Obstructions, room to tack & other situations (Rules 19–23)
Rules 19 to 23 fill the gaps in the right-of-way rules: passing an obstruction together, tacking off a shore with a boat on your hip, and boats that are returning, doing turns, capsized or not racing.
1 · Obstructions
What counts as one
Is an anchored boat or a rock an obstruction under the racing rules?
Yes: an obstruction is any object you could not pass without a substantial change of course if you sailed straight at it from one hull length away, such as an anchored vessel, a pier or a rock.
An obstruction is an object you could not pass without a substantial change of course if you sailed straight at it from one hull length away: an anchored vessel, a pier, a rock, buoyed or not. So is an area the sailing instructions close to boats. A boat racing is one only to boats that must keep clear of her or, under rule 22, avoid her.
Rule 19 does not apply at a mark you both must leave on the same side: there rule 18 governs, or neither rule at a starting mark as you approach to start. Nor is a third boat an obstruction between two boats to whom rule 18 applies when she overlaps each of them.
2 · Rule 19
Passing an obstruction together
Rule 19: who gives room at an obstruction when two boats are overlapped?
The outside boat: under rule 19 she gives the inside boat room between her and the obstruction, right of way or not, unless she has been unable to since the overlap began. The right-of-way boat chooses the side.
The right-of-way boat chooses the side on which to pass; if she changes course to do it, she gives the other boat room to keep clear. When the boats are overlapped, the outside boat gives the inside boat room between her and the obstruction, right of way or not, unless she has been unable to since the overlap began. Room is seamanlike space for the conditions, current included, and no wider.
Overlapped at a pieroutside gives room
Along a sea wallA squeezes in with no room: no rights
A continuing obstruction is one you sail alongside for a while: a shore, a sea wall, a line of moored boats. There a boat clear astern may take an inside overlap only if there is room to pass between the other boat and the obstruction when the overlap begins. If not, she gets no room and must keep clear while the overlap lasts; rules 10 and 11 do not help her. Rule 19, not 18, applies there even if it is a mark.
3 · Rule 20
Room to tack at an obstruction
When can I hail "Room to tack" near the shore, and what must the other boat do?
Under rule 20, when close-hauled or above and soon needing a substantial course change to avoid an obstruction safely. The hailed boat on the same tack tacks as soon as possible, or replies "You tack" and gives you room.
Close-hauled towards a shore with a boat close to windward, you cannot tack without fouling her. Rule 20 lets you hail "Room to tack" to a boat on the same tack, overlapped or not, but only when you are approaching an obstruction, will soon need a substantial course change to avoid it safely, and are sailing close-hauled or above.
You hail, then give her time to respond.
She must respond even to a hail she thinks wrong: her remedy is a protest.
She tacks as soon as possible, or at once replies "You tack" and gives you room to tack and avoid her.
Once she responds, you tack as soon as possible.
A hailed boat blocked by a third boat hails her in turn. Where a hail may not be heard, add a clear signal; the notice of race may prescribe one. Do not hail at a mark if a boat fetching it would have to change course. A hail does nothing to a boat on the other tack. From your hail until you have tacked clear, rule 18.2 is off between you.
4 · Rule 21
Boats that give up their rights
Rule 21: who keeps clear when a boat returns to start after the gun?
The returning boat: from her starting signal until her hull is completely on the pre-start side she keeps clear of boats not doing the same, and rules 10 to 13 are off between them. So does a boat taking a penalty.
Three kinds of boat keep clear of any boat not doing the same, and Section A (rules 10 to 13) is off between them.
Who keeps clear
Details
Returning to start, or to round an end under flag I
From her starting signal until her hull is completely on the pre-start side
Taking a penalty
During the turns, on either tack
Moving astern or sideways to windward by backing a sail
While she moves that way
Over the line before the gun you still have your ordinary rights: rule 21.1 begins at your starting signal. A boat that was over and sails on is not returning and keeps her rights.
5 · Rule 22
Boats you must avoid
Rule 22: do I have to keep clear of a capsized or anchored boat?
Yes, if possible: under rule 22 you avoid a boat that is capsized, anchored, aground or helping someone in danger, whatever her tack. She counts as capsized when her masthead is in the water.
If possible, avoid a boat that is capsized or has not regained control after capsizing, is anchored or aground, or is trying to help a person or vessel in danger. Her tack is irrelevant: Section A is off. A boat is capsized when her masthead is in the water; knocked flat with the mast clear she is an ordinary boat, and once she sails under control again the normal rules return.
Anchoring while racing is allowed, and a boat you must avoid is an obstruction. "If possible" is meant: capsized yourself, you break nothing. A two-turns penalty clears a breach; a boat that stopped to help may ask for redress.
6 · Rule 23
Keeping out of other boats' races
After I finish, can I sail through boats that are still racing?
Not if you would interfere: under rule 23.1, a boat that is not racing must not interfere with a boat that is racing, if reasonably possible. Finished, retired or waiting for your start, go round the fleet.
You are racing from your preparatory signal until you have finished and cleared the finishing line and marks, or retired. At other times rule 23.1 applies: if reasonably possible, do not interfere with a boat that is racing. Finished, retired or waiting for your start, go round the fleet.
Rule 23.2 protects a boat taking a penalty, a boat on another leg and a boat returning to start: do not interfere with them if reasonably possible. After your starting signal it does not bind you while you sail your proper course, but rule 10 still does. A boat that will be scored OCS is still racing, with full rights.
Practice questions
Questions from this topic, as the app asks them. Open one to see the answer.
You and Blue, overlapped on starboard tack, approach the committee boat end of the finishing line. Blue is inside and hails "Room — obstruction!", claiming room under rule 19 to pass between you and the committee boat. Which rule actually governs?
Rule 19 — a committee boat is a vessel, so it is an obstruction and the inside boat gets room between you and it
Rule 18 — the committee boat is a mark you both must leave on the same side, so Blue is entitled to mark-room, not room under rule 19
Neither — at a finishing mark surrounded by navigable water no room is owed, just as at the start
Rule 19 — because the committee boat is anchored it counts like any other anchored vessel
Show the answer
B. Rule 18 — the committee boat is a mark you both must leave on the same side, so Blue is entitled to mark-room, not room under rule 19
Rule 19.1(a): rule 19 does not apply when the obstruction is a mark the boats must leave on the same side; rule 18 applies at a finishing mark.
Wednesday evening club race, 8 knots. You and Blue are close-hauled on starboard tack, overlapped, you to leeward, heading straight at a large yacht anchored in the middle of the leg. Which of you decides whether to pass her to port or to starboard?
You — the right-of-way boat chooses the side; if you change course to do so you must give Blue room to keep clear
Blue — whichever boat hails her choice first decides
Neither — both must pass an anchored vessel on the side nearer the next mark
Blue — the windward boat chooses because she can see over the obstruction
Show the answer
A. You — the right-of-way boat chooses the side; if you change course to do so you must give Blue room to keep clear
Rule 19.2(a): the right-of-way boat may pass an obstruction on either side; if she changes course to do so, she gives the other boat room to keep clear.
You are close-hauled on port tack, three lengths from a stone quay, with Blue close to windward of you so that you cannot tack without hitting her. You hail "Room to tack!". Is your hail allowed?
No — a leeward boat may not hail; room to tack is for the windward boat
Yes — you are close-hauled, approaching an obstruction, and will soon need a substantial course change to avoid it safely
No — you may hail only when you are already within one hull length of the obstruction
Yes, but only if you first hailed "Water" and waited for a reply
Show the answer
B. Yes — you are close-hauled, approaching an obstruction, and will soon need a substantial course change to avoid it safely
Rule 20.1: a boat may hail for room to tack when approaching an obstruction, about to need a substantial course change, and sailing close-hauled or above.
Flag X goes up with one sound after the start and you realise your bow was over the line. You bear away and sail back toward the pre-start side on starboard tack, straight into the boats still starting. What are your obligations?
You must keep clear of every boat that is not returning, until your hull is completely on the pre-start side
Only to avoid contact; the starting boats must give you room to get back
None beyond the normal rules — on starboard tack you keep right of way over port-tack boats
To keep clear only of boats that have already crossed the starting line
Show the answer
A. You must keep clear of every boat that is not returning, until your hull is completely on the pre-start side
Rule 21.1: a boat sailing toward the pre-start side after her starting signal keeps clear of a boat not doing so until her hull is completely on that side.
Gusty 18 knots on the run. The ILCA ahead of you broaches and capsizes, mast flat on the water, right in your path. You are on starboard, she was on port. What must you do?
Hold your course — a capsized boat is not racing and has left the race
Hold your course — she was on port tack and must keep clear of you even capsized
Avoid her if possible — a boat shall avoid a capsized boat, whatever tack either was on
Hail "Starboard!" and bear away only if she fails to right herself in time
Show the answer
C. Avoid her if possible — a boat shall avoid a capsized boat, whatever tack either was on
Rule 22: if possible, a boat shall avoid a boat that is capsized or has not regained control after capsizing.
You have finished, cleared the line, and are sailing back toward the harbour on a reach, straight through the boats still beating up to finish. Red has to tack to avoid you. Did you break a rule?
No — you were the right-of-way boat under rules 10 and 11 against Red
Yes — a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat racing if reasonably possible; sail round the fleet
Yes — rule 10, because Red was on starboard tack
No — once you have finished the racing rules no longer apply to you
Show the answer
B. Yes — a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat racing if reasonably possible; sail round the fleet
Rule 23.1: if reasonably possible, a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat that is racing.
All 100 questions of this topic are in the app: practice by topic with the reason after every answer, your mistakes brought back, and a timed mock exam. Free, no sign-up, in the browser or in Telegram.
