New Rapid Response Calls for Match & Team Racing

New and in effect from Tuesday 4/2/10 two new Rapid Response Calls:
RR Match Racing Call 2010/001 about “When is a boat at a mark?” and
RR Team Racing Call 2010/AA about “Passing head to wind inside the zone”
RRMRCALL 2010/001
RAPID RESPONSE MATCH RACING CALL 2010/001
Definitions Mark-Room
Question 1
When is a boat entitled to mark-room sailing ‘to the mark’?
Answer 1
A boat entitled to mark-room is sailing ‘to the mark’ when she is sailing a course towards the mark, that will leave the mark on the required side, until she reaches a position where she becomes ‘at the mark’.
Question 2
When does a boat sailing ‘to the mark’ become ‘at the mark’?
Answer 2
A boat that is sailing ‘to the mark’ will be ‘at the mark’ when one or more of the following conditions apply:

• (a) She is no longer able to alter course, in a seamanlike way, towards the mark and pass it on the wrong side.
• (b) Any part of her hull overlaps the mark and she is closer than half of her hull length to the mark.
• (c) She reaches a position where she would usually alter course to round or pass the mark on the required side in order to start sailing the next leg of the course.

Published 3 February 2010        This call is valid until 1 January 2011

RRTRCALL 2010/AA
RAPID RESPONSE TEAM RACING CALL 2010/001
Rule 18.1(a) When Rule 18 Applies
Rule 18.2 Giving Mark-Room

Question:
A reaches the zone of a windward mark to be left to starboard clear ahead of X. Both boats are on starboard tack. A luffs slowly and nearly stops next to the mark. X luffs and passes head to wind, and then passes head to wind again back onto starboard tack. When X passes head to wind the second time, she is overlapped to windward of A. Is A now required to give X mark-room?
Answer:
No. X is required to give A mark-room. At position 1, A enters the zone clear ahead of X. Therefore rule 18 applies and X is required to give A mark-room under rule 18.2(b). When X passes head to wind onto port tack at position 2, rule 18 no longer applies because the boats are then on opposite tacks on a beat to windward; see rule 18.1(a). When X passes head to wind again at position 3, the boats are once again on the same tack, and rule 18 therefore applies.
Because A was clear ahead when she reached the zone at position 1, rule 18.2(b) requires the other boat thereafter to give her mark-room. This obligation remains in force provided that:

1. rule 18 applies, and
2. rule 18.2(b) is not turned off by any of the conditions in 18.2(c).

Thus, when the boats are again both on starboard tack and rule 18 reapplies, rule 18.2(b) still requires X to give mark-room to A.
Published February 4, 2010 This call is valid until 1 January 2011



Team racers of the team in boat A beware!
You’ll need to stay in that position – i.e. head to wind, until X has either tacked away or has passed astern and has established a leeward overlap BEFORE the mark room you are entitled to, includes room to tack!
If you pass head to wind before that has happened, one of the conditions in rule 18.2(c) is met and rule 18.2(b) is switched off. Making you the keep clear boat under RRS 13 WITHOUT mark-room!