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Racing Rules Weekly Quiz

Each week this season, we will offer a “quiz” question regarding the Racing Rules of Sailing.  Read the scenario below, formulate your answer, then move your mouse over the box to reveal the correct answer.

Need further explanation?
something we can discuss on the porch on Sunday.

This Week's Question

Two boats, L (a leeward boat) and W (a windward boat), are approaching the left-hand end of the starting line, which is a 16-foot powerboat. When W is three lengths from the end of the line, L becomes overlapped on W to leeward from clear astern. There are six seconds to go before the starting signal. L slowly luffs and W keeps clear. As L reaches close-hauled, the starting signal is made. L is a boat length from the powerboat and will not clear it sailing close-hauled. She luffs to head to wind, shooting up and around the powerboat, and then bears away to a close-hauled course. W keeps clear throughout, and protests L for sailing above close-hauled after the starting signal. You are on the protest committee; which boat should be penalized? (From Perry, Quiz 25)

Answer

Boat W’s protest is disallowed. The 16-foot powerboat ranks as both a “mark” and an “obstruction” to the 18-foot sailboats (see the definitions Mark and Obstruction). The preamble to Section C, At Marks and Obstructions, states that the rules of Section C, which include rule 18, Mark-Room, and rule 19, Room to Pass an Obstruction, do not apply “at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water.” Therefore, the situation is governed by the rules of Sections A and B. L becomes overlapped to leeward from clear astern of W. Therefore, rule 17, On the Same Tack; Proper Course, requires her to not sail above her proper course. Before the starting signal L has no proper course (see the definition Proper Course); therefore, she is free to sail up to head to wind, provided that when she changes course she gives W room to keep clear (rule 16.1, Changing Course). After the starting signal, L is required to not sail above her proper course. In this case her “proper course” (the course she would sail to finish as soon as possible) is to luff head to wind, coast past the powerboat and then bear away to a close-hauled course (see the definition Proper Course). L sails no higher than this course, and therefore does not break rule 17; and while she is changing course, L gives W room to keep clear under rule 16 .1 as demonstrated by W’s performance. W correctly keeps clear under rule 11, On the Same Tack, Overlapped

This quiz was borrowed from the Inland Lake Yachting Association‘s #FairSailing initiative
Learn more at sailzing.com

Excerpted from Dave Perry’s100 Best Racing Rules Quizzes, available from US Sailing. For a comprehensive explanation of the rules, read Dave Perry’s Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing through 2024, which is also available from US Sailing.

Racing Rules Weekly Quiz

Each week this season, we will offer a “quiz” question regarding the Racing Rules of Sailing.  Read the scenario below, formulate your answer, then move your mouse over the box to reveal the correct answer.

Need further explanation?
something we can discuss on the porch on Sunday.

This Week's Question

Blue and Yellow are approaching a shoreline. Blue hails for room to tack. Yellow replies "you tack." Blue tacks and Yellow bears off to sail behind Blue. Which boat(s) should promptly take a penalty?

Answer

Neither boat should take a penalty. Both boats complied with Rule 20, Room to Tack at an Obstruction.

This quiz was borrowed from the Inland Lake Yachting Association‘s #FairSailing initiative 
Learn more at sailzing.com

Racing Rules Weekly Quiz

Each week this season, we will offer a “quiz” question regarding the Racing Rules of Sailing.  Read the scenario below, formulate your answer, then move your mouse over the box to reveal the correct answer.

Need further explanation?
something we can discuss on the porch on Sunday.

This Week's Question

Blue and Yellow are sailing upwind. Blue tacks. During Blue’s tack, Yellow heads up to avoid Blue. There was no contact. Yellow alleges Blue broke Rule 13. Blue alleges she kept clear. Which boat(s) should promptly take a penalty?

Answer

Blue should take a penalty. Rule 13 requires Blue to keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course. The definition of keep clear states: Keep Clear. A boat keeps clear of a right-of-way boat: (a) if the right-of-way boat can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action and, (b) when the boats are overlapped, if the right-of-way boat can also change course in both directions without immediately making contact. Blue did not keep clear between the time she passed head to wind until she was on a close-hauled course. Yellow was forced to head up to avoid Blue.

This quiz was borrowed from the Inland Lake Yachting Association‘s #FairSailing initiative 
Learn more at sailzing.com

Racing Rules Weekly Quiz

Each week this season, we will offer a “quiz” question regarding the Racing Rules of Sailing.  Read the scenario below, formulate your answer, then move your mouse over the box to reveal the correct answer.

Need further explanation?
something we can discuss on the porch on Sunday.

This Week's Question

Red and Green are sailing upwind. Red asks permission to cross, and Green replies, “cross.” Green then ducks Red. A third boat, not involved in the situation, protests Red for not keeping clear of Green. Which boat(s) should promptly take a penalty?

Answer

Neither boat should take a penalty. Red should not be penalized, since she kept clear of Green. A boat is keeping clear if the right-of-way boat (Green) can sail her course. Her course implies the course of her choosing – it specifically does not say proper course. Sailing the course of her choice is accepted as normal behavior because starboard may choose to duck due to tactical considerations or for any reason of her choosing.

This quiz was borrowed from the Inland Lake Yachting Association‘s #FairSailing initiative 
Learn more at sailzing.com

Racing Rules Weekly Quiz

Each week this season, we will offer a “quiz” question regarding the Racing Rules of Sailing.  Read the scenario below, formulate your answer, then move your mouse over the box to reveal the correct answer.

Need further explanation?
something we can discuss on the porch on Sunday.

This Week's Question

Boats P (on port tack) and S (on starboard tack) are beating to windward. P tacks into a position just in front of S. When P reaches a close-hauled course, she is a few feet clear ahead of S. S, who has not needed to change course prior to that moment to avoid P, immediately luffs above a close-hauled course, avoids contact and protests. You are on the protest committee: how do you decide this?

Answer

S’s protest is dismissed; neither boat breaks a rule. While P is on port tack she is required to keep clear of S by rule 10, On Opposite Tacks. While P is tacking, she is required to keep clear of S from the moment she passes head to wind until she reaches a close-hauled course by rule 13, While Tacking. A boat “keeps clear” if the right-of-way boat can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action (see the definition Keep Clear). S does not need to take any avoiding action before P reaches a close-hauled course. When P reaches a close-hauled course, rule 13 ceases to apply and P is the right-of-way boat under rule 12, On the Same Tack, Not Overlapped. Because she acquired the right of way by her actions, P is required to give S room to keep clear of her by rule 15, Acquiring Right of Way. S is able to avoid P in a seamanlike way; therefore P complies with rule 15.
This quiz was excerpted from Dave Perry’s 100 Best Racing Rules Quizzes available from US Sailing. For a comprehensive explanation of the rules, read Dave Perry’s Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing through 2024, which is also available from US Sailing. Permission to reprint this quiz for non commercial use is granted by the author.
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