Case 24: In the photo below, the red boat has come up from astern and established an overlap on both the white and the gray boat.
1. Do the Rules permit Red to do this?
2. Can White (windward) successfully protest Red under rule 17.1 if the latter is "pushed" above his "proper course" by 9483?
3. Can the gray boat (9483) successfully protest Red under rule 17.2 if the latter bears away here?

Answer:
1. Yes. 9483 ranks as a continuing obstruction to White (2960) because 9483 is sailing along to leeward of 2960 and therefore has right of way. Rule 18.5 permits a third boat to pass between the other two "only if at the moment the overlap begins there is room to do so".  Clearly, there is lots of room to do so here.
2. No. Red would in fact be sailing his proper course if he were coming up to remain clear of the leeward boat.
3. Not likely. Red could easily defend bearing away here because:  (a) his spinnaker is collapsing on a reach, and/or (b) he is trying to escape the white boat's wind shadow.

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