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Part 2 — When Boats Meet

Section A — Right Of Way

A boat has right of way over another boat when the other boat is required to keep clear of her. However, some rules in Sections B, C and D limit the actions of a right-of-way boat.

11

On the Same Tack, Overlapped

When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.

Definitions in Context

Keep Clear

A boat keeps clear of a right-of-way boat (a) if the right-of-way boat can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action and, (b) when the boats are overlapped, if the right-of-way boat can also change course in both directions without immediately making contact.

Related Cases

Case 7

When, after having been clear astern, a boat becomes overlapped to leeward within two of her hull lengths of the other boat, the windward boat must keep clear, but the leeward boat must initially give the windward boat room to keep clear and must not sail above her proper course. The proper course of the windward boat is not relevant.

Case 12

In determining the right of an inside boat to mark-room under rule 18.2(a)(1), it is irrelevant that boats are on widely differing courses, provided that an overlap exists when the first of them reaches the zone.

Case 13

Before her starting signal, a leeward boat does not break a rule by sailing a course higher than the windward boat’s course.

Case 14

When, because of a difference of opinion about a leeward boat’s proper course, two boats on the same tack converge, the windward boat must keep clear. Two boats on the same leg sailing near one another may have different proper courses.

Case 24

When a boat becomes overlapped to leeward from clear astern, the other boat must act promptly to keep clear. When she cannot do so in a seamanlike way, she has not been given room as required by rule 15.

Case 25

After an inside overlapped windward boat has been given mark-room, rule 18 no longer applies, but rule 11 continues to apply. The inside windward boat must keep clear of the outside leeward boat, and the leeward boat may luff provided that she gives the windward boat room to keep clear.

Rule 10

When boats are on opposite tacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.

Rule 12

When boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, a boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead.

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