# Newbie Right of Way Question



## Cincy020 (Mar 19, 2013)

Situation: I round the leeward mark and begin to head towards the windward mark. I am sailing on starboard tack. After I round the mark, there are three boats on the downwind leg heading towards the leeward mark. They are all sailing wing on wing (we are a JAM fleet, no spins). I will cross all their paths and likely on a collision course if I keep course. 

Who has right of way in this situation? If they were on starboard tack, I get they have right of way as I am the windward boat. However, since they are wing on wing dead downwind, how to you know what tack they are on? It is as simple as which side the boom is on? If the side the boom is on dictates the tack on a dead downwind wing on wing run, should the strategy be to have the boom to port to maintain starboard tack? Is there another rules that governs this?

In this case, since I was unsure of the rules, I simply changed direction to avoid any chance of collision.


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

Cincy020 said:


> Situation: I round the leeward mark and begin to head towards the windward mark. I am sailing on starboard tack. After I round the mark, there are three boats on the downwind leg heading towards the leeward mark. They are all sailing wing on wing (we are a JAM fleet, no spins). I will cross all their paths and likely on a collision course if I keep course.
> 
> Who has right of way in this situation? If they were on starboard tack, I get they have right of way as I am the windward boat. However, since they are wing on wing dead downwind, how to you know what tack they are on? It is as simple as which side the boom is on? If the side the boom is on dictates the tack on a dead downwind wing on wing run, should the strategy be to have the boom to port to maintain starboard tack? Is there another rules that governs this?
> 
> In this case, since I was unsure of the rules, I simply changed direction to avoid any chance of collision.


Yikes, the boats running towards you are to windward pf you, so you as starboard or leeward boat would be stand on to all...and yes when running, you are on the tack opposite the side the boom is on

See ( note there are some racing exceptions...but first lean the basics...,)





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## Cincy020 (Mar 19, 2013)

I deserve the idiot of the day award. I know the basic rules and clearly didn't think before typing (and when I saw three boats coming at me on the lake i worried a bit). I'll think smarter (not harder) next time.


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## Cincy020 (Mar 19, 2013)

Also, dumb question, is there "etiquette" when racing? So in this situation, should I choose a tack that would not force others to have to change course, or do I say screw it, pick my tack and make them all change course?


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

Cincy020 said:


> Also, dumb question, is there "etiquette" when racing? So in this situation, should I choose a tack that would not force others to have to change course, or do I say screw it, pick my tack and make them all change course?


Not so much as etiquette but it would be disadvantageous to tack rounding the mark to have to face the windshadows of the of the fleet behind you. If you want to play hard ball you can tack to force a boat behind you off course, but you will suffer also. Unless there is a huge tactical advantage, the preferred method is to harden up on the wind rounding the mark give yourself some room from the chasing fleet before tacking. The closer you are to the leeward mark the tighter the oncoming fleet will be.


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## nolatom (Jun 29, 2005)

Just after rounding to head back upwind (and also just after the starting gun), clear air is worth diamonds, even if you have to foot off a little on port tack to get it. Even if the "rules" allow me to tack and mess up the approaching downwind fleet (at least those running on port tack), I'd think twice about:

--speed I lose by tacking right after rounding

--getting blanketed right after tacking, I never really get up to speed until the traffic upwind of me clears

--which side of the beat is going to be favored?? If not heavily favoring going left, don't go left, at least not until traffic has cleared.

--what goes around comes around. If you keep doing this, the downwinders are going to jibe over onto starboard just to fix your little red wagon..

--yeah, it's poor etiquette in a plain ole fleet race at your local club. In a championship regatta, last race and you have to put a couple more boats between you and downwind boat to win the thing, and tacking into his path might accomplish that, you'll probably be seen as a "tough competitor" rather than a jerk. 

Which is another way of saying, yes there is such a thing as racing etiquette. Just as everywhere else.


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## SchockT (May 21, 2012)

If you are sailing upwind, and you are heading towards the side of the course that you want to be on, or you are simply covering a competitor behind you, by all means hold your course. You have right of way, plain and simple. You are not being a dick, you are playing by the rules. Boats sailing on the downwind leg know, or ought to know, that they have to stay out of the way of boats coming upwind. If you bear off to avoid a boat you are spending precious distance to weather that could make a big difference later in the race.

Whether you WANT to sail through the wind shadows of a bunch of downwind boats is another question altogether, but that is your decision to make, not your competitors!

One of the comments I hear from newbie sailors is "why does there have to be so much yelling"? While I will grant that some guys do yell too much, the majority of it is communicating. If you intend to enforce your right of way in a crossing, yelling "Starboard!" At the approaching boats is not being a dick, it is informing them that you do not intend to alter course. It also serves to warn them of an impending situation they need to deal with. They may have their "heads inside the boat" getting ready for the mark rounding, and may not have noticed you approaching.
In that situation their response should be "Hold your course!" Which tells you they intend to avoid you, so you don't panic when they cross a few feet off your transom! 

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