From: jeff@unix386.Convergent.COM (Jeff Beckmann)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: rules definition question
Keywords: rule definition
Date: 3 Sep 92 20:26:32 GMT
Organization: Unisys/Convergent, San Jose, CA


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.
************************************************************************

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.

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.

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.

Thanks
Jeff
Newsgroups: rec.boats