SEPTEMBER 1, 2023 DEALINGWITH BARGING

 

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

DEALING WITH BARGING

Attached is the write up for the barging protest that occurred on 8/22/23.  Thank you Mackenzie Cook and Chris Hofmann for your time and diligence in judging this case.

 

BARGING:

We have a diverse group of sailors on Tuesday Nights.  I am honored and enjoy sailing with the seasoned pros, but I also love to see novice racers participate and learn the finer nuances of racing and learning the rules.  “BARGING” is a term that experienced sailors use frequently.  It is amusing to me that you could read the rule book from cover to cover and not find the word ”barging” anywhere.  For this reason, I thought it would be good to explain what “barging” is and also present ways to avoid committing this foul.

The rules that are involved in barging are in Part 2 of the rule book.  Section A (right of way)

 Rule 11: When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.

 Rule 12: When boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, a boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead.

 Finally, in section B (general limitations)

 rule 17: If a boat clear astern becomes overlapped within two hull lengths to leeward of a boat on the same tack, she shall not sail above her proper course while they remain on the same tack and overlapped within that distance, unless in doing so she promptly sails astern of the other boat. This rule does not apply if the overlap begins while the windward boat is required by rule 13 to keep clear.

Rule 11 is pretty straightforward indicating that any leeward boat on the same tack that is overlapped with a windward boat can luff the windward boat UP TO head to wind.  Going any further than head to wind would be breaking rule 16.1: When a right of way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear.

Rule 12 will be discussed below in how to avoid barging.

Finally Rule 17 offers more restrictions on the leeward boat indicating that if the leeward overlap occurs from behind within two hull lengths, she shall not sail above her proper course. The key phrase is “proper course”.  Before the start, there is no proper course so luffing up the windward boat is legal,  but once the start signal (or time in our case) occurs the leeward boat must sail a proper course.  Proper course may mean the leeward boat is luffing up to clear a mark. Achieving an overlap from behind is called a “restricted overlap” because of this necessity to sail proper course after the start. If overlap is not achieved from behind as when a boat tacks into an overlapping leeward position, it is not a restricted overlap and it is legal to luff a boat up even after the start.  This may be a good move  in team racing, but in fleet racing it is usually better to just “go for speed”.

Rule 13: WHILE TACKING: After as boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course. During that time rules 10,11 and 12 do not apply. If two boats are subject to this rule at the same time, the one on the other’s port side or the one astern shall keep clear.

A few links on Barging:  https://www.uksailmakers.com/what-is-the-barging-rule/#:~:text=Barging%20is%20when%20an%20inside,2%20of%20the%20rule%20book.

 

https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2020/07/19/barging-and-the-racing-rules-of-sailing/

 

http://david-sailing.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/barging.html

  

HOW TO PREVENT “BARGING”:

Barging is just another form of being luffed up over the start line, it just happens to occur at the end of the line.  Experienced sailors are always avoiding the “getting hooked” scenario.  Getting hooked means a leeward boat establishes an overlap and can luff you up.  To avoid “getting hooked” you can use the following tricks.

1)   1   Watch out for potential leeward boats.  You can see them before the start and duck their stern. In a crowded start, you may need to duck multiple boats.

2)     2 If sailing the line anticipating the start, if potential leeward boats are present, you can sail at least a boat-length away from the line.  This way you can luff up and not be over the line. This action may even break the overlap, though it will also slow you down. The leeward boat in this situation will often fall off for speed allowing you to do the same.

3)    3  If you get caught barging, you can slow down (relax your sails or luff up) and start just astern of the boat  that was luffing  you  up or do a quick turn to start again assuming no other boats.

4)  4    Boats congregate at one end of the line for a reason: there is usually a favored end of the line!  But it often is be better to avoid the kerfuffle at the favored end and achieve clear wind further down the line.

The start of a race, with the close proximity and employment of multiple rules is frequently the most exciting  part of racing.

See you next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair a Dice