Bart wrote:
You are upwind of the start line on your beach catamarran,
before the gun, on the favored end of the course. Many of the
boats in the fleet are hove-to just under the starting line.

You don't have time to go around, and you decided to
back down (sail backwards) by pushing your main
out on the port side and steer directly downwind to get
below the starting line. You mange to do this before the
gun.

What do you think will happen--aside from a bunch of
****ed off sailors to leeward?

Who has right of way?


They do

Is this a good strategy?


That depends. Are the other boats in your way? If so, then
it's not. It's probably a better way to get clear of the
line & get going in the right direction than to circle an
end of the line, provided you're clear of other boats & the
RC doesn't ding you (some RCs have funny ideas about
"clearing" the line even when the black flag isn't flying).

Fresh Breezes- Doug King