Whoa dude...stay away from me!!!

As on land, there are some basic rules of the road while on the water. A lot of times we sail at uncrowded spots and we do not really think about which sailors have the right-of-way. Knowing some of the basic rules can help us when we get into sticky situations or are sailing at those crowded venues. The main thing is to beware of those around you and use common sense when sailing and have fun.

First lets go over some basic terms:

Leeward - The direction toward which the wind is blowing (downwind).
Port - The left-hand side of the board when looking from the tail to the nose.
Port Tack - When the sailors left hand is the one closest to the mast.
Starboard - The right-hand side of the board when looking from the tail to the nose.
Starboard Tack - When the sailors right hand is the one closest to the mast.
Windward - The direction from which the wind is blowing (upwind).

As with all rules, there are exceptional circumstances, therefore one of the first general rules is to avoid collisions at all times, even if you have right-of-way. Its not worth the trouble or damage to your equipment. Another general rule is to give way to less maneuverable craft. Also, know the spots you will be sailing. You do not want to be slalom/race sailing in the middle of a bump-n-jump or wave venue and vice-versa. Waterstarting sailors always have rights over all other sailors, so stay clear and keep a safe distance from them.

Now here are some of the basic rules when meeting other sailors:

• When 2 boards are on opposite tacks, the sailor on starboard tack has right-of-way. The port tack sailor must give way to the starboard tack sailor. It is also the responsibility of the starboard tack sailor to maintain his/her present course and not erratically alter their course.
• When 2 boards are on the same tack, the leeward board has right-of-way and the sailor furthest upwind must keep clear.
• Two boards on the same tack and one sailor is overtaking the other. The overtaken sailor has right-of-way and the overtaking sailor must stay clear.

Here are a few basic rules to keep in mind when wavesailing:

• Sailors heading out in the surf have right-of-way over sailors surfing the wave in.
• The first person on a wave has possession of the wave and others should try and stay clear. If you can't tell who has possession of the wave, the person who is in front of or closest to the peak has the rights on the wave.
• Surfers have right-of-way over all windsurfers (they are less maneuverable).

Keeping these basic rules in mind, we can have a better and safer time while we are shredding! Hang loose and have fun! Remeber to help those that are less experienced than you!

Brian

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