Rule 18.2 (b) If boats are overlapped when the first of them reaches the zone,
the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside
boat mark-room. If a boat is clear ahead when she reaches the
zone, the boat clear astern at that moment shall thereafter give
her mark-room.
Rule 23.2 Except when sailing her proper course, a boat shall not interfere with
a boat taking a penalty or sailing on another leg.
CALL E13 ..... A has already sailed to the mark and must now sail to the next mark to continue
sailing the course. X still needs to sail to the required side of this mark, to continue to
sail the course. Therefore, they are on different legs of the course....
Red:
At 3 my proper course is to gybe and head back to mark nr 1. Blue failed to stay clear of a leeward boat (RRS 11) and should be penalised. Alternatively at 3, Blue must still round mark 1 before sailing to mark 2 and thus is on the same leg as Red which still has to round mark 1 also. Alternatively at 4, Blue must still pass mark 1 therefore Blue is still on the same leg, and should keep clear of a leeward boat (RRS 11)
Blue:
At 3 Red is not sailing her propercourse to mark 1 and is interfering with Blue on a different leg sailing to mark 2 at the latest when blue has passed mark 1 shortly after 3. Blue stayed clear of red well after exiting the 2 BL zone.
Questions:
a) Is a proper course relative to the present position of a boat? Does a proper course exist at all for red at 3 to 4?
b) can a boat be on 2 legs? By still having to pass mark 1, while on a proper course to mark 2 that requires no course change to pass mark 1?
Team Europe :
There is no guarantee on a jury outcome / umpire call.
Red should have sailed to windward of mark 1.
If this fails for whatever reason red would be tactically more secure by assuming a reaching til closehauled course on sb tack preventing blue from coming a breast (overlapped) with the mark. In appeals and protests the primary argument must be that Blue still had to sail (instead of "allready has sailed") TO ( see CALL E16) mark 1 and RRS 23.2 is not applicable.
A negative umpire call best be discussed over a beer or 2 if we're serious about that argument.
Whith 2 blue boats trapped like that expect the race to be black flagged. Then even if Blue would be penalised at 3 proper course for red is to sail to the mark..