Section B
General Limitations

.....

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 mark-room 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 mark-room.


old rule   A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible. However, a right-of-way boat or one entitled to room or mark-room
(a) need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not keeping clear or giving room or mark-room, and
(b) shall be exonerated if she breaks this rule and the contact does not cause damage or injury.

.....

15  Acquiring Right of Way
When a boat acquires right of way, she shall initially give the other boat room to keep clear, unless she acquires right of way because of the other boat's actions.

.....

16 Changing Course
16.1 When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear.

16.2 In addition, on a beat to windward when a port-tack boat is keeping clear by sailing to pass to leeward of a starboard-tack boat, the starboard-tack boat shall not bear away if as a result the port-tack boat must change course immediately to continue keeping clear.


old 16.2   In addition, when after the starting signal a port-tack boat is keeping clear by sailing to pass astern of a
starboard-tack boat, the starboard-tack boat shall not change course if as a result the port-tack boat would immediately need to change course to continue keeping clear.

.....

17  On the Same Tack; Proper Course
If a boat clear astern becomes overlapped within two of her hull lengths to leeward of a boat on the same tack, she shall not sail above her proper course while they remain on the same tack and overlapped within that distance, unless in doing so she promptly sails astern of the other boat. This rule does not apply if the overlap begins while the windward boat is required by rule 13 to keep clear.

.....

Definitions
Fundamental Rules
Part 2A - Right of Way
Part 2C - At Marks and Obstructions
Part 2D - Other Rules
Part 3- Conduct of a Race
Part 4 - Other Requirements When Racing
Part 5A - Protests
Part 5B - Hearings and Decisions
Part 5C - Gross Misconduct
Part 5D - Appeals