I bore away to avoid a crash I didn't cause — why am I the one being protested?
When a windward boat refuses to keep clear it can force the boats below it to bear away, and those middle boats technically break Rule 11 too — but under Rule 43.1(a) a boat compelled to break a rule by another boat's breach is exonerated. Hail early, hold your course as long as you safely can, avoid contact and protest — your hail is the evidence you only bore away when you had no choice. (World Sailing Case 51.)
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tCjKTnCkaeA" title="Sailing Kiwi" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://sailing.kiwi.nz/v/tCjKTnCkaeA/">Source: Sailing Kiwi</a></p>Recommended reading
- The Rules in Practice 2025–2028 by Bryan Willis — The clearest guide to the racing rules around the racecourse — updated for the current 2025–2028 rulebook.
- Advanced Racing Tactics by Stuart H. Walker — The classic deep-dive on racing tactics — starting, beating, reaching and mark rounding.
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