Contact

Boats shall avoid contact with other boats whenever reasonably possible.

If contact occurs, then the boat ‘in the wrong’ will make a 360° penalty turn as soon as it is clear and safe to do so – NOT later in the race.

Rules when in open water

Boats on Opposite Tacks

When boats are on opposite tacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.

The skipper of the ‘starboard-tack’ boat may shout out "starboard boat XX" – to warn the skipper of boat number XX of his intention to continue to sail on his present course. The port-tack boat must then change course to avoid a collision.

Boats on the Same Tack, Overlapped

When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat. The windward boat must then change course to avoid a collision.

Boats on the Same Tack, Not Overlapped

When boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, a boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead.

While Tacking

After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course.

Changing Course

When a right-of-way boat intends to change course, which may impact on others, she shall give the other boats room to keep clear. The skipper of the right-of-way boat may shout out a warning to the other boats to signal his/her intentions.

 

Boats on the Same Tack – ‘Maintaining a Proper Course’

Running or reaching:

If a boat is within 4 boat-lengths (4m), on the same tack and to leeward of a boat in front, then she shall not sail above her proper course.

The boat astern may either continue her current course, if this passes clear to leeward of the boat ahead or alter course and sail clear astern of the other boat.

Beating:

If a boat is less than 4 boat-lengths from a leeward boat or a boat clear astern steering a course to leeward of her, she shall not sail below her proper course unless she gybes.

Rules at Marks

Note: If these rules conflict with a rule in above, then these rules take precedence.

Overlapped in the Four Boat-Length Zone around the Mark

When boats are overlapped the outside boat shall give the inside boat room to round or pass the mark.

Overlapped before the Four Boat-Length Zone around the Mark

If boats were overlapped before either of them reached the four boat-length zone and the overlap is broken after one of them has reached it, the boat that was on the outside shall continue to give the other boat room.

Not Overlapped at the Four Boat-Length Zone around the mark

If a boat is clear ahead at the time she reaches the four boat-length zone, the boat clear astern shall thereafter keep clear.

If the boat clear astern becomes overlapped outside the other boat she shall also give the inside boat room.

If the boat clear astern becomes overlapped inside the other boat she is not entitled to room.

Tacking at a Mark

If two boats were approaching a mark on opposite tacks and one of them completes a tack in the four boat-length zone when the other is fetching the mark, the above rules (in Section 2) do not apply.

The boat that tacked within the 4 boat-length zone:

(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.

Gybing at the Mark

When an inside overlapped right-of-way boat must gybe at a mark to sail her proper course, until she gybes she shall sail no farther from the mark or obstruction than needed to sail that course.

Making Contact with or Missing a Mark

When a boat ‘misses’ a mark or rounds it the wrong way, she must both return to the mark and round it correctly and complete a 360° penalty turn (as two separate manoeuvres) as soon as it is clear and safe to do so.

Rules at Obstructions (e.g. Banks)

Room to Tack at an Obstruction

When safety requires a close-hauled boat to make a substantial course change to avoid an obstruction and she intends to tack, but cannot tack and avoid another boat on the same tack, she shall hail for room to do so. Before tacking she shall give the hailed boat time to respond.

The hailed boat shall either tack as soon as possible, in which case the hailing boat shall also tack as soon as possible, or immediately reply 'You tack', in which case the hailing boat shall tack as soon as possible and the hailed boat shall give room.

back to homepage