I was on starboard — how can I still lose the protest?
Having right of way isn't a free pass. Under Rule 14 you must still avoid contact if reasonably possible, and under Rule 16.1 if you change course you must give the other boat room to keep clear. Starboard-tack boats lose protests when they alter course too late or fail to avoid avoidable contact.
📖 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/mYKJXeCc0fY" 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/mYKJXeCc0fY/">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.
- Racing Rules Companion 2025-2028 by Bryan Willis — Spiral-bound pocket guide to the current rules.
- Five Oceans masthead wind indicator — See the wind direction at a glance.
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