Quick Answers

Running Downwind, Catching the Boat Ahead — Who Gives Way?

You're reeling in the boat ahead downwind — and you're the one who keeps clear.

Port Keeps Clear of Starboard — Every Time (Rule 10)

Two boats on opposite tacks — the port boat is the one that has to keep clear.

Port Keeps Clear of Starboard — Every Time (Rule 10)

Beating upwind on opposite tacks — the port boat keeps clear.

You Won the Protest — and STILL Got Scored OCS

Forced over the line by another boat — and you're still the one scored OCS.

Hard Cover vs Dirty Cover — Where's the Line?

Hard cover is legal — dirty cover crosses the line into cheating.

You Crossed the Line — But Did You Actually Finish?

Crossing the line isn't always finishing — here's the trap that catches you.

Proper Course Means the Sails You've Actually Set

Proper course is the sails you've actually set — not the ones she wishes you'd fly.

Nobody Hailed. Nobody Turned. They Collided.

Nobody hailed, nobody turned — and right of way didn't save either boat.

Right of Way Is Not a Weapon

Keep bearing away into the other boat and Rule 16 throws you out.

Holding Your Course Got Her Disqualified (Rule 19.2)

The outside boat did nothing at all — and that was the foul.

Barging Disqualified? Think Again

The barging myth at the start — and who actually gets penalised.

Starboard Aimed Right at You — and You Won

A starboard boat luffs into you on port — and you're the one exonerated.

You Can't Tack — But You MUST Hail

Trapped on port at an obstruction? The hail is not optional.

Who Has Right of Way at the Obstruction?

Two boats, one obstruction — the right to choose the side flips with the overlap.

3 Crew on a 6-Crew Boat — Extra Room?

Short-handed doesn't buy you extra room at the mark.

Right of Way vs. Avoiding Collision: The Truth

You had right of way and still got disqualified — Rule 14 caught you.

She Said "You Tack" — Then She Won The Appeal

Room to tack is not right of way — and the appeal proved it.

You Asked the Radio for Help — You're DSQ

One radio call for advice is outside help, and it ends your race.

She Broaches onto Port — Do You Have to Crash-Gybe?

Right of way meets an out-of-control boat: how far must you go to avoid her?

Black-Flagged By Mistake — One Move Makes It Permanent

Race the restart after a black flag and your whole series is gone.

She Touched the Mark — But YOU Broke Three Rules

Tack inside the zone and a mark touch is the least of your problems.

She Touched Your Boat ON PURPOSE

A manufactured touch is fair-sailing cheating — and it backfires.

Stop Making This Mark Rounding Mistake

New right of way? Give room before you luff — or get disqualified.

Wait, Who Had the Right of Way?

Hold your course downwind when you're luffed and you're out.

Snagged Her Spinnaker — Your Fault, Not Hers

Equipment out of position hit you — whose fault is it?

Same Drift, Same Line — Only One Actually Started

Same move, opposite verdict — did these boats start?

No Crash, No Contact — Still Broke Rule 10

Avoiding the crash isn't the same as keeping clear.

Port Smashed Starboard — and BOTH Got Thrown Out

Starboard had right of way and still had to avoid contact.

Which Way Do You Cross a Badly-Laid Finish Line?

You can finish from either direction when the line is skewed.

Mark-Room Vanishes the Instant You Tack

Tack inside the zone and the mark-room you were owed disappears.

Scored OCS — But the Flag Went Up 40 Seconds Late

A late individual recall can be worth redress.

Is Covering Someone in Sailing Legal?

Covering a rival to win your race is legal — this is where it stops.

Spinnaker Touched the Mark AND the Boat — Only One Penalty

Two contacts, one penalty — the rules sort out which one counts.

Mark-Room Doesn't Cancel Right of Way (RRS 10 vs 18)

Mark-room is a floor, not a cap — and it never overrides port-starboard.

Why Rule 11 Didn't Save You (She Wasn't Racing)

A boat not racing isn't bound by the racing rules — the rules of the road apply.

You're Disqualified. Sailing On Can Get You Banned

Keep racing after a DSQ and you risk far worse.

"You Can't Go There!" — Actually, You Can

Sail inside at the mark at your own risk — but you can.

You Went Wide to Be Fair — Now You Owe the Boat Behind

Round wide and an inside overlap can leave you owing mark-room.

You Finished the Race — But Did You Finish the RULES?

Bow over the line finishes you — unless you didn't sail the course.

Stuck on Port with Rocks Ahead? Rule 20 Lets You Ask

About to hit the rocks on port — one hail gets you room to tack.

"Leeward Boat!" They Swerved to Miss You — and YOU Won

Hailing 'leeward boat' doesn't win the protest by itself.

Every Move Blocked at the Start — and It's Legal

Boxed out at the start? The rule most sailors get wrong.

You Didn't Even Touch Them — So Why'd You Foul?

No contact and still a foul — keeping clear is more than avoiding a crash.

The Boat That Touched No One Got Disqualified

No contact at all — and still the wrong boat pays.

He Yelled "Starboard!" — But Was on PORT Tack

A hail doesn't change your tack — and it doesn't win the protest.

The Leeward Boat Luffed You — and YOU'RE Disqualified

She came up from clear astern and you're still the one keeping clear.

Why "Room!" Doesn't Work on Opposite Tacks

The hail everyone uses — on the one tack combination where it means nothing.

She Called "Room to Tack" — Then LOST the Protest

She called "room to tack" — then lost the protest. Here's the rule she missed.

Her Hail Broke the Rule — You STILL Had to Tack

An early hail is still a hail: you answer first and protest later.

Over the Line — But You Never Heard the Horn. Do You Go Back?

Over early but never heard the recall — do you still have to go back?

Starboard Boat DSQ'd? The Rule That Beats Right of Way

Clear-astern keeps clear — even when you're on starboard.

She Was Fouled AND Hit the Mark — Still Got DNS

Fouled, hit the mark, won the protest — and still scored DNS.

You Lost Twice Because You Missed This Sailing Rule

One overlooked rule cost her the race twice over.

Too Close to Tack Safely

Tack too close at the mark and getting hit still disqualifies you.

Yellow Had Right of Way but Still Got DQ'd

Yellow held right of way — and still got disqualified. Here's the rule that did it.

Mark-Room Gone Wrong — A Rule 11 Disaster

Too much mark-room turns into a Rule 11 disaster. Don't make this mistake.

How Much Room Do You HAVE to Give at the Mark?

Room to round vs room to sail — Rule 18 defines exactly how much.

Cracked Their Gelcoat = Automatic DQ

Cause damage and penalty turns won't save you — it's an automatic DQ.

You CAN'T Tack There?! Actually, You Can

Tacking too close in front of starboard — the rule nobody understands.

You Gained the Overlap and STILL Fouled

A new leeward overlap from astern comes with strings attached.

First to the Mark and You're TRAPPED

First to the mark doesn't mean safe — here's how the leader gets trapped.

"You Can't Luff Me!" — The Argument That Gets You DSQ'd

"You can't luff me!" is the argument that gets windward boats disqualified.

Windward Boat DSQ'd — The Pre-Start Rule You're Getting Wrong

Before the gun you can luff — and the windward boat still must keep clear.

"You Can't Come In Here!" — The Boat That Shouted Loses

Shouting "you can't come in here!" at the mark? The boat that shouts loses.

Right of Way Doesn't Save You Here

Having right of way won't save you when you owe room astern.

"Room to Tack!" — So Why Is It a FOUL?

You called "room to tack!" — so why was it a foul? Rule 20, explained.

She Won't Tack at the Mark — and You're Disqualified

She won't tack at the mark — and somehow you're the one disqualified.

You Held Your Line — and YOU Got Disqualified

Straight isn't proper course — the Rule 17 mistake downwind.

You're Trapped on Port. This One Hail Saves You.

Trapped on port at an obstruction — one hail is what saves you.

Who Gets Mark-Room? Not Always the Leader

First to the mark doesn't always own the mark-room.

You Had Right of Way — and You Were Still Wrong

Starboard had right of way but changed course without giving room — still wrong.

The Windward Mistake That Costs You the Race

Same tack, overlapped — the windward boat must keep clear, every time.

The Port-Tack Mistake That Costs You the Race

Port tack meets starboard — one boat has to give way. Most beginners get this wrong.