PART 2: WHEN BOATS MEET— ROOM TO PASS & TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION 239
In situation 1, L breaks rule 20.2(d) by delaying her tack to starboard. After W tacks in response to L’s hail, L must tack as soon as possible.
In situation 2, L breaks rule 20.2(d) by not tacking as soon as possible after W replies “You tack.”
for room to tack, PL was faced with the necessity of taking alternative action to avoid S. This raises the question of whether she is exonerated by rule 43.1(a) as the innocent victim of another boat’s breach. We think not, since the protest committee found that she could have gone astern of S. A boat breaking a rule is not exonerated by rule 43.1(a) unless she was compelled by another boat to break a rule.” The key to all this is that L or A must keep a good lookout and begin hail-
ing in time for W or B to hear and understand the hail and then respond. If L orA waits until the last second to hail, and then immediately fouls S, she cannot blame W or B. But if after several clear hails W or B does not respond, L or A must make a reasonable effort to keep clear of S. If she cannot keep clear she is
