RULE 16
Changing Course
When a right-of-way boat changes course, it must give the other boat room to keep clear.
Having right of way does not allow an abrupt course change that leaves the other boat no room to respond. When the right-of-way boat alters course, it must give the keep-clear boat room to do so. A leeward boat may luff a windward boat, but only at a rate that lets the windward boat keep clear.
Play this on the board
Opens the animation on the boat-length grid — scrub it, edit it, or use it as a starting point. Free, no account needed.
limitationluffcourse-changeroom
How it interacts with other rules
- Rule 11 — On the Same Tack, Overlapped · limited by
Constrains how the leeward boat may exercise its rule 11 right of way.
- Rule 15 — Acquiring Right of Way · see also
Rule 15 governs the moment right of way is acquired; rule 16 governs course changes after that.