On Oct 15, 3:03*pm, "Roger Long" wrote:
wrote

AFIK, "Stand By" didn't tack. *The photos show her on stb for the entire
collision.

Yes, but you can't alter course into a right of way position when the other
vessel doesn't have time to respond. *...

Amen. The crux of the question seems to be if SB turned and hit MF or
if MF turned and cut off SB. This is the set-up according to the
owner of MF:

quote
The "stann By" was originally on a roughly reciprocal course to that
of the Falcon. Prior to the photos shown here, "Stann By" was bearing
away, and the two yachts were on safe courses to pass roughly with a
distance of 200 feet separation.
unquote

Everyone agrees on this part. The question is if this:

quote
After the "Stann By" had sailed past the Falcon's bow, the smaller
vessel suddenly rounded up, possibly to tack in order to follow the
Falcon, when she lost control, and with her main sheeted hard in, the
smaller boat was unable to bear away to avoid a collision.
unquote

I don't think the photos support that assertion, but they're telephoto
from a long way off. SB says MF rounded up in front of them and
caused the collision -- this seems plausible photographically, but
again photos can lie... If you look at the photo sequences they have
time stamps and it is clear that MF began a major turn to port in the
two minute period before SB comes into frame. It is clear that SB
didn't intend to tack as the jib is still fast to port after they get
spun by the collision. SB's sails are luffing for the entire time
they are in frame but the collision is hard enough to do major damage
which makes me wonder if the MF was still altering port and thus
swinging towards SB.

--Tom.