From: bartley@spss.com (Dennis Bartley)
Subject: Re: rules definition question
Keywords: rule definition
Organization: SPSS Inc.
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 15:31:09 GMT

In article <8936@unix386.Convergent.COM> jeff@unix386.Convergent.COM (Jeff Beckmann) writes:
>
>I have some questions regarding a few RACING definitions.
>I have my 1989-92 International Yacht Racing Rules in front of me,
>and can't find a few things that are key to an arguement I overheard
>after last night's beercan in Santa Cruz between my skipper and
>that of another boat.
>
>Winds were a little funny last night.  We reached to the leward mark,
>and we reached to finish.  We were about 8 boat lengths from the leward
>mark when our bow crossed the imaginary line drawn abeam from the stern
>of the boat ahead of us (most people would say we had overlap).  He was
>windward and wanted room at the mark.  Both boats were starboard tack.
>We were quite a distance from the other boat (about 3 of his boat
>lengths).  My skipper claims that overlap is a definition that the
>boats be neither clear ahead or clear astern AND within 2 boat lengths
>from the other boat.  The other skipper claims the same definition, but
>3 boat lengths.  The other skipper was yelling overlap, we were yelling
>"not within 2 boat lengths of a mark".  We became clear ahead about 4
>boat lengths from the mark.  Later the two skippers were argueing about
>the definition of overlap.

>
>On page 10 of USYRU's IYRR I find the following:
>
>************************************************************************
>Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap - A yacht is clear astern of
>another when her hull and equipment in normal position are abaft an
>imaginary line projected abeam from the aftermost point of the other's
>hull and equipment in normal position.  The other yacht is clear ahead.
>
>The yachts overlap when neither is clear astern; or when, although one
>is clear astern, an intervening yacht overlaps both of them.
>
>The terms clear astern, clear ahead and overlap apply to yachts on
>opposite tacks only when they are subject to rule 42, Rounding or
>Passing Marks and Obstructions.
>************************************************************************
>

The definition doesn't say anything about how far away. Some rules
however do mention a distance. Rule 38.2 (b) (luffing rights,
limitations) says that for the purpose of this paricular rule, and
overlap does not exist ubless the yachts are clearly within 2
boatlengths.

Though rule 39 (sailing below proper course after starting) doesn't
mention overlap, it does say that a yacht can't sail below her proper
course when she is clearly within 3 of her lenghts of a leeward boat.
At the moment, 

The rule you're most interested in is 42 (rounding or passing marks).
It says that if to boats are overlapped when the outside yacht comes
within 2 of her boatlengths of the mark shall be given room. It
doesn't say anything about the searation between boats, but I guess
imples the maximum would be 4 bl? 

>I see nothing limiting the distance between the boats in the
>definition.  As I see it, we had an overlap.  Since we were clear ahead
>before entering 2 boat lengths from the mark, he could not call for
>room at the mark.

True, though the boat that breaks an overlap has to be able to prove
it was broken before 2 bl. If there was a dispute, you'de probably
need an outside witness,

>
>Later on we were in a channel.  The boom was on the port side (with
>the wind coming over the starboard side).  Spinnaker was up with
>the pole on the starboard side.  We were sailing by the lee (what I
>mean by that is the spinnaker sheet was against the headstay).
>The skipper did not want to gybe the pole because that would put
>us on port.  I did not think the pole had anything to do with your
>tack.  I thought the boom was the only relevent data point.  I can
>not find the definition of port or starboard.  Can anyone point in
>the right direction?  I'm also curious, what if you only had a jib
>up?  What if you only had a spinnaker up?
>
>The more I think about this one, I bet our skipper thought we meant
>gybe the boat (boom and spinnaker) when we said gybe the pole.

If you were just cruising up the channel, you could do whatever you
like. If you were racing however, rule 64.2 applies (setting and
sheeting sails): "Only one spinnaker boom shall be used at a time and,
when in use, shall be attached to and carried only on the side of the
foremost mast opposite to the main boom". Had you gybed just the pole,
you would have violated 64.2. Perhaps your skipper knows a bit more
than you think? 

For the definition of port/starboard tack:

Port/Starboard tack is defined in "on a tack" as "corresponding to her
windward side". It doesn't mention which side her main boom is on.
There is no clarification I can find in the appeals book. So what
happens if someone is sailing "by the lee". 

>
>I'm only interested in the RACING definitions.  I'm not interested
>in what crusers or anybody else think the definitions should be.
>I'm not interested in "I don't race, but you should always have an
>adequate watch", unless you can point to IYRU or USYRU references that
>explicitly says that.  I'm not trying to be a jerk, but it doesn't
>help me to have the wrong question answered.  I don't have any updates
>to the rules (my understanding is every year an addendum or such is
>published) or published protest cases, but I will get my hands on
>anything that I am directed towards.

Definition... racer: "jerk" :-)

Dave Perry has an excellent book on rules. Elvstrom Explains is ok,
but it has some neat toys to use in protests. The appeals book (from
USSA) contains the "case law" of sailboat racing. It is here that you
find interpretations of the rules.