So I guess I am asking why a racer would expect somebody, who they know is not racing, to: 1. Have the experience to understand that a close crossing is planned? 2. Be willing to take the extra risk of a close crossing that the racer is willing to take?
Or maybe we're just not that congested that we have to sail close together and I lack the experience of constant close crossings.
Hi Ward,
It is true that we have little need to worry about these conflicts. For me, it was a constant just about any Saturday or Sunday morning race on Lake Hopatcong. From my perspective, I avoided crossing a race on port tack like the plague. The boats come on too fast and in such tight groupings that without the ROW, it was just too difficult to navigate. If on Stbd tack going upwind, it was feasible to cross when it was necessary to get to a location on the lake where I could stay away from them altogether. What makes it feasible to cross without conflict was the knowledge that the racers were observing navigation rules. If you KNOW that they are going to duck you where necessary, you have confidence to hold your course. When you know that they will pass astern, you also know that it may be a very close crossing. But you know what to expect. When they cross ahead of you, you should have the confidence knowing that they have room, even if it is close. That said, I don't ever recall any crossings that made me nervous. Also, if turning downwind didn't put me in conflict with other racers, then I would adjust downwind just enough to make their crossing ahead more comfortable.
You have to consider, though, a racer would be pissed off at you if you turn downwind to give a lead racer room, and then held your course to force that racer to duck you. Given this circumstance, I would make the lead racer duck me, which gives the following racer a chance to make up some ground. Hey ... it's all in the game!
I think it is disturbing to realize that racers might be expecting you to give way, when you are stand on. If they expect you to ignore navigation rules, or conversely, you expect them to ignore the rules, that just leads to confusion and unpredictability.