Question
X and A are both close-hauled on port tack when X reaches the two-length
zone of a port-hand windward mark. X is clear ahead of A. X luffs to tack
around the mark, but the presence of A prevents X from tacking and X protests.
What should the call be?
Answer
No penalty. X is clear ahead when she reaches the zone, and A must give
her mark-room under rule 18.2(b). When A becomes overlapped inside X,
she must continue to give mark-room, see rule 18.2(c). A must also keep
clear, initially under rule 12 and
then under rule 11. However, if X passes head to wind, rule 18.2(b) ceases
to apply and X becomes keep-clear boat under rule 13. Also, while the
boats are on opposite tacks on the beat, no part of rule 18 applies.
X may therefore luff to head to wind and A must give mark-room and keep
clear of X, which she does.