Barging - Common Applications
As I mentioned on the previous page. rule 18 does not actually contain an anti-barging provision. It simply has a small section (18.1a) that says the rule does not apply at certain times near starting marks.
Rule 18 turns off when boats are approaching a starting mark to start, and it stays off until the boats have passed that mark and its anchor line. While the rule is inapplicable, barging is essentially prohibited since boats are neither entitled to room nor obliged to give room at any starting mark.
The typical danger zone for barging is marked by the starboard tack layline to the stern of the committee boat. If you approach the start from the windward side of this line, there's a high risk that you'll be caught barging. Even if you approach the start from below this line you could still be in trouble since boats to leeward can luff head to wind to keep you from passing between them and the RC boat.
You also have to watch out for boats coming from clear astern. You may be luffing before the start and ready to "close the door" on all the bargers to windward, but then another boat gels a liny leeward overlap on you. Now they can luff you head to wind and may actually be able to "close the door" on you!
Note that barging does not end when the starting gun sounds. Rule 18 remains off until boats have passed the starting mark and its anchorline (which is usually well after the gun), so there is no claim to buoy room until after that point. As long as a leeward boat acts in accordance with all other applicable rules, she can deny room to any windward boat at a starting mark, before or after the gun.
Of course, we usually think of barging at the typical windward start, but rule 18 turns off at all starting marks, including those at downwind starts. This can lead to some rather tricky situations if you're not careful, since it's fairly easy for boats sailing downwind to "close the door" between themselves and a nearby starting mark.
To avoid barging at a downwind start, I recommend staying away from the windward end (the one to starboard as you are looking downwind). If you make your approach on a fairly tight starboard tack, near the leeward end or the middle, you should be OK. (See the next two pages/or more on downwind starts.]
Barging is what happens when a boat tries to fit between a leeward boat and either end of the starting line (usually the committee boat). Because rule 18 turns off when boats are approaching an end of the starting line to start, a leeward outside boat (Green) is not required to provide any room for a windward boat that is trying to pass to leeward of the starting mark. The Red boats are all barging here - they are not entitled to room and must keep clear of Green because she is a leeward boat with the right of way.
Barging at the pin end
Though most barging incidents happen near the committee boat end of the line (because almost everyone starts on starboard tack), rule 18 also turns off when boats approach the pin end to start. In Situation A, Green does not have to provide room for Blue to pass to leeward of the pin.These boats must abide by the basic right-of-way rules, so Blue (the windward boat) has to keep clear.
Rule 18 does not apply in Situation B either (because the boats are approaching a starting mark to start). However, this situation is different because the inside boat (Purple) has the right of way. Even though rule 18 does not require Red to give Purple room at the mark, Red is still the windward boat and must keep clear.
Barging and the starting signal
Before the starting signal, a leeward boat (L) can go head to wind to keep a windward boat (W) from barging between her and a starting mark. This is true even if L got her leeward overlap from clear astern since there is no proper course before the starting signal and therefore no limit on how high a leeward boat can luff.
Once the gun sounds, however, this situation changes. L still does not have to give W any room to pass to leeward of the RC boat. But L may have other obligations. She now has a proper course, so if she got her leeward overlap from clear astern she must fall off (to roughly closehauled) so she is sailing no higher than that proper course. If this leaves enough room forW to pass below the RC boat, she is entitled to do so.
If L did not get her overlap from astern, she may continue sailing above her proper course (as high as head to wind) to prevent W from barging, even after the gun.
Barging and other rules
Here's another situation where two boats, overlapped on the same tack, approach the committee boat end of the starting line (RC) to start. The leeward boat (L) does not have to give W room to pass below the RC. However, L has been steering a steady course for several lengths, and if she holds that course W will have room to pass below the RC.
At the moment shown above, can L begin turning to windward to keepW from barging? The answer is clearly no. Though L does not have to give W room, she is bound by other rules. Rule 16.1 says that if L (the right-of-way boat) changes her course she must giveW room to keep clear.''But W cannot turn to windward without hitting the RC boat.Therefore, L may not luff until W is able to keep clear of the RC.
Rule 18 may turn off at the start, but that doesn't mean you can ignore any other rules that apply.
Rule 18 is not off everywhere
Rule 18.1 a says the "buoy room rule" does not apply at starting marks when boats are approaching them to start. But there are many other situations on the starting line when rule 18 does apply. A common example is when boats meet a right-of-way boat that is an obstruction. In the example below, two overlapped port tackers are reaching down the line toward a luffing starboard tacker. If PW and PL both want to pass below S, rule 18.2a says PL must give PW room since PL has an inside overlap and they are passing an obstruction on the same side.
David Dellenbaugh, former starting helmsman for America3, publishes Speed&Smarts, a monthly newsletter of how-to information for racing sailors. For subscription information call: 800-356-2200. To order a new subscription, click