Question
In a steady wind boat A, on port tack, reaches the zone of a starboard-hand
windward mark clear ahead and slightly above the layline. The next leg
is a beam reach. A stops with her bow 1½ lengths to windward of,
and level with, the mark.
Boat X, on the port tack layline, tries to sail between A and the mark,
but A bears away to 'close the door'. X makes contact with A and the mark
and protests. What should the call be?
Answer
Penalize A. When A enters the zone she is clear ahead of X and is entitled
to markroom under rule 18.2(b). Mark-room includes room for A to sail
her proper course while at the mark. After position 2, A clearly bears
away below her proper course and is no longer taking mark-room to which
she is entitled.
After X becomes overlapped to leeward of A, A is required to keep clear.
She fails to do so and breaks rule 11. She is not entitled to exoneration
under rule 18.5 as she is not rounding the mark on her proper course.
X breaks rule 31 but would not have done so if A had kept clear. Exonerate
X under rule 64.1(c).