Photo by Graham snook
WHO HAS RIGHT-OF-WAY?
Q: I sail in Narragansett Bay, which is a relatively narrow body of water that has upwind boats generally going south and downwind boats generally going north. When sailboats are racing, the starboard tack boat has the right-of-way over the port tack boat, so I want to exclude the racing situation because racing sailboats generally know this rule pretty well.
It is the regular cruising boat situation that needs the clarification. It is my understanding from my reading of the right-of-way rules that in regular sailing, if a boat is going upwind and is going to cross the path of a downwind boat, the boat closer to the wind has the right of way, regardless of the tack of either boat.
Last summer, I was heading upwind on port tack, crossing the path of a boat going downwind on a starboard tack, with the boat going downwind boat coming in from my port side. I was prepared to tack, but not before I had to, and I did not want both of us to alter course toward the same spot, so I held my course on the port tack. When the boat going downwind got closer than he wanted to be, he did alter course. However, much yelling and screaming could be heard from the foredeck of the boat heading downwind.
In old editions of the rules of the road, it is clearly stated that even in non-racing situations, the boat heading upwind has the right-of-way over a boat heading downwind, regardless of the tack of either boat.
I wondered if you could clarify the situation. Also, is it always good to call for right-of-way? That is pretty easy with two upwind boats on opposite tacks. I just always yell, “Starboard,” and that usually works if you yell loud enough. However, I’m not clear what to yell in an upwind-downwind crossing situation. (I can tell you what the boat heading downwind yelled in the situation described in the above, but you do not want to print it.) Perhaps you can suggest the correct protocol.
— Clifford Lewis, Portsmouth, RI
DON CASEY REPLIES
You need to throw away your old rules and perform a mea culpa for the incident you describe. Today’s rules do not consider upwind or downwind. There are just three sailboat-to-sailboat rules:
1. When on the same tack, the leeward boat has the right-of-way.
2. When on opposite tacks, the starboard tack boat has the right-of-way.
3. When overtaking, the overtaken boat has the right-of-way.
The rules require the stand-on vessel to maintain course and speed, but they also obligate both boats to avoid collision. These only come into conflict when the give-way vessel fails to make a course change early and clearly. In my experience, a bit of early flexibility in my own selected course can keep me mostly clear of close encounters. As for calling for right-of-way, outside of racing, yelling seems incompatible with sailing.
SCREEN IS BACK TO BLACK
Q: I just added a small depthsounder to my tender for checking out shoaling conditions in our harbor. Unfortunately, I got the sounder from a website that imports inexpensive marine gear, and while all is fine when it’s overcast, as soon as it’s sunny and I put on my polarized sunglasses the screen turns black. Is there not a standard for polarization? My polarized glasses work fine with all the other LCD gear aboard the “mother ship.”
— Don Hall, Kingsville, TX
Got a question for our experts? Send it to
After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course. During that time rules 10, 11 and 12 do not apply. If two boats are subject to this rule at the same time, the one on the other's port side or the one astern shall keep clear.
When sailing, it is important to remember sailing etiquette. Part of sailing etiquette is the right of way when sailing a sailboat. There are three different situations when boats are near each other and have to deal with the right of way.
The first is when both boats are on the same track, sailing in the same direction. When this happens, the leeward boat has the right of way. This means that the boat that is more sheltered from the wind, or the boat that is downwind, has the right of way.
The second is when two boats are on opposite tracks, heading in opposite directions. When this happens, the starboard track boat has the right of way. This means that the boat on the right side has the right of way. Think about cars driving on a road. The boat that is more right has the right of way (both boats have to be facing the same direction).
The third is when one boat is overtaking another boat. The boat that is ahead, as both boats will be moving in the same direction, has the right of way. The boat behind has to give the boat ahead the right of way.
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Rule 12 - Sailing vessels
- Power driven vessels must avoid and/or give way to all sailing vessels when under sail.
- Ships, tugboats with tows, commercial ferries and fishing vessels have right of way over sailing vessels. Yachts should stay well clear of these vessels.
- A sailing vessel using its motor is considered to be power vessel even though sails (motor sailing) may be hoisted. In this situation the sailing vessel with sails hoisted and using motor should hoist a cone forward of the mast to show that she is "motor sailing".
- The overtaking vessel must keep clear. This also applies when a sailing vessel is overtaking a power boat.
When two or more sailing vessels are approaching one another the tack they are sailing on determines which boat has the right of way.
When sailboats approach on different tacks the boat on the starboard is the stand on vessel with right of way. The boat on the port tack is the give way vessel and should pass behind the other sailing vessel.
Points to remember
- Keep a good look out at all times.
- Port tack gives way to starboard tack
- When sailing vessels are on the same tack, the leeward vessel has the right of way. This means the vessel sailing closest to the wind must give way.
There are only three basic possibilities, and three basic boating rules of the road to follow, when your sailboat approaches another sailboat.
Rule 1: When you are on the same tack as the other boat, the leeward boat has the right-of-way.
Rule 2: When you are on opposite tacks, the starboard tack boat has the right-of-way.
Rule 3: If you are overtaking the other boat, or it is overtaking you, the boat ahead (the overtaken boat) has the right-of-way.
Figure 8-3 shows the opposite tack rule. The starboard tack boat is the stand-on vessel and has the boating right-of-way. The port tack boat has to keep clear or give way. Which boat is on port tack? If you said the boat on the right, you are correct.
Figure 8-4 shows two boats involved in the overtaking rule. In this case the boat ahead is the stand-on vessel and has the boating right-of-way. The overtaking boat has to keep clear or give way. Which boat is overtaking and what tack is that boat on? If you said the boat behind is overtaking and is on starboard tack, you are correct.
Note that these boats are sailing downwind, with the wind pushing from behind, and they are on opposite tacks. In the overtaking rule, the difference in tacks is not relevant, unless you are racing. Over many years, a complete set of sailing rules of the road specifically for sailboat racing has been developed and administered by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), but these are not relevant to recreational sailing. If you’re looking to become a pro sailor, check out our Offshore Sailing Certification Courses.