A simple question on give way rules

While under power and another boat under power approaches at about 90 deg from your port side, who has right of way?

I have had mix answers from a few experienced boaters so what do you think without referring to the rules Book?

Having had a mix of answers from experienced boaters tells me that they are not experienced enough. Why on earth not refer to the rule book, that's what it's there for.

For the record, you have right of way .... just hope that the other skipper knows that as well.

It is scary how little most boat operators know about 'right of way'.

We were regularly sailing on our little Windrider over Easter time at Sussex Inlet and St Georges Basin.
Now I'm not the type to blast up to other boats under sail and then call a late 'Starboard' to get by.
We were typically holding a steady course and on the correct side of the channel, but the amount of power boats that had no idea or what to do was astounding.

There were some that even had to slam into reverse to have a think about it.

If nothing else, keeping Portside to Portside is the first rule.
Trouble is, most are still thinking they are driving their cars on the road!

^^^ What an amazing looking spot Donk.

The Swan River midweek can be very quiet and a nice place to be on the water too. Weekends are a different story.

In the club races i sail in as crew at Port Huon we normally only have 8 boats and at the start line things are normally pretty civilized but when we sail in the major regattas like the Pipe Opener weekend or the Cygnet Regatta there are often 50 or more boats of various lengths, sailing at different speeds with skippers with various experience sailing up and down the line in different directions and it is chaos

I am amazed that there are not more collisions as everyone seems to be yelling out starboard

Regards Don

any cruising skipper who sails through a racing fleet calling starboard is just a trouble maker . and deserves any abuse he gets .

on the other hand if a cruising yacht happens to catch a competing yacht out on starboard, in an ocean race for instance with no other competitors around . then i would say the race boat should suck it up .

I did say it was a contentious issue, but can't agree SandS for a few reasons..

Being considerate to others should be the norm when it is safe and reasonable to do so.

Sailing up Pittwater on a weekend there can be half a dozen different racing fleets moving to and fro. They cannot be avoided and it isn't viable to wait for them all to cross, the leaders are then on their way back as the tailenders go by. And then another fleet comes across. On most occasions they are the troublemaker.

Racing sailors have no right to stand on when not in a position to do so. It is inconsiderate of others in crowded waterways and is unsafe.

Sailing in Pittwater about two months ago, as in "under sail", when a very large JenBenBavaria or something came bearing down. THey were full steam under motor and went across my stern with 2 metres to spare. That was after I had adjusted course. When I called "too close" the skipper, clearly forgetting he was under motor, but clearly wanting to impress his guests, called "not when you're racing it's not". My response to him was, "you aren't racing, you're motoring" to which he said...... Well, something I can't really repeat here. To which my response was quite shamefully similar. It spoiled a good days sailing. Interestingly, I could still hear the comments from his guests, along the lines of, "poor form" etc. Perhaps it's this kind of attitude that has prompted RPAYC to advertise for more crew, if this tosser was as arrogant to his crew on race day as he was to me, they wouldn't hang around too long.

Thing is, I had to deviate my course to avoid a collision, which is my responsibility. Even if some self entitled tosser doesn't seem to believe he should deviate his course, because he has more money and a bigger boat than me.

This kind of thing happens in all areas of life, not just on the water. Cyclists in training want all the road, surfers in their local comp want all the waves, even though the break is open to all.

Well stated MorningBird, we should all be considerate to other boaters! Just because you're in a racing fleet does not give you the right to run down a cruising boat especially if you don't have right of way. Sailing is supposed to be fun....... Not a battle to see who gets right of way..,.,.

Boats cruising should avoid areas such as race start lines and mark rounding areas where possible, make your directional intentions clear. If you are racing, then you should be planning ahead far enough to avoid a cruising boat in your race course.

No one racing should think they can demand right of way on the basis they are in a competition.

There is some really interesting right of way issues coming out of the foiling Moths which are so much faster than the surrounding boats - power and sail, making giveway a bit tricky at times.

My understanding is if the mainsail boom is on the Port side of boat centerline, you are on starboard. The genoa/jib doesn't come into it.

My take on the windward / leeward issue is :

If you are running, you giveway to boats close hauled also on starboard. Boats close hauled on Port would giveway to boats running on Starboard.

Excuse the quality of the image but hopefully this is of some help.

Fiesta is right. What tack you are on is relative to which side your mainsail/boom (this being the fore/aft set sail which sets behind your main mast) falls on.

Even on a schooner where the mizzensail would be the larger.