RULE 21
Let’s look at what Rule 21 says:
Section D OTHER RULES
When rule 21 or 22 applies between two boats, Section A rules do not.
STARTING ERRORS; TAKING PENALTIES; MOVING ASTERN
21.1. A boat sailing towards the pre-start side of the starting line or one of its extensions after her starting signal to start or to comply with rule 30.1 shall keep clear of a boat not doing so until her hull is completely on the pre-start side.
21.2. A boat taking a penalty shall keep clear of one that is not.
21.3. A boat moving astern, or sideways to windward, through the water by backing a sail shall keep clear of one that is not.
Rules 21.1, 21.2 and 21.3 make up 3 of the 7 main rules that govern “giveway” or more accurately, “keep clear”. In this section we will address all three…
The first thing we notice is the statement that declares that when these rules become relevant, other rules in Section A will no longer apply. So, we can say that rules relating to being on a specific tack or being the windward/leeward boat are irrelevant after Rule 21 kicks in.
Here again, is what 21.1 says…
21.1. A boat sailing towards the pre-start side of the starting line or one of its extensions after her starting signal to start or to comply with rule 30.1 shall keep clear of a boat not doing so until her hull is completely on the pre-start side.
21.1 talks about …
Here is what 21.2 says…
21.2. A boat taking a penalty shall keep clear of one that is not.
21.3 talks about …
Here is what 21.3 says…
21.3. A boat moving astern, or sideways to windward, through the water by backing a sail shall keep clear of one that is not.
21.3 talks about boats moving backward (astern) or sideways to windward by “backing a sail”. This seems a deliberate manipulation of the sails in order to manoeuvre the boat backward. This suggests that drifting backward whilst luffing is not captured by rule 21.3 which is currently seen as an ambiguous issue. Several submissions are in place to simply delete the “by backing a sail” part of the rule.
In any case, if we look at figure 3 below, we can see one of the boats backing their sails as she perhaps reached the start line too early. She needs to keep of the other 2 boats.
Does Rule 11 apply?
NO, Rule 11 doesn't apply.
So to sum up Rule 21…
- Common “must-know” rule particularly at the start of a race.
- It applies to boats that are tacking.
- Understand the difference between luffing and tacking.
- Understand that “close-hauled course” is directional and not the position of your sails.
- When Rule 13 applies, Rules 10, 11 and 12 do not.
- When both boats are involved, “on the right – in the right”.21
