Who has right of way when Goosewinging?

[Ben998]

Hi All,
Who has right of way and is the stand on vessel when running downwind with the sails goosewinging ie mainsail and foresail on different sides of the boat? Is the tack of the 'goosewinging' vessel determined by which side the mainsail is positioned?

cheers,
Ben

 

[DJE]

Yes mainsail governs, but if you can't tell you must assume the other vessel is on starboard tack.

 

[angelsson]

Yes would agree with that, COLREG's pretty clear about what you should do if you are unsure which tack the other vessel is on.

 

[Guest]

a) Decision is based on whether one is 22.5 degrees abaft beam of other - then they are overtaking whatever the sails are doing ...

b) If not 22.5 degrees abaft the beam then its down to straight sailboats meeting with largest fore & aft sail or mainsail on stbd tack etc.

But lets be honest one of the boats would most likely have come in from a stand on or give way position anyway ... and any subsequent alteration of course / sails does not change that till well past and clear and close 1/4's situation is over ...

 

[Evadne]

I would agree too, it is the same as if you had a spinnaker up. But in this case more than others I find it best not to assume that any other sailing boats are aware that you might be the "stand on" boat.

 

[steve_cronin]

Yes.

Steve Cronin

 

[Abigail]

The test is over which side of the boat the wind is passing. So if the wind is passing over the starboard side of the boat, that's your tack, even if the goosewinged boat is sailing by the lee.

 

[Lakesailor]

And if the wind is coming over the stern?

 

[gandy]

[ QUOTE ]
And if the wind is coming over the stern?

[/ QUOTE ]
Maybe you're only asking to tease, but here goes.. It's based on the side of the mainsail. I read that as applying irrespective of the actual wind direction - even if you're sailing by the lee.

12(b) For the purposes of this rule the windward side shall be deemed to be the side opposite to that on which the mainsail is carried or, in the case of a square-rigged vessel, the side opposite to that on which the largest fore-and-aft sail is carried.

Next ... what about a square rig with no for-and-aft sails set? Or if your using spinnaker only?

Tony S

 

[john_morris_uk]

Abigail,

I am afraid that you are wrong. It doesn't matter whether you are sailing by the lee - you are on the tack dictated by your mainsail. The rule also clarifies how to define which tack a square rigged ship is on. Read the definition (b) in the rule!

[ QUOTE ]
Rule 12
Sailing vessels

(a) When two sailing vessels are approaching one another, so as to involve risk of collision, one of them shall keep out of the way of the other as follows:
(i) when each has the wind on a different side, the vessel which has the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the other;

(ii) when both have the wind on the same side, the vessel which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the vessel which is to leeward.

(iii) if a vessel with the wind on the port side sees a vessel to windward and cannot determine with certainty whether the other vessel has the wind on her port or starboard side, she shall keep out of the way of the other.

(b) For the purposes of this rule the windward side shall be deemed to be the side opposite to that on which the mainsail is carried or, in the case of a square-rigged vessel, the side opposite to that on which the largest fore-and-aft sail is carried


[/ QUOTE ]

Note the phrase 'for the purposes of this rule'. It explains how the initial impression of 'when each has the wind on a different side, the vessel which has the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the other' is to be interpreted in practice. Hope that this clears things up.

 

[bob_tyler]

What is the situation if the mainsail has been removed/furled and the boom is amidships? The goosewinged boat is on a straight course with the wind directly over the stern.

What tack is it on?

 

[KREW2]

Don't understand, to be goosewinged you need 2 sails hoisted 1 on port and 1 on starboard tack

 

[bob_tyler]

Goosewinging is twin foresails, one to port, the other to starboard. The mainsail is not involved in the goosewing process.

 

[MedMan]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't understand, to be goosewinged you need 2 sails hoisted 1 on port and 1 on starboard tack

[/ QUOTE ]

You've never sailed with twin headsails then? Whilst goosewinged can refer to main + poled out genoa it can equally apply to twin headsails the windward one of which usually poled out.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

In that case would you not be 'running'?

 

[bob_tyler]

Yes, come to think of it. However the rules quote the position of the mainsail, not the headsails.

 

[Joe_Cole]

If it's not clear which tack the goose winged boat is on then the other boat gives way.

The goose winged boat will, depending on the tack of the other boat, either stand on or he will also give way.

 

[KREW2]

I never mentioned a main sail in my reply I said 2 sails hoisted, does one of the sails dictate which tack your on?
To bring up another point what is it called when you have main and jib on different tacks.

 

[davidhand]

The tack of the vessel is determined by the side of the mainsail. If the mainsail is on the starboard side the vessel is on port tack etc.

 

[davidhand]

Not true according to RRS.