06 Ontarios Sunday: Race 7.7

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A late starboard knock means two more quick tacks for ...
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... Bill and Frank. The second tack is just ...
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... coming ...
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... up.
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An eased mainsheet would help here, especially since Team Buttercup now needs to ...
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... bear away radically to get onto their run.
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Dave and ...
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... Carol reach the windward mark in 3rd place - no sign yet of Brian who had gone off on his own early in the leg.
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A fine beat for Dave who has cut into Bill's lead quite a bit.
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I'm not sure but I think this little encounter may be the reason for Bill's upcoming Penalty Turn(s) - or did he hit the mark? The above picture presents an interesting rules question. If Bill has not gone outside the Two-Length Zone around the mark here, he is still protected by Rule 18 which would mean that Dave rounds at his own risk here - never mind that Dave is on starboard and Bill has gybed to port. Until Bill passes the mark, he is rounding and Dave has to keep clear. Always provided that Bill has yet to leave the Zone! Nothing in this situation requires Bill to make a seamanlike rounding, etc.

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Whatever! Looks like a Turn of some kind being done by Bill.
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Buttercup leaves the windward mark at last.
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If Al's course (red spi) is anything to go by - and it usually is! - then both Dave (l) and Bill are not only making life needlessly tougher for their crews, but are also adding to the length of their run by sailing almost 45° above the rhumbline.
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