CALL MR 6              

Rule 28, Sailing the Course
Rule C2.1, Changes to the Definitions - definition Finish

Question 1
When a boat delays taking her penalty until the finish, is she allowed to take it around the finishing mark?

Answer 1
Yes. Although she sails through the finishing line, she does not finish because she has not yet taken her penalty; see Definition of Finish (rule C2.1). Her penalty is to tack ‘ . . . and as soon as reasonably possible, bear away to a downwind course’ in accordance with rule C7.2(a)(2). See also rule C7.2(d).

Question 2
Did she comply with rule 28, Sailing the course?

Answer 2
Yes. Rule 28 requires that 'a string representing her track' would 'lie on the required side of each mark', which it did. The rule does not prohibit a boat from rounding a finishing mark (or any other mark) even though as a result her wake would pass it on the required side twice. <