WE'RE RACING!!!!!!

[hanjohuizing]

Originally Posted by pete c

That was the cry from the sailboat we had an encounter with this afternoon.

This was the situation. We were just putting along on a starboard tack with about half the jib out, enjoying one of the last nice days on LI sound of the year. On a pretty much collision course was what I soon found out, was a racing sailboat....on a port tack.

I was taught that with a pair of sailboats under sail in such a situation, the rules are pretty clear. The starboard tack boat has the right of way. It is the port tack boat who is obliged to alter course.

As we got within earshot, we could hear the other boat yelling something. My buddy yelled back "STARBOARD TACK". The other skipper then eased off the wind a bit to our lee side and yelled "WE'RE RACING" as he passed.

Good for you *******. Sorry, I did not get the memo.

Now I do realize that the rules are not carved in granite and there is a such thing as common courtesy. If you look ahead and see a group of sailboats who are obviously in the heat of battle, the right thing to do is put your starboard tack privilege card back in your pocket and do your best to not interrupt a race.

But it was in no way apparent that this guy was in a race. He wasn't flying a large "we're racing" pennant. He was just another boat out there in a fairly busy area, just outside the entrance to Milford Harbor.

Perhaps if I was a bit more observant I might have observed a boat under full canvas with all its rail meat doing what it could to squeeze out another tenth of a knot, but like I said, there's all sorts of traffic out there and the wind was being a little fickle, varying what seemed to be 15-20 degrees regularly. It had just varied a bit when this guy was maybe a quarter mile away, so I did make a slight course adjustment. So maybe he took that as me being a clueless douchebag.

I'll plead guilty to a level of cluelessness, but not the douchebaggery charge....well, not in this instance.

So, did I do something wrong? Does my "racing detector" need fine tuning?

I can understand someone being frustrated in such a situation, but do the right thing and just mumble a few obscenities under your breath. Don't yell at the boat who had the right of way.

Well it should be simple, yachts that are participate in a sailrace don't fly their national flag as a sign they are in a race, at least that's the rule in Europe. Thus...

[Happ]

Having raced for more years than I want to count i can tell you with complete certainty he was asking you for a courtesy. Races can be won an lost by seconds. You were in no hurry to be anywhere. What would it had hurt if you had acknowledged his hail and altered course? As to how would you know he was racing? My guess is you would have seen quite a few boats perhaps moving in the same basic direction. You may have seen quite a few of his crew sitting with there feet hanging over the rail. It was just a courtesy he was asking for.

[parkstone bay]

I'm a yacht racer in the UK (over 70 years); I have NEVER used the call "We're racing" against a boat that isn't. If you are on starboard tack (cruising) v a port tack racer, COLREGS apply.
In fact, if there's an altercation, if you can, you should note his sail number and club, and then do a reasoned written complaint to his Club Manager. "Racing" does not imply anything other than RRS apply between boats racing.

[parkstone bay]

Originally Posted by Happ

Having raced for more years than I want to count i can tell you with complete certainty he was asking you for a courtesy. Races can be won an lost by seconds. You were in no hurry to be anywhere. What would it had hurt if you had acknowledged his hail and altered course? As to how would you know he was racing? My guess is you would have seen quite a few boats perhaps moving in the same basic direction. You may have seen quite a few of his crew sitting with there feet hanging over the rail. It was just a courtesy he was asking for.

Unfortunately, from the OP description of the incident, the racer wasn't asking for a courtesy - he was demanding a right. That's certainly the way the OP felt it.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by parkstone bay

Unfortunately, from the OP description of the incident, the racer wasn't asking for a courtesy - he was demanding a right. That's certainly the way the OP felt it.

Boaters shouting about “ rights” hmm uncommon , not

[JimStarkey]

A modest number of decades back we were racing our C&C Corvette, close hauled on a starboard tack. A pair of J24s on port were on a converging course. I yelled STARBOARD! They yelled back, WE'RE RACING! I yelled, SO ARE WE! They responded, BUT WE'RE J24s! One of those occasions where we were lucky not to have a jerk-seeking missile ready to launch.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by parkstone bay

Unfortunately, from the OP description of the incident, the racer wasn't asking for a courtesy - he was demanding a right. That's certainly the way the OP felt it.

Unfortunately their hail most likely sounded like a demand because they are yelling across the water and most likely they were a bit keyed up. I do think the person who posed the question did the right thing by asking the group for the purpose of learning. The next time he’ll have a better understanding of the situation.

I certainly would not file a complaint. With who would you file it with? Why waste your time. No one violated any rules.

As to the person who has been racing for 70 years I can say I guess it depends on what’s level he races. Local club around the buoys once a month then probably never. In over 50 years of racing I don’t think I have asked for the courtesy 5 times. I did race on some custom purpose built racing machines. In my few times I think we were given the courtesy about 1/2 the time. I truly believe the other 1/2 didn’t really understand what was going on. That’s fair enough.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by Galumay

I would have yelled back, WE ARE NOT!

I would have yelled something a little different. I can't post it here, though.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

And that's relevant to a cruiser how?

Not my problem if they want to be idiots with each other.

It's relevant to a cruiser because the racers can be "idiots" with cruisers also should a cruiser "stray" into the middle of a race that is.

It's simply not smart to get involved with racers if it can be avoided unless you are just wanting an argument or fight

The racers are already in competition mode

Someone my have "upped" them at the starting line (forced them into the wind and possibly causing them to have to tack off) and they may still be PO'd about it and spoiling for a fight.

Why would a cruiser or day sailor want to get involved in that because they know the rules.

Racers have to know the rules but they also aren't above bending them if they can get away with it

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by GrowleyMonster

I would have yelled something a little different. I can't post it here, though.

Which is normal speak on many race courses so no big deal there.

Go hang out at most any crowded starting line with 30-40 boats a couple minutes before the gun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iVzIxkh6fY

[singlespeed]

As a long time racer and cruiser, I base my decision on racers asking for courtesy on two things. First am I near a clearly designated racemark (not a fixed navigation buoy identified by the race instructions as a mark, but without any physical indicators on the bouy). If so, likely I will yield as I wasn't being observant enough. Second, how many crew are on each boat to do the required unsheeting and resheeting. If it's just my wife and I and the other boat is fully crewed, they need to alter course. If I have to put my boat in autopilot to do the sheeting, and their helmsman has the support of a full crew, they need to alter course. If the race committee has chosen the location of the race course in an area of heavy boating traffic, shame on them.

[Laurief]

My POV is that I’m not gonna get in a collision. Does it matter who has the right of way if your boats are sinking? I make it obvious I’m changing course if the other boat doesn’t. At that point I’m not going to cite COLREGs.

[dwightsusan]

Sign of the times! Pretty sad when some of the folks out there on the water bring their bad manners, profanity, and highway road rage behavior with them.
"Twas all so pretty a sail, it seemed
As if it could not be;
And some folk thought 'twas a dream they'd dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea;"

[jongleur]

Then, is there ever any reason to call out, "Starboard"?

This whole conversation is stupid. The port boat, whether racing or not, should give way.

If everyone is obligated to avoid a collision, why would anyone ever yell, "Starboard"? Are there really racers out there who have no idea who is on starboard and who is on port and the significance of that? Like, someone hails, "Starboard," and the other skipper smacks himself in the forehead and says to himself, "I never thought of that!" Isn't that kinda the first rule every sailor learns when they first start sailing in a group?

What if I'm tryin' to get an injured crewmember to the ambulance waiting at the dock? Do I yell, "Starboard"?

If the port tack boat has a broken rudder, they would be better to holler, "I've got limited maneuverability!"

Do racers in every race know which boats they are even racing against? What if it's a PHRF race? Who would know?

Again, stupid.

[thomm225]

It's usually pretty easy to tell if boats are racing unless it's a 30-100 mile distance race or more then they are so far apart many times it just looks like any other sailboat out there except usually with better sails and trimmed correctly.

Not many flapping loose jibs with the racers or guys sailing with jib only like I see many cruisers and day sailors doing