"When Boats on Opposite Tacks Meet"

The explain graphic in which I was trying to represent was when boats meet on opposite tacks. In sailing there are no stop sign or traffic signals like when driving a car and meeting at a intersection. When sailing there are rules in which boats have to sail by in order for there not to be collisions. In sailing a starboard boat has right away over a port tack boat. The port tack boat must avoid the starboard tack boat. According to rule ten in the racing book, "When boats are on opposite tacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat." The graph shows the starboard tack boat holding its course up wind. The port tack boat has two options to avoid the starboard tack boat. Option A the port tack boat can alter its course and take the stern of the starboard tack boat and continue its sail on port. The other option the port tack boat can do is tack (Cross head to wind) and come down to a close-hauled course on starboard tack. The port tack boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible.

The reasoning I chose to demonstrate this is because often times sailing rules can be very difficult to understand and the rule book has no diagrams to explain situations that may occur on the water. The Port/Starboard situation is one that occurs most often in racing. In sailing the color green represents starboard and the color red represents port. I used these colors in the diagram to help someone understand what tack each boat were on. Overall, I am pleased in the way the diagram turned out. If i had more time to do this assignment I would of tried to demonstrate the actual actions in which i boat would have to do in order to avoid the Starboard tack boat. I feel that a sailor understand the situation easily especially with the diagram and one who did not sail could also have a understanding of a boat avoiding contact with another boat and having two options to do so.