Starboard tack has right to maintain course. What is starboard tack? When the wind comes over the starboard (right hand) side of a sailing vessel. Easy for windsurfers to remember because your right hand is forward. Left hand forward? You give way. Both are obligated to avoid a collision.
Just from the video clip, looks like the guy with the camera actually deviated from his course downwind a bit while the port board (other guy) tried to head up sharply to avoid. At the last minute, the camera guy decided to go upwind as well. The solution to the problem should have occurred 30 seconds to a minute before the clip, though. Plan ahead and don't wait for the last moment. Make your intentions known clearly and give lots of room. Close flybys look great on film but with combined speeds in excess of 30 mph, bad things can happen.
To gash a SS V3 Wizard like that takes a pretty good hit. Wizards are fairly tough boards .
Probably also need to discuss spacing / avoidance direction while running the same direction on similar reaches.
Often windsurfers will overtake me only to drop off plane or blow up a short distance ahead.. I usually bear off as default figuring whomever is behind me is upwind and not running in my shadow or vortices.
But I am just guessing at what to do.
moredownhaul
webguy
The only reason I know about the Starboard rule is from amateur sailboat racing many years ago, but I also don't know if the average windsurfer knows about it. I try to give good room and will go upwind/downwind depending on the circumstances. In familiar spots I try to prep a turn where I know it's still deep, as the finners will take it much further into the shallows usually. The other day, at the end towards sunset, there was only 1 winger and 1 windsurfer still out so it made tracking them easier, but I remember the windsurfer was headed up and likely to overtake me so I just dove downwind to stay out of her way. I just made the move while looking at her to make sure I had plenty of time and she knew what I was doing.
Typically it seems like people here do follow the Starboard rule but yeah more room, earlier, really seems to be the ticket. I really want to do some more race practice though and get taught more specifics of the windsurf rules, tactics, and strategies without having to infer them because I probably have the wrong idea about some things.
moredownhaul
webguy
Jon and I were the only two people on Juliette one day and still managed to run into each other.
I won’t go into who’s fault it was
Alan
Langdon
so... guessing here. Not Jon?
All good comments here. It should be mentioned that starboard has right to maintain course. It doesn't mean that starboard can behave like a drunken squirrel. Also, starboard has to give way if port can't maneuver (ie port having to avoid obstacle, paddleboard, big boat that's not behaving, etc).
Above comments are also correct in that a lot of less experienced folks aren't really aware of the rules. Hope to encourage them via the video showing how easy it is for even skilled people to misinterpret things and end up slicing a board halfway through.
I just try to make eye contact early and take a definite line to avoid any conflict– 'cause Ima luvah not a fighter.
I think the main thing to keep in mind on our lakes is to ride like smart bikers do– pretend you are invisible to others, especially power boats. TC actually got hit by a boat years ago (not seriously injured) and others have come close, including me.
On paper, sail has the right of way over power EXCEPT any working commercial boat and any boat with restricted maneuverability, like one pulling a tube or skier, or one towing another boat.
Chris, not sure if I understood you properly. Are we on the same page?
"Rule 16 – Changing Course
“16.1 When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear.
16.2 In addition, on a beat to windward when a port-tack boat is keeping clear by sailing to pass to leeward of a starboard-tack boat, the starboard-tack boat shall not bear away if as a result the port-tack boat must change course immediately to continue keeping clear.”"
https://sailzing.com/racing-rules-of-sailing-2021-2024-rule-16-changing-course/
Some good examples, definitions and explanations. Apparently some stuff was changed a couple of years ago to prevent "hunting" by the starboard boat especially in match racing and other stuff. But for our purposes, let's just say, if you are the right of way craft, the safest thing to do is operate in an expected manner and make your intentions known well ahead of time. Solve the problem ahead of time when it's easy and minor course corrections are sufficient to create space.
Chris makes an excellent point about defensive driving. Totally agree and I should do it even more often myself.
Yeah maybe the dial down thing is a pre-start deal like America's Cup ?
Beyond my pay grade.
I just trim the sail and leaving the driving to others. We have a toddler staying with us this week. Seeing her walk reminds me of my racing proficiency. Not our guest toddler below. Just an example
And there's this, WeatherCat showing us like a boss
Update - board repaired by a pro
source: https://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Foiling/Big-Hits?page=1#19
Even the big kids can make a mess. This ended up with lots of broken carbon fiber as shown later on.