Rules 19 and 20Obstructions

(and some general comments about the RRS)

PYCMay 22, 2012

David Roseman

General informaton about The Racing Rules of Sailing

for 2009-2012• Basic Principle• Part 1 – Fundamental Rules• Part 2 – When Boats Meet

– Section A – Right of Way– Section B – General Limitations– Section C – At Marks and Obstructions

• Part 3 -- Conduct of a Race• Part 4 – Other Requirements When Racing• Part 5 – Protests, Redress, Hearings, Misconduct and Appeals• Part 6 – Entry and Qualification• Part 7 – Race Organization

Appendix A – ScoringAppendix J – Notice of Race and Sailing InstructionsAppendix K – Notice of Race GideAppendix L – Sailing Instructions GuideAppendix M – Recommendations fo rProtest CommitteesAppendix P – Special Procedurese for Rule 42Appendix S -- Sound-Signal Starting SystemIndexDefinitions

SECTION C – At Marks and ObstructionSection C rules do not apply at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water or at its anchor line from the time boats are approaching them to start until they have passed them. When rule 20 applies, rules 18 and 19 do not.

[Rule 18 will be discussed by Peter Blacklock]

19 ROOM TO PASS AN OBSTRUCTION

19.1 When Rule 19 Applies

Rule 19 applies between boats at an obstruction except when it is also a mark the boats are required to leave on the same side. However, at a continuing obstruction, rule 19 always applies and rule 18 does not.19.2 Giving Room at an Obstruction(a) A right-of-way boat may choose to pass an obstruction on either side.

(b) When boats are overlapped, the outside boat shall give the inside boat room between her and the obstruction, unless she has been unable to do so from the time the overlap began.

(c) While boats are passing a continuing obstruction, if a boat that was clear astern and required to keep clear becomes overlapped between the other boat and the obstruction and, at the moment the overlap begins, there is not room for her to pass between them, she is not entitled to room under rule 19.2(b). While the boats remain overlapped, she shall keep clear and rules 10 and 11 do not apply.

20 ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION

20.1 Hailing and RespondingWhen approaching an obstruction, a boat sailing close-hauled or above may hail for room to tack and avoid another boat on the same tack. After a boat hails,

(a) she shall give the hailed boat time to respond;(b) the hailed boat shall respond either by tacking as soon as possible, or by immediately replying ‘You tack’ and then giving the hailing boat room to tack and avoid her; and(c) when the hailed boat responds, the hailing boat shall tack as soon as possible.

20.2 Exoneration

When a boat is taking room to which she is entitled under rule 20.1(b), she shall be exonerated if she breaks a rule of Section A or rule 15 or 16.

20.3 When Not to Hail

A boat shall not hail unless safety requires her to make a substantial course change to avoid the obstruction. Also, she shall not hail if the obstruction is a mark that the hailed boat is fetching.

What is an obstruction?

ObstructionAn object that a boat could not pass without changing course substantially, if she were sailing directly toward it and one of her hull lengths from it. An object that can be safely passed on only one side and an area so designated by the sailing instructions are also obstructions. However, a boat racing is not an obstruction to other boats unless they are required to keep clear of her or give her room.

Continuing obstructionFrom Perry p 197An obstruction that a boat “continues” to sail next to for a longer period of time, as

opposed to one that is passed in a matter of seconds.

A vessel underway, including a boat racing, is never a continuing obstruction.

Probable examples are PYC dock, condo docks and Snug Harbor

“…changing course substantially…”= 10 degrees

10 degrees to radians 0.174533

atan 10 degrees 0.172792

x 22.5 ‘

y = atan(10) * 22.5 3.88783’

2 * y 7.77'

10°22.5’

3.89’

7.77’

Ensign (22.5’ long)

OpinionEmpty mooring or no-wake buoy probably NOT an obstruction

Any moored boat probably IS an obstruction

Committee boat until approaching mark to start race probably probably IS an obstruction

Example 1

ROW boat

May choose to pass either side

Must stay clear, even though leeward

Example 1

L

W

Example 2

If no overlap, or overlap obtained within one boat length, W must stay clear

L

W

Example 2

Example 3

PYC

Finish

Overlap before continuing obstructionW

L

Example 3

PYC

Finish

Overlap before continuing obstruction

L is entitled to room

W

L

Example 4

PYC

Finish

No overlap before continuing obstruction

W

L

Example 4

PYC

Finish

No overlap before continuing obstruction

L is not entiltled to roomW

L

Example 5

PYC

Finish

L

MARK

Example 5

PYC

Finish

L

MARK

M

IMHO, L would be entitled to room to clear the dock, but not to clear M

If M is an Ensign that has completed the race, perhaps we need a rule to prevent this situation

W

References

• The Racing Rules of Sailing for 2009-2012• Perry, Dave Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing through 2012• http://www.racingrules.org/guide/guide05a.htm• http://www.ussailing.net/wlyc/Yacht%20Racing%20Rules.htm

Fleet 70 rules

• Can’t find rule about not obstructing boats after finish.