# RR -- port tacker at the weather mark



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

This rule has undergone so many changes over my lifetime - and some of those changes just recently -- that I often get confused on the restrictions applied to the port tacker when he tacks onto starboard INSIDE the 3-boat length circle. While things get quite confusing when boats are real close .... such as losing rights while tacking, etc., etc., I am purposely going to pose a scenario that should be easy to understand and you all can confirm if I am right or all wet:

In light air, a port tacker (Peter) enters the circle. The closet starboard boat (Paul) on the starboard layline is 3 hull lengths away from the circle. Clearly this appears to be a non issue at this time.

Peter tacks onto Starboard and approaches the mark.
Because of fluky winds, he stalls right at the mark (not touching it).

Paul still has fairly good speed, enters the circle, and then has to luff up to get around Peter so as to round. He hollers "protest".

If I correctly understand the rules today -- I believe that Peter (originally port tack boat) has fouled Paul (starboard boat) because he made his tack onto starboard INSIDE of the circle. And this is why a port tack approach into the circle is extremely dangerous with the new rules.

Comments?


----------



## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

The wording of rule 18.3 makes interpreting it a bit trickier than it might seem at first. Maybe I am reading more into it than is there. We'll see! Rule 18.3 appears to call for a boat that tacks within the 3 boatlength circle and which is subject to rule 13 (tacking too close) to not cause the other boat to sail above close hauled in order to get around the mark if the other boat is fetching the mark. Your description makes it seem that Peter has tacked, but not tacked too close, since Paul is 3 boatlengths away from the circle (i.e.: 6 boatlengths from the mark) in the light air. Peter's stallout might be vexing for Paul, but unless he's also in the zone, or close enough for Peter to be tacking too close, it looks like Paul simply becomes an overtaking boat that has to keep clear of a stalled out competitor as he rounds the mark. If Paul was in the zone (close enough that Peter might have been tacking too close) when Peter tacked, then rule 18.3 would definitely apply, and Peter would be doing circles or getting tossed. I think the two things both have to happen for rule 18.3 to apply: tacking inside the 3 boatlength circle while possibly tacking too close. Paul seems to have been too far away for that this time. Of course if Peter had done a better job gauging the mark, he'd have rounded and been gone by the time Paul got there. Someone else may see it differently - let's find out.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

Thanks for your excellent analysis Paul. You are right - it is tricky. I purposely set the stage for Paul not being "too close" to test the real aspects of the rule. In trying to learn the changes, I've been told that a port tacker has tremendous onus on him if he enters the zone and then tacks onto Starboard. I cannot find any explanation that describes the positioning of the starboard boat outside of the zone. I do know that the port tacker Peter is ok as long as he doesn't force the starboard boat Paul to:

A. change his course before Peter completes his tack onto a close-hauled course, and
B. go higher than close-hauled (i.e. luff up toward head to wind) if he is going to collide. If Paul decides to duck and bear off, then Peter must give him room at the mark.

For some reason, I still believe all of this applies even if Paul was outside the zone when Peter tacked. But -- I am ready to be proven wrong. I would love to learn that none of this applies IF Paul is outside the zone when Peter completes his tack.

Btw, I have stumbled onto an excellent RR link with animated situations.

Regelspiel Uli Finckh

this is pretty neat stuff. Play around with it and learn how to navigate it and use the arrow buttons to slow things down or stop, repeat, etc.

Click right on the committee boat and it'll bring up a new window with different parts of the race course. Click on any one of those and you'll see a further breakdown of various situations. Once you've gone through some of them -- come back to the front page and click on whatever level quiz you want take.

This also has a lot of links to all the rules and IYRU cases, etc., etc. This would be a fantastic aid to have for a Protest Committee on someone's iPAD.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

Paul -- I see you sail the Sound (Conn). That is where I grew up and began racing with my dad at age 5. He was a charter member of the Old Greenwich YC -- this was back in the days when there really wasn't any commanding one-design. You had a smattering of a whole bunch of ODs, 2 or 3 Lightnings, same for Jolly boats, I-110s, Ravens, 2 Hamptons, Rhodes 19s, etc. I was found either in my dad's Hampton or his friends L-16.


----------



## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

Sailed by OGYC over Columbus Day wkend, headed to Indian Harbor. (Old Gwch is a bit shallow for us.) Looked like there were still some Rhodes & Ensigns in there. We've shifted through Atlantics, Lightnings, Solings, Thistles, and now, Ideal 18's for One Designs at our club. We may have a half dozen J/109's soon. Lots of opportunities to explore the rules.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

paulk said:


> Your description makes it seem that Peter has tacked, but not tacked too close, since Paul is 3 boatlengths away from the circle (i.e.: 6 boatlengths from the mark) in the light air. Peter's stallout might be vexing for Paul, but unless he's also in the zone, or close enough for Peter to be tacking too close, it looks like Paul simply becomes an overtaking boat that has to keep clear of a stalled out competitor as he rounds the mark. If Paul was in the zone (close enough that Peter might have been tacking too close) when Peter tacked, then rule 18.3 would definitely apply, and Peter would be doing circles or getting tossed. I think the two things both have to happen for rule 18.3 to apply: tacking inside the 3 boatlength circle while possibly tacking too close. Paul seems to have been too far away for that this time.


Paul -- getting back to the issue -- logic would seem to be on your side, but after thoroughly studying this, I have concluded that nothing in the situation dictates that Starboard Paul must also be in the zone, or even close to the zone for Peter to be burdened. Let's make this a very light air race, and the original positions are as I stated -- Peter is in the zone and has tacked onto Starboard and slowly approached the mark and stalled, completely blocking the mark. Paul is still 6 lengths away from the mark - and barely able to make it on a close haul course. A full minute goes by until Paul gets close to Peter. He has no option but to luff up to try to get around Peter or to tack. He probably will do as you describe -- simply find a way to get around him. But I believe technically -- Peter has fouled, and if Paul is thinking clearly, he could or should protest depending on your adherence to the rules.

I myself, in the same situation, with a light air race descended upon us and having to look forward to a stinkin downwind run gasping for air, would probably just get pissed at the conditions and not even think about protesting, unless of course other boats behind me forced me into a big loss, whereupon I might reconsider the protest.


----------



## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

Smart Pig,
I like the rules quiz link you posted. Thanks for that. UK Halsey and some of the other sailmakers may have more extensive quiz examples on their websites: Sailing Rules - Rules Quiz - Racing Rules Of Sailing

A question related to your hypothetical mark rounding situation (post #6). If Peter has made his tack to stbd. legally and then stalled completely, blocking the mark from Paul's perspective - is Peter's boat an 'obstruction' to Paul if it is in irons or completely lacking forward progress?

Nice discussion. Makes me want to get back out on the racecourse.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

CalebD said:


> Smart Pig,
> I like the rules quiz link you posted. Thanks for that. UK Halsey and some of the other sailmakers may have more extensive quiz examples on their websites: Sailing Rules - Rules Quiz - Racing Rules Of Sailing
> 
> A question related to your hypothetical mark rounding situation (post #6). If Peter has made his tack to stbd. legally and then stalled completely, blocking the mark from Paul's perspective - is Peter's boat an 'obstruction' to Paul if it is in irons or completely lacking forward progress?


Ok -- good question since some would want to argue that Peter, caught in irons, has now become an obstruction. However, per the definition which employs R21, he is not an obstruction. He has to be capsized, anchored, or aground for him to be an obstruction.

Btw, I agree -- time to get back out on the course -- but not with those conditions!


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

Playing around with the UK Halsey link. Thanks too for providing. I think you can get an awful lot out of it without having to dish out the $55 bucks.


----------



## SimonV (Jul 6, 2006)

glad I dont race, tried the quiz failed and it called me rail meat.


----------



## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

Smart Pig,
As you should be able to tell I'm not really clear on what an 'obstruction' is in the rules. Now I know I can throw my anchor over in order to become an obstruction. I guess if you are motoring then you are not an obstruction but obstructing? :G

The rules are so arcane sometimes as SimonV suggests. Since I don't know all the nuances of the RR my gut reaction is always to avoid a collision at all costs. This naivete does invite those who know the rules more intricately to take advantage sometimes. The RR don't always seem to avoid the inevitable bump and grind which is a lot different then mindset of always trying to arrive at your destination safely and without collisions or confrontations with other boats.
The more I learn the scarier it gets!

Yes, the UK Halsey site is pretty detailed about the RR.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

Simon

Most of the rules derive off of three BASIC principles:

1. Starboard boat has rights over Port.

2. Leeward boat has rights over Windward.

3. Clear ahead, clear astern, and overlaps can only occur between boats on same tack.

From there, it gets expanded with Limitations On Right Of Way, and then of course Marks and Obstructions. 

I think most people should first nail down the three easy ones I listed, and then start folding in the Limitations. Once that is all clear in the mind, then advance to Marks, etc.

Attending rules clinics (usually a fun way to spend a winter day) helps immensely. But retention is the big problem, so sailors need to periodically break the book out and review. These online links I think are fantastic. I know if I had an iPad, I would have that link saved as a favorite and would use it at the club if I had to prepare for a protest or if I were on the Protest Committee.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

One more aspect of 18.3 that allows the port tacker to survive in the zone, is the following:

Assume both port (Peter) and starboard (Paul) boats entered the zone at about the same time -- or at least to where when the Port boat Peter tacks, he'll be overlapped but on the inside. IF the starboard boat Paul has overstood the mark to the extent that if he were on a close-hauled course there is going to be room for the port tacker (now inside on starboard) to get around, then the outside boat Paul is held by Rule 11. In that scenario, even if Paul has begun bearing away to aim for the mark, he must still allow 
Peter room at the mark -- UNLESS in doing so, he is now forced to sail above close hauled.

Clearly, the port tacker Peter had better have a damn good perspective on the angle that Paul is sailing, before he tries this manuever. That can only come through years of experience. For one thing, the Starboard boat may end up protesting anyway (even though he'd be wrong), and you'll end up spending your social hour in the room.


----------



## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

*Don't think so.*



Smart Pig said:


> Paul -- getting back to the issue -- logic would seem to be on your side, but after thoroughly studying this, I have concluded that nothing in the situation dictates that Starboard Paul must also be in the zone, or even close to the zone for Peter to be burdened. Let's make this a very light air race, and the original positions are as I stated -- Peter is in the zone and has tacked onto Starboard and slowly approached the mark and stalled, completely blocking the mark. Paul is still 6 lengths away from the mark - and barely able to make it on a close haul course. A full minute goes by until Paul gets close to Peter. He has no option but to luff up to try to get around Peter or to tack. He probably will do as you describe -- simply find a way to get around him. But I believe technically -- Peter has fouled, and if Paul is thinking clearly, he could or should protest depending on your adherence to the rules.
> 
> I myself, in the same situation, with a light air race descended upon us and having to look forward to a stinkin downwind run gasping for air, would probably just get pissed at the conditions and not even think about protesting, unless of course other boats behind me forced me into a big loss, whereupon I might reconsider the protest.


 It still looks to me that the rule pertains to a boat that might be considered to be tacking too close. Rule 18.3 says that "if two boats are approaching a mark on opposite tacks, and one of them changes tack and as a result is subject to rule 13 in the Zone when the other is fetching the mark," rule 18.2 does not thereafter apply."(my emphasis).

As I see it, the clause about being subject to rule 13 (tacking too close) is the determining factor. The boat that changes tack inside the zone when subject to rule 13 (possibly tacking too close) is not allowed to make the other boat (that it might have been tacking too close to) sail above close hauled, is not allowed to prevent the other boat from passing the mark on the required side, and shall give mark room if the other boat becomes overlapped inside her. If the boat that tacks is NOT subject to rule 13 -- if she has NOT tacked to close, then rule 18.3 does not apply. The starboard tack boat - Paul in this case- does not necessarily have to be in the zone along with Peter, but to employ this rule, Paul does have to be close enough to Peter that Peter could be considered to have tacked too close. If Peter stalls out or gets hung up on the mark's anchor line with Paul a half mile away, and Paul comes up to the mark with Peter still there - Paul can't expect to use this rule to help him get around the mark.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

I understand your take on this ..... I could argue either position. At this time, I am not totally sold on my scenario. I'll tell you this much .. I have tons of rules quizzes around here, plus the access to the online animated rules situations. Since I have nothing better to do while waiting for Spring, I am going to make an effort to get this answered.


----------



## Roxy405 (Feb 29, 2012)

Before I weigh in with my two cents let me declare the caveat that I predominantly race centerboarders in England-feel free to take my views with a pinch of salt.

For me, there are two points. Rule 13 states:


> after a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats _until_ she is on a close-hauled course...[my emphasis]


I think the key word there is until. Once a boat passes head to wind, it must keep clear for all the time up to and until she arrives back at close hauled. This is important particularly in starts (in small boats at least) where you might want to lurk on port, spot a gap, tack over, then sit slightly above close hauled on starboard to stop people getting past to windward.

I've learnt the hard way that you don't get your rights back until you hit close hauled...!

The second point is in Rule 18.3:


> If two boats were approaching a mark on opposite tacks and one of them changes tack, and as a result is subject to rule 13 in the zone when the other is fetching the mark, rule 18.2 does not _thereafter_ apply...[My emphasis]


Again, I've always understood that to mean that if you tack in the zone (i.e. go beyond head to wind & make yourself subject to Rule 13) the word _thereafter_ means you can't ever gain rights under Rule 18.2 while rounding that mark.

In the original scenario, I would concur with the opinion that Peter has fouled Paul regardless of how far away Paul is when Peter stalls. It certainly isn't clear or concrete though-I know the RYA publishes a book explaining how the rules should be applied in various situations-and I could well be wrong.

I have to admit though, I would never tend to use 18.3 to get inside a starboard tack boat within the zone. If possible, I would tend to cross in front, overstand to a safe windward position and tack there. This can be a perfectly acceptable position if you think you're going to have to sail high for a bit before sticking the kite up, or if you want to gybe-set on a windward-leeward course and have enough space to blanket the guy in front. At worst, you're in clear air and unlikely to be hauled before a protest committee to explain yourself when you'd rather be at the bar!


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

What makes this situation (as I set it up) difficult to get a consensus on is the fact that the Definition for "Fetching" is open to a wide interpretation -- IMO.

*Fetching -- A boat is fetching a mark when she is in a position to pass to windward of it and leave it on the required side without changing tack.*

So -- when is a boat "in a position to pass to windward" of the mark? I could make an argument, that IF I have timed it perfectly, I am in a position to pass to windward of the weather mark when tacking on the layline, well outside of the zone. I.e., I sometimes "fetch" from a long way out, praying that I don't get knocked before I get there.

Had the Definition used different words -- something like "when she is about to round and is in a position to pass to windward ......." well then that would have been a lot more controlling of just where the starboard boat can be for rule 18.3 to engage. "About to round" may not be a Definition, but it is often used in conjunction with "zone" to deferentiate between boats close to a mark vs. boats sailing out in the open between marks.


----------



## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

There seems to be no discussion of rule 18.3 in any current USSailing appeals. ISAF Q&A has some clarifications about 18.3, but all involve boats that were overlapped, or both inside the zone when P tacks to S, or a situation where the S boat goes around the mark inside of P. The ISAF Case Book has nothing referring to a situation like the one described at the outset here either. There is some mention of rule 13 in the applicability of rule 18, but not much. Dave Perry - US Sailing's Appeals Chair - lives around the corner. I'll ask him what he thinks if he's not off in Brazil or Australia this week.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

paulk said:


> There seems to be no discussion of rule 18.3 in any current USSailing appeals. ISAF Q&A has some clarifications about 18.3, but all involve boats that were overlapped, or both inside the zone when P tacks to S, or a situation where the S boat goes around the mark inside of P. The ISAF Case Book has nothing referring to a situation like the one described at the outset here either. There is some mention of rule 13 in the applicability of rule 18, but not much. Dave Perry - US Sailing's Appeals Chair - lives around the corner. I'll ask him what he thinks if he's not off in Brazil or Australia this week.


You are correct -- I spent a good of time yesterday going through the US Sailing Appeals and ISAF cases, and didn't find anything pertinent. As for Dave Perry, I posed this question to him in an email sent to US Sailling. I hope they forward it, as I can find no other way to contact him.

It all may really come down to the accepted interpretation of "Fetching". So ask Dave if fetching has limits on distance away from the weather mark?


----------



## Roxy405 (Feb 29, 2012)

SP,

I have to admit, as I understood it the term fetching meant any boat that was on or above the layline on starboard tack (assuming its 'round the cans' racing.) The wording of the rules doesn't appear to allow any consideration of distance out from the mark. On its wording, that seems to say it would cover someone who did the whole beat in two tacks and so were able to lay the mark halfway (or, if there's tide, windbend etc, less) up the beat.

It does seem a bit crazy-but I'm not always sure the point of the RRS is to make sense.

You're also quite right that 18.3 doesn't make it clear if a boat becomes a boat subject to 18.3 after she passes head to wind (i.e. with the wind at 1°) or when she reaches a close hauled course (at 40°-ish). It seems absurd to suggest that a boat who tacks in the zone enjoys more rights between head-to-wind and close hauled than a boat who tacks out on the course. And there isn't any indication in Rule 18 that Rule 13 doesn't apply.

Yet the definitions don't define tacking as an action. If you take the definition for 'tack'


> A boat is on the tack, starboard or port, corresponding to her windward side


 and consider the definition of 'windward'


> A boat's leeward side is the side that is or, when she is head to wind, was away from the wind...The other side is her windward side


 it does seem to admit the possibility that a boat has changed tack once she has gone from wind at 359° to 1°. In fact, I would say that it's clear that the change of 2° is sufficient for a change of tack.

I'd imagine this must have come up before though...I'll have to have a dig through the ISAF cases. I've always acted as if you can't become a Rule 18.3 boat until you have reached close hauled (and therefore that the port tacker would be a Rule 13 boat if above close hauled)-which seems instinctively more likely-but I don't know that for certain.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

Roxy405 said:


> SP,
> 
> You're also quite right that 18.3 doesn't make it clear if a boat becomes a boat subject to 18.3 after she passes head to wind (i.e. with the wind at 1°) or when she reaches a close hauled course (at 40°-ish). It seems absurd to suggest that a boat who tacks in the zone enjoys more rights between head-to-wind and close hauled than a boat who tacks out on the course. And there isn't any indication in Rule 18 that Rule 13 doesn't apply.


Roxy
Actually, I think it IS clear that 18.3 applies from the moment the port tacker passes head to wind and before she is on a new tack. It involks rule 13, which only deals with the transition of a tack - not the final outcome. However, everytime I review 18.3, I discover something that I previously had not focused on. In this case, I don't understand why they even made reference here to Rule 13? *"and as a result is subject to rule 13 in the zone when the other is fetching the mark, rule 18.2 does not thereafter apply."* Rule 13 ALWAYS applies, not just in the zone -- it applies anywhere on the course, before or after the start. And of course it essentially dictates that a boat in the process of tacking has no rights at all.

Rule 18.3 could have been more simply written that when a boat tacks within the zone, 18.2 will no longer apply thereafter, and then kept the specific instructions that follow: "The boat that changed tack (which means to me has completed the manuever)" ..... (a) and (b).

"changed" is a transitive verb and "tack" is the object of completion for the verb. So .. during the tack, you don't need (a) and (b) because that boat has no rights at all. But, after the boat has finished tacking ... (a) and (b) take over for the rule with the specific restrictions.

Still puts us back to not having solved the fetching part .. how far out, etc., etc., for the starboard boat. I enjoyed your take on it. It takes it even further to the ridiculous level than I did, but as you said .. there is nothing that prevents that interpretation.


----------



## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

Spoke with Dave Perry this evening. He corrected my initial view. He thinks that a boat fetching the mark cannot be made to head above close-hauled to clear it by a boat tacking inside the 3 boatlength zone no matter how far away it was when the other boat tacked. In the given example, if Peter makes Paul head above close-hauled to round the mark - no matter how far out Paul was - Peter has fouled Paul. The answer is to not tack inside the zone. Tack 4 boatlenghts from the mark and you won't have to worry about it.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

paulk said:


> Spoke with Dave Perry this evening. He corrected my initial view. He thinks that a boat fetching the mark cannot be made to head above close-hauled to clear it by a boat tacking inside the 3 boatlength zone no matter how far away it was when the other boat tacked. In the given example, if Peter makes Paul head above close-hauled to round the mark - no matter how far out Paul was - Peter has fouled Paul. The answer is to not tack inside the zone. Tack 4 boatlenghts from the mark and you won't have to worry about it.


That is what I thought - and thanks for getting what I guess is the final answer. I am curious -- did Dave think this rule needs some work, perhaps as in clarification of "Fetching"?


----------



## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

Fetching was not discussed. We did talk about the fetching boat possibly overstanding. In any case, the boat tacking inside the zone (regardless of whether they're rounding to Port or Starboard) cannot make the fetching boat head higher than close hauled. What constitutes a close hauled course is another issue... That is how we got into overstanding.
Pinching is still a close hauled course. So is sailing "heavy". So violating this rule would seem to me to involve making the fetching boat pretty much luff up to head to wind. It says "above A close hauled course", not "above THEIRclose hauled course". Such situations can get quite subjective. The best recourse is to avoid tacking in the Zone.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

paulk said:


> Such situations can get quite subjective. The best recourse is to avoid tacking in the Zone.


Or, if you are going to do it (and we all will of course -- probably on any given race day), then just make sure you've got enough room and wind to pull it off.


----------



## Roxy405 (Feb 29, 2012)

Good to have that point clarified.

I imagine that in practice, such a situation is unlikely to arise as anyone capable of arriving at the top mark with a couple of dozen boatlengths on the guy behind is unlikely to get stuck head-to-wind regardless of bad fortune. Conversely, anyone who is close enough to be affected by even the worst tack is going to be sufficiently close for it to be clear if they are fetching the mark.

I did, however, manage to find out one rather bizarre interpretation of about 18.3. Apparently, a boat may be "fetching" the mark even though it is unable to lay the mark without sailing above close-hauled (i.e. the only way it can get to the mark is to "shoot" it). Therefore, you can break 18.3 if you force a boat above close hauled even though her helmsman would have to sail above close-hauled to round the mark. On that point, see ISAF Q&A 2010-012. Madness.

The only issue that I'm not in agreement on is when 18.3 kicks in. If you look at ISAF Q&A 2009-30 , a clear distinction is made between changing tack (i.e passing close hauled) and a boat that is tacking (that is to say, subject to Rule 13). In that Q&A, a boat that passed head to wind outside the zone but didn't reach close hauled until inside the zone was still a boat subject to Rule 18.3.

Charmingly, the RRS manage to use both "tacking" in the rule heading and "changes tack" in the body of the rule. Because the rules aren't ambiguous enough, I suppose. What that Q&A does show, however, is that the action of changing tack (passing head to wind) in the zone isn't the trigger for 18.3, but instead the application of 13 in the zone.

Outcome wise, however, it doesn't make the blindest bit of difference. Unless you're the boat discussed in the Q&A above.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

Good catches on your first two points.



Roxy405 said:


> What that Q&A does show, however, is that the action of changing tack (passing head to wind) in the zone isn't the trigger for 18.3, but instead the application of 13 in the zone.


I see it a bit different. The insertion of rule 13 in rule 18.3, really wasn't necessary as it ALWAYS applies anywhere on the course for a boat who is changing tack. I think they stuck it in there merely to remind everyone that when 13 applies, it supercedes rule 18.2. 18.3 -- to me -- doesn't kick in until the tacking boat is now sailing close hauled on the new tack, at which time Rule 13 ceases to apply.


----------



## Roxy405 (Feb 29, 2012)

Smart Pig said:


> I think they stuck it in there merely to remind everyone that when 13 applies, it supercedes rule 18.2. 18.3 -- to me -- doesn't kick in until the tacking boat is now sailing close hauled on the new tack, at which time Rule 13 ceases to apply.


 You could well imagine that if they hadn't used the form of words _"is subject to rule 13 in the zone"_ the result might have been a bunch of people claiming that rule 13 didn't apply in the zone.

I keep meaning to get the RYA book with all the rules explained in it-but as there must be a "new" version of the RRS due in the next 18 months or so it doesn't really seem worth it just now.

Besides, it would ruin those increasingly over-refreshed discussions in the club bar about various rules that keep us going until the season starts again.


----------



## Smart Pig (Feb 19, 2012)

Roxy405 said:


> You could well imagine that if they hadn't used the form of words _is subject to rule 13 in the zone_ the result might have been a bunch of people claiming that rule 13 didn't apply in the zone.


Yes, there is that to consider.


----------

