Capt. JG wrote:

The colregs are *fully* in force when racing. The only difference is the
tolerances wrt distance and expectations.


Agreed, but there are differences.... some subtle, some not
so subtle... between the racing rules and ColRegs.

For example, under ColRegs, an overtaking boat must keep
clear. All well and good. Under racing rules, an overtaking
boat must keep clear, too... unless the two boats are on the
same tack and the overtaking boat is to leeward. Then, once
an interval has passed satisfying the overtaking/leeward
boat's obligation to allow room & opportunity to keep clear,
to the other boat, the burden shifts to the windward boat.
This is the case even if he is still being overtaken, or if
he then puts on a little speed (or leeward slows down, a is
more likely).

There is nothing remotely like this in ColRegs, which
assumes that two boats are not going to be jockeying for
position to round the next mark, and want to occupy the same
bit of water at the same time.

However, ColRegs are *definitely* in force with regard to
boats that are racing with respect to boats that aren't.
Some racers seem to feel otherwise, and ColRegs violations
against commercial traffic especially are depressingly
common. IMHO race committees ought to start tossing people
out when they try to gain a position by cutting in front of
a freighter.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King