Depends if you are upwind/downwind of them....

U know starboard or port. Same rules apply as boating.

elizabethb said...

Depends if you are upwind/downwind of them....

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NO, not if you are on opposite tacks heading towards each other. You go to the right (starboard).

Incidentally that is the same for aeroplanes, boats and in most countries for cars (drive on the right). Always made me wonder why some countries went with driving cars on the left.....

Elizabeth: I've briefly googled the topic. Many sites have wording that is beyond me at the
moment. I was wondering is there is web page that fogs down the sailing conventions
for numptys like me ? (and with lots of diagrams !! :) :) :)

Mark: The scenerio I am thinking bout is me kaning along (normally uncontrollably)
up wind. A kiter is coming towards me (down wind) really quickly. What I have been
doing is seeing what the other guy does. If he turns, I turn the other way. if he/she
doesn't and they get too close, I depower and drop my sail (and then fall off :). I was
wondering what is the correct thing to do in this situation ?

Note: Also, many sites say "giveway" without explaining give way. Give way to me is
depowering and coming to rest. This seems slightly impractical for kite and windsurfers :)

Thanks for tips :)

Ja

Mostly "giving way" is going downwind, because the person coming towards you is trying to go upwind. but this isn't always the case,
With a kite coming towards you, if you go upwind of him, it's safer for you, (lines are downwind) and he doesn't have to raise his kite over your rig.
Giving way certainly doesn't mean slowing down, it means not getting in the way of the other person, just stopping in front of them, can be as big an inconvenience.
If you can work out what they are trying to do, (going upwind, downwind, etc) then go the opposite direction.
If you're truly out of control most of the time, can you find a clearer patch of water to practice in, until you are in control.

I have to disagree with mark on one point.

When sailing free on the same tack the windward vessel should remain clear of the downwind vessel.

A few other points that might help
- a vessel running free should give way to the vessel close reaching.
- a vessel overtaking another on the same tack should keep clear of the one they are overtaking.

and of course at all times avoid a collision - general boating rule that pretty much supercedes all others

Throw in the speed guys and the right of way for the guy going fastest makes it and even more interesting discussion.[}:)]

Man o man, we have this thread every other week, it seems. The rules are clear and the same for all countries. I've raced both southern hemisphere and in the US, and the pre-racing instructions and rules were the same. When racing, they're the same for pretty much all classes of boats.

When not racing, it's the same, just google it. Also includes rules for motor boats, locks and all.

One last note: rules are something to apply to avoid accidents, and may be used in a court of law in case of liability following a collision. A fellow sailboater-lawyer was telling me you cannot be sued for not following the rules if there is no collision. Even in the US.