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Preventing a boat from getting well clear to take a penalty
This is a 'rabbit hole' issue arising from Jaakko's post in Intentional contact and RRS 2 in the TR/MR Forum. It doesn't rely on any Appendix D TR rules.
After an incident (typically in TR) in which a boat indicates that she will take a penalty, or is penalised by umpires, is it permissible for another boat to follow her and prevent her from ‘getting well clear of other boats’ and thus from beginning to take her penalty and gain protection under rule 23.2?
Consider the diagram below.
Has Y got well clear?
Is Y taking a penalty?
Is B required to avoid interfering with Y if reasonably possible?
If reasonably possible, a boat shall not interfere with a boat that is taking a penalty.... However, after the starting signal this rule does not apply when the boat is sailing her proper course.
I believe a boat has to get well clear before taking a penalty. If you interfere in this time it is OK. As the boat has never got clear it is not taking a penalty. I remember a case where one boat was luffing away that sail this.
Unless otherwise stated, Y has been luffing B above her desired course, which would be her proper course. If Y has earned a penalty and bears away, B has every right to resume her desired course, which may be to bear away and gybe back to a mark or the starting line. Y must keep clear while engaged in her penalty. If B maintains starboard gybe defensively (pos. 5) that is legitimate.
Hi John I have to rely on the information I have if as you write Y luffed quickly, it is also true that there was no "contact" with B, so B could not protest in pos. 1 both are head to wind and in pos 2 both bear away, so Y is "downwind" of B and B must keep clear, while B stays very close and does not allow it to luff (if Y luffs immediate contact occurs) : why do you think Y can't make a protest? It is true that if Y when taking a penalty he must keep clear, but from the drawings it is not clear what maneuver he is doing, while I think that B's behavior is clear.
However, after the starting signal this rule does not apply when the boat is sailing her proper course.
Change the years at the top of the page if you can't see 23.2
pos. 2 RRS 11 > red flag
pos. 3 RRS 23.2 + RRS 2 + RRS 691b1 (red flag ?)
As the boat has never got clear it is not taking a penalty.
I remember a case where one boat was luffing away that sail this.
Maybe I should have put a little more detail in my OP.
Suppose just before @1 Y luffed too quickly and didn't give B room to keep clear, and indicated she was going to take a penalty.
So you don't have to worry about rule 11 @1 and @2.
At what point do you say Y has got well clear of B?
If Y has earned a penalty and bears away, B has every right to resume her desired course, which may be to bear away and gybe back to a mark or the starting line.
Y must keep clear while engaged in her penalty.
If B maintains starboard gybe defensively (pos. 5) that is legitimate.
I have to rely on the information I have
if as you write Y luffed quickly, it is also true that there was no "contact" with B, so B could not protest
in pos. 1 both are head to wind and in pos 2 both bear away, so Y is "downwind" of B and B must keep clear, while B stays very close and does not allow it to luff (if Y luffs immediate contact occurs) : why do you think Y can't make a protest?
It is true that if Y when taking a penalty he must keep clear, but from the drawings it is not clear what maneuver he is doing, while I think that B's behavior is clear.
You're overcomplicating this.
It was not a general question about which boat broke what rule when.
I apologise if I didn't put enough detail in the OP to close off all the rabbit holes.
I'll try to patch it up here.
It would help me if people answered the specific questions that I asked, which were, considering the diagram in the OP, at any point:
Question 1
Has Y got well clear?
Question 2
Is Y taking a penalty?
Question 3
Is B required to avoid interfering with Y if reasonably possible?
2. No.
3. No.
How about you try to answer the three questions:
Question 1
Has Y got well clear?
Question 2
Is Y taking a penalty?
Question 3
Is B required to avoid interfering with Y if reasonably possible?
Could you explain how you work that out?
Rule 23.3, relevant parts accurately quoted by Phil above,
How is proper course relevant?