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Racing Rules
WHEN ONE OF TWO OPPOSITE TACK BOATS TACKS WITHIN TWO LENGTHS OF THE MARK
Rule 18.3 -Tacking
If two boats were approaching a mark on
opposite tacks and one of them completes a tack in the two-length zone
when the other is fetching the mark, rule 18.2 does not apply. The boat
that tacked:
(a) shall not cause the other boat to
sail above close-hauled to avoid her or prevent the other boat from
passing the mark, and
(b) shall give room if the other boat becomes overlapped inside her, in
which case rule 15 does not apply.
The concept in this rule is to improve
the racing by trying to minimize the frustrating and sometimes dangerous
congestion that can occur at crowded windward mark roundings, especially
when the mark is to be left to port. Problems are often caused by
port-tack boats approaching on or near the port layline and trying to
squeeze their boats in between the starboard-tack boats on the starboard
layline and the mark. Too often, these port-tackers don't even get to
their close-hauled courses before shooting back up to try to make it
around the mark, or they get hung up on the mark itself, or worse: they
fall back onto port tack directly in front of the approaching starboard-tackers!
Too many otherwise excellent close races have been ruined by these
actions; and with the popular trend toward shorter courses and more races,
the rule writers have taken this proactive step to improve the game.
In a nutshell, the rule works like this
(we'll get into the technicalities below):
A boat that completes a tack within the
two-length zone in front of another boat that is "fetching the mark" must
do it in a place that allows the other boat to pass the mark with no
interference, and without ever having to sail above close-hauled to avoid
hitting the boat that tacked.
If the boat that tacks causes the other
boat to sail above close-hauled to, keep from hitting her or prevents the
other boat from being able to pass the, mark, the boat that tacked has
broken rule 18.3(a).
If the other boat gets an inside overlap
on the boat that tacked at any time during her rounding, the boat that
tacked must give her room to round or pass the mark (rule 18.3(b)).
Furthermore, presumably the inside boat will also be a leeward boat with
right of way. Therefore the boat that tacked will also have to keep clear
of the inside boat under rule 11 (On the Same Tack, Overlapped). Note also
that the inside boat does not initially need to give the boat that tacked
room to keep clear under rule 15 (Acquiring Right of Way), and the inside
boat can change course to round or pass the mark without concern for rule
16 (Changing Course) (see rule 18.2(d), Changing Course to Round or Pass).
In other words, the boat that tacked becomes more or less a "sitting duck"
for the leeward/inside boat.
 "Okay, I'm ready
to have you lead me through this rule
Well, first the two boats must be
approaching a mark on opposite tacks, as i they would be at a windward
mark. Remember that rule 18 doesn't apply at all yet (rule 18.1(b), When
This Rule Applies).
Next, one of the boats must be
"fetching" the mark. "Fetching" means the boat can pass the mark without
sailing past head to wind to do so.
Finally, if the tacking boat "completes
her tack" (i.e. arrives on a close-hauled course) within the two-length
zone, rule 18.3 applies. Note that she could have started her tack, and
even passed head to wind, outside the two-length the zone. That is
immaterial. In order for rule 18.3 not to apply, a boat must complete her
tack (i.e. be down to a close-hauled course) before she enters the 1
two-length zone.
It can be argued that it is difficult to
know exactly where the two-length On zone is, but that is the case when
applying the two-length zone in any mark ne( or obstruction rounding or
passing situation. Sailors approaching port-hand cIa windward marks on
port tack will be well advised to be conservative when boJ the mark area
is congested and to tack clearly outside the two-length zone.
In interpreting and applying rule
18.3(a), it can be viewed as one obligation the boat that tacks not to do
either of two things; i.e. she breaks rule 18.3(a) if either:
1) She causes the other boat to sail
above close-hauled to avoid hitting her, or ,
2) She prevents the other boat from
passing the mark.
In my opinion, "causes" means "is the
primary and reasonable reason for;" ) “avoid "means "avoid contact with;"
and "prevents" means "physically pre-vent," as opposed to prevent as a
result of disturbing the air and water, etc. .
Let me make a brief comment on
interpreting words used in rules. When e is some latitude in the
interpretation of the word, it is my opinion that should use the meaning
that most reasonably fits the intent and meaning le rule in order to avoid
a strained interpretation that results in an undesirable result for the
sport. Interpreting the word "causes" is a good example. One can argue
that, in the situation where P tacks just ahead of S such that S is to
either sail above close-hauled or bear away to avoid hitting P, S can't
claim that she was "caused" to sail above close-hauled because she could
have bore away. This argument would conclude that S is only "caused" to
sail above close-hauled when she has no other option by which to avoid
hitting P.
In my opinion, this is not a reasonable
interpretation of “causes.” Clearly, a boat astern has many options other
than to sail above close-hauled. She can bear away even if that means she
can’t make the mark, back her sails and stop I (in a dinghy) or even drag
her feet in the water to slow the boat down. I do not think these are
reasonable expectations for racing sailors. If my house burns down and I
choose to re-build it, I can accurately say that my house burning down
,"caused" me to re-build. it, although I had other options (buy a new home
with my own money, live in a tent, etc.). The event of my house burning
down clearly was the primary reason I needed to re-build it, and it was a
reasonable reason for doing so. Therefore it is accurate to say I was
"caused" to re-build it.
The reason for this discussion is that
interpreting the word "causes" is central to the interpretation and
application of rule 18.3(a). I interpret rule 18.3(a) to say that P
"causes" S to sail above close-hauled when either that is the only way S
can avoid hitting her, or if bearing off in that situation would not be
reasonable. Certainly, bearing off into a position where S is then
prevented from passing the mark is unreasonable to me. However, if S can
clearly bear off and pass the mark, then I would say she was not "caused"
to sail above close-hauled.
"I thought that if a boat tacked in
front of me inside the two-length zone and caused me to change course at
all, she broke rule 18.3(a)."
No! She breaks rule 18.3(a) only if she
causes you to sail above a close-hauled course. If you are overstood, for
instance, and avoid her by luffing up to a close-hauled course, she has
not broken rule 18.3(a).
"Okay, but if a boat tacks in front of
me inside the two-length zone, I can just bear off and overlap her to
leeward and she has to keep clear of me, right?"
Yes, and it's even better for you than
that. Not only does she have to keep clear of you, she has to give you
room to round or pass the mark as well; and you are not limited by either
rule 15 (Acquiring Right of Way) or rule 16 (Changing Course). The reason
is that rule 18.3(b) states that rule 15 does not apply, and rule 18.2(d)
(Changing Course to Round or Pass) states that rule 16 does not apply.
Therefore, whenever a boat clear astern obtains a leeward/inside overlap
at any point in the rounding or passing maneuver of the boat that tacked,
the boat that tacked must immediately keep clear of her and give her room,
and the inside overlapping boat does not need to give the boat that tacked
any room to keep clear of her what-so-ever.
The only word of caution to the boat
clear astern (B) is that if contact occurs almost immediately after the
overlap occurs, it can be argued that the moment before the overlap
occurred, contact was imminent such that the boat clear ahead (A) could be
said to have had a "need to take avoiding action" at that time (despite
the fact that there was little action that could have been taken to avoid
the contact). In this case, it could be found that B broke rule 12 (On the
Same Tack, Not Overlapped) immediately prior to the overlap occurring.
Therefore, B should be careful as she first becomes over-lapped to leeward
of A.
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