Budworth Sailing Club

If you are new to dinghy racing it can be hard to understand what to do when you meet another boat. The first thing to remember is that dinghies are delicate and expensive instruments. Irrespective of who has right of way, when things get close, take avoiding action.

There are three key rules beginners need to know, which are: (a) Port gives way to Starboard; (b) Windward gives way to Leeward; and (c) At a mark, Outside boats give room for Inside boats. You are unlikely to go wrong if you give way to a starboard tack boat, to a leeward boat, or an inside boat. As you sail round the mere you will repeatedly hear the calls resulting from the above three rules - “Starboard!, Windward boat!, Water!

To decide which rule to apply in a given situation, ask yourself three questions:

1. Am I on a beat to windward?
2. Is the other boat on the same tack? (is its boom on the same side as mine?)
3. Are we close to rounding a mark?

Being on a beat makes things quite easy. You are unlikely to get into trouble with another beating boat on the same tack, as you will be sailing pretty much parallel courses. If you meet another boat while you are on starboard tack, you are likely to have right of way. If the other boat is on port, you have right of way. If it is also on starboard it is probably coming downwind and so is to windward and again you have right of way. Finally, at the windward mark the port/starboard rule overrides the mark rounding rule so again, being on starboard is good, port is bad.

Conversely, being on port on a beat means look out! All the starboard boats have right of way, the only boats you can call are other port boats on offwind legs.

If you are not on a beat, things are harder. Boats around you will probably be on the same tack and the main thing to watch for is windward/leeward. If you are overtaking a boat on its windward side that boat is entitled to alter course in an attempt to stop you passing (but not to just slam the tiller over and sail into you). You must do your best to keep clear. In addition, watch out for boats in other fleets coming up the beat or reaching across you. They may have starboard or windward/leeward rights over you. The key questions: Is the other boat on the same tack? If so, who is to windward? if not, who is on starboard?

Finally, rounding marks. First, remember a couple of big exceptions. (1) there are no special mark rounding rights at a starting mark (either end of the start line). (2) there are no special rights at a windward mark between boats on opposite tacks. In both those cases proceed as if the mark is not there. Once those are dealt with the basic rule is that the outside boat must give all boats inside adequate room to round the mark. An inside boat has to be overlapped on the one outside it to get those rights. That means if you draw a line across the rudder of the outside boat at right angles to its centreline that line must cut or pass behind the inside boat.

Obviously you can’t just suddenly give room for a boat or two so the rules provide for a “zone”- a circle of three boats length radius around the mark inside which the status quo is maintained. If the inside boat is overlapped as the leading boat reaches the zone it is entitled to room even if the overlap is subsequently broken. Similarly if there is no overlap at the zone you cannot subsequently claim room and must give the boat ahead room. To avoid conflict, think ahead. If you have a clear overlap before entering  the zone claim it (”water!”) - any subsequent uncertainty is decided in your favour. Equally, if you are outside and the inside boat is clearly not overlapped tell them in good time (”no water!”).

The final point about mark rounding is that the opposite tack rules (port/starboard) don’t apply the same way at a mark, except at the end of a beat (see earlier). At a reaching or running mark an inside port tack boat with an overlap must be given room by an outside starboard tack boat. That is important when the port tacker is an RS200 coming in fast from the right.

The last word is that we all sail for enjoyment, and it isn’t fun having an argument on the water. The rules say, and our advice is, if there is an incident and you think you have been fouled just hail “Protest” at the other boat and try to get a witness to the incident and your hail. If the other boat doesn’t take a two turns penalty you can deal with the situation off the water. Similarly, if you think you might be wrong, just take the penalty.

The full racing rules cover a lot more complex situations, but the above summary should keep you out of trouble while you learn.

This entry was written on Monday, March 22nd, 2010 at 10:27 pm and is filed under Racing Rules & Checklists.
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