Bearing down on a ducking boat
The situation
Port-tack Red is keeping clear by bearing away to pass astern of starboard-tack Green. Green starts to bear away too, closing the gap as Red ducks.
The question
Can Green bear away into the boat that's already ducking her?
The ruling
Green may change course, but rule 16.1 requires her to give Red room to keep clear. On top of that, rule 16.2 specifically forbids Green from changing course such that Red — already sailing to pass astern — would immediately have to change course again to keep clear. 'Hunting' down onto the ducking boat to force a second reaction breaks rule 16.2.
You can't bear down on a boat that's already ducking your stern — rule 16.2 protects the ducking boat.
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 16 — Changing Course.
Related cases
- Starboard bears away — and loses · Upwind / Beating
On the beat, port-tack Red is keeping clear by bearing away to duck behind starboard-tack Green. Green bears away too, hunting down to close the gap. Red can no longer make it across and the boats touch. Green protests Red on port-starboard.
- Port meets starboard on the beat · Upwind / Beating
Both boats are beating to windward and their courses cross. Green has the wind on its starboard side; Red has it on the port side.
- Crossing the fleet on port · Upwind / Beating
Beating up the first leg, Nora is on port tack and a long line of starboard-tack Optis is crossing ahead. She thinks she can just cross the first one.
- Does hailing 'Starboard!' give you rights? · Upwind / Beating
Two boats converge on opposite tacks. The starboard-tack sailor yells 'Starboard!' loudly. The port-tack sailor says she didn't have to move because there was plenty of room.