Answer of the Week

Quiz 22 Answer

Boat W’s protest is disallowed. L, as the leeward boat, is the right-of-way boat throughout the incident under rule 11, On the Same Tack, Overlapped. When she luffs (changes course), rule 16.1, Changing Course, requires her to give W room to keep clear, which she clearly does based on W’s performance. Before the starting signal, L has no limit on where she can sail; i.e., she is permitted to sail up to head to wind, even when overlapped by just a couple of feet on W.

The only rule that could potentially require L to sail no higher than her proper course after the starting signal is rule 17, On The Same Tack; Proper Course. However, rule 17 only applies when L becomes overlapped to leeward of W from clear astern. As this is not the case, rule 17 does not apply and L breaks no rule by continuing to sail head to wind after the starting signal.