3 Piers Race for Division 1 Couta Boats. Sea was flat calm, wind 5 knots from the East/South East, significant out-going tide stream flowing from start pin towards the RC start vessel. Start line was biased such that, in the conditions pertaining during the start sequence, the first mark, which was to be rounded to starboard, could be fetched crossing the line on port tack, pin end, and maintaining that course without tacking. At one minute prior to the start C41 was approaching the pin end of the line, close hauled on Port tack. C82 was also on Port tack fetching the pin end of the line, sailing at least 10 degrees below close hauled and overlapped about 5 lengths to windward of C41 and on a converging course. As C41 and C82 closed, C41 hailed C82 to keep clear, which hail was heard by C82. When the boats came within a boat width of one another, (approx 3m separation) C82 was still overlapped to windward of C41, the boats still on a converging course, and C41 hailed 'I am taking avoiding action'. C82 heard the hail and observed C41 bearing away, altering course to leeward. There was no contact (and no damage or injury) There were boats to windward of C82, but not in such proximity as to prevent C82 from avoiding contact with C41. C82 believed she was right of way boat and took no action to avoid contact with C41. Had C41 not altered course, contact would have occurred between her windward side and the leeward side of C82. Neither boat took a penalty and both boats continued to race until, at a time when both were on the first leg of the course, the wind having dropped, the RC signalled “N over A’”.
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