OverTaking Board

Rule: With two boards sailing on the same tack – the over taking board must keep clear!

Who makes the first move? Slower board holds their line, over taking board keeps clear!

Issues: If you’re faster than most people, good for you!

Avoidance: When being over taken, hold your course and don’t suddenly steer up or downwind.

Common Sense: There’s a wind shadow slightly upwind of the board in front and turbulence off the wake, so make sure you give plenty of room. So never try to over take directly from behind, this is slow and dangerous should they suddenly fall in. When over taking, always try to pass well upwind 2-3 mast lengths to get clear wind, flatter water and take a safer line.

UnderTaking

The same goes for undertaking – you must keep clear. The wind shadow and wake downwind off the rear of a board has a maissive effect on the wind. But even if you have the speed to pass downwind, it’s very dangerous. Just like undertaking on a motorway, you’re coming through on the blind side and especially when getting towards the beach or natural turning point out to sea, the upwind board will have difficulty spotting you coming through before they turn (see Gybing Rules below). So when over taking, give other sailors plenty of room 3-4 mast lengths at least and ‘should’ you pass downwind, keep an eye out for those upwind of you seeking to gybe. A lot of accidents happen due to this oversight.

Waterstarting

Zipping through downwind as someone else is waterstarting or just getting settled in the harness is crazy, yet you see it all the time! If the waterstarter suddenly loses the rig and it flips downwind on to you, it’s your fault not there’s. Just like ramming into the back of someone driving allow for others to make mistakes. Equally passing close upwind when someone’s waterstarting or standing in the water it’s really bad etiquette and dangerous (but very tempting if you’re the sort who enjoyed spraying others with the garden hose when you were a kid)!