You are to windward and a little ahead, and you bear away until your spinnaker touches the boat to leeward. You say you were ahead. Who broke the rule?
You did. On the same tack and overlapped, the windward boat shall keep clear (Rule 11). Being a third of a length ahead is not enough: a boat is clear ahead only when the other boat's hull and equipment are behind a line abeam from her aftermost point. Blue's bow was well past that line, so the boats were overlapped and Yellow, to windward, had to keep clear. Contact with a spinnaker counts just as hull contact does. Keeping clear also means the leeward boat can change course in both directions without immediately making contact (definition Keep Clear), and Blue need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that Yellow is not keeping clear (Rule 14).
📖 Want Rule 11 in more depth? Elvstrøm Explains the Racing Rules 2025-2028 sets out every rule with plain-English explanations and diagrams. (affiliate link)
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<p><a href="https://sailing.kiwi.nz/v/UMce7GshTrM/">Source: Sailing Kiwi</a></p>Go deeper: books and gear
- Elvstrøm Explains the Racing Rules 2025-2028 — Every rule, with plain-English explanations and diagrams.
- The Sail Racing Bible — A complete guide to dinghy racing.
- Five Oceans masthead wind indicator — See the wind direction at a glance.
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