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.