THE LEEWARD MARK:
Where rules collide and you shouldn't

This situation occurs in less than 2 seconds: Speeding down wind, matching speed with a competitor and setting up for the leeward mark rounding, adrenalin level is high. The mark is in sight and nearing, your competitor is a boat length to your left and you both are on a port tack. Straining your well padded, fatigued gut muscles, you raise your head and take a quick scan all around. No one else will be near you at this mark, any you are FLYING in this 15 knot breeze on smooth, soft spring ice.

From NIA rule 4. When two yachts OFF-THE-WIND are on the same tack, the LEEWARD yacht shall keep clear

Leeward, that's YOU. You have to keep clear of him. He is turning toward you, no doubt to bleed some speed and set up for the rounding. No problem, you know your runners are sharp and you've turned hard in this stuff and are not slipping at all. You do a quick right-left S turn and see you can turn inside him. You do that and point a little high of the mark, now within 20 yards of the mark and pass a few feet behind your competitor. He begins his turn toward the mark.

From NIA rule 8. When approaching or rounding a MARK, an OUTSIDE yacht shall keep clear and a faster moving yacht approaching from the rear shall stay clear of a yacht that has started her rounding maneuver. Each yacht shall be entitled to room to cross the finish line.

Inside, that's YOU. You can now round the mark and he has to stay clear of you, right? But wait! You are accelerating and he is slowing. Does he see you? He is turning and heading for a rounding close to the mark. You are going to be right next to him and squeezed between him and the mark. You are going to either hit him or the mark! You wisely pick the mark, plucking one leg of the tripod with your plank.

You know the race committee is alert and someone is going to get a DSQ. BUT WHO? In the big fleet races, no one would have turned close to the mark like that! Everyone is careful to avoid collisions. This is a smaller club race, and he is not used to big fleets. He had to stay clear, right?

At the protest hearing, the facts were not in dispute. Ruling: When he turned down wind, he was beginning his rounding maneuver. You accelerated and became the faster yacht approaching from the rear and failed to keep clear. YOU ARE DISQUALIFIED.

Your lesson? Stay out side of the other boat as he swings wide. You were faster upwind, and would likely have been ahead at the next weather mark anyway. No matter how tempting that inside shot close to the mark looks, if the door closes, you will have pinched fingers.