Hobie University, NAHCA
Page
38
31 Mar 02
Section C - At Marks and Obstructions
To the extent that a Section C rule conflicts with a rule in Section A or B, the Section C rule takes precedence.
18 Passing and Passing Marks and Obstructions
In rule 18,
room
is
room
for an inside boat to round or pass between an outside boat and a
mark
or
obstruction,
including
room
to tack or gybe when either is a normal part of the maneuver.
18.1 When This Rule Applies
Rule 18 applies when boats are about to round or pass a
mark
they are required to leave on the same side, or an
obstruction
on the same side, until they have passed it. However, it does not apply
(a) at a starting
mark
surrounded by navigable water or at its anchor line from the time the boats are approaching them to
start
until they have passed them, or
(b) between boats on opposite
tacks,
either on a beat to windward or when the
proper course
for one or both of them to
round or pass the
mark
or
obstruction
is to tack.
18.2 Giving Room; Keeping Clear
(a) OVERLAPPED - BASIC RULE
When boats are
overlapped
the outside boat shall give the inside boat
room
to round or pass the
mark
or
obstruction
, and if
the inside boat has right of way the outside boat shall also
keep clear.
Other parts of rule 18 contain exceptions to this rule.
(b) OVERLAPPED AT THE ZONE
If boats were
overlapped
before either of them reached the
two-length zone
and the
overlap
is broken after one of them has
reached it, the boat that was on the outside shall continue to give the other boat
room.
If the outside boat becomes
clear
astern
or
overlapped
inside the other boat, she is not entitled to
room
and shall
keep clear
.
(c) NOT OVERLAPPED AT THE ZONE
If a boat is
clear ahead
at the time she reaches the
two-length zone,
the boat
clear astern
shall thereafter
keep clear.
If the
boat
clear astern
becomes
overlapped
outside the other boat she shall also give the inside boat
room.
If the boat
clear astern
becomes
overlapped
inside the other boat she is not entitled to
room.
If the boat that was
clear ahead
passes head to wind,
rule 18.2(c) no longer applies.
(d) CHANGING COURSE TO ROUND OR PASS
When rule 18 applies between two boats and the right-of-way boat is changing course to round or pass a
mark
, rule 16 does
not apply between her and the other boat.
(e) OVERLAP RIGHTS
If there is reasonable doubt that a boat obtained or broke an
overlap
in time, it shall be presumed that she did not. If the
outside boat is unable to give
room
when an
overlap
begins, rules 18.2(a) and 18.2(b) do not apply.
18.3 Tacking at a Mark
If two boats were approaching a
mark
on opposite
tacks
and one of them completes a tack in the
two-length zone
when the
other is fetching the
mark
, rule 18.2 does not apply. The boat that tacked
(a) shall not cause the other boat to sail above close-hauled to avoid her or prevent the other boat from passing the
mark
, and
(b) shall give
room
if the other boat becomes
overlapped
inside her, in which case rule 15 does not apply.
