You tack” and giving PL room to tack even when PW would rather duck.


When L or A adequately hails, rule 20.2 tells W or B how to respond.


So when L or A adequately hails, W or B is required to respond, even if L or A’s hail breaks rule 20.1 (rule 20.2(b)), and she has only two choices for a response: either tack as soon as possible or immediately reply “You tack” (rule 20.2(c)). W or B does not have the option of disputing L or A’s judgment about her need to hail. When W or B feels L or A’s hail is not proper (e.g., she is not really near an obstruction or she will not soon have to make a substantial course change to avoid an obstruction) she nevertheless must respond. She can then protest under rule 20.1 claiming L or A hailed when she was not permitted to do so. Notice that if you choose to reply “You tack,” you must make that hail


immediately; i.e., without delay. Note also that you must use those exact two words in your hail.


Table of Contents


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