Uncle Al's 2017-2020 Pictorial Rules Quiz
Cases 1-25
for Cases 26-50, click here
updated: 11 Jan 2017
Click on the number below to bring up that Case:
Case 1: In the photo below, W6732 and W7663 are just finishing.


Is W6732 entitled to mark-room here?  Answer
Case 2: In the photo below, which I changed to a mirror image to make the situation more interesting, W286 is completing his beat as the Laser starts his run. They are in the zone.


Does Rule 18 apply? Who has the right of way? Why?
What restraints, if any, do the Rules place on this right-of-way boat?
Answer
Case 3: In the photo below, the Maltese Falcon (red, blue and gray spi) is overtaking the other three boats who are overlapped.



What rules apply if MF decides to sail between any two of the boats ahead?
Answer
Case 4: In the photo below, W1366 is crossing ahead of W3654.


Which boat has right of way? Why?
What do the rules not permit the right-of-way boat to do here?
Answer
Case 5: In the photo below, W6 and W7380 are about to round the leeward mark.


Can W6 claim an inside overlap here, even though the boats are on opposite tacks?
If so, do these boats look like they are overlapped?
Does the re-written rule 18 (mark-room) require W6 to limit himself to taking mark-room only?
Answer
Case 6: In the photo below, the Wayfarer has just established an overlap to leeward of the Laser.


1. What is the first rule that applies at the moment the leeward overlap begins?
2. What does that rule require the overtaking boat to do?
3. What does that rule require the overtaken boat to do?
4. What other rule will also limit the leeward boat after those first few seconds of overlap?
5. Must Leeward give Windward room to sail her proper course here?
Answer
Case 7: In the photo below...



... what rule does 442 appear to be breaking?
Answer
Case 8: In the photo below, Poul Ammentorp (W239) appears to be clear ahead of the white boat since his hull is definitely clear of the white hull.


Name two parts of W239 that could be the source of an overlap here.
Answer
Case 9: In the photo below, Shadow (W286) and Free Range Chick'n are on a collision course.


1. Which boat has right-of-way?
2. Do the Rules permit W286 to sail higher if he gets a lift now?
3. Do the Rules permit W10139 (yellow) to sail higher if he gets a lift now?
4. Do the Rules permit W10139 (yellow) to sail lower if he gets a header now?
Answer
Case 10: In the photo below, W286 and Laser 61007 are on a run to mark 4 on Fanshawe Lake.


1. Does rule 12 (overtaking boat) apply here? Why (not)?
2. Which rule definitely applies?
Answer
Case 11: In the photo below, W6 has just rounded the leeward mark and tacked to starboard. W1191 is about to round the leeward mark.


1. Does being subject to rule 18 give W1191 any protection from W6 here?
2. What limitations, if any, does rule 16 place on W6 here?
Answer
Case 12: In the photo below, the overlapped boats have just reached the offset mark and are rounding onto a run to the leeward mark.



1. Does rule 18 permit Poul (the inside boat) to make a "tactical rounding" or is he merely entitled to"room" (for a seamanlike rounding)?
2. Does Poul have to turn slowly in order to give Gunnar (the outside boat) room to keep clear?
3. Gunnar wants to gybe now but Poul wants to wait. What does rule 18 say about this?
Answer
Case 13: In the photo below, W825 (far left) and CL1050 (the two boats on the left) drew even with the mark while they were clear ahead. They have just now turned to get into rounding mode.


1. Are any of the three boats on the right entitled to mark-room from CL1050?
2. Are any of the three boats on the right entitled to mark-room from W825 (far left)?
Answer
Case 14: In the photo below, W9235 is outpointing W3854 as they sail up a beat on Tawas Bay.


1. If they continue to get closer together to the point of nearly colliding, who will have to keep clear? Under what rule?
2. Would rule 17 apply here (same tack; proper course)?
3. What other rule will apply once these boats get very close to each other, say about a foot of water between the hulls?
Answer
Case 15: In the photo below, W864 reaches the finish mark ahead of C Scow V45.


Is W864 entitled to mark-room at this finish mark?
Answer
Case 16: In the photo below, W8868 (Uncle Al wearing Mike McNamara's spinnaker) and W7700 (Roger Shepherd) are neck and neck along the far shore of Fanshawe Lake. There is about one boatlength of space between the two hulls.


1. Who has the right of way?
2. What rules will limit W8868's course of action?
3. In what way is W7700 limited by the rules if he established his overlap from clear astern?
Answer
Case 17: In the photo below, W7663 and W3571 angling in towards the west shore of Fanshawe Lake on starboard tack. Because he is getting fairly close to running aground, W7663 calls for "room to tack for an obstruction". W3571 would prefer not to tack yet since starboard tack is lifted.


1. Do the Rules permit W7663 to call for room to tack here?
2. Does 7663 have to wait as long as possible before hailing, i.e. until he is very close to the obstruction?
3. What can W3571 do if he feels 7663's hail is improper because the boats are not yet dangerously close to the obstruction?
4. What can 3571 do here instead of immediately tacking?
5. Once W3571 has tacked to respond to 7663's hail, can 7663 continue sailing for a few seconds to make sure he'll have clear air after tacking?
Answer
Case 18: In the photo below, CL1050 was just ahead of CL2679 when 1050 reached the zone. 1050 then tacked right around the mark.


Did rule 18 give CL1050 protection from the requirements of rule 13 (tacking too close)?
Answer
Case 19: In the photo below, the boats are approaching the starting line to start, and the mark is surrounded by navigable water.


Does rule 18 apply? If not, what rules do apply?
Answer
Case 20: In the photo below, the Wayfarer (Bob Kennedy in 3571) and the "cruiser" 1131 are on a collision course.


1.  Which boat has the right of way? Under what rule?
2. If 1131 luffs up to close-hauled to keep clear of 3571, can 1131 invoke rule 19 (room to pass an obstruction) as the two boats get closer to the shore?
3. Would such a call force 3571 to run down to give 1131 room, or is there another, better, option for 3571, one that 1131 would not like??
Answer
Case 21: In the photo below, Laser 61007 and W286 are running down towards mark #4 on Fanshawe Lake.


1. Which boat has the right of way?
2. Is the right-of-way boat entitled to sail his proper course?
Answer
Case 22: In the photo below, W864 is sailing close-hauled towards two running Wayfarers.



1. Does being close-hauled give him the right of way?
2. What are the obligations of W6 here?
Answer
Case 23: In the photo below, W7660 has just rounded the leeward mark and now meets W3854.


1. Which boat has the right of way?
2. What are the obligations of W3854 here? of W7660?
Answer
Case 24: In the photo below, the red boat has come up from astern and established an overlap on both the white and the gray boat.


1. Can White (windward) successfully protest Red under rule 17 if the latter is "pushed" above his proper course by 9483?
2. Can the gray boat (9483) successfully protest Red if the latter bears away here?
Answer
Case 25: In the photo below, the partially obscured boat on the left is on a collision course with Laser 42692.


Which of these two boats has the right of way? Why?
Answer
continue the quiz with questions 26 through 50