You are the outside boat running down to the leeward mark and Yellow is overlapped on your inside, so she gets room. Do you fight for the inside, or give room and round tight?
Give room, and take control. Overlapped when the first boat reaches the zone, the inside boat gets mark-room: room to sail to the mark, round it and leave it behind. Nothing more. Take your kite down early, head up and gybe back in to slow down, then aim for her stern, not the mark. She arrives close with her kite up, turns late and swings wide. You cross behind her stern and round tight, coming out a little further up the beat on her windward side with clear air. And if you are the inside boat, mark-room is all you get: swing wide and the boat behind takes your windward side.
📖 Want Rule 18 in more depth? Elvstrøm Explains the Racing Rules 2025-2028 sets out every rule with plain-English explanations and diagrams. (affiliate link)
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<p><a href="https://sailing.kiwi.nz/v/JGA0rSVunDc/">Source: Sailing Kiwi</a></p>Go deeper: books and gear
- Tactics Made Simple by Jon Emmett — Racing tactics, explained simply.
- Elvstrøm Explains the Racing Rules 2025-2028 — Every rule, with plain-English explanations and diagrams.
- Racing Rules Companion 2025-2028 by Bryan Willis — Spiral-bound pocket guide to the current rules.
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