Rule 18 and Room at the Mark
Sail proper course in the zone without interference
In this scenario Yellow and Green are sailing downwind on port tacks. They must round a mark to port in light wind. When Yellow enters the zone, she is clear ahead of Green. When Green (2) entering the zone Yellow is rounding the mark and tacks to starboard. Yellow (3) sail on starboard tack and Green (3) had to heads up to avoid Yellow. There was no contact put, Yellow (4) hit the mark and took a one penalty turn.
Is Yellow required to give mark-room to Green so she can sail their proper course without interference from Yellow?
Created: Today 17:08
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John
I cannot tell from the diagram whether green has to alter course before yellow has born off to close hauled. If it is established as a fact that she did, then Angelo is correct.
But, even if yellow completes the tack before green has to alter course, there is still rule 15 to deal with.
After yellow has completed the tack, she "initially" owes green room to keep clear (which green apparently does get) AND room to comply with the other rules of part two and rule 31 (avoiding hitting the mark).
It does not appear that sufficient room was given for green to comply with rule 31, by maneuvering promptly in a seamanlike manner.
If the facts found are that the tack is completed in time, the PC could still DSQ yellow for breaking rule 15.
Yellow does not owe Green any mark-room. After position 3, Green chooses to turn back toward the mark to attempt to round it on its proper side .. she was not compelled to do that and was not owed mark-room by Yellow to do so.
I think it's clear, based on the drawing, Green altered course before Yellow completed her tack. There is no contact and there is no claim that Green maneuvered in an unseamanlike way. Therefore IMO 15 was not broken by Yellow. Green had room and used that room to keep clear once Yellow completed her tack (after Yellow broke 13).
OK .. for the sake of argument, let's say that Yellow DOES complete her tack before Green alters course ... and Green is able to keep clear in a seamanlike way .. what then? If that tack was clean .. and Green could keep clear in a seamanlike way ... I don't see Yellow breaking a rule.
PS: Unless u argue that is Yellow was not sailing her proper course by tacking. Then one might apply RRS 23.2 Interfernce as they are sailing on different legs of the course.
Regarding your last "PS," I think rule 23.2 could only be invoked if the course to the next mark was a port fetch. We disagree on how clear the diagram is as to when green had to alter course and whether it happened during yellows tack. That certainly could be the case and your analysis is correct if it is. I just would want more information before I signed off on that.
I take your point about 15. We agree Green was given room to avoid yellow after yellow tacked and it seems green avoided in a seamanlike manner. Upon reflection, I agree with you that Yellow's rule 15 obligation does not extend to giving her room to turn and round the mark. Green was given room to avoid hitting the mark. She chose to try to round.
In that case, since green did her 360, there would be no foul here.
Hailing can be one act a boat attempts to avoid contact with another boat. However hailing doesn't buy you extra rights or satisfy a requirement when one boat owes another boat RRS 15 room in the future.
RRS 15's room has to be given, regardless of any announcements made. 15 doesn't apply until Yellow completes her tack. Announcements made prior to tacking have no "power".
A boat tacking inside the zone into oncoming traffic is executing a dangerous and rule-risky maneuver. Case 50 will be on the side of the non-tacking, approaching boat .. as it will be not too high a hurdle to convince a jury that they had "reasonable apprehension" for a course change when a boat is tacking into their face.