Hail and Farewell

by Buttons Padin
On a ship in the Navy, Hail and Farewell parties blend the arrival of a new member of the wardroom with a send-off for a departing shipmate. In the Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028, an improper “hail” could result in an untimely “farewell” from the protest room.

The current rules address Hailing as follows:

20.1 Hailing
A boat may hail for room to tack and avoid a boat on the same tack by hailing ‘Room to tack.’ However, she shall not hail unless:

• She is approaching an obstruction and will soon need to make a substantial course change to avoid it safely, and
• She is sailing close-hauled or above.

In addition, she shall not hail if the obstruction is a mark and a boat that is fetching it would be required to change course as a result of the hail.

Intertwined in this rule are a number of subtle points that most sailors “reading through the rules” quickly may miss. Let’s consider hailing at an obstruction. – Full report