From: thompson@atlas.socsci.umn.edu (T. Scott Thompson)
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
Subject: Re: right-of-way
Date: 2 Sep 92 15:02:07 GMT
Reply-To: thompson@atlas.socsci.umn.edu
Organization: Economics Department, University of Minnesota

laforce@xenon.arc.nasa.gov (Soren LaForce) writes:

>I did a lot of windsurfing with the Cal Sailing Club at the Berkeley
>marina.  With CSC, you passed a written test that covered, in about
>equal parts, right of way rules and windsurfing.  CSC tends to be a 
>bit anal about the jumping through the hoops, but sailors that learn
>there (boat and freesail) **know** their stuff, particularly the rules.

When I was an instructor at the U. of Wisconsin - Madison Hoofers
Sailing Club we also emphasized the rules early on as part of basic
safety procedures.  This was done as part of a very short
"introduction to sailing" course that all members were required to
pass.  It also covered club policies and elementary physics of sailing
(e.g. center of resistance, center of effort type stuff).  There was a
short booklet summarizing the course contents, and a one page written
test.  Total student time investment was about 2 hours max (including
reading the manual) before we let them take equipment out on the big
lake.  It is sad that many instruction programs fail to encourage even
a minor investment in off-the-water learning.

>1.	Are you overtaking?

>		Yes:  keep clear of the boat you are passing.
>		No:   go to 2.  (I know, bad programming style)

The racing rules define "overtaking" so narrowly that this rule rarely
comes into play.  Essentially you are not considered to be overtaking
if any part of your equipment or body is forward of a line extended
perpendicular to the other board from its most aft point.  (You would
have to hit someone directly on the "transom" of their board to
violate the rule.)  I do not know how the non-racing rules define
"overtaking"?  Can you enlighten us?

>2.	Are you on the same tack as the boat you are approaching?

>		Yes:  Are you to windward?

>			Yes:  Keep clear.
>			No:   Maintain course.

>		No:   Are you on starbord tack?

>			Yes:  Maintain course.
>			No:   Keep clear.

>One thing to keep in mind, is that if you are closing with another
>board with a 5 or 10 degrees difference in course, one person may 
>feel it is an overtaking situtation and the other feel it is a 
>windward/leeward situtation.  This can lead to both parties thinking
>they have rights.  I try to avoid this kind of encounter.

In racing, this is almost always a windward/leeward.  It is usually
safest to assume that it is.  On the other hand, if you come charging
up behind someone to establish a leeward position you have to give
them time and opportunitiy to keep clear of you.  Leeward position
does not make you automatically in the right if a collision occurs.

>Remember, the boat with rights is **required** to maintain course.

>I do not think (feel free to correct me) that you are required to 
>yell "starboard or "leeward" to inform the "opposition" that you have
>rights, however it is certainly a good idea (if a bit impractical at 
>25 kts).

>Also, even though you are required to maintain course, you are required 
>to do everything you can to avoid a collision (even if this means
>changing course).

There was a long discussion of this rule on rec.boats not long ago.
To clarify, this last rule is usually interpreted to mean that if the
other guy has blown it so that there is no longer any hope that he
will be able to change course or speed to avoid the collision, then
the right-of-way boat should try to change course.  A typical
situation would be a port / starboard crossing where port tries to
cross in front but can't make it.  Once the boats are close enough so
that port is no longer _able_ to change course without causing a
collision, then the burden shifts to starboard to try to avoid the
collision.  In other words, when in doubt the right-of-way boat should
hold its course.

I have not seen this rule used much in sailboard racing since the
boards go so fast and are so small that by the time port is
"committed" to try to pass in front of starboard it is usually too
late for starboard to react.  Bearing off to try to duck a port tacker
might just make things worse because boards accelerate so well.

--
T. Scott Thompson              email:  thompson@atlas.socsci.umn.edu
Department of Economics        phone:  (612) 625-0119
University of Minnesota        fax:    (612) 624-0209