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by Buttons Padin
On a ship in the Navy, Hail and Farewell parties blend the arrival of a new member of the wardroom with a send-off for a departing shipmate. In the Racing Rules of Sailng 2025-2028, an improper “hail” could result in an untimely “farewell” from the protest room.
The current rules address Hailing as follows:
20.1 Hailing
A boat may hail for room to tack and avoid a boat on the same tack by hailing ‘Room to tack.’ However, she shall not hail unless:
• She is approaching an obstruction and will soon need to make a substantial course change to avoid it safely, and
• She is sailing close-hauled or above.
In addition, she shall not hail if the obstruction is a mark and a boat that is fetching it would be required to change course as a result of the hail.
Intertwined in this rule are a number of subtle points that most sailors “reading through the rules” quickly may miss. Let’s consider hailing at an obstruction. – Full report
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