Right of way, but contact
The situation
Starboard-tack Green stands on, confident in her rights. Port-tack Red misjudges the cross, the hulls touch, and there's damage.
The question
Is only Red penalized?
The ruling
Red breaks rule 10. But rule 14 requires every boat — including the right-of-way boat — to avoid contact if reasonably possible. Green need not act until it's clear Red won't keep clear; if by then Green could still have avoided the contact and didn't, she also breaks rule 14. Because there was damage, Green is not exonerated and can be penalized too.
Right of way is never a licence to hit — if you could have avoided damaging contact and didn't, you break rule 14.
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 14 — Right of Way but Contact.