Incident

leward mark barging wit no right to room

Outcome

Procedural Matters

Jiraffe was represented by Peter Selby.

Akeilos was represented by Paul Campbell-James.

The Protest Committee was: David Hudson, Bill Edgerton and Malcolm Lofts.

Facts Found

1. The wind at the time of the incident was 10 kts with 50 cm waves.
2. Jiraffe was running on starboard tack, on a course towards the midpoint between the two gate marks 4s and 4p.
3. The gate marks were at least eight hull lengths apart.
4. Akheilos was running on starboard tack on the layline to Mark 4p.
5. When Jiraffe was two hull lengths from the line between the gate marks she gybed onto port and entered the Mark 4p zone.
6. Akheilos entered the zone at the same time as Jiraffe, with an inside overlap on Jiraffe.
7. Akheilos sailed to the mark, rounded it, and left it astern.
8. There was no contact between the boats.

Conclusions

1. Jiraffe, outside overlapped at the zone, gave Akheilos mark-room in compliance with RRS 18.2(a)(1).
2. No rule was broken.

Decision

Protest Dismissed.