The Rules in Practice 2025-2028 (eBook)

1. The Basics

There are certain obligations that you have all the time, so I will state them here and not repeat them in the rest of the book.

You must sail fairly. Sailboat racing is the greatest sport. For the vast majority of races, we don’t have umpires or judges or referees; we police ourselves. Cheats can spoil any sport, and currently our sport is almost free of cheats. We all need to work to keep it that way. So the rules require that as a sailor you conduct yourself in a sportsmanlike manner at all times, and don’t bring the sport into disrepute. This principle applies as much to club racing as it does to championships. Trying to gain an advantage by deliberately breaking a rule or lying at a protest hearing is cheating and the penalties for cheating can be severe. In recent years, competitors found guilty of cheating have been disqualified from entire championships and some have been banned by their national authorities or by World Sailing from taking part in competitive sailing for a year or more. (Basic Principle ‘Sportsmanship and the Rules’, Rule 2 'Fair Sailing', Rule 69 ‘Misconduct’)

You must help anyone you see in danger. If you lose a position while acting as the hero, you will be entitled to redress. (Rule 1.1 ‘Helping Those in Danger’, Rule 61.1(a) ‘Requesting … Redress’, Rule 61.1(b) (4) ‘Redress Decisions’)

When you break a rule of Part 2 (‘When Boats Meet’), and the other party is aggrieved, you must promptly sail clear and do your penalty turns. To continue to race without taking a penalty knowing you have broken a rule, hoping that the other boat will not lodge a protest, or hoping you might outwit the protestor in the protest room, is a breach of the Basic Principle ‘Sportsmanship and the Rules’.

Even when you have right of way or the right to room, you must try to avoid contact. If you have broken a rule and there is serious damage, then the alternative penalty option (e.g. 'doing turns') is not open to you and you must retire. (Rule 14 ‘Avoiding Contact’, Rule 44.1 ‘Taking a Penalty’)

Whether or not you may display advertising on your hull or sails will usually depend on what your class association has decided at its AGM. If you go to an open regatta, the organizers might require you to put event sponsor advertising (which they will supply) on the forward part of your hull. You may advertise (if it’s not offensive) as much as you like on clothing. (Rule 6 ‘World Sailing Regulations’, World Sailing Regulation 20, Advertising Code)

I emphasize that these principles apply all the time, and to every situation described in this book.

If you are involved in an incident during a race and you believe another boat (or boats) broke a rule, and you want to protest if he doesn’t take a penalty, then you must hail ‘Protest’ at the first reasonable opportunity. Unless you are sailing amongst sailors who speak a language other English, no other word will do; it must be ‘Protest’ and it must be hailed immediately after the incident. In addition, if your hull is 6 metres long or more, you need to display a protest flag and keep it displayed until the end of the race. (Rule 60.2(a)(1))

When you hail ‘Protest’, look for signs from the other boat that it was heard. If there are none, shout again louder, and if there are still no signs of acknowledgement, then take a mental note of nearby boats and tell him again as soon as you can get close, even if it’s on shore. The validity of the protest might depend on your efforts.

There are a few terms and definitions that you need to know before we start. (See also page 107)

World Sailing

World Sailing is the international governing body that publishes the racing rules and, for guidance on their interpretation, publishes cases and calls that have been decided and submitted by national authorities. World Sailing is responsible for organizing sailing at the Olympics and Olympic Qualifying events. World Sailing appoints officials for the Olympics, America’s Cup, and some other major events.

National authority

Every sailing nation has a national body to administer sailing on waters within its jurisdiction. In Great Britain this is the Royal Yachting Association, in the United States it is US Sailing, in Australia it is Australian Sailing, in New Zealand it is Yachting New Zealand, and so on.

Organizing authority

The body that decides to hold an event and arranges the venue is called the Organizing Authority. The organizing authority might be a club, a class association or a national authority, or a combination of these. At least one of its constituents must be affiliated to the national authority. Sailing clubs are the organizing authorities for their club racing. They might be affiliated to their national authorities through state or district organization that are in turn affiliated to the national authority. An international class association usually combines with a club to form the organizing authority to run a world championship, or, with the approval of the national authority, the class association may organize the event themselves. The organizing authority must appoint a race committee. At a principal event (such as an open regatta or a national championship) it may also appoint a protest committee or, at an international event, an international jury.

Race committee

The race committee, appointed by the organizing authority, is responsible for producing sailing instructions, organizing the racing, and publishing the results. When no protest committee or jury has been appointed (for example for a club race), the race committee must form or appoint a protest committee when one is needed.

Technical committee

The technical committee is appointed by the organizing authority and is responsible for conducting equipment inspection and, in some events, measurement to ensure boats are class rule compliant. The technical committee may protest a boat for breaking any rule and, although there is no obligation for them to do so, is expected to protest a boat that has broken a class rule or rule 50.

Protest committee

A protest committee is appointed by the organizing authority for an event, or on an ‘ad hoc’ basis by the race committee, to hear protests and requests for redress. The term ‘protest committee’ is sometimes used to describe an international jury when it hears protests and requests for redress. A protest committee may also be required to go afloat during dinghy regattas to encourage rule compliance and implement the ‘yellow flag penalty system’ for penalizing boats breaking rule 42 ‘Propulsion’ (Appendix P).

International jury

Appointed by the organizing authority, its membership is made up of people of different nationalities, the majority of whom must be International Judges (certified by World Sailing). Provided that it conducts itself in accordance with the procedures described in Appendix N, its decisions are not open to appeal. The minimum number of members is five, with no more than two members from one nation. World Sailing appoints the jury members for the Olympics and a few of the most prominent international events.

Appeal authority

Each national authority normally appoints a committee to hear appeals by competitors (and race committees) against decisions of protest committees (but not international juries). For example, in the United Kingdom, the Royal Yachting Association’s Racing Rules Group hears appeals; in the United States of America, appeals are decided by District Appeals Committees, and some are subsequently referred to the US Sailing’s Appeal Committee. There is no higher appeal authority than the one provided by the national authority having jurisdiction over the event. World Sailing does not hear appeals. Decisions of international juries are not open to appeal.

Obstruction

An object that a boat could not pass without changing course substantially, if she were sailing directly towards it and one of her hull lengths from it. An object that is so designated by a rule or that can be safely passed on only one side. An area or line that boats are prohibited from entering or crossing are also obstructions.

However, a boat racing is not an obstruction to other boats unless they are required to keep clear of her, or, if rule 22 applies, avoid her. A vessel under way, including a boat racing, is never a 'continuing obstruction'.

The committee boat, a rescue boat, a capsized dinghy, the shore, perceived underwater dangers or shallows, and a boat on starboard tack on a collision course in relation to a port-tack boat are all obstructions. In the case of the committee boat it will also be a mark when it is specified as being at one end of the starting or finishing line, but you should remember that the rules about marks and obstructions do not apply at starting marks surrounded by navigable water from the time boats are approaching them to start and until they have passed them. A half metre diameter inflatable buoy is not an obstruction whether or not it is a...