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R10 EXPLAINED

R10.  On opposite tacks When boats are on opposite tacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.

• définitions :
  - Port-tack : a boat is on a port-tack when she receives the wind from her port side (from the left)
  - Starboard-tack : a boat is on a starboard-tack when she receives the wind from her starboard side (from the right)
  - Keeping clear : One boat keeps clear of another if the other can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action and, when the boats are overlapped on the same tack, if the leeward boat can change course in both directions without immediately making contact with the windward boat

explanations :
A boat that receives the wind from her starboard side has right-of-way over a boat that receives the wind from her port side.
In the two illustrations below, blue is on a starboard tack and has right-of-way over yellow which is on a port tack.

tactical aspects of the rule :
- It is obviously better to be on a starboard tack when meeting an opponent.  It opens a number of tactical optionsI
- In match racing, a boat lagging behind can try and cross behind her opponent to try and cross her on a starboard-tack later in the race.

• inplementation in vsk3 :
  R10 is by and large well managed in VSK3.  Keep in mind “collision envelopes” which usually prevent you from crossing very close to your opponent when on port.  In some circumstances, the starboard-tack boat may receive a penalty for r16.2, but as we will see later this is not always unjustified.

bye rafat - translation bye amic.