Does the right-of-way rule still apply when two boats are overlapped downwind?
Yes. When two boats are on the same tack and overlapped, Rule 11 applies just as strictly downwind as upwind: the windward boat must keep clear of the leeward boat. Read your tack off the side the sails are on — if both booms are out the same side, you're on the same tack even running dead downwind, and it doesn't matter that neither boat is clearly ahead.
📖 Want more situations like this one? Bryan Willis's The Rules in Practice 2025-2028 works through the rules as they happen round the racecourse. (affiliate link)
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D6eWo_jLJWQ" title="Sailing Kiwi" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://sailing.kiwi.nz/v/D6eWo_jLJWQ/">Source: Sailing Kiwi</a></p>Go deeper: books and gear
- The Rules in Practice 2025-2028 by Bryan Willis — Situations round the racecourse, worked through for the current rules.
- Tactics Made Simple by Jon Emmett — Racing tactics, explained simply.
- Five Oceans masthead wind indicator — See the wind direction at a glance.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through a link in the list it helps fund the channel and keeps the videos coming for everyone.