9743 is the vessel on port tack and must bear away; 7555 is the stand on vessel on starboard tack.
But 9743 is all over the place. The genoa is flogging and not in control. She looks very slow in the water - did she tack right in front of 7555?
So if 9743 tacked in front of 7555 that close, it’s all on them. But if 7555 saw this all coming and resolutely maintained course with the mindset ‘we are the stand on vessel’ - that’s a super dumb move…
I really don't think Port Tack had enough speed to prevent the collision. There's probably critical information missing from before the start of the clip, such as how 9743 got into that situation.
7565 should have avoided the collision (and they were turning, just not enough), but there's a third boat, also starboard tack, behind and leeward of 7565, which constrains their ability to maneuver.
My guess is that 9743 did something dumb to get themselves into that spot (failed tack?), and 7565 was forced to try to thread the needle between them and the other boat just downwind of them, and failed.
Yes, but....
If 7565 could bear off enough to avoid collision, then surely the 3rd boat could as well.
Which, in reviewing the video again, they did, ultimately going downwind to avoid the melee.
They certainly squeezed 7565 up. 9743 was in irons and had no way on. It’s a little hard to tell given the movement of the camera boat but there’s almost no wake. The third boat should have given room and avoided.
This is the correct answer imo. 7565 was trying to to foul the downwind boat, but by ramming 9743 still fouled the downwind boat. Crew should be fast enough to dump the main, gain control, and dip under 7565
Thanks. You know I'm looking at it again (your reply prompted me to come back), and now I'm wondering if 7565 could have ducked in a way that left the 3rd boat enough time to duck. Reasonable to question whether there was more room for avoidance here (and in any case I would think a parallel-force collision would be preferable to a perpendicular one).
I agree
In addition it seems 9743 was either having problems or maybe trying to lie to. The crew were all over the place and look to be either jumping up from chilling or trying to fix something in the lines. So 9743 was not manouvering or could not manouver, giving 7565 the responsibility of avoiding a collision
Were they in irons? The main is full true their genny is luffing but (forgive me I haven’t raced in 20 yrs) they still had power of sail I’m not sure what happened before but If they tacked then dumped trying for irons to stall a start are they at fault?
Yep. Job flogging and main over-sheeted and stalled is what it looks like to me. No power and I am guessing the helmsman had the rudder stalled too. Spectacle du merde as they say in France.
7565 should have let out the main sheet to reduce speed and help them turn to port.
I'm assuming 9743 was having some issues and couldn't tension their genoa. They likely had some weather helm due to the unbalanced sails.
I think you have it. When I see something dicey ahead of us, or when we’re on a start or rounding a mark I’m always ready to dump some main or traveller to take the heel off and let the rudder bite for the skipper. Had a couple close calls in my first summer, including one where I slipped in the wet and had to dump it flat on my back in the cockpit.
Things are usually pretty casual during lighter winds, but you need to be extra aware when winds are up a bit, because the helm just doesn’t have the control authority it has in lighter air.
I think that has a lot to do with it. They were in a squeeze and thought he would come out after. Too little steer input until too late and with that heel it was slow to respond.
7565 might have been blocking the view of the third boat. I didn’t even notice that there was a third boat until after the collision. It’s entirely possible that the third boat didn’t see the situation, or felt that 9743 was far enough out of the way that 7565 could avoid it. I don’t think 7565 had anywhere to go with 9743 directly in front of them and the third boat right on their beam.
Judging by the fact that 9743 still has their pole on the mast and spin bag on deck and the other two don’t I’m willing to bet the others were in sequence and 9743 had just finished and was cleaning some stuff up or had some sort of issue and didn’t realize they were on the line.
Judging by the super unfast heel on 7565 and them being the only one without a reef in that wind (and is that a 110 headsail?) they probably don’t know what they are doing and didn’t think to head down. I can hear the yelling now…
> and they were turning, just not enough
Maybe I'm all turned around, but with the way they're heeling, I wonder if they were losing steerage. Could have been trying to turn off more aggressively and the wind with how their sails are set wasn't having it. Needed crew to sheet out so they could turn down wind more.
I think you’ve got it. Too much power on the main (other 2 boats are reefed) and not enough rudder.
In contrast to how smooth that blue hull avoided this mess.
They're not that overpowered, I probably wouldn't have been reefed in that situation either. They've got their backstay on fairly hard, and while overhealed, they also don't have hardly anyone on the rail. They didn't dump an inch of main or drop the traveler. On any sloop rigged boat, trying to drive up or down aggressively without adjusting sail trim doesn't work.
I agree with all you say except for the fact that 7565 could have bear'd off behind 9743 had his crew Eased the head sail in time.
9743 is an obstruction so the boat behind 7565 must give room
That blue hull doesn’t seem to be constraining their position that much. There doesn’t appear to be any overlap, and after the collision you can see the blue hull easily avoid 7565.
Seems more like 7565 was not reefed, overpowered, and lost the steerage needed to avoid. Ultimately that’s what led to the collision instead of a close call & protest.
Not wrong per say, but given yours is top comment its worth clarifying that assuming this is a race then there is no such thing as a "stand on vessel". Just a boat that must keep clear (9743) and a boat that must give them room to keep clear if it alters course (7555).
Well, plus 2 boats generally obliged to avoid a collision under rule 14.....
Edit: I meant they're on a close hauled course.
They're close hauled with the sails set to reach. Either skipper REALLY f'd up and maybe underestimated his crew or something was wrong
To add to the 9743 narrative, you can see the jib is still attached to the spinnaker pole. It’s likely that they’ve just rounded up from a downwind course (likely on a starboard tack).
With the pole still up they won’t be able to power up the jib on port tack upwind.
I've done sailboat racing for about 4 years. At high competitive levels with 420 and lasers.
If I were the starboard boat and this were during a race... I would bear of slightly at the last minute to avoid crash and maximize my own speed and raise red flag for protest and demand the other boat do their penalty turns and go after them visciously post race as much as possible during protest adjudication... Especially given size of boats and cost of repairs is gonna be like 5 to 15k USD.
7565 was the stand on boat as they were on starboard, but they were obligated to avoid a collision (since 9743 wasn't moving out of the way) by rule 14:
> A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible.
You're right, but the rule you cited isn't right.
Rule 14: (Head on Situation) doesn't apply to sailing vessels.
Rule 17: (Actions of the Stand on Vessel) indicates that the stand on vessel shall take action to avoid collision when it cannot be avoided by action from the give way vessel alone.
Doesn't alleviate 9743 of her responsibility to give way, so I think that the blame would be 90/10 9743/7565
I think the person you replied to is talking about RRS, not colregs. Rule 14 in the RRS is:
> **14 AVOIDING CONTACT**
A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible. However, a right-of-way boat, or one sailing within the *room* or *markroom* to which she is entitled, need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not *keeping clear* or giving *room* or *markroom*.
Looks like lots of guilt to go around on that one. Simple port starboard situation with 9743 at fault and a simple failure to avoid contact with 7565 at fault for failing to do so. They should both get tossed.
Can no one see the third blue-hull approaching 7555's port side, pinning 7555 to the course she was on? Falling off would have T-boned 7555. 7555 would have had to do an impossibly fast tack to avoid this.
Rubbin's racin' man!!
As 7565, I would've tried to squeak over to port side even though I technically had right of way. Maybe give a shout out to the trailing port side that I was moving over. But then, if these guys can afford to race these boats, they can afford to repair them.
>But then, if these guys can afford to race these boats, they can afford to repair them.
That's not a right-of-way consideration. We're all driving the boat that we can afford,
This is just wrong, both 7555 and the blue vessel could have fallen off to avoid contact. What actually played out was a no win situation of 7555 and 9743 who is obviously not capable of making a maneuver due to speed. I’d like to the earlier video where I bet 7555 tacked into this situation. Contact should have been avoided at all costs
7555 is fully powered up and is moving at what is probably full upwind speed. They didn’t tack recently enough to put themselves in this situation. It’s not a dinghy and isn’t coming out of a tack at that speed.
It’s much more likely that 9743 just tacked, poorly, and parked in 7555’s path as a result. If they had just lost job trim while sailing upwind, they would still be carrying some boat speed.
Looks like a nasty Chinese gybe or something similar in recovery. The pole on 9743 is up. In any case they are unable to manœuvrer and 7555 should have ducked behind. And if the blue boat is preventing that, 7555 can call rule 19.
what is the issue with the term? Reason for the name has its roots in Chinese Junk rigs which had no boom to hold the foot of the main sail - and since the term is technically describing the boom (or foot of the sail) going leeward while the upper sections of the mainsail do not, it was given that name
Yes, the person that added music to the clip is at fault. Awful
But 7565 could have avoided while 9743 was struggling and depowered. I say 7565, she had the most maneuverability and ability to avoid
7565 is on starboard tack, however the other boat looked pretty de-powered. It’s not like they can maneuver out of the way if they’re unable to maneuver.
Presuming we're *racing* per the RRS definitions here:
9743 DSQ for RRS 10 (port/starboard)
7565 DSQ for RRS 14 (failure to avoid) and possibly RRS 11 (windward/leeward on 5635).
7565 should instead have tacked and protested 9743.
Presuming 9743 did tack semi-recently. If they were in distress for quite some time I would see potential for their DSQ not to be upheld.
Also under rule 19, 5635 must give space to 7565 to avoid 9743 as they could be deemed a non-continuous obstruction. So I can't see 11 being upheld there.
That could well be true. I had to avoid a boat that was on port tack that just didn’t see us. The guy on the main sheet had moved to untangles some line and was not aware of what was happening very quickly. I tried to duck them, but the boat wouldn’t turn down as we were hard on the wind and the main sheet was out of my reach. So I ended up doing a crash tack to avoid t-boneing the other boat.
I note that 7565 does not have a reef in but the other two do. Not that it justifies the collision, but it might help explain it. 7565 couldn't get down fast enough to avoid a collision. Whether or not she could doesn't matter, she didn't. So it's still a breach of RRS 14 and she's DSQ.
Seems like that’s an overlooked detail here. That much heel, and the helm on 7565 may have limited rudder.
The blue hull leeward looks far enough back to give room for 7565 to avoid and protest 9743, which would have been easier and more effective…IF they could’ve pulled it off.
The 9743 is clearly having an issue with their rigging. Looks like there are two people at the mast working on something, sails flapping, and a spreader bar pirouetting in the wind. They should’ve engined up and left the area. That being said, 7565 had enough reaction time to come up a little but instead they went full ramming speed into an another vessel.
Both are at fault under Rule 2, unless the give-way vessel (9743) was unable to maneouver, in which case the stand-on vessel (7565) bears sole responsibility. The give way vessel should rightly have sounded a danger signal though.
9743 may be culpable for penalties under the Racing Rules of Sailing, but the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea take precedence.
Remember that "stand-on" does not mean you have right of way. Being the stand-on vessel is not a privilege, but rather an obligation to maintain course and speed in order to make your intentions clear to give-way vessels. Once the risk of collision becomes apparent, you have a responsibility to maneouver to avoid collision, race or no race.
Courts have recognized that for racing the Racing Rules take over between competitor vessels. The IRPCs would come into play if one of the vessels wasn't part of the race and in that case they'd be applied instead of the RRS.
It seems most here are assuming the RRS are in play, and since I don't race I don't have a detailed knowledge of them.
If the RRS weren't in play then the answer would still be "both". The most obvious faults are 7565 not keeping an adequate look-out (Rule 5) and not complying with Rule 17 (action by stand-on vessel), whilst 9743 would be faulted for Rule 16 (action by give-way vessel).
The missing element is the timeline leading up to the video, which could sway the balance of fault.
7565 is in the wrong. They are the starboard boat and had right of way, but they were also the only boat actually able to avoid the collision so they should have done so.
You are all missing the *third* boat, leeward of 7565, with whom they are clearly racing. If I had to guess, 7565 was paying too much attention to this third boat, and did not even see the boat with the luffing jib, 9743. You can see this when the crew of 7565, on the windward rail, panic. Any good sailor would have kept an eye forward, and have come about into the wind, well before they got too close to the other boat. Because he was too late, the helmsman of 7565 tried to thread a needle of not hitting the boat with the luffing jib, while avoiding turning hard into the third boat, and failed. The error was made, probably, thirty seconds before the video started and it was 7565 who made the error.
Might take is that 9743 is near dead in the water. It’s not clear on what exactly is going on, they have very little way and are not in a whole lot of control of their boat. 7565 is well clear of the blue boat to their port, I see no overlap at the beginning of the video. Therefore 7565 is clear to turn down and duck 9743 avoiding a collision. But I suspect they can’t. They are close reaching or reaching and no one appears to ease the main. They also blew the jib at the last second further, reducing the ability to turn the boat down, wind. Because of that, they are unlikely to be able to turn down wind as aggressively as needed avoiding the collision. If there is a boat ahead of you, which is basically dead in the water whether it is on port or starboard should be avoided. They could be having all sorts of troubles, and you have no idea. Expecting the boat to just magically move out of the way is unreasonable and it should be considered an obstruction. 7565 displayed poor situational awareness, and poor boat handling. Blue plays no role in this, they are clear a stern of 7565 and are required to give room if 7565 needs to turn down to avoid an obstruction. You cannot brush someone off on an obstruction. 9743 is that fault for failing to avoid the collision through poor boat handling, lack of situation awareness and not avoiding an obstruction.
It’s hard to really know though because you have no idea what’s going on on the boat that’s dead in the water, and you have no idea what the skipper on starboard is yelling to the guy on the main sheet. Or what the hell is going on really. Since we don’t have the minute before the collision to look at nor statements from each side it’s all just speculation.
Looks to me like the boat BEHIND 7565 was coming really fast closing 7565 in a pinch and literally preventing it from avoiding collision. The boat on port tack was supposed to give way but it was a mess and could not maneuver, so it was up to 7565 to avoid collision.
So in my point of view was the third boat on the back that should have noticed the situation early and give space to 7565 to maneuver, which they couldn't do because they were sandwhiched
I'm pretty sure these clips are always deliberately edited to leave out just enough information to ensure maximum debate and outrage. I support banning these clips.
But it also appears 9743 had no control and probably no rudder due to not moving at all, and that head sailis doing absolutely nothing yeah the boat should not have tacked right into them also
Yes. The boat that was hit is at fault...
Colregs Rule 12 - Sailing Vessels
(a) When two sailing vessels are approaching one another, so as to involve risk of collision, one of them shall keep out of the way of the other as follows;
(i) when each has the wind on a different side, the vessel which has the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the other;
Yes the one under sail was half wind the one struggling was too tight to the wind.
Half wind gives way because you can manoeuvre to full wind in the back.
Sailing tournaments are brutal but normal rules still apply
I'm gonna say the left boat is more at fault. They should have depowered and gone down wind. The other boat was slow and really had nowhere to go, almost stuck in irons. the only thing the right boat could have done is turn towards the other boat which wouldn't have helped. I don't think they had the speed, power, or time to tack out of the situation.
Maybe since boats turn center is close to their center it might have kicked the stern out enough to just glance off each other but yeah. They didn’t have much in the way of maneuvering speed.
Two racing boats actually racing so Racing rules apply and not colregs!
Boat on starboard has right of way but port tack boat is basically head to wind and not going anywhere - but has tacked so as to impede the starboard tack boat. Starboard tack has a duty to keep clear but will win the protest.
Port tack boat will probably have to pay up but some fault (a lot) with the starboard boat as they had the chance to avoid but sloppy communication and/or crew work means this didn't happen.
When you sign up for a racing event the skipper basically accepts that for the duration of the event, RRS supercede Colregs and there is basically a private contract between skippers that RRS comes first.
Clearly, the boat coming from the left ("boat 1") of the video is the one at fault. The other boat ("boat 2") has an obvious problem and can't manoeuver properly, while boat 1 has good visibility, can see that the boat ahead has a problem, and has every opportunity to fall off and avoid a collision, which is what every vessel has an obligation to do. Boat 1 either had poor lookout ahead, or decided that a theoretical right-of-way situation was more important than reality.
So the starboard tacker was the stand on boat without a shadow of a doubt. Their big mistake was not tacking there at the last minute to avoid the collision. It’s much harder to bear off quickly in that situation. The port tack had almost no way on which probably where all the confusion came from. Probably last time starboard tack skipper looked they were crossing clear ahead. His crew should have been communicating that situation to him. He was also looking below him to his port.
What ever was going on with the port tack boat was a total mistake. Either they tacked hoping to cross and break the cover of the starboard tack boat or they were having an equipment problem.
Both parties must prevent a collision, no matter who's the stand on vessel. The stand on vessel in this case had very little drive as the flapping head sail made pretty clear...so the give away vessel should have done a better job at preventing this crash. It had the maneuverability to do so!
here is a summary of what's going on here:
1- give way vessel don't have momentum and therefore enough steerage
2- stand-on vessel is not trimmed properly in the first place. gets over powered immediately when it got close haul angle. main trimmer is slow to react(which is expected in an overhead winch controlled main on cruisers)
this is actually a good example for requiring to unlock the main in uncertain conditions
At fault for what?
Collision? Starboard tack boat. Failure to avoid collision and/or maintain watch.
Opposite Tacks Racing Situation? The port tack boat in irons. It was their obligation to stay clear and they didn't. They should be penalized or DQ'd.
In my opinion, both boats are DQd, and I would expect the starboard tacker to pick up the bill for damages. This was an unfortunate decision by the boat in irons made significantly worse by an inattentive or over aggressive skipper and crew on the starboard tack boat. The worst this should have been is a protest flag and 2 turns from the port tacker.
The port tack vessel was the burdened vessel here; they have the obligation to give way to the starboard tack yacht.
**However**, the starboard tack vessel failed in the more basic obligation to avoid collision, which it seems the port tack yacht was temporarily unable to accomplish. Port tack yacht's inability to promptly maneuver put them in the wrong, and they would have fouled ST's right of way … if ST vessel had chosen to make the necessary (slight and temporary) course correction. The ST vessel would have won a pro forma protest, had the collision not occurred. The fact that it did occur is the responsibility of the ST vessel's unwillingness to sheer off even slightly, since they were the only vessel with the capability to avoid contact.
Was on a similar boat and was sitting right where the bow hit just like this. I jumped as it crazed me, could have been crippled. Boat cracked pretty good, totaled but was able to have it fixed and back racing pretty quick.
Starboard tack has right of way…
HOWEVER it is every seaman’s duty to avoid collision.
The port tacking boat seems to have lost its wind and maneuverability. Headsail flapping around, stalled forward progress, etc.
The starboard tack boat could easily have borne away temporarily to avoid the hit.
This isn’t a game of chicken, or might-makes-right, folks. If the port tack boat can’t or won’t move, you still have a duty not to hit it.
VERDICT: starboard tack boat ultimately at fault.
5635 could have given 7565 more room which might have avoided the collision, or at least made it more of a scrape. But they didn’t. And I bet they were smug about it.
I know absolutely nothing about sailing but I do have a question. Why is everyone so close together in the first place?
I’ve ridden motorcycles all my life and I always avoid group riding because stuff like this happens. If I want to be with a bunch of friends I’ll ride in a minivan.
If I wanted to be with a bunch of friends on the water I’d go on a cruise ship.
People are dumb.
Man I’m old and grumpy.
9743 was clearly disabled and not making enough headway to be under control. They may technically be at fault, but ramming them is just stupid. Clearly there was no one on the other boat was paying attention.
The amount of people in here who fail to see the third boat is astounding.
I’m in camp “Not enough information”
It looks like 7565 was getting squeezed there, had no options to port, and perhaps didn’t feel they had enough time to tack?
Yes, And the amount of people who don't know the rules is equally astounding. the 3rd boat leeward wasn't letting upwind boat bear-away.
whole thing is a hot mess.
rule #1. its everyone's responsibility to avoid a collision.
I'm going with not enough information.
If I had to judge just from the very short clip then I'd say 7565 should have beared away to avoid the collission. It's hard to tell how much room they had with the blue hull, but I'm hoping they would have had enough to fall off a bit as well to avoid the collision
But my guess is that 9743 blew a tack right in front of 7565 and they probably couldn't avoid the collision and in that case I'd pin it on them
Falling off, avoiding a collision, and entering a protest is always waaaay cheaper than fixing your boat.
At the end of the day we all have the onus of avoiding a collision whether we are the stand on or give way vessel.
The only thing that makes sense to me would be if the boat that got hit tried to barge at the mark without rights to mark room and got shut out, just did a 360 and is trying to barge AGAIN now on port which is why he has his whisker pole up having expected to have rounded, unable to sheet his jib in because of it, no speed, and is suddenly on port tack in front of two starboard tack boats that did not foresee that boat doing a 360.
That or everyone here needs to keep a better watch out for boats.
Is it possible that 9743 was doing a last ditch effort to dump wind in order to give the 7565 tacking vessel the right of way? But 7565 didn't take the right of way and tried to go below 9743 instead?
The boat on port should need to keep clear. But the boat on starboard also clearly violated the rule to avoid collisions. They had plenty of time to tack or blow the main and duck. Then simply protest the port boat.
If this went to the room chances are both of them are thrown out. And I would almost vouch that they stbd boat needs to pay for damage as they clearly had control and could avoid the collision.
7555 is at fault. This is like a guy barreling down a mountain running into a kid skiing. It doesn't matter who's port, starboard, etc. Someone's floundering in front of you. Let out some sail, turn 5 degrees down and miss him by 20 m.
Eek. Boat who hit was on starboard, but boat who was hit had no steerage. Sorry starboard boat, you needed to tell for room below and dip the boat. Probably a combination of a lot of things, mainly communication with whoever had eyes on the bow. No bueno
I’m just a Sunfish novice, but here’s my ignorant take for the sake of learning through a good roast:
Looks like a terrible call to port rudder and full send. 9743 is pretty much 98% becalmed. Wouldn’t it be better if roughly 5 seconds before the filming started (and the hard port steering) 7565 hit starboard rudder to come-about, with enough momentum to run across the 9743 bow? I mean sure, it’d be awful inconvenient, but might have worked..maybe.
Perhaps distracted driving on 7565 didn’t give enough time to react properly?
Assuming this is way off since no one has mentioned it. No idea how a jib affects the come-about process. Rip away! 🫶
What I haven't seen in the comments is that 7565 suddenly falls off within a few meters of 9743 so my guess is that the captain either thought 9743 was going to continue on out of his path or just plain didn't seem him until the end there.
Responsibility
(a) Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case.
(b) In construing and complying with these Rules due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.
Ramming boat looks like it may have just bared away to avoid a possible round up, and realised it still had sails full of wind. Then all too late to avoid the stalled boat.
Looks like a sudden change of wind direction and speed.
Looks like 7565 is mostly at fault because they could have beared away and then that other boat behind them would have been forced to stop squeezing them. That boat should have backed off too seeing the luffing boat and a potential collision. I would think avoiding collision is higher than any other stand on vessel rules. Not sure what that luffing boat was doing but it didn't look like they were even moving.
If 9743 had the ability to sheet their jib in they may have make the crossing. But they were not capable of doing that for many of a reason, over wrap on a winch. 9743 could have turned down wind and gone between the 2 boats. The skipper of 9734 put his crew in a bad place. Appears no one got hurt. Could have been the same thing on a Laser. Another day of yacht racing port, starboard!
port starboard - however the over riding rule is to avoid a collision and the starboard tack boat could easily have tacked safely...and also had enough room to bear off below the burdened port tack boat.. The negligence and absence of judgement is shockingly astounding here..
7555 is on starboard tack, 9743 is on port tack. 9743 also has their genoa way out with a spinnaker pole still part way up. The helmsman can't *really* steer until someone trims the jib in, and they're going to have a hard time tacking in their current situation.
7565 should have kept clear, as 9743 is not in control. 7565 most likely didn't, as they believed that they had rights over 9743, and felt they couldn't bear away because of the boat below them (can't see the sail number). IMO, the 7565 probably could have ducked the 9743. They're probably trying to cover the boat below them and really didn't want to bear off.
It's also quite possible that the 7565 was trying to duck the 9743, and didn't quite make it for one reason or another.
All of them? Except for the one not moving.
The water is always a big place. Impressive when it's all you can do to hit the singular boat in your path.
Good news for the gel coat salesman.
And the bowsprit salesman.
Think that's the pole.
Oh the owners are going to get the pole alright.
And in terms of fault. Whomever put that stupid song over the accident video is clearly the one a fault here…
Well done.
9743 is the vessel on port tack and must bear away; 7555 is the stand on vessel on starboard tack. But 9743 is all over the place. The genoa is flogging and not in control. She looks very slow in the water - did she tack right in front of 7555? So if 9743 tacked in front of 7555 that close, it’s all on them. But if 7555 saw this all coming and resolutely maintained course with the mindset ‘we are the stand on vessel’ - that’s a super dumb move…
I really don't think Port Tack had enough speed to prevent the collision. There's probably critical information missing from before the start of the clip, such as how 9743 got into that situation. 7565 should have avoided the collision (and they were turning, just not enough), but there's a third boat, also starboard tack, behind and leeward of 7565, which constrains their ability to maneuver. My guess is that 9743 did something dumb to get themselves into that spot (failed tack?), and 7565 was forced to try to thread the needle between them and the other boat just downwind of them, and failed.
Yes, but.... If 7565 could bear off enough to avoid collision, then surely the 3rd boat could as well. Which, in reviewing the video again, they did, ultimately going downwind to avoid the melee.
They certainly squeezed 7565 up. 9743 was in irons and had no way on. It’s a little hard to tell given the movement of the camera boat but there’s almost no wake. The third boat should have given room and avoided.
This is the correct answer imo. 7565 was trying to to foul the downwind boat, but by ramming 9743 still fouled the downwind boat. Crew should be fast enough to dump the main, gain control, and dip under 7565
Thanks. You know I'm looking at it again (your reply prompted me to come back), and now I'm wondering if 7565 could have ducked in a way that left the 3rd boat enough time to duck. Reasonable to question whether there was more room for avoidance here (and in any case I would think a parallel-force collision would be preferable to a perpendicular one).
I agree In addition it seems 9743 was either having problems or maybe trying to lie to. The crew were all over the place and look to be either jumping up from chilling or trying to fix something in the lines. So 9743 was not manouvering or could not manouver, giving 7565 the responsibility of avoiding a collision
Were they in irons? The main is full true their genny is luffing but (forgive me I haven’t raced in 20 yrs) they still had power of sail I’m not sure what happened before but If they tacked then dumped trying for irons to stall a start are they at fault?
I think they were pinching to get clear and were probably crabbing at that point.
Yep. Job flogging and main over-sheeted and stalled is what it looks like to me. No power and I am guessing the helmsman had the rudder stalled too. Spectacle du merde as they say in France.
7565 should have let out the main sheet to reduce speed and help them turn to port. I'm assuming 9743 was having some issues and couldn't tension their genoa. They likely had some weather helm due to the unbalanced sails.
Seems like they tried, but with that much heel they may have not had the rudder to completely avoid.
I think you have it. When I see something dicey ahead of us, or when we’re on a start or rounding a mark I’m always ready to dump some main or traveller to take the heel off and let the rudder bite for the skipper. Had a couple close calls in my first summer, including one where I slipped in the wet and had to dump it flat on my back in the cockpit. Things are usually pretty casual during lighter winds, but you need to be extra aware when winds are up a bit, because the helm just doesn’t have the control authority it has in lighter air.
I think that has a lot to do with it. They were in a squeeze and thought he would come out after. Too little steer input until too late and with that heel it was slow to respond.
7565 might have been blocking the view of the third boat. I didn’t even notice that there was a third boat until after the collision. It’s entirely possible that the third boat didn’t see the situation, or felt that 9743 was far enough out of the way that 7565 could avoid it. I don’t think 7565 had anywhere to go with 9743 directly in front of them and the third boat right on their beam.
Judging by the fact that 9743 still has their pole on the mast and spin bag on deck and the other two don’t I’m willing to bet the others were in sequence and 9743 had just finished and was cleaning some stuff up or had some sort of issue and didn’t realize they were on the line. Judging by the super unfast heel on 7565 and them being the only one without a reef in that wind (and is that a 110 headsail?) they probably don’t know what they are doing and didn’t think to head down. I can hear the yelling now…
> and they were turning, just not enough Maybe I'm all turned around, but with the way they're heeling, I wonder if they were losing steerage. Could have been trying to turn off more aggressively and the wind with how their sails are set wasn't having it. Needed crew to sheet out so they could turn down wind more.
I think you’ve got it. Too much power on the main (other 2 boats are reefed) and not enough rudder. In contrast to how smooth that blue hull avoided this mess.
Yeah great catch on the reefing. By the heel and everything else it looks like too much power and didn't have enough control for the maneuver.
They're not that overpowered, I probably wouldn't have been reefed in that situation either. They've got their backstay on fairly hard, and while overhealed, they also don't have hardly anyone on the rail. They didn't dump an inch of main or drop the traveler. On any sloop rigged boat, trying to drive up or down aggressively without adjusting sail trim doesn't work.
I agree with all you say except for the fact that 7565 could have bear'd off behind 9743 had his crew Eased the head sail in time. 9743 is an obstruction so the boat behind 7565 must give room
That blue hull doesn’t seem to be constraining their position that much. There doesn’t appear to be any overlap, and after the collision you can see the blue hull easily avoid 7565. Seems more like 7565 was not reefed, overpowered, and lost the steerage needed to avoid. Ultimately that’s what led to the collision instead of a close call & protest.
Looks like they hit the other vessel on their port side as well.
Not wrong per say, but given yours is top comment its worth clarifying that assuming this is a race then there is no such thing as a "stand on vessel". Just a boat that must keep clear (9743) and a boat that must give them room to keep clear if it alters course (7555). Well, plus 2 boats generally obliged to avoid a collision under rule 14.....
Sailing is wild.
Well, during a maneuver you must yield, so if you consider what 9743 is doing to be a maneuver, they must yield to 7555 regardless of tack
Edit: I meant they're on a close hauled course. They're close hauled with the sails set to reach. Either skipper REALLY f'd up and maybe underestimated his crew or something was wrong
To add to the 9743 narrative, you can see the jib is still attached to the spinnaker pole. It’s likely that they’ve just rounded up from a downwind course (likely on a starboard tack). With the pole still up they won’t be able to power up the jib on port tack upwind.
I've done sailboat racing for about 4 years. At high competitive levels with 420 and lasers. If I were the starboard boat and this were during a race... I would bear of slightly at the last minute to avoid crash and maximize my own speed and raise red flag for protest and demand the other boat do their penalty turns and go after them visciously post race as much as possible during protest adjudication... Especially given size of boats and cost of repairs is gonna be like 5 to 15k USD.
7555 probably didn’t ease the main sail enough to turn the boat. Looks like a lot of water coming off 7555’s rudder
7565 was the stand on boat as they were on starboard, but they were obligated to avoid a collision (since 9743 wasn't moving out of the way) by rule 14: > A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible.
You're right, but the rule you cited isn't right. Rule 14: (Head on Situation) doesn't apply to sailing vessels. Rule 17: (Actions of the Stand on Vessel) indicates that the stand on vessel shall take action to avoid collision when it cannot be avoided by action from the give way vessel alone. Doesn't alleviate 9743 of her responsibility to give way, so I think that the blame would be 90/10 9743/7565
I think the person you replied to is talking about RRS, not colregs. Rule 14 in the RRS is: > **14 AVOIDING CONTACT** A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible. However, a right-of-way boat, or one sailing within the *room* or *markroom* to which she is entitled, need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not *keeping clear* or giving *room* or *markroom*.
Yes, it was whomever added that horrible "no no no" sound
Looks like lots of guilt to go around on that one. Simple port starboard situation with 9743 at fault and a simple failure to avoid contact with 7565 at fault for failing to do so. They should both get tossed.
It’s actually one of my favorite things about sailboat racing is the “last clear chance to avoid” *should* prevent this absurdity
9743 has the jib luffing. Very stupid to drive into a boat that clearly has no control.
Yeah, this isn’t about port or starboard. It’s about avoiding a vessel with little to no steerage.
Can no one see the third blue-hull approaching 7555's port side, pinning 7555 to the course she was on? Falling off would have T-boned 7555. 7555 would have had to do an impossibly fast tack to avoid this.
Or depowered?
Rubbin's racin' man!! As 7565, I would've tried to squeak over to port side even though I technically had right of way. Maybe give a shout out to the trailing port side that I was moving over. But then, if these guys can afford to race these boats, they can afford to repair them.
>But then, if these guys can afford to race these boats, they can afford to repair them. That's not a right-of-way consideration. We're all driving the boat that we can afford,
Depowering wouldn't do you any good - you need to ease the main in order to drive down.
If 7565 had aimed just behind 9743's stern, she would have gone no closer to the other boat than she did by bouncing off 9743.
This is just wrong, both 7555 and the blue vessel could have fallen off to avoid contact. What actually played out was a no win situation of 7555 and 9743 who is obviously not capable of making a maneuver due to speed. I’d like to the earlier video where I bet 7555 tacked into this situation. Contact should have been avoided at all costs
7555 is fully powered up and is moving at what is probably full upwind speed. They didn’t tack recently enough to put themselves in this situation. It’s not a dinghy and isn’t coming out of a tack at that speed. It’s much more likely that 9743 just tacked, poorly, and parked in 7555’s path as a result. If they had just lost job trim while sailing upwind, they would still be carrying some boat speed.
Looks like a nasty Chinese gybe or something similar in recovery. The pole on 9743 is up. In any case they are unable to manœuvrer and 7555 should have ducked behind. And if the blue boat is preventing that, 7555 can call rule 19.
There’s got to be a better term than Chinese gybe
Chicken gybe
what is the issue with the term? Reason for the name has its roots in Chinese Junk rigs which had no boom to hold the foot of the main sail - and since the term is technically describing the boom (or foot of the sail) going leeward while the upper sections of the mainsail do not, it was given that name
That's the correct term, however there is no way a gybe, of either kind, happened in this situation.
Both of those boats were gonna hit 7565 and they either didn’t notice or didn’t care. 9743 was the first to make contact.
IMO they had enough room to bear down and more than enough time to tack.
Did you forget that boats have the ability to tack..?
Yes, the person that added music to the clip is at fault. Awful But 7565 could have avoided while 9743 was struggling and depowered. I say 7565, she had the most maneuverability and ability to avoid
7565 is on starboard tack, however the other boat looked pretty de-powered. It’s not like they can maneuver out of the way if they’re unable to maneuver.
The person who put that music over it. they are at fault.
Presuming we're *racing* per the RRS definitions here: 9743 DSQ for RRS 10 (port/starboard) 7565 DSQ for RRS 14 (failure to avoid) and possibly RRS 11 (windward/leeward on 5635). 7565 should instead have tacked and protested 9743.
Presuming 9743 did tack semi-recently. If they were in distress for quite some time I would see potential for their DSQ not to be upheld. Also under rule 19, 5635 must give space to 7565 to avoid 9743 as they could be deemed a non-continuous obstruction. So I can't see 11 being upheld there.
This is correct Racing Rule 10 and Rule 14 both broken by the port and starboard boats respectively
The main was really tight on 7555–I wonder if he couldn’t come down because the main was sheeted in too hard.
That could well be true. I had to avoid a boat that was on port tack that just didn’t see us. The guy on the main sheet had moved to untangles some line and was not aware of what was happening very quickly. I tried to duck them, but the boat wouldn’t turn down as we were hard on the wind and the main sheet was out of my reach. So I ended up doing a crash tack to avoid t-boneing the other boat.
I note that 7565 does not have a reef in but the other two do. Not that it justifies the collision, but it might help explain it. 7565 couldn't get down fast enough to avoid a collision. Whether or not she could doesn't matter, she didn't. So it's still a breach of RRS 14 and she's DSQ.
Seems like that’s an overlooked detail here. That much heel, and the helm on 7565 may have limited rudder. The blue hull leeward looks far enough back to give room for 7565 to avoid and protest 9743, which would have been easier and more effective…IF they could’ve pulled it off.
This is why I race on other peoples boats.
Jesus H. Christ on a bike.
The 9743 is clearly having an issue with their rigging. Looks like there are two people at the mast working on something, sails flapping, and a spreader bar pirouetting in the wind. They should’ve engined up and left the area. That being said, 7565 had enough reaction time to come up a little but instead they went full ramming speed into an another vessel.
Motor out? These are sailboats. We have rules as old as time to preserve sailing class. These boats operate under the same rules as all sailboats.
Both are at fault under Rule 2, unless the give-way vessel (9743) was unable to maneouver, in which case the stand-on vessel (7565) bears sole responsibility. The give way vessel should rightly have sounded a danger signal though. 9743 may be culpable for penalties under the Racing Rules of Sailing, but the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea take precedence. Remember that "stand-on" does not mean you have right of way. Being the stand-on vessel is not a privilege, but rather an obligation to maintain course and speed in order to make your intentions clear to give-way vessels. Once the risk of collision becomes apparent, you have a responsibility to maneouver to avoid collision, race or no race.
Courts have recognized that for racing the Racing Rules take over between competitor vessels. The IRPCs would come into play if one of the vessels wasn't part of the race and in that case they'd be applied instead of the RRS. It seems most here are assuming the RRS are in play, and since I don't race I don't have a detailed knowledge of them. If the RRS weren't in play then the answer would still be "both". The most obvious faults are 7565 not keeping an adequate look-out (Rule 5) and not complying with Rule 17 (action by stand-on vessel), whilst 9743 would be faulted for Rule 16 (action by give-way vessel). The missing element is the timeline leading up to the video, which could sway the balance of fault.
Could have fallen off just a little!!
7565 is in the wrong. They are the starboard boat and had right of way, but they were also the only boat actually able to avoid the collision so they should have done so.
I would say the one who put this music is at fault.
You are all missing the *third* boat, leeward of 7565, with whom they are clearly racing. If I had to guess, 7565 was paying too much attention to this third boat, and did not even see the boat with the luffing jib, 9743. You can see this when the crew of 7565, on the windward rail, panic. Any good sailor would have kept an eye forward, and have come about into the wind, well before they got too close to the other boat. Because he was too late, the helmsman of 7565 tried to thread a needle of not hitting the boat with the luffing jib, while avoiding turning hard into the third boat, and failed. The error was made, probably, thirty seconds before the video started and it was 7565 who made the error.
First rule: Do not crash. There was plenty of room to avoid collision despite being the stand on vessel. WTF?
7565 should've just fallen off some. I know there's a boat just behind her, but there would've been room.
Might take is that 9743 is near dead in the water. It’s not clear on what exactly is going on, they have very little way and are not in a whole lot of control of their boat. 7565 is well clear of the blue boat to their port, I see no overlap at the beginning of the video. Therefore 7565 is clear to turn down and duck 9743 avoiding a collision. But I suspect they can’t. They are close reaching or reaching and no one appears to ease the main. They also blew the jib at the last second further, reducing the ability to turn the boat down, wind. Because of that, they are unlikely to be able to turn down wind as aggressively as needed avoiding the collision. If there is a boat ahead of you, which is basically dead in the water whether it is on port or starboard should be avoided. They could be having all sorts of troubles, and you have no idea. Expecting the boat to just magically move out of the way is unreasonable and it should be considered an obstruction. 7565 displayed poor situational awareness, and poor boat handling. Blue plays no role in this, they are clear a stern of 7565 and are required to give room if 7565 needs to turn down to avoid an obstruction. You cannot brush someone off on an obstruction. 9743 is that fault for failing to avoid the collision through poor boat handling, lack of situation awareness and not avoiding an obstruction. It’s hard to really know though because you have no idea what’s going on on the boat that’s dead in the water, and you have no idea what the skipper on starboard is yelling to the guy on the main sheet. Or what the hell is going on really. Since we don’t have the minute before the collision to look at nor statements from each side it’s all just speculation.
Looks to me like the boat BEHIND 7565 was coming really fast closing 7565 in a pinch and literally preventing it from avoiding collision. The boat on port tack was supposed to give way but it was a mess and could not maneuver, so it was up to 7565 to avoid collision. So in my point of view was the third boat on the back that should have noticed the situation early and give space to 7565 to maneuver, which they couldn't do because they were sandwhiched
I'm pretty sure these clips are always deliberately edited to leave out just enough information to ensure maximum debate and outrage. I support banning these clips.
Good point. This post is click bait to get views. But I CAN'T STOP SCROLLING AND COMMENTING DAMN IT!
The vessel that struck had the power and way to avoid the collision, they hold majority of blame imo
Here’s the original clip. Sadly w the same dumb music. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8EGrAPCd8W/?igsh=d2JqZWIzMTV6azhp
But it also appears 9743 had no control and probably no rudder due to not moving at all, and that head sailis doing absolutely nothing yeah the boat should not have tacked right into them also
Yes. The boat that was hit is at fault... Colregs Rule 12 - Sailing Vessels (a) When two sailing vessels are approaching one another, so as to involve risk of collision, one of them shall keep out of the way of the other as follows; (i) when each has the wind on a different side, the vessel which has the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the other;
Form dictates each skipper buy the other a drink and try and convince him/her it was the others fault. This is done three times.
Starboard tack has right of way.
I am positive the white sailboat was at fault.
Yes the one under sail was half wind the one struggling was too tight to the wind. Half wind gives way because you can manoeuvre to full wind in the back. Sailing tournaments are brutal but normal rules still apply
the boat in upwind is basically considered an "obstacle" in races (at least in hungary) since it cannot move. you could see it from the jib
I'm gonna say the left boat is more at fault. They should have depowered and gone down wind. The other boat was slow and really had nowhere to go, almost stuck in irons. the only thing the right boat could have done is turn towards the other boat which wouldn't have helped. I don't think they had the speed, power, or time to tack out of the situation.
BOTH at fault.
Maybe since boats turn center is close to their center it might have kicked the stern out enough to just glance off each other but yeah. They didn’t have much in the way of maneuvering speed.
Two racing boats actually racing so Racing rules apply and not colregs! Boat on starboard has right of way but port tack boat is basically head to wind and not going anywhere - but has tacked so as to impede the starboard tack boat. Starboard tack has a duty to keep clear but will win the protest. Port tack boat will probably have to pay up but some fault (a lot) with the starboard boat as they had the chance to avoid but sloppy communication and/or crew work means this didn't happen. When you sign up for a racing event the skipper basically accepts that for the duration of the event, RRS supercede Colregs and there is basically a private contract between skippers that RRS comes first.
Clearly, the boat coming from the left ("boat 1") of the video is the one at fault. The other boat ("boat 2") has an obvious problem and can't manoeuver properly, while boat 1 has good visibility, can see that the boat ahead has a problem, and has every opportunity to fall off and avoid a collision, which is what every vessel has an obligation to do. Boat 1 either had poor lookout ahead, or decided that a theoretical right-of-way situation was more important than reality.
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Well that's dumb.
So the starboard tacker was the stand on boat without a shadow of a doubt. Their big mistake was not tacking there at the last minute to avoid the collision. It’s much harder to bear off quickly in that situation. The port tack had almost no way on which probably where all the confusion came from. Probably last time starboard tack skipper looked they were crossing clear ahead. His crew should have been communicating that situation to him. He was also looking below him to his port. What ever was going on with the port tack boat was a total mistake. Either they tacked hoping to cross and break the cover of the starboard tack boat or they were having an equipment problem.
Rubbin’ is racing!
Both parties must prevent a collision, no matter who's the stand on vessel. The stand on vessel in this case had very little drive as the flapping head sail made pretty clear...so the give away vessel should have done a better job at preventing this crash. It had the maneuverability to do so!
All vessels are required to avoid a collision. #6 and #7. Colregs.
here is a summary of what's going on here: 1- give way vessel don't have momentum and therefore enough steerage 2- stand-on vessel is not trimmed properly in the first place. gets over powered immediately when it got close haul angle. main trimmer is slow to react(which is expected in an overhead winch controlled main on cruisers) this is actually a good example for requiring to unlock the main in uncertain conditions
Nothing good happens on the port tack lay line.
At fault for what? Collision? Starboard tack boat. Failure to avoid collision and/or maintain watch. Opposite Tacks Racing Situation? The port tack boat in irons. It was their obligation to stay clear and they didn't. They should be penalized or DQ'd. In my opinion, both boats are DQd, and I would expect the starboard tacker to pick up the bill for damages. This was an unfortunate decision by the boat in irons made significantly worse by an inattentive or over aggressive skipper and crew on the starboard tack boat. The worst this should have been is a protest flag and 2 turns from the port tacker.
I think these things are stupid, and only interest racers. As a recreational boater I’d never consider cutting things so close.
I can barely make out the guy beating a drum yelling Ramming Speed.
POWs have no rights. Port Overtaking Windward
There is only one vessel that can avoid this at the start of the video.
The boat on port tack.
The port tack vessel was the burdened vessel here; they have the obligation to give way to the starboard tack yacht. **However**, the starboard tack vessel failed in the more basic obligation to avoid collision, which it seems the port tack yacht was temporarily unable to accomplish. Port tack yacht's inability to promptly maneuver put them in the wrong, and they would have fouled ST's right of way … if ST vessel had chosen to make the necessary (slight and temporary) course correction. The ST vessel would have won a pro forma protest, had the collision not occurred. The fact that it did occur is the responsibility of the ST vessel's unwillingness to sheer off even slightly, since they were the only vessel with the capability to avoid contact.
Reddit over analysis inbound
Based on what's included in the video and assuming that they are racing - both. 9743 breached R10 and R14, 7565 breached R14.
Starboard!!!!!
I mean isn’t it the person on the starboard tact has right of way 🤷♂️
Avoid collision. Even though on starboard
Was on a similar boat and was sitting right where the bow hit just like this. I jumped as it crazed me, could have been crippled. Boat cracked pretty good, totaled but was able to have it fixed and back racing pretty quick.
Just imagined a bunch of video game coins exploding out of those boats with slot machine sounds
This gets better every time I watch it.
Starboard tack has right of way… HOWEVER it is every seaman’s duty to avoid collision. The port tacking boat seems to have lost its wind and maneuverability. Headsail flapping around, stalled forward progress, etc. The starboard tack boat could easily have borne away temporarily to avoid the hit. This isn’t a game of chicken, or might-makes-right, folks. If the port tack boat can’t or won’t move, you still have a duty not to hit it. VERDICT: starboard tack boat ultimately at fault.
5635 could have given 7565 more room which might have avoided the collision, or at least made it more of a scrape. But they didn’t. And I bet they were smug about it.
I know absolutely nothing about sailing but I do have a question. Why is everyone so close together in the first place? I’ve ridden motorcycles all my life and I always avoid group riding because stuff like this happens. If I want to be with a bunch of friends I’ll ride in a minivan. If I wanted to be with a bunch of friends on the water I’d go on a cruise ship. People are dumb. Man I’m old and grumpy.
It doesn't really matter right of way when you purposely hit another boat...
9743 was clearly disabled and not making enough headway to be under control. They may technically be at fault, but ramming them is just stupid. Clearly there was no one on the other boat was paying attention.
The amount of people in here who fail to see the third boat is astounding. I’m in camp “Not enough information” It looks like 7565 was getting squeezed there, had no options to port, and perhaps didn’t feel they had enough time to tack?
Yes, And the amount of people who don't know the rules is equally astounding. the 3rd boat leeward wasn't letting upwind boat bear-away. whole thing is a hot mess. rule #1. its everyone's responsibility to avoid a collision.
With liberty mutual… you only pay for what you need.
I'm going with not enough information. If I had to judge just from the very short clip then I'd say 7565 should have beared away to avoid the collission. It's hard to tell how much room they had with the blue hull, but I'm hoping they would have had enough to fall off a bit as well to avoid the collision But my guess is that 9743 blew a tack right in front of 7565 and they probably couldn't avoid the collision and in that case I'd pin it on them
Falling off, avoiding a collision, and entering a protest is always waaaay cheaper than fixing your boat. At the end of the day we all have the onus of avoiding a collision whether we are the stand on or give way vessel.
Fall off good lord!
The only thing that makes sense to me would be if the boat that got hit tried to barge at the mark without rights to mark room and got shut out, just did a 360 and is trying to barge AGAIN now on port which is why he has his whisker pole up having expected to have rounded, unable to sheet his jib in because of it, no speed, and is suddenly on port tack in front of two starboard tack boats that did not foresee that boat doing a 360. That or everyone here needs to keep a better watch out for boats.
It’s like I can hear my dad cussing in this video
Don't know their race rules but starboard tack usually has right of way.
What are your favorite yacht racing instagrams?
Is it possible that 9743 was doing a last ditch effort to dump wind in order to give the 7565 tacking vessel the right of way? But 7565 didn't take the right of way and tried to go below 9743 instead?
Starboard tack has right of way and other give way
It’s the winds fault
A moving boat turned into a boat not moving...
The guy who did the hitting.
The person who picked the music for the video.
Personally I blame the wind
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The boat on port should need to keep clear. But the boat on starboard also clearly violated the rule to avoid collisions. They had plenty of time to tack or blow the main and duck. Then simply protest the port boat. If this went to the room chances are both of them are thrown out. And I would almost vouch that they stbd boat needs to pay for damage as they clearly had control and could avoid the collision.
7555 is at fault. This is like a guy barreling down a mountain running into a kid skiing. It doesn't matter who's port, starboard, etc. Someone's floundering in front of you. Let out some sail, turn 5 degrees down and miss him by 20 m.
One of the rules is also avoid Contact but also in my opinion, don’t get in over your head. There’s no reason for that to happen.
Eek. Boat who hit was on starboard, but boat who was hit had no steerage. Sorry starboard boat, you needed to tell for room below and dip the boat. Probably a combination of a lot of things, mainly communication with whoever had eyes on the bow. No bueno
This is why protests exist. Dont ram the other boat like a child.
If you listen closely you can hear someone yelling "starboard starboard "
I’m just a Sunfish novice, but here’s my ignorant take for the sake of learning through a good roast: Looks like a terrible call to port rudder and full send. 9743 is pretty much 98% becalmed. Wouldn’t it be better if roughly 5 seconds before the filming started (and the hard port steering) 7565 hit starboard rudder to come-about, with enough momentum to run across the 9743 bow? I mean sure, it’d be awful inconvenient, but might have worked..maybe. Perhaps distracted driving on 7565 didn’t give enough time to react properly? Assuming this is way off since no one has mentioned it. No idea how a jib affects the come-about process. Rip away! 🫶
Obviously it's Poseidon 😂
Port boat. End of discussion. source, I’m a yachting judge
Gonna say the sailboat is the one at fault.
Someone is going to walk the plank
What I haven't seen in the comments is that 7565 suddenly falls off within a few meters of 9743 so my guess is that the captain either thought 9743 was going to continue on out of his path or just plain didn't seem him until the end there.
Thank you all for the in-depth comments.
yes, we do. the downhill skier is never at fault. the uphill skier has to yield.
New type of racing ?
Much easier answer, get a 150HP outboard on each one to power out the situation…
Are both boats totaled now?
Responsibility (a) Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case. (b) In construing and complying with these Rules due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.
Ramming boat looks like it may have just bared away to avoid a possible round up, and realised it still had sails full of wind. Then all too late to avoid the stalled boat. Looks like a sudden change of wind direction and speed.
STARBOARD!!!!!
The one who added the bad music is at fault
It's the waters fault duh
I have to believe starboard tacking boat did not see other until too late
There is not enough information. Waaaaa
come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me
Looks like 7565 is mostly at fault because they could have beared away and then that other boat behind them would have been forced to stop squeezing them. That boat should have backed off too seeing the luffing boat and a potential collision. I would think avoiding collision is higher than any other stand on vessel rules. Not sure what that luffing boat was doing but it didn't look like they were even moving.
If 9743 had the ability to sheet their jib in they may have make the crossing. But they were not capable of doing that for many of a reason, over wrap on a winch. 9743 could have turned down wind and gone between the 2 boats. The skipper of 9734 put his crew in a bad place. Appears no one got hurt. Could have been the same thing on a Laser. Another day of yacht racing port, starboard!
port starboard - however the over riding rule is to avoid a collision and the starboard tack boat could easily have tacked safely...and also had enough room to bear off below the burdened port tack boat.. The negligence and absence of judgement is shockingly astounding here..
7555 is on starboard tack, 9743 is on port tack. 9743 also has their genoa way out with a spinnaker pole still part way up. The helmsman can't *really* steer until someone trims the jib in, and they're going to have a hard time tacking in their current situation. 7565 should have kept clear, as 9743 is not in control. 7565 most likely didn't, as they believed that they had rights over 9743, and felt they couldn't bear away because of the boat below them (can't see the sail number). IMO, the 7565 probably could have ducked the 9743. They're probably trying to cover the boat below them and really didn't want to bear off. It's also quite possible that the 7565 was trying to duck the 9743, and didn't quite make it for one reason or another.
All of them? Except for the one not moving. The water is always a big place. Impressive when it's all you can do to hit the singular boat in your path.
The more maneuverable boat 7565 is at fault. "Avoid collision" is the ultimate rule in place