Clipping the weather mark
The situation
Squeezing around the windward mark in a crowd, Zoe's bow nudges the buoy as she rounds.
The question
She touched the mark — what should she do?
The ruling
She broke rule 31. The fix is a One-Turn Penalty under rule 44: get clear of other boats, then promptly make one tack and one gybe (a full circle) in the same direction. She does not have to retire. The one exception: if another boat had forced her into the mark while she was entitled to mark-room, she is exonerated under rule 43 and takes no penalty. When unsure, doing the turn is the safe, sporting choice.
Touched a mark? One spin (one tack + one gybe) and carry on — unless someone forced you onto it.
Opens the situation on the boat-length grid — scrub it and see exactly how the boats meet. Free, no account needed.
Rules cited
- Rule 31 — Touching a Mark
- Rule 44 — Penalties at the Time of an Incident
- Rule 43 — Exoneration
See the underlying rule: Rule 31 — Touching a Mark.
Related cases
- She hit the mark — and isn't penalized · Windward Mark
Inside and entitled to mark-room at the windward mark, Green is squeezed by outside boat Blue, who fails to give her enough room. Pinned, Green's hull touches the mark. Blue protests Green under rule 31 for touching the mark.
- Clipping the finishing mark · Finishing
Squeezing across the line right beside the pin, an Opti's hull brushes the finishing mark as she crosses.
- Your stern clips the mark · Any Time
Rounding the windward mark a little too tight, a boat lets her stern swing into the buoy. It's a clear touch.
- Weather-mark pile-up · Windward Mark
A pack of Optis converges on the windward mark on starboard. As the leaders reach the three-length zone, Kai is overlapped on the inside of the boat next to him; behind, boats are stacked up.