Here's another look at the windward mark situation, courtesy of Jim.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jim Barkow <jim.barkow at gmail.com >
Date: Jul 28, 2006 4:03 PM
Subject: Duck, Duck...???
To: vanguard15 at list.sailingsource.com
Room to Duck?
Guys- wanted to follow up on the discussion last night about boats coming
into the starboard tack boats at the mark.
This issue in question: Room to tack vs Room to Duck? who has rights???
*Rules Questions:
*
*Simple Answer: *If there is overlap from the Port Windward to Port Leeward
boat, then the PW boat has room to duck. If there is no overlap, then PL can
call for room to tack and tack, as long as there is enough time for the PW
to keep clear, by tacking or ducking. If the PL boat ducks without any hail,
they still have to give room for the PW to duck as well. * *
Logic: (or lack there of)
18.2 (a) Giving Room; Keeping Clear
OVERLAPPED – BASIC RULE
a. When boats are overlapped the outside boat (PL) shall give the inside
boat (PW) room to round or pass the mark or obstruction, and if the inside
boat has right of way the outside boat shall also keep clear. Other parts of
rule 18 contain exceptions to this rule.
*
Then we look to the definition of Obstruction:
Obstruction* An object that a boat could not pass without changing course
substantially, if she were sailing directly towards it and one of her hull
lengths from it. An object that can be safely passed on only one side and an
area so designated by the sailing instructions are also obstructions.
However, a boat racing is not an obstruction to other boats unless they are
required to keep clear of her (as in the case of Port Starboard), give her
room or, if rule 21 applies, avoid her.
If no Overlap:
- Rule 15 requires the boat that acquires right-of-way to give enough space
to the other boat to act promptly in a seamanlike way in the prevailing
conditions to keep clear.
JB Editorial:
First of all, it's never realistic to say 'stop coming in from port'. Our
courses are short, and getting shorter. We have 20 boats on the line and the
starboard most starting boat tends to hold onto the controlling position as
long as possible- especially because our wind has consistently been 5-7
degrees farther south than normal. So inevitably, a first row starter on the
port end is almost always going to be 2 tacking the 1st beat. It's not their
fault- no one ever wants to get into that situation- it happens. (It's also
been strange that poor starts have been rewarded with the chance to do an
early duck of the starboard boats and get out the right side early- I think
Teddy and AJ lived off that last night...)
Things to Sail by:
1) avoid collisions
2) standard Hails:
"Room to Duck" - hailed by PW boat when overlapped and needing to Duck.
Assumes there is overlap.
"Starboard Boat- Tacking"- hailed by PL boat with ample time for PW to
react
"No- NEED TO TACK!!!!" - hailed by PL boat, regardless of rights, to avoid
collision due to boats PW does not see, wind shift, etc... this hail trumps
all.
remember, these boats can tack in about 1-2 seconds, and less than a boat
length- on a average night. In this situation, in my opinion, 'slow tacks'
are not a reasonable excuse.
2) be vocal, early and often. If you see the situation happening, start
talking early. If you were fouled, be vocal and clear, never personal. The
person to blame usually becomes clear. If there are boat(s) above you, you
must hail early so everyone knows you have to tack.
3) if you are starboard, think about 'defending your lane' (not hunting) to
give yourself a little gap. What this means is, if you are are close to
layline, and you see a port boat approaching that is going to tack short or
lee bow you, bear off slightly- 5-10 degrees or so, to build up speed. 2
things will happen- either the port boat will think that you angle is poor
and he can't tack there to still make it so he'll duck you, or if he does
tack, you will have speed and angle to separate yourself from them and sail
around them. Very effective if there are more boats on port, inside.
4) angles change quickly at the weather mark. The last 100 yards is the
shiftiest part of our course by far- it ridiculous at times how fast the
angles change. Don't assume you can cross someone. But remember this rule:
*Rule 16.1*: When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the
other boat room to keep clear.
*Rule 16.2*: In addition, when after the starting signal a port-tack boat is
keeping clear by sailing to pass astern of a starboard-tack boat, the
starboard-tack boat shall not change course if as a result the port-tack
boat would immediately need to change course to continue keeping clear.
This clears a port boat that was crossing a starboard boat in the event of
sudden wind shift and requires the starboard boat to keep clear.
http://www.ussailing.org/member/library/urrs20041110.htm
- so you can't head up into a boat in a huge shift without giving them room
to be clear.
Other rules of Interest:
<http://www.ussailing.org/member/library/urrs20041110.htm>Tacking inside
the 2 boat circle:
http://www.ussailing.org/championships/youth/youthchamp//2004/da_rulz.asp
Overview w diagrams:
http://www.ussailing.org/championships/youth/youthchamp//2002/graphics/dp2.gif
How well do you know the rules?
http://www.speedandsmarts.com/Rules_Test/87_Rules_IQ_Test.pdf
Feel free to correct me if or comment as needed. See ya all this weekend!!!
--
Jim Barkow
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