Rules of the road with spinnaker

[JuliettOscarNov]

What do the rules of the the road say (not racing) about who is stand on and who is give way with 2 sailboats under sail…. One flying symmetrical spinnaker only (tack unknown) and another sailboat on starboard tack? And on port tack?

Can’t find the answer anywhere

[dfelsent]

Colregs. Definition of wind on starboard or port side has to do with the main sail.
Spinnaker is an irrelevant distraction.



https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/sites/de...s/navrules.pdf

See rule 12

[Adelie]

Spinnaker is not addressed in the COLREGS.

If you are on port tack, you are give way to every other sailboat except those overtaking you.

If you are on starboard tack you are give way to all sailboats on starboard except those overtaking you.

If you are concerned that it may be difficult to handle in some circumstances and conditions there is nothing in the rules that would require other boaters to give you more space.

The only other boaters likely to know that a spinnaker requires more judicious handling and may get out of control are other sailboats. Recreational
Power vessels are much less likely to know. There reaction may actually be counter productive: “Oh look, pretty sail, let’s get closer.”

[Nekton73]

Colgregs Rule 12





If one of the boats in your scenario is overtaking the other then Rule 13 would also apply.

[SailingHarmonie]

If you "can't find the answer anywhere" you haven't looked very far. Flying a spinnaker (or not) makes no difference in your obligations under the colregs--no matter how much you wish it did.

[chrisr]

the comments above are all quite correct.

however i would follow up on OPs comment 'One flying symmetrical spinnaker only (tack unknown)'.

it is fairly easy to envisage a situation where the other vessel is sailing DDW under symmetric kite only. what tack (gybe) is she on ? some might say the pole is on the windward side, but eg catamarans don't use a pole

so what do you do in such case ?

my idea would be err on the side of caution and assume the other vessel is on stb, but what say you all ?

cheers,

[dfelsent]

Your obligation is to avoid a collision. Assume you need to stay far far away. [emoji4]

[NorthCoastJoe]

For me why would it matter ? If you are close enough to be concerned it's too close.

I have seen people motor sailing with no day shape cone acting like they are not motoring. Mainsail midship tight and dead down wind, no other sails flying.

From what I have seen most people don't know any rules.

[Chotu]

I feel like it’s a legitimate question, not covered in the study of the colregs when obtaining your ticket.

Say it’s a symmetric spinnaker. No main. Boom firmly on centerline.

Boat is 180 DDW. Not on any tack

Other boat is starboard tack (or port tack)

What’s the story under sail?

Who is the give way vessel. I surely don’t know this answer off the top of my head without looking it up.

[Tedd]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I surely don’t know this answer off the top of my head without looking it up.

I had to look it up, too. But my intuitive guess would have been correct.

(iii) if a vessel with the wind on the port side sees a vessel to windward and cannot determine with certainty whether the other vessel has the wind on the port or on the starboard side, she shall keep out of the way of the other.

I can't see any way one vessel could be DDW and the other vessel on a port tack unless the DDW vessel is windward of the port-tack vessel. So, simply going with "I'm on a port tack to I have to give way" works.

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by Tedd

I had to look it up, too. But my intuitive guess would have been correct.

(iii) if a vessel with the wind on the port side sees a vessel to windward and cannot determine with certainty whether the other vessel has the wind on the port or on the starboard side, she shall keep out of the way of the other.

I can't see any way one vessel could be DDW and the other vessel on a port tack unless the DDW vessel is windward of the port-tack vessel. So, simply going with "I'm on a port tack to I have to give way" works.

the rule quoted does not mention what is the case "if a vessel with wind on starboard side sees a vessel...etc"

but i guess in such case it's easy to see which is windward, and that rule then applies.

although here's another scenario : 2 vessels, sailing downwind, basically parallel but side by side and converging. we have a pole up and are clearly on starboard. the other vessel on our port side has no pole and we are unable to determine with certainty which gybe she is on.

rule says we have to assume she is on stb, which makes us windward boat and hence give way vessel

interesting...

cheers,

[leecea]

For the purposes of this Rule the windward side shall be deemed to be
the side opposite to that on which the mainsail is carried.

Seems a bit odd since when encountering boats sailing on jib alone, according to the rule, their tack can't be determined and we must assume they are on starboard.

I doubt anyone would do that - you'd base it on the jib's position.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Adelie

If you are on port tack, you are give way to every other sailboat except those overtaking you.

If you are on starboard tack you are give way to all sailboats on starboard except those overtaking you.

You've left out an important bit.

[Uricanejack]

Obviously.
The side opposite to the largest fore and aft sail.
The reason square rigged is mentioned is because a square sail is in the middle and could be ambiguous.

A spinnaker has a pole, not ambiguous.
A spinnaker without a pole is out on the lee

What’s so hard.

If you see to windward some tool with a spinnaker and you are not sure which side the wind is on you are required to keep out of the way.

If you are running dead downwind with a spinnaker only.
You are the tool

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Uricanejack

Obviously.
The side opposite to the largest fore and aft sail.
The reason square rigged is mentioned is because a square sail is in the middle and could be ambiguous.

A spinnaker has a pole, not ambiguous.
A spinnaker without a pole is out on the lee

What’s so hard.

If you see to windward some tool with a spinnaker and you are not sure which side the wind is on you are required to keep out of the way.

If you are running dead downwind with a spinnaker only.
You are the tool

What’s so hard?

It’s difficult because you overlooked possibilities.

A catamaran with a symmetric spinnaker has nothing you describe in your post. Spinnaker is on centerline.

Now what?