When are you actually finished?
The situation
Mateo's bow crosses the finishing line, but in the crowd he then has to manoeuvre back near a finishing mark and dips across the line again.
The question
When is he finished, and can he still break a rule afterwards?
The ruling
A boat finishes the moment any part of her hull crosses the finishing line from the course side, having sailed the course (rule 28) — so Mateo finished as his bow crossed. After finishing he must get clear of the line and marks, and he still owes the rules until he is clear: he can break a rule, and be penalised, right up to that point. Once finished and clear, he's done, and what he does afterwards doesn't change his finish.
You finish the instant your bow crosses from the course side — but you still owe the rules until you're clear of the line.
Opens the situation on the boat-length grid — scrub it and see exactly how the boats meet. Free, no account needed.
Rules cited
- Rule 28 — Sailing the Course
- Rule 44 — Penalties at the Time of an Incident
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