Vanguard 15 West Coast Fleet 53

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: Tacking inside the 2 boat circle: http://www.ussailing.org/championships/youth/youthchamp//2004/da_... .asp

Overview w diagrams: http://www.ussailing.org/championships/youth/youthchamp//2002/gra... s/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