Well, it is time once again for another look at the ISAF Raging Rules 1997-2000. This time we'll look at the rule which governs changing course. The old rule contained several exceptions that allowed you to assume a proper course when starting or rounding a mark. With the new rule, these exceptions are gone. In the old rule, you couldn't obstruct another boat that was keeping clear. In the new rule, it is more permissive; it allows a right-of-way boat to change course as long as it gives the other boat enough room to avoid her in a 'seamanlike way.' In other words, it means a starboard-tack boat can luff up to obstruct a port-tack boat so long as the port-tack boat has room to keep clear without having to make a crash tack. Let's take a look a Rule 16.
Rule 16 Changing Course
When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear.
Now take a look an example 1. We see a situation between the red and blue boats which will lead into a protest called on the blue boat. The red boat is thinking the port tack blue boat is an obstruction. Under the old rules, yes, but now with the new rules, no. The blue boat did bear off and tried to avoid the red boat and gave room for the red boat to pass. The red boat must give room for the blue boat to keep clear as stated in the rule. There is no protest here and both boats continue on with the race.
Next time we'll look at two more examples of changing course with the new rule 16.