FINISHINGBeginner
Crossing tacks at the finish
The situation
Two boats race for the finishing line and will cross near the same point. Green is on starboard tack, Red on port.
The question
Does anything change because they're at the finish?
The ruling
No — the right-of-way rules apply right up to the moment each boat finishes. Green (starboard) has right of way; Red (port) must keep clear under rule 10. And rule 14 still requires both boats to avoid contact: a boat can't barge across the line into a foul just because the finish is metres away.
Key point
Right of way runs all the way to the line — port still keeps clear of starboard at the finish.
Play this on the board
Opens the situation on the boat-length grid — scrub it and see exactly how the boats meet. Free, no account needed.
Rules cited
See the underlying rule: Rule 10 — Crossing Tacks at the Finish.