BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008

On Sun, 4 Jul 2004 20:59:57 UTC,
(Art Engel) wrote:

Stefan Lloyd wrote:

o Rule 16.2 has been modified (again!) so that it only applies when
a port boat is ducking a starboard boat.

This would seem a major change. Consider port crossing a short distance
ahead of starboard. Under RRS2001 starboard cannot start to pinch up to
make life harder for port. Under RRS2005 they can. Given that the
intention of the 1997 rewrite was to make collisions less likely, I
don't understand this one.

No change under RRS 2005-08. Under RRS 2001-04 S pinching enough so
that P can no longer keep clear breaks rule 16.1. Since 16.1 won't
change under RRS 2005-08 S will still break 16.1.

If that is the case, why is 16.2 needed at all?

Some (including me) are not convinced that it is needed. But here is
the rationale.

When P is crossing ahead of S and S changes course the only thing that
P can do is crash-tack - that is not seamanlike so S broke 16.1 since
P had no way to keep clear in a seamanlike manner. No need for 16.2 in
that instance.

When P is aiming to pass behind S and S changes course P can easily
turn down more, a relatively seamanlike thing to do. Hence, some would
argue that S does not break 16.1. 16.2 makes clear that S breaks a
rule when she changes course and P must immediately respond.

And so, 8 years later, we are actually back to the provisions of the
old Rule 35!.....

It wasn't boken but they frixed it anyway.....

Geoff