DSK wrote:
Actually I think sailboats... especially under power... are a lot
more maneuverable. The larger rudders & keels have something to do
with it, I'm guessing!


Gary wrote:

If sailboats were more maneouverable they would get the right of way
most of the time. Under power they are not sailboats.


No, but they still have the hull & foil characteristics of sailboats,
which give them sharper... and more consistent... turning radius.

There is no doubt that sailboats are maneuverable in terms of their
handling in confined space.

However, their relative speed and (when under sail) their limits on
their operational freedom of heading is what makes them "considered" to
be less maneuverable in the ColRegs.

I don't know where some people who own sailboats get the idea they have
the "right-of-way" even when motoring. It's just plain stupid.

DSK

I don't think that the R of R were created thinking of hull and foil
characteristics. I think it has more to do with the slow speed and
limited freedom of movement of large sailing craft as compared to
similar sized power driven vessels. A large square rigger who has to
fall off the wind to give way to a freighter may take a day to get back
to where he was. A freighter could recover in minutes. It also takes
and entire crew to alter a large sailing vessel and one guy to alter a
power driven vessel. The rules were originally written with shipping in
mind, not small handy vessels.

My opinion.....

One issue I have with sailboats is two meeting after dark. How can the
racing rules or the R of R be applied after dark when you can't see what
tack the other boat is on?

In a recent race I was in, the sailors left their masthead lights on
(anchor lights) so they could see the wind indicators at the mast head.
For all the world they looked like power driven vessels from a
distance. Do you think they knew that?

Gary