Team Race - CALL E 05      

Rule 11 On the Same Tack; Overlapped
Rule 18.2 Giving Mark-Room
Rule 18.5 Exoneration
Rule 64.1(c)
Penalties and Exoneration

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).