Backing the sail to hold position
The situation
Holding her spot on the line with twenty seconds to go, Bea pushes her boom out to back the sail, stopping the boat and even edging it backwards to keep a gap to leeward.
The question
Is backing the sail allowed, and does she have rights while moving astern?
The ruling
Backing the sail to slow or stop is a normal, legal start skill — it isn't prohibited propulsion. But while she is moving astern through the water by backing a sail, rule 21.3 (Moving Astern) makes her keep clear of a boat that is not. So she can hold station and back down, but she can't drift astern into the boat behind her and claim rights. (Wagging the tiller to scull the boat backwards would be a separate rule 42 problem.)
Back your sail to hold position all you like — but while moving astern you keep clear of everyone (rule 21.3).
Opens the situation on the boat-length grid — scrub it and see exactly how the boats meet. Free, no account needed.
Rules cited
- Rule 21.3 — Moving Astern
- Rule 42 — Propulsion
Related cases
- Over early — going back · Starting
The start gun fires and the race committee hails sail numbers and flies code flag X (individual recall). Maya sees she was over the line early (OCS) and turns back to restart, sailing back toward the pre-start side while the rest of the fleet beats away on starboard.
- Round-the-ends (I flag) · Starting
With the fleet pushing the line, the committee starts the sequence with code flag I. In the last minute before the gun, Sam is over the line early, near the middle.
- U flag and black flag · Starting
After two general recalls the committee flies a black flag (or a U flag) for the next start. In the final minute Leo is just over the line, inside the triangle between the line and the first mark.
- Shutting the door at the pin · Starting
Lining up for a pin-end start, Ari is the leeward boat — right next to the pin — with boats stacked up to windward of her. To keep them off the favoured pin, she luffs up and holds them out.