There have been several topics where tacking is involved, and one comment was that there used to be a definition for tacking, but it was removed some RRS cycles ago. Tacking comes up in several rules, R 13, R 18.3, R 20, R 44. As tacking is no longer defined, we may use a common understanding of the term. So my question is can tacking have a different meaning or scope when used in different rules.
Based on the definition of “TACK, STARBOARD or PORT” and “LEEWARD and WINDWARD” in the RRS. A boat is on a tack based on its windward side – so can we say that a boat has tacked when her windward side changes (after passing HTW), or does a tack require achieving a close-hauled course, as covered in R 13 Tacking? While R 13 is titled WHILE TACKING, the word tack does not appear in the text, passing HTW is used. When running, a boat changes gybe (tack) as soon as the boom has crossed the centreline, so it is effectively almost instantaneous. May the same be said when a boat passes HTW – its windward side has changed, so in that instant, it has tacked?
Example 1. Under R 20, a boat hails for room to tack, and the windward boat hails back “you tack” under 20.2(c) which requires that hailing boat be given room to tack and avoid – where room is defined, and this brings in seamanlike, so the room would be to achieve a close-hauled course, and then bear away to duck, or be able to tack back. See cases 35 and 101.
Example 2. A boat touches a finish mark while finishing, breaking R 31 hand has to take an R 44 penalty of a tack and a gybe (any order) before recrossing the finish line from the course side. In this diagram, the boat bears away, gybes, rounds up and passes HTW before crossing the finish line again. Has the boat completed her penalty before finishing?
