57. Facts found: Hook, Line & Sinker (windward) and Luffing Leftovers (leeward) were beating, approaching the RC-boat end of a finish line in 10 knots of breeze and relatively flat water. They were both on port tack, bow to bow and about half a boatlength apart as shown at left. Neither was going to be able to cross the line without tacking. If they held their course they would pass about one boatlength to leeward of the RC boat. About 3 boatlengths from the RC boat, Luffing Leftovers called for "room to tack" in order to be able to tack towards the finish line.

Hook, Line & Sinker denied this request and held his course until both he and Luffing Leftovers were almost past the RC boat. At this point Hook, Line & Sinker tacked as shown at left. Luffing Leftovers lodged a valid protest.

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Decision: The definition of an obstruction indicates that you must be sailing directly towards the object before it can be an obstruction to you, i.e. you must be on a collision course with that object. Thus, the RC boat was not an obstruction to either boat, and rule 20 was not applicable in this instance. Therefore, Luffing Leftovers was not entitled to "room to tack" and her protest is disallowed.
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Note: The same would be true if the mark was a buoy of ordinary size - i.e. 50 to 100 cm. in diameter. Unless a boat is heading straight at it, it doesn't rate as an obstruction. And even if a boat were heading straight for it, it would not qualify under the definition as an obstruction unless it was much larger than our usual course markers.

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Case #58
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