Question
X is on starboard tack at the zone of a starboard hand windward mark.
She is half a length clear ahead and slightly to leeward of A. At the
mark X luffs and tacks. A luffs to round the mark, and as a result A makes
contact with X while A is still on starboard tack. X protests. What should
the call be?
Answer
Penalize A.
When X passes head to wind, the boats become on opposite tacks on a beat
and therefore no part of rule 18 applies. A becomes right of way boat
subject to rule 16. Provided X would have kept clear of A if A had not
changed course after X passed head to wind, then A fails to give X room
to keep clear and breaks rule 16.1.
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