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Several years back a doofuss with more money than brains, thinking "sail takes precedence", decided to cut in front of the Nantucket ferry. His new 65' got cut in half right in the inner channel. That ferry takes from 1/4 to 1/2 mile to put the brakes on.

Live and learn...

The rules are not 'carved in stone' as we have the "General Prudential Rule" that essentially says that if you have to break a rule to prevent a collision (or danger to lives), then do it.

Your friend was a victim of a very common misunderstanding of the rules.

Sailboats do not always have right of way.

Among other things they have to yield for row boats, canoes, kayaks etc. and, according to COLREGS Rule #18-B:

(b) A sailing vessel under way shall keep out of the way of:

(i)a vessel not under command;

(ii)a vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver;

(iii)a vessel engaged in fishing;

The underlined type of vessel includes ships, etc. whose ability to maneuver is restricted by the fact that it can't leave the channel because it has too deep a draft and would run aground (steer to avoid collision) and also the fact that ships have really poor brakes (full speed astern) and there is no other choice.

* 30 or 40 thousand tons in motion bring the law of inertia to the forefront.