Well, its back to the new ISAF rules and what they mean to us. For this article we will go over Rule 18.3 and what it means to port tackers at the marks. Before we go any further, lets first take a look at rule 18.3 and then discuss what it means.
Rule 18.3 If two boats were on opposite tacks and one of them tacked within the two-length zone to pass a mark or obstruction …, the boat that tacked (a) shall not cause the other boat to sail above close-hauled to avoid her or prevent the other boat from passing the mark or obstruction, and (b) shall keep clear if the other boat becomes overlapped inside her...
The just point of this rule is to prevent port tackers from trying to squeeze into a crowd of starboards tacked boats at the weather mark. If you sail to the weather mark on port tack inside the two boat-length zone of the mark, it no longer matters if you tack clear in front of the approaching starboard tackers. If you cause another starboard tacked boat to luff above their close-hauled, or to hit the mark you are in error and have broken rule 18.3.
In the above example the blue boat is on a port tack and is heading right into two starboard tacking boats within the two boat-length zone. As shown, even though the blue boat has completed its tack, it caused the yellow boat to luff up from a close-hauled course, hence a protest. To add more problems, the blue boat did not give the red boat room at the mark, again another protest. This maneuver of the blue boat will only give it a penalty turn and lose what ever gain it got.
So if you find yourself on port tack to the weather mark and the point of convergence with one or more starboard tacked boats will be within the two-length zone, you got to make a decision. If you tack to starboard, that will put well below the starboard layline and you'll won't be making the mark. Not good.
The next choice is to dip behind the starboard boats and then tack to starboard and round the mark. With this new rule this is the only safe way of port tack to the mark if there are other boats in the area. Once again it would be wise to keep an eye on the competition and plan your run to the mark and not get yourself into trouble. Read the rules and get a good understanding, doing so will keep you out in front!