Hearing Decision

1. In race 3A in 20 knots of wind, boat 20 was on port tack still on the first leg as a number of boats including boat 11 were rounding the offset mark to start the downwind leg on starboard.


2. Boat 20 was converging with the starboard tack boats.


3. Boat 20 bore away to gybe onto starboard tack.


4. Before boat 20 gybed, boat 11 bore away but was still on a collision course with boat 20.  


5. After boat 20 completed her gybe she was still overlapped to windward of 11 and still on a collision course.


6. There was contact between boats 11 and 20, resulting in serious damage to boat 20.


7. Boat 20 took a one-turn penalty.

Boat 20 as windward boat did not keep clear of boat 11 to leeward. Boat 20 broke rule 11. Since there was serious damage, she is not exonerated by her penalty turn under 44.1(b).  It was not reasonably possible for boat 11 to avoid contact with boat 20, therefore she did not break rule 14.