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  3. Rule 43.1

Part 4 — 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.

43.1

  • (a) When as a consequence of breaking a rule a boat has compelled another boat to break a rule, the other boat is exonerated for her breach.
  • (b) When a boat is sailing within the room or mark-room to which she is entitled and, as a consequence of an incident with a boat required to give her that room or mark-room, she breaks a rule of Section A of Part 2, rule 15, 16, or 31, she is exonerated for her breach.
  • (c) A right-of-way boat, or one sailing within the room or mark-room to which she is entitled, is exonerated for breaking rule 14 if the contact does not cause damage or injury.

Definitions in Context

Rule

The complete written rules contained in this document, which includes all racing rules including those established by the International Sailing Federation and other governing authorities.

Mark-Room

Room for a boat (a) to sail to the mark when her proper course is to sail close to it, (b) to round or pass the mark on the required side, and (c) to leave it astern.

Related Cases

Case 2

This case covers a situation involving two boats at a downwind mark in which a boat clear astern reaches the zone before a boat clear ahead. In that situation the boat clear ahead is required by rule 18.2(a)(2) to give mark-room to the boat clear astern.

Case 3

A leeward port-tack boat, hailing for room to tack when faced with an oncoming starboard-tack boat, an obstruction, is not required to anticipate that the windward boat will fail to comply with her obligation to tack promptly or otherwise provide room.

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 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 19

Interpretation of the term ‘damage’.

Rule 43.2

A boat exonerated for breaking a rule need not take a penalty and shall not be penalized for breaking that rule .

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