| The windsurfing right of way rules |
| Friday, 30 November 2012 11:43 |
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Windsurfing is a safe sport and is guided by several sailing rules. The fundamental windsurfing guidelines set a group of statements which will prevent accidents in the water.
Commuter transportation - ferries, liner ships, pleasure water crafts, maritime police boats - has right of way over windsurfers, surfers and wave riders. Rules say that windsurfers should also keep a distance of three masts from swimmers, surfers and bodyboarders, which means that windsurfers don't have right of way over their fellow water sports. Windsurfing is always forbidden in bathing beach and coastal swimming areas. Between windsurfers there are three basic right of way rules: leeward over windward, starboard tack over port tack and responsibility to maintain direction.
A leeward windsurfer has right of way over the windward windsurfer. This means that the upwind sailor can keep his track. But, if two windsurfers sail toward each other from different directions, right of way is given to the one whose sail, from his point of view, is on the left side of the board (starboard tack). This means that, when your right hand is closer to the mast, you have right of way. Windsurfing rules also says that the windsurfer with right of way has to maintain his direction and speed, while the sailor who has not right of way has to change direction to avoid collisions. In wave windsurfing, rules are simple. The first windsurfer in the wave has right of way and the closest windsurfer to the peak also has priority. Finally, windsurfers have priority over kiteboarders. But remember that a kiteboarder may not know the rules, so play it safe and communicate your decisions, when possible. |
