Your answer is in the fourth word you quoted of the rule: "While boats are passing a continuing obstruction". In your example, neither boat is passing the obstruction.

I agree with Paul. The word Passing implies that red will go by the obstruction without having to tack away from it or maybe even alter course. But the rest of the paragraph implies that red is quite close and won’t leave enough space for blue to pass between. I believe the intent of the rule is to dissuade blue from attempting to overtake to the obstruction side.  Knowledge of this rule should cause blue to cease overtaking on her current point of sail so as not to create a potential for collision with the shore or force red off of her course in order to comply with rule 14. 

It seems to me that there is a useful distinction between the language in RRS 19, where boats are passing an obstruction, and RRS20 where boats are approaching an obstruction.  It seems a reasonable assumption that a boat will be doing one or the other, not both at the same time unless the scenario is very complicated. So in the upwind river racing scenario the boats are constantly approaching the bank, so RRS20 is a key part of the situation, whereas downwind on a river the various RRS19 cases come into play.
But a variation on the scenario would be if the boats were of a type that gybes downwind, and are gybing down the river, so RRS20 doesn't apply. Would one of you folks more expert than I care to talk through the situation? 

Side note: it'd be great if some judges and umps joined this thread to keep us honest.

Dan: in your original post, there doesn't seem to be any issue, assuming the boats are roughly equal in speed. Red will roll Blue due to Red's wind shadow, and Blue will be able to tack without hitting Red. But if, for some reason, Blue maintained her speed and couldn't tack without hitting red, this is a classic application of Rule 20.

Jim: Nice diagram. My two cents:

In situation A2, there is room for Green to pass between Blue and the shore, so 19.2.c doesn't seem to apply here.

In situation B2, it seems like 19.2.b applies and Green needs to give Blue room. Note the definition of room is for a boat to maneuver in a seamanlike way. If these boats need to reach around the course -- e.g., it's light air, or they are using asymmetric kites -- then Green needs to allow Blue to jibe onto a reach on the opposite jibe, as opposed to just enough room to go dead downwind. But if they were in, say, Lasers, which sail DDW, then Green would only need to give Blue enough room to clear the shore, sailing ~160 degrees to the wind, but not enough to jibe to a course that mirrors what they were originally doing, i.e., 135 degrees to the wind. So... tell us what kind of boat you envision here, and the wind conditions.

Dan Falcon said
Created: Yesterday 02:19

It doesn't really help to go grasping after definitions.  If words in the RRS have a defined meaning it's in Definitions or Introduction Terminology.  Other words an phrases should be given their normal or maritime meaning.

I suggest that posters here are starting their analysis too far into RRS 19.  The issue is not with the meaning of 'passing between', but is resolved right up in RRS 19.1 When Rule 19 aplies, which says 'Rule 19 applies between two boats at an obstruction ...', and FWIW, you can contrast this with RRS 20.1 'approaching an obstruction and will soon need to ...'

Sure this then reqires consideration of the meaning of 'at an obstruction'.  I would suggest that boats are at an obstruction when the outside overlapped boat needs to begin taking action to fulfil her obligations to give the inside boat room.  I realise that this is a bit circular, but I think it's workable.

Hanging over this is the issue of the proper application of RRS 19.2(c).

See this Appeal to explain the 'snapshot' or 'freezing' approach to applying rule 19.2c.

And in GBR, this 'when in doubt' interpretation

An inside boat that reasonably believes that she is at an obstruction and acts accordingly is entitled to room from an outside boat. The inside boat is not required to endanger herself in order to claim her entitlement to room. If the outside boat disputes the inside boat’s entitlement to room, she must nevertheless give room, and then, if she wishes, protest.


So in Jim's Diagram 2, Blue is dead wrong,   At the instant boats become overlapped there is at least a BL of space between Blue and the bank:  that is ample room for Green to pass between in.


Coming back to Dan's OP.

As diagrammed boats are not yet 'at' the obstruction, so rule 19 does not yet apply, so there is no question of rule 19.2(c) switching off Section A right of way rules.  The rule 19.2(c) switch off would only apply when boats were so close to the bank that there was no room between the outside boat an the bank for the inside boat to pass, say less than 1 BL. 

By Dan's description, the next thing is that Blue becomes overlapped to leeward of Red, say 5 or 6 BL from the bank.  That's straight up rule 19.2(a).

Boats are also approaching an obstruction close hauled on the same tack, and will soon need to change course substantially, so rule 20 applies, and, unless they both get a massive lift, Blue will probably make her rule 20.1 hail.

Rules 19 and 20 can both apply at the same time, although probably only one of them will operate.

If you want to get a better handle on ideas and angles of approach to obstructions, you can take a look at these MR Calls

 Match Race Call B14

 

Rule 16.1; Changing CourseRule 19; Room to Pass an ObstructionDefinitions; Mark and Obstruction

The rules of Section A and B apply when boats are passing the committee boat in the pre-start. 

 

Rule 11; On the Same Tack, OverlappedRule 16.1; Changing CourseRule 19; Room to Pass an Obstruction

The right-of-way boat can choose to luff or bear away as she pleases at an obstruction provide she complies with rule 16.1. 

Do not confuse the fact that an object, a shore or pier can be a different kind of obstruction dependant on your heading. If you sail along it on a run or reach, then it can be a continuing obstruction, but if heading towards it can be a simple obstruction.
The question seems to assume a river is a continuing obstruction, when in reality is not most of the time especially when beating. 
Downwind there maybe other problems, perhaps for another post. 

I disagree with Mike.

The concept arose in early versions of Case 33, which said

Although the breakwater is a continuous structure from the shore to its
outer end, it does not qualify as a continuing obstruction because the boats
pass close to it only briefly, near its outer end. Therefore, rule 19.2(c) does
not apply.


This was very pointedly removed from Case 33 in the 2015 rewrite 

An obstruction is an object that has certain attributes regardless where boats are in relation to it.

An obstruction does not cease to have the attribute of continuity depending on where boats are in relation to it.

However, as I tried to explain in my previous post, the applicability of rule 19.2(c) does, and the trigger condition 'at the moment the overlap begins, there is not roomfor her to pass between them' is quite sufficient to limit the application of rule 19.2(c) and the Section A switch off, without resort to the notion of an obstruction conditionally being contiuous or not continuous. 

I did not create the distinction ws did.
Continuous has to be in reference to how you approach it. 
To me down wind the problem is with asametrics as they tack down wind but cannot call for room to gybe to port. 
They are left exposed, room has not to me included a gybe. 

Really a problem in match racing when you are give way during a gybe. Mike

  Michael Butterfield

Said Created: Today 18:05

After the deletion of the passage I mentioned from Case 33, where does WS say that?

Why shouldn't room include room to gybe? I'm thinking on my feet here, so please correct/disagree etc.
 
When a boat sailing upwind tacks at an obstruction she necessarily must adopt a close hauled course, which will normally take her clear of the obstruction and RRS 19.2b room. Hence the need for the other boat to tack or give room to tack.

But when a boat sailing downwind gybes she can continue to sail parallel to the obstruction with RRS 19.2b room continuing,so there's no need to call the other boat to gybe and sail away from the obstruction. The other boat may well need to gybe in order to give room, but that's beside the point. So  guess I'm agreeing with Al S on that.

The Distinction is in the rule book obstruction or continuous obstruction, I note ws do not give a definition of continuous obstruction. 

The Distinction is in the rule book obstruction or continuous obstruction, I note ws do not give a definition of continuous obstruction. 

The Distinction is in the rule book obstruction or continuous obstruction, I note ws do not give a definition of continuous obstruction. 

The Distinction is in the rule book obstruction or continuous obstruction, I note ws do not give a definition of continuous obstruction. 

In match race ING mark room is to sail your proper course, so a tack or gybe is fine.
Again in match racing you as a gybing boat are keep clear so my problem is more serious. 

You and another boat are broad reaching to an obstruction on starboard (to me this is not a continuing obstruction) you are not overlapped so no rrs 19.
The leading boat wants to gybe to port on front of the starboard boat. What protects him what does he call?. 
 He has no. Rights and when he gybes if the starboard boat has to alter he is toast. 

No protection no rule to assist, perhaps a gap with asametrics when the continous obstruction rule was designed for traditional spinakers. 

Again I draw attention to the common use of the word 'passing' (it is not a defined term so we have to use its common usage). In your various discussions of river banks, no boat is 'passing' the river bank; they are set to collide with it. That is not 'passing'. They have no way to 'pass' it. They will have to tack to avoid it. If you suggest that a boat to leeward of a boat approaching a river bank on a beat is restrained by 19 from obtaining an overlap from leeward then racing near a shore of any kind becomes a nonsense, and rule 20 would be almost meaningless.

Mary Pera was an incredible force of clarity. Trying to read technicalities into her work serves no-one well.

.

The leading boat wants to gybe to port on front of the starboard
 boat. What protects him what does he call?. 

 Excuse me for trying to think this through in words. I think a factor here is that a gybing boat turns through an arc at full speed.

 If the boats are not overlapped the leading boat has ROW and although it may not be relevant proper course is to gybe. If the leading boat is directly in front or downwind of trailing then there is no problem as they will be clear of trailing all the way through and they aren't going to obstruct trailing's course when they gybe. So the only issue is if leading is ahead but to windward. 

So the ahead but to windward. Leading bears away ready to gybe. She is ROW and on proper course and trailing has plenty of room to keep clear. The boats now become overlapped, so trailing gains ROW as leeward boat, but leading has stopped approaching and is now starting to pass the obstruction, so has 19.2b protection. I'm finding it hard to visualise a situation where leading loses ROW without gaining 19.2b protection. 

What have I missed? 

Why could this not happen?☒

If downwind trouble.TSS is a graphic I don't seem to have anything that interprets it.

Michael, can you please elaborate on why 19.2.c doesn't include room to jibe at a continuing obstruction, assuming that a boat's proper course is to sail at an angle to the wind? (E.g., a boat with an asymmetrical kite.)

As you know, the definition of room is the space a boat needs for "manoeuvring promptly in a seamanlike way". Suppose a boat with an asymmetric kite is forced to sail dead downwind in 15 knots. In doing so, their spinnaker wraps around the headstay. Then the kite brings down the rig, which then knocks a hole in the boat and sinks it. I'm struggling to see how this constitutes seamanlike manuevering.

You mention that this is because World Sailing doesn't provide a definition of "continuous obstruction"; I'm guessing you instead meant "continuing obstruction" since "continuous obstruction" isn't mentioned anywhere in the racing rules.

World Sailing actually DOES provide some definition of continuing obstruction, stating that a" vessel under way... is never a continuing obstruction". 

Given this, and given that there are many terms in the racing rules that aren't defined and we need to go with dictionary definitions, can we assume that World Sailing means to imply that a continuing obstruction is something very long, e.g., a river bank, shoreline, or pier?

I am not addressing passing a continuing obstruction, my concern is with a shore, end of pier, or large boat you may come to in the race area.
I am looking at where you gybe on the run by an obstruction but are not overlapped so have no rights under RRS 19.
You may gybe to port and infringe the boat behind, you are a right-of-way boat giving right this up so no 15, and up to this point the boat behind as long as it is keeping clear can maneuver as it wants.

Again if you gybe creating an overlap on the boat behind (bearing in mind that the boat needs to do nothing till you gybe) and the boat cannot give room because of your proximity when the overlap bean in need not give room.

I am just pointing out I see a need for a rule asking for water to gybe like you have RRS 20 for tacking. Especially in match racing where you are give way during the gybe.

Mike

If you are at a continuing obstruction clear ahead on starboard and gybe to port and a starboard boat hits your stern, I do not see any protection for you.

Mike

Mike, in your diagram isn't blue changing course and thus subject to 16.1? What have I missed?

They are give way till the boat in front has completed the gybe, so no 16, no 15 as give way given up voluntarily,  and are they to continue to hit the obstruction?  Mike

Excuse me again while I work through this. 

At position 1 Yellow is clear ahead and to windward. Yellow is approaching the obstruction, has ROW and Blue must keep clear. RRS12 applies.
At what I shall call position 1A Yellow bears away and transitions from approaching the obstruction to passing the obstruction. Yellow is still clear ahead and has ROW. Blue must keep clear. RRS12 still applies.
At position 2 Yellow gybes onto port tack, she is still clear ahead, but is now on opposite gybe. Blue acquires ROW due to yellow's actions. RRS10 now applies, RRS15 does not apply. The boats are not on a collision course.
At position 2A Blue bears away and transitions to passing the obstruction. She is still ROW (RRS10). However she is changing course and must give Yellow room to keep clear. RRS 16.1.  Yes, blue is forced to allow for yellows room, but I don't think that's unreasonable.
But... also at position 2A yellow changes course. She must be very careful. If Blue gave sufficient room for Yellow to keep clear by maintaining her course parallel to the bank then I think Yellow has not fulfilled her obligations under RRS10 and Blue has fulfilled her obligations under RRS 16.1.

So on reflection I agree that in your diagram Yellow is penalised. However If she had maintained her course parallel to the bank until blue gybed she would then be leeward or clear ahead boat and acquire Right of way.

However would a right to gybe help? If I've got my understanding correct then Yellow would have a right to gybe, but not to head up , unless the rule were that the boat is able to gybe and head up to a proper course. But that feels awfully complicated to me, at least for fleet racing in asymmetric dinghies which is what I have done a lot of. When it comes to the specific problems and situations of match racing I am utterly ignorant.

[Later] 

I suppose if I consider RRS 20 the hailing boat has a right to tack, but that doesn't absolve her of the need to manouver to keep clear of the ROW boat after the tack if she can, especially if the hailed boat responds `you tack`. So if I imagine a gybe rule then it seems to me that if at position 1 Yellow hails for a gybe, and Blue responds 'you gybe' then everything in the scenario proceeds in the same way and yellow is still locked against the obstruction until blue gybes. 

Who has a better sense of this? My feeling at the moment is that there is only a very limited set of circumstances in which gybing at a continuing obstruction creates a problem, and that a right to gybe rule would have only a minimal benefit in those circumstances. I suppose if there were no `you gybe` option in the putative rule and trailing had no option but to gybe  it would work better, but a compulsory gybe could readily be abused for tactical considerations. 

First, let me thank everyone for their answers to my almost silly question at the start of this thread. It seems equivalent to say that, 19.2 doesn't apply to my boats in the middle of the river because they are not "passing" the obstruction, or because they are not "at" the obstruction yet, or both. Both are intuitive enough that I'm not longer confused. Thanks!

As a sailor without an asymmetric, in Mike's downwind scenario, it does seem like the natural outcome in an old-fashioned boat is that I'm pinned to stay on starboard, running parallel to the shore if I'm yellow, but probably not for long... if Blue falls in behind me, we will both sail by the lee until either 1) I realize she is not overtaking and I gybe away, 2) she is overtaking at which point she can't go between me and the shore (classic 19.2c) and I am entitled to rule 19 room -- I could I gybe and then ask for room, but I would only get enough to avoid going ashore. But that all depends on my ability to go parallel to shore.

It does seem like Mike's situation really depends on being in the unfortunate spot of not being far enough ahead to gybe, but not being close enough to be overlapped -- which is a pretty match racing place to be...