Rules
What is the penalty for a boat that starts early in a race with an I flag flying?
Round the ends of the starting line
You are sailing close-hauled on a starboard tack, and you see a sailboat on a port tack approaching. Who has the right of way?
You have the right of way
What is the vertical pole that supports the sails called?
Mast
What instrument on a boat is used to determine direction?
A compass
What is the term for a boat that capsizes and turns completely upside down?
Turtle
What rule governs the requirement for a boat to provide room to another boat that is entitled to mark-room when approaching or rounding a mark?
Rule 18
If two boats are on the same tack and overlapped, which boat must keep clear?
The windward boat must keep clear
What is the name of the part of the mainsail that runs from the tack to the head and controls the shape of the sail by affecting its curvature and power?
The luff
What do you call the imaginary line running around the Earth, equidistant from the poles?
The Equator
What is the term for sailing with the wind directly behind the boat?
Running
In the Racing Rules of Sailing, what is the term for the rule that specifies the obligations of a boat when it is involved in a collision or when it infringes upon another boat's rights?
Rule 14 (Avoiding Contact)
During a race, if a boat is approaching the weather mark on a port tack and another boat is already rounding the mark on a starboard tack, what must the port tack boat do?
The port tack boat must give way to the starboard tack boat and allow it room to round the mark.
What do you call the vertical spars that support the standing rigging and help to keep the mast upright?
The Shrouds/forestay/backstay
What is the term for the difference between true north and magnetic north?
Magnetic variation or declination
What is the term for the practice of sailing a short distance beyond the layline to gain a tactical advantage, typically before tacking or gybing to round a mark?
Overstanding
What rule in the Racing Rules of Sailing covers the situation where a boat is required to keep clear of another boat and the conditions under which it is considered to be “keeping clear”?
Trick question, both Rule 11 (When Boats Are On Opposite Tacks) and Rule 12 (When Boats Are On the Same Tack).
You are the windward boat approaching a leeward boat that is attempting to tack. What are your responsibilities if you are on a close-hauled course and the leeward boat’s tack affects your ability to avoid a collision?
If you are the windward boat, you must keep clear of the leeward boat. If the leeward boat’s tack affects your ability to avoid a collision, you are still required to keep clear, but you should also be prepared to take evasive action to avoid a collision.
What is the name of the line that controls the position of the spinnaker pole, which is used to hold the spinnaker out from the mast when sailing downwind?
Spinnaker pole guy or spinnaker pole topping lift
What is the term for the angle between the direction of a celestial body (like the sun or a star) and the observer's meridian, used in celestial navigation to determine longitude?
Local Hour Angle (LHA)
What does the term “Bermuda rig” refer to?
A type of rig with a single mast and a fore-and-aft mainsail, with a jib or genoa, commonly used in modern racing sailboats.
In the Racing Rules of Sailing, which rule specifies the obligations of a boat that has been involved in a collision with another boat and is subsequently required to promptly report the incident to the race committee, including details of the incident and the parties involved?
Rule 61 (Informing the Protestee)
At a windward mark rounding, Boat A is overlapped inside Boat B, and Boat C is approaching on the same tack but is clear ahead of both boats. If Boat A and Boat B are engaged in a dispute over mark-room and Boat C subsequently interferes with Boat A’s ability to round the mark, what specific rule or combination of rules governs the obligations of Boat A, Boat B, and Boat C, and what is the required sequence of actions to resolve the situation?
The situation involves a combination of Rule 18 (Mark-Room), Rule 15 (Acquiring Right of Way), and Rule 16 (Changing Course). Boat A, being the inside overlapped boat, is entitled to mark-room from Boat B. Boat C, while clear ahead, must not interfere with Boat A's ability to round the mark. Boat C's actions could affect the mark-room obligations if it prevents Boat A from rounding properly. Boat A and Boat B must ensure that Boat C does not disrupt their mark-room rights, while Boat C must avoid interfering with the mark-room entitlement of Boat A. If Boat C's interference is deemed to have impacted the rounding rights, a protest may be lodged, and the race committee must assess if Boat C’s actions breached any rules impacting Boat A’s mark-room.
What is the name of the device used to fine-tune the tension in the shrouds, ensuring proper mast bend and rig tuning?
The Turnbuckle
What is the name of the chart datum used by most navigational charts?
Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW)
What is the term for the navigational maneuver used to compensate for the leeway of a boat when charting a course, ensuring accurate position and course over ground?
Leeway correction