PART 2
WHEN BOATS MEET
The rules of Part 2 apply between boats that are sailing in or near the racing area and intend to race, are racing, or have been racing. However, a boat not racing shall not be penalized for breaking one of these rules, except rule 14 when the incident resulted in injury or serious damage, or rule 24.1.
When a boat sailing under these rules meets a vessel that is not, she shall comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCAS) or government right-of-way rules. If the sailing instructions so state, the rules of Part 2 are replaced by the right-of-way rules of the IRPCAS or by government right-of-way rules.
SECTION A
RIGHT OF WAY
A boat has right of way over another boat when the other boat is required to keep clear of her, However, some rules in Sections B, C and D limit the actions of a right-of-way boat.
10 ON OPPOSITE TACKS
When boats are on opposite tacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.
11 ON THE SAME TACK, OVERLAPPED
When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.
12 ON THE SAME TACK, NOT OVERLAPPED
When boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, a boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead.
13 WHILE TACKING
After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course. During the time rules 10, 11 and 12 do not apply. If two boats are subject to this rule at the same time, the one on the other's port side or the one astern shall keep clear.
SECTION B
GENERAL LIMITATIONS
14 AVOIDING CONTACT
A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible. However, a right-of-way boat or one entitled to room or mark-room
(a) need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not keeping clear or giving room or mark-room, and
(b) shall be exonerated if she breaks this rule and the contact does not cause damage or injury.
15 ACQUIRING RIGHT OF WAY
When a boat acquires right of way, she shall initially give the other boat room to keep clear, unless she acquires right of way because of the other boat's actions.
16 CHANGING COURSE
16.1 When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear.
16.2 In addition, when after the starting signal a port-tack boat is keeping clear by sailing to pass astern of starboard-tack boat, the starboard-tack boat shall not change course if as aresult the port-tack boat would immediately need to change course to continue keeping clear.
17 ON THE SAME TACK; PROPER COURSE
I a boat clear astern become overlapped within two of her hull length to leeward of a boat on the sam tack, she shall not sail above her proper course while they remain on the same tack and oeverlapped within that distance, unless in doing so she promptly sails astern of the other boat. This rule does not apply if the overlap begin while the windward boat is required by rule 13 to keep clear.
SECTION C
AT MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS
Section C rules do not apply at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water or at its anchor line from the time boats are approaching them to start until they have passed them.
18 MARK-ROOM
18.1 When Rule 18 Applies
Rule 18 applies between boats when they are required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is in the zone. However, it does not apply
(a) between boats on opposite tacks on a beat to windward,
(b) between boats on opposite tacks when the proper course at the mark for one but not bothof tem is to tack,
(c) between a boat approaching a mark and one leaving it, or
(d) if the mark is a continuing obstruction, in which case rule 19 applies.
18.2 Giving Mark-Room
(a) When boats are overlapped the outside boat shall give the inside boat mark-room, unless rule 18.2(b) applies
(b) if boats are overlapped when the first of them reaches the zone the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside boat mark-room. If a boat is clear ahead when the reaches the zone, the boat clear astern at that moment shall thereafter give her mark-room
(c) When a boat is required to give mark-room by rule 18.2(b),
...(1) she shall continue to do so even if later an overlap is broken or a new overlap begins;
...(2) if she becomes overlapped inside the boat entitled to mark-room, she shall also give that boat room to sail her proper course while they remain overlapped.
(d) Rules 18.2(b) and (c) cease to apply when the boat entitled to mark-room has been given the mark-room, or if she passes head to wind or leaves the zone.
(e) I fthere is reasonable doubt that a boat obtained or broke an overlap in time, it shall be presumed that she did not.
(f) If a boat obtained an inside overlap from clear astern or by tacking to windward of the other boat and, from the time the overlap began, the outside boat has been unable to give mark room, she is not required to give it.
18.3 Tacking in the Zone
if a boat in the zone of a mark to be left to port passed head to wind from port to starboard tack and is the fetching the mark, she shall not cause a boat that has been on starboard tack since entering the zone to sail above close-hauled to avoid contact and she shall give mark-room if that boat becomes overlapped inside her. When this rule applies between boats, rules 18.2 does not apply between them.
18.4 Gybing
When an inside overlapped right-of-way boat must gybe at a mark to sail her proper course, until she gybes she shall sail no farther from the mark than needed to sail that course. Rule 18.4 does not apply at a gate mark.
19 ROOM TO PASS AN OBSTRUCTION
19.1 When Rule 19 Applies
Rule 19 applies between two boats at an obstruction except
(a) when the obstruction is a mark the boats are required to leave on the same side, or
(b) when rule 18 applies between the boats and the obstruction is another boat overlapped with each of them.
However, at continuing obstruction, rule 19 always applies and rule 18 does not.
19.2 Giving Room at an Obstruction
(a) A right-of_way boat may choose to pass an obstruction on either side.
(b) When boats are overlapped, the outside boat shall give the inside boat room between her and the obstruction, unless she has been unable to do so from the time the overlap began.
(c) While boats are passing a continuing obstruction, if a boat that was clear astern and required to keep clear becomes overlapped between the other boat and the obstruction and, at the moment the overlap bgins, there is not room for her to pass between them, she is not entitled to room under rule 19.2(b). While the boats remain overlapped, she shall keep clear and rules 10 and 11 do not apply.
20 ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION
20.1 Hailing
A boat may hail for room to tack and avoid a boat on the sam tac. However, she shall not hail unless
(a) she is approaching an obstruction and will soon need to make a substantial course change to avoid it safely, and
(b) she is sailing lcose-hauled or above.
In addition, she shall not hail if the obstruction is a mark and a boat that is fetching it would be required to change course as a result of the hail.
20.2 Responding
(a) After a boat hails, she shall give a hailed boat time to respond.
(b) a hailed boat shall respond even if the hail break rule 20.1.
(c) A hailed boat shall respond either by tacking as soon as possible, or by immediately replying 'You tack' and then giving the hailing boat room to tack and avoid her.
(d) When a hailed boat responds, the hailing boat shall tack as soon as possible.
(e) From the time a boat hails until she has tacked and avoided a hailed boat, rule 18.2 does not apply between them.
20.3 Passing On a Hail to an Additional Boat
When a boat has been hailed for room to tack and she intends to respond by tacking, she may hail another boat on the sam tack for room to tack and avoid her. She may hail even if her hail does not meet the condition of rule 20.1. Rule 20.2 applies between her and a boat she hails.
SECTIOND
OTHER RULES
When rule 22 or 23 applies between two boats, Section A do not.
21 EXONERATION
When a boat is ailing within the room or mark-room to which she is entitled, she shall be exonerated if, in an incident with a boat required to give her that room or mark-room,
(a) she breaks a rule of Section A, Rule 15 or rule 16, or
(b) she compelled to break rule 31
22 STARTING ERRORS; TAKING PENALTIES; BACKING A SAIL
22.1 A boat sailing towards the pre-start side of the starting line or one of its extensions after her starting signal to start or to comply with rule 30.1 shall keep clear of a boat not doing so until she is completely on the pre-start side.
22.2 A boat talking a penalty shall keep clear of one that is not.
22.3 A boat moving astern, or sideways to windward, through the water by backing a sail shall keep clear of one that is not.
23 CAPSIZED, ANCHORED OR AGROUND; RESCUING
If possible, a boat shall avoid a boat that is capsized or has not regained control after capsizing, is anchored or aground, or is trying to help a person or vessel in danger. A boat is capsized when her masthead is in the water
24 INTERFERING WITH ANOTHER BOAT
24.1 if resonably possible, a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat that is racing.
24.2 If reasonably possible, a boat shall not interfere with a boat that is taking a penalty, sailing on another leg or subject to rule 22.1. However, after the starting signal this rule does not apply when the boat sailing her proper course.
