Rules of road

[Winkfish]

No kidding. I did underline upwind in that post, Luck #13. Thanks for noting it.

You did underline "upwind", Stu. Point made. But...

Let's suppose Quoddy and OtherBoat are both going upwind, pointing very close,Quoddy to the right on starboard tack, OB to the left on port tack, OB off Quoddy's port bow. Quoddy's overtaking OB. Assuming Quoddy is however many degrees abaft of OB's beam, now it's an overtaking situation, different rule again, so Quoddy still has to give way, even though he's on the right of OB, and they're both going upwind.

The rules are pretty simple and clear already. My point is only that it's better to know the rules as they are meant to be known instead of trying to relate them to other rules that are not applicable and may get you in trouble. So if there are two sailboats, don't even think about the crossing rule. Just ask, what tack are we on? Am I the windward or leeward boat? Am I overtaking or not? Etc., etc.

By the way, I knoiw it's on another thread, but you and Maine Sail have really helped me understand more about boat wiring. I appreciate the effort you guys have made.

 

[Winkfish]

Now, let's factor in the coefficient of size . . .

LOL, Don! When I used to race with some college friends of mine, inevitably we'd have some kind of quetsion copme up. When someone would yell "starboard" or some other warning, my friend, the owner of our boat, would always ask, "It's OK, we have insurance!"

 

[Stu Jackson]

You did underline "upwind", Stu. Point made. But...

Let's suppose Quoddy and OtherBoat are both going upwind, pointing very close,Quoddy to the right on starboard tack, OB to the left on port tack, OB off Quoddy's port bow. Quoddy's overtaking OB. Assuming Quoddy is however many degrees abaft of OB's beam, now it's an overtaking situation, different rule again, so Quoddy still has to give way, even though he's on the right of OB, and they're both going upwind.

...Am I the windward or leeward boat? Am I overtaking or not? Etc., etc.

Thanks, yes, you're right, but you're describing a completely different situation. If the starboard tack boat is not getting to the same point in space as the port tack boat, then windward leeward applies. Get there first it (very clearly) and it ain't an issue!

You're very welcome about the other stuff, we are certainly grateful that we can help.

 

[Joe]

No. Go back to my example above. If Quoddy is heading north, the other boat, off Quoddy's port bow, is heading east, and the wind is coming from the southwest, Quoddy would be on port tack, the other boat would be on starboard tack, and Quoddy's boat is to the right of the other boat. Quoddy has to give way.

The crossing rule, Rule 15(a), only applies to 2 power driven vessels.

Here is a link to the actual rules in the United States Code. The rules clearly delineate when they apply to power driven boats, when they apply to sail driven boats, and when they apply to both.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/33/usc_sup_01_33_10_34_20_I_30_B.html

Rules of the road are mentioned in many publications... none of them use "right" or "left" to define stand on or give way. Quoddy's reference to being on the other sailor's right is irrelevant. Here's a excerpt from Winkfish's LAW review article.

(a) Keeping out of the way When two sailing vessels are approaching one another, so as to involve risk of collision, one of them shall keep out of the way of the other as follows:
(i) when each has the wind on a different side, the vessel which has the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the other;
(ii) when both have the wind on the same side, the vessel which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the vessel which is to leeward; and
(iii) if a vessel with the wind on the port side sees a vessel to windward and cannot determine with certainty whether the other vessel has the wind on the port or on the starboard side, she shall keep out of the way of the other.

(b) Windward side For the purpose of this Rule the windward side shall be deemed to be the side opposite to that on which the mainsail is carried or, in the case of a square-rigged vessel, the side opposite to that on which the largest fore-and-aft sail is carried.

In racing, item (i) is the starboard tack has rights over port tack stategy. Item (ii) is also know as "luffing rights" and item (iii) is the "don't take a chance" strategy.

 

[Gail R]

First, Quoddy did the right thing in changing course and avoiding collision. Only think I would have done differently would have been to try to get the other boat's attention well in advance of the crossing to give him a chance to alter course first. This might have been accomplished by a simple hail of starboard, a whistle, or perhaps a toot on the horn. Five blasts sounds like overkill to me, especially if there is ample time to alter course.

Quoddy,

Here in Maine any intellectually challenged individual can jump on a lump of styrofoam and head out with no training. Try dodging boats in Casco Bay sometime. This will be changing shortly. Don,

Saco/OOB

Don, what do you mean by that? I don't recall Maine adopting a law on boater training. Numerous bills having been introduced over the years, but none have passed to my knowledge, and I watch this stuff pretty closely.

 

[Winkfish]

If the starboard tack boat is not getting to the same point in space as the port tack boat, then windward leeward applies.

Windward/leeward rule only applies if the boats are on the same tack.

 

[dscribner]

Gail,

I don't know anything more than what the USCGA guys were saying. Yes, it has been proposed and been shot down. But, as liberal (oops, I meant "progressive") as Maine is, it is only a matter of time before it passed. Good and bad.

 

[Ross]

If you are within verbal hailing distance ---------- you are already too close.