I really dislike the current rule as it leaves too much room for interpretation.
Who is to say how much room is enough?
What? What interpretation.
.... Starboard has ROW.... BUT with a restriction...
How much room was enough ?
Ugh... well if you go boom... it was not enough... if you miss the SOB.... it was enough. Artemis Failed here.... clearly not enough room (even when Baron started ducking before they were required to)
Do you think Port WANTS to smash Starboard??? The rules don't anticipate Port pulling a miracle out of their butt. Do you think Starboard is going to walk in the room and say to port... you did not do enough to avoid me... you should have done more (go for that miracle). No! .. they are going to say... I left plenty of Room and Opportunity for port to duck and Port Screwed up... they did not manage their boat in a seamanlike manner.
While there is no burden... they are going to ask port... WHEN did you drop the traveler... Again... they ONLY have to do this when Starboard actually gets on starboard.
Do you think Port is going to protest Starboard after he just misses starboard and say... Oh you did not give me enough room... Answer... Of course I did... you missed me...
Baron does not protest Artemis if he successfully ducks. He protests when he can't duck and this resulted in the collision.
Port is going to protest Starboard ONLY when they crash tack to avoid a collision. AND they only have to do execute the crash tack when the tacker actually gets on starboard..... So... the critical evidence will be... where did the boats wind up after port's crash tack. (was it really a crash tack... or did port panic and protest to screw with starbord out of pique)
Oh... and Starboard can't go into the room and say to Port... Oh You SHOULD have crash tacked to avoid the collision...
Crash tacks are NOT seamanlike handling of your boat.
In the past... You had bozo's lunging for the boom to shove it some place and try to avoid responsibility for the crash tack that port had to execute.
IMO... the current wording of the rule is far better then past versions.... It balances the obligations of port and starboard and tacking extremely well. The language allows for the timing issues / wiggle room to work itself out.
You need to go back to a version of the RRS with a tacking rule that you like and defend the Artemis protest with those rules.... Otherwise your argument
I really dislike the current rule as it leaves too much room for interpretation.
is just silly.
