52. Facts found: Ad Nauseam (starboard) and Purrski Doodle (port) were overlapped with their bows virtually dead even. When they were about to round the leeward mark to starboard at the end of a dead run in 5 knots of breeze, Purrski Doodle asked for room at the mark, but Ad Nauseam was of the opinion that rule 18 did not apply between boats on opposite tacks.
	Purrski, however, held his course and forced Ad Nauseam to avoid a collision by giving room.  Purrski Doodle took just enough room to gybe  around the mark with a very seamanlike rounding. During the rounding, the boats come to within one metre of each other. Ad Nauseam protested under rules 10 and 18.1(b).

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Decision:Ad Nauseam was mistaken in his interpretation of rule 18.1(b) which points out that rule 18 does not apply "between boats on opposite tacks, either on a beat to windward or when the proper course for one or both of them to round or pass the mark or obstruction is to tack." Off the wind, rule 18 does apply between boats on opposite tacks, and Purrski Doodle was entitled to room to round the mark. Since Purrski Doodle took only enough room to make a seamanlike rounding, there was no foul and Ad Nauseam's protest is denied.

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Case #53
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