Elentari vs. Puffin

On June 1, 2010, we had another arbitration hearing. This time between Elentari (#18) and Puffin (#35) in the second race, at the leeward mark. The Arbitrators were Bill Sheldon and Joe Downing.

Facts found:
1. The wind was 4 to 6 knots out of the southeast
2. Puffin was on port tack and Elentari was on starboard tack approaching the RC boat which was the leeward mark to be left to port.
3. Puffin was sailing a course toward the mark at approximately 90 degrees to the course of Elentari and Elentari was heading dead down wind by the committee boat.
4. Puffin reached the zone first and was approximately ½ to ¾ boat lengths ahead of Elentari at the mark.
5. Elentari gybed to round the mark and could not sail her proper course at the mark as Puffin rounds close to the committee boat and there is not space for Elentari to round inside at the mark.
6. To avoid contact Elentari ducked Puffin’s stern and rounded behind and to leeward of Puffin.

Rules that apply:
Rule 18.2, Giving Mark Room

Conclusions:
Puffin did not give Elentari mark-room as required by rule 18.2(b) and is assessed a 30% penalty per SI 11.4c in the second race on June 1, 2010.

Because Elentari and Puffin were sailing courses that were approximately 90 degrees form each other as shown in the diagram, Puffin owes mark-room by rule 18.2(b) to everyone on the right side of the course.  The only question is can they get there in time for it to matter.  There are two parts to the definition of mark-room. The first part is room to sail to the mark, and the second part is room to sail her proper course while at the mark. Puffin did not prevent Elentari from sailing to the mark, however, because Puffin did not provide space for Elentari to sail her proper course while at the mark  she did not provide mark-room as required in rule 18.2.  At position 3 in the diagram Elentari’s proper course is to gybe and to sail by the mark.  If Elentari were to have done this, she would have hit puffin at the chain plates and perhaps cause some serious damage. Her only course of action was to duck Puffin’s stern and protest.

What Puffin could have done is not sail as close to the mark as she rounded and allowed room for Elentari to sail her proper course at the mark. How much space is enough space depends on the conditions. In the light conditions in this case I would say 2 widths of a Star is adequate for Elentari to do a seaman like rounding.  In more wind and seas it would be more space than that, and In a blow you want enough space to avoid the mast as it comes down after her gybe; especially if you’re giving mark-room to those of us in the order of the mangled mast.