That's just the lesson the skipper of a Farr 395 used while sailing in the Larchmont NOOD regatta last weekend. He was sailing to round the leeward mark that was 50 yards to windward of the finish line. J/109s were in the same water sailing toward the finish line. The Farr was the leeward boat sailing a higher course as he converged with a slower J/109. The skipper of the Farr hailed, "Leeward boat". �And the skipper of the J/109 responded that the Farr had established an overlap from astern and could not sail above his proper course. I could hear the frustration in the Farr boat's skipper's voice when he yelled, "The leeward boat determines the proper course." And he was right. But instead of being dragged down to the level of the guy who didn't have a clew, the Farr boat luffed it's chute and went behind the J-boat. In the end it was easier and quicker to not push the case.
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