During a recent race we watched a scene unfold that resulted in a disqualification for one of the boats and it highlighted my weakness in knowing all the rules inside-out. We watched a port tack Boat (A) approach the windward mark as a starboard tack boat (B)in front of us came into the mark reasonably concurrently. It seemed B was quite close to the mark possibly in the 2 length zone when they started yelling starboard and then immediately A called for mark room. This went on a couple of times before B had to turn hard upwind into irons to avoid a collision where they languished for some time before they got turned around and back under way. A clearly tacked in the zone tightly around the mark.
As I was anticipating the event I thought that B should be turning up to provide room because I did not understand 18-3 correctly and thought they owed mark room to A. Though it was just my impression, I thought B could sail a higher course earlier and I did not get the impression that they turned down to cut A off. B claimed A could given room but did not and even that B dramatized the situation by turning up into irons rather than just moving up to close-hauled and letting them in.
Finally, my question: Was B under any obligation to sail higher before the zone to create mark room for A. Assuming the answer is no because the rule only applies inside the zone, how would B decide what to do as they approach the mark unsure if there is room and or if there is room for B to sail higher?
Dan
As I was anticipating the event I thought that B should be turning up to provide room because I did not understand 18-3 correctly and thought they owed mark room to A. Though it was just my impression, I thought B could sail a higher course earlier and I did not get the impression that they turned down to cut A off. B claimed A could given room but did not and even that B dramatized the situation by turning up into irons rather than just moving up to close-hauled and letting them in.
Finally, my question: Was B under any obligation to sail higher before the zone to create mark room for A. Assuming the answer is no because the rule only applies inside the zone, how would B decide what to do as they approach the mark unsure if there is room and or if there is room for B to sail higher?
Dan