Check before gype!

[zirtaeb]

Perfect case of both guys not applying common sense.
Downwind sailing is blindly pinching hard upwind.
Upwind sailor is blindly powering downwind, obviously not looking.
IF there was a collision, who's at fault?
Of course, BOTH. We can assume downwind sailor was going slower, so was ahead at one time. As such, upwind sailor did not look forward, so is more at fault. More or less, BOTH are responsible for this near miss.
Now what percentage of responsibility, which is what YOU want to establish? OK, 60% upwind guy who zoomed downwind right in front of the hard pinching sailor who cannot hold the coure he's currently taking.
But that 40% lies with the idiot blindly pinching upwind and out of control, sail raked too far back to maintain present course.

[zirtaeb]

And in this case, if there really WAS a collision, BOTH guys lose.
Why blindly blaze downwind without looking where you're going?
Why pinch so hard upwind that you cannot maintain your course?
Somebody gave us eyes, ears, feel, and for some blessed people, common sense.

[NickB]

Watch the whole video carefully. The upwind guy was doing a lot of downwind checks and was absolutely looking where he was going, he didn't want to run into anyone. But at that speed it seems it was not enough.

If you look at the slow motion in the last seconds of the video, it seems the downwind sailor had no chance of knowing what was coming behind him. Your "we can assume downwind sailor was going slower, so was ahead at one time." is wrong imho. Looking at the water trails at the end of the video and considering the wind angles, the downwind sailor would have needed eyes in the back of the head to see this coming, that doesn't make him an idiot as you called him. Whereas the upwind sailor just had to look a bit more carefully around his luff pocket.

[coboardhead]

Of course sailing out in the middle of a wide-open stretch of water, it makes no sense to sail in someone's "blind spot (s)" and set up a situation where an accident can occur. But, on the other hand, in a crowded venue, the downwind sailor is, likely, upwind of another sailor, on the same reach or in opposite directions.

One relies on others knowing, and following, the RULES. Sometimes it is not possible to stay out of a blind spot.

[zirtaeb]

The "rules" don't always apply to windsurfing, where the jibe is done at planing speeds.
Consider... the overlap rule..downwind has right of way if he establishes "overlap". What is "overlap"? I assume it has something to do with nose overlapping the tail of the board ahead. BUT, windsurfing is done at 25 mph, and a jibing sailor 100' ahead can still collide with someone that far back and downwind of him. Where does your sailboat rules apply here?
Sailor must check his proposed course before making course corrections. But what if the other guy VEERS upwind towards you? Once someone changes his "course", he loses right of way, right?
See, lots of muddling here.
Simple fact. ANY collision is bad for both parties, and bad for the sport of windsurfing. If you can AVOID a hazardous situation, DO SO, even if it means you think you gave up your right of way.
THAT IS COMMON SENSE! Not some rules made centuries ago that applies to sailboats moving under 18 mph.

[windoggie]

What a stupid pissing match.

[mac]

Zirtaeb seems to want to out troll Iso. It was the upwind sailor's fault, and he would have been 100% at fault, and fully liable. It is lucky that the downwind sailor changed course suddenly, he did what his responsibility is--avoid a collision if you possibly can.

There was a near fatality in the delta, when the then-manager of Berkeley windsurfing impaled another sailor, who was on starboard, in the abdomen. Airlifted to surgery and survived. This is serious stuff, and you need to sail carefully and know the rules.

[bradwind]

never posted on here before, but felt i needed to step in a defend LeeD. i've sailed berkeley marina a lot with him and with others. i've never felt more comfortable on the water around anyone than with him. he is the most courteous, observant, keeps his distance, and respects your sailing. if he is on port trying to beat you upwind, he will only do it if he will win by a mile otherwise he is going to duck way downwind of you. also he is usually the fastest guy on the water and i've never seen him overtake anyone down wind of them. which is a total dick move because not only the blind spot, but now it forces you to wait till this downwind jerk dumps his jibe so you can do what you wanted to do in the first place. by contrast so many of these formulon people come hurdling down out of outerspace either downwind run in the chicken straps out of control or without any care that there are beginners, or in general just other people in the vicinity. leed is consumate sailor. i don't know any of the rest of you, but if you also sail in berkeley, then i can say with certainty, he is better and more courteous than you are and you would do well to follow his lead.

[jse]

[windoggie]

Oh! You guys are talking about GYBING! I thought this discussion was about GYPING! Never mind.