David Norton

Under the new definition Fetching, Olive and Felicity are fetching the mark, Mabel may be fetching, and Nora clearly is not.

The focus of this year's revision of the rules for marks and obstructions was on problems that old Rule 18 created for boats passing marks and obstructions. There were, however, a few other rule changes made as part of that "package" of changes. New Rule 20, the rule that permits a boat sailing closehauled to hail for room to tack to avoid an obstruction, is intended to produce the same "game" as old Rule 19, which it replaces. However, a few changes were made.

Rule 20 is primarily a safety rule to help boats sailing closehauled avoid collisions with obstructions. The rule's role in promoting safety has been enhanced because new Rules 20.1 and 20.3 imply that, when a boat beating to windward hails for room to tack, she must be given that room even if safety does not require her to make a substantial course change to avoid the obstruction, or if the obstruction is a mark that she is fetching. If, after the hailed boat responds to the hail by giving room, she thinks that the hailing boat broke Rule 20.3, the hailed boat may protest. If the hailing boat acknowledges that she broke Rule 20.3, she may take a penalty as provided in Rule 44.1. If she does not, and a protest committee finds she broke Rule 20.3, she will be disqualified. It's easy to comply with Rule 20 when a boat hails you for room to tack. On a beat to windward, whenever a boat to leeward or clear ahead of you hails for room to tack, give her that room and, if you think her hail was improper, protest her.

The sequence of steps that boats must take to comply with Rule 20 is now stated in new Rules 20.1(a), (b) and (c). Changes in wording were made to improve the organization and clarity of those rules.   New Rule 20.2, Exoneration, replaces the statement "switching off" Rules 10 and 13 that was in old Rule 19.1. This change was made for several reasons: (1) consistency with the principle of, whenever possible, not switching off Section A or Section B rules; (2) consistency with the exoneration approach taken in new Rule 18.5; and (3) expanding exoneration to include other rules of Sections A and B that a boat might break while taking room she is entitled to under new Rule 20.1(b).

New Definition Fetching The word "fetching" is used in Rules 18.3 and 20.3. In past years, it has not been one of the terms defined in the Definitions section at the back of the rulebook. When a term is not defined there, its meaning is found in a dictionary and, if it is a nautical term, in specialized nautical dictionaries (see the Introduction to the rulebook). Dictionaries do not agree on the nautical meaning of the verb "to fetch." Hence, the new definition was needed. It reads as follows: "A boat is fetching a mark when she is in a position to pass to windward of it and leave it on the required side without changing tack."

The above diagram shows four boats nearing a windward mark to be left to port. Olive has overstood and Felicity is on a closehauled course that will allow her to leave the mark to port. Clearly, both are fetching the mark. Sometimes it will not be clear whether or not a boat is fetching a mark. If the wind, current, and waves permit, Mabel may be able to fetch the mark by luffing and using her momentum. However, if she has to turn past head to wind in order to leave the mark to port, then she is not fetching it. Even though Nora's closehauled course will take her close to the mark, she is not fetching it because she must change tack to pass to windward of the mark and leave it on the required side-her port side.