The Racing Rules of Sailing

(An Introduction!!!) – George Carter

Tack, Starboard or Port:- A boat is on the tack, starboard or port, corresponding to her windward side.  (see definition of windward next). Are these boats on Port or Starboard?

1)

2)

3)

How are you going to remember this?  You must ALWAYS know if you are on Port or Starboard?  “No red port left in the bottle” is a way of remembering which side is port (and the colour).

Windward & Leeward

A boat’s leeward side is the side on which her mainsail lies. The other side is her windward side.  Which side of these boats is the windward side, port or starboard?

1)

2)

3)

‘Clear Astern’ and ‘Clear Ahead’, Overlap:- One boat is clear astern of another when her hull and equipment in normal position are behind a line abeam from the aftermost point of the other boat’s hull and equipment in the normal position. The other boat is clear ahead. They overlap when neither is clear astern or when a boat between them overlaps both. These terms do not apply to boats on opposite tacks unless Rule 18 (rounding marks and obstructions) applies.

Is 4245 clear ahead of 4243?

Is 1717 clear astern of 6959?

Is 178811 clear astern of 179642?

Keep clear:- One boat keeps clear of another if the other can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action.

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 can be safely passed on only one side and an area so designated by the sailing instructions are also obstructions. However, a boat racing is not an obstruction to other boats unless they are required to keep clear of her, give her room or, if rule 21 applies, avoid her.

Proper Course – A course a boat would have to sail to finish as soon as possible in the absence of the other boats referred to in the rule using the term.  A boat has no proper course before the starting signal.

Two-Length Zone – The area around a mark or obstruction within a distance of two hull lengths of the boat nearer to it.             

1.1 A boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger.

1.2 Each competitor is individually responsible for wearing personal buoyancy adequate for the conditions.

2. Fair Sailing.  A boat and her owner shall compete in compliance with recognized principles of sportsmanship and fair play.

4. Decision to Race.  The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.

10. ON OPPOSITE TACKS – A port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard tack boat.

11. ON SAME TACK OVERLAPPED – A windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.

12. ON SAME TACK NOT OVERLAPPED – A boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead.

14 AVOIDING CONTACT
A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible. However, a right-of-way boat or one entitled to room
(a) need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not keeping clear or giving room, and
(b) shall not be penalized unless there is contact that causes damage.

15 ACQUIRING RIGHT OF WAY
When a boat acquires right of way, she shall initially give the other boat room to keep clear, unless she acquires right of way because of the other boat's actions.

16 CHANGING COURSE
When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear.

18 PASSING MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS.

-Does not apply to a starting mark or boat.

18.2 Giving Room; Keeping Clear
(a) When boats are overlapped before one of them reaches the two-length zone, the outside shall give the inside boat room to pass the mark or obstruction. If they are still overlapped when one of them reaches the two-length zone, the outside boat's obligation continues even if the overlap is broken later.

(b) If a boat is clear ahead when she reaches the two-length zone, the boat clear astern shall keep clear even if an overlap is established later. Rule 10 does not apply.

19 ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION

19.1 When safety requires a close-hauled boat to make a substantial course change to avoid an obstruction and she intends to tack, but cannot tack and avoid another boat on the same tack, she shall hail for room to do so. Before tacking she shall give the hailed boat time to respond. The hailed boat shall either

(a)     tack as soon as possible, in which case the hailing boat shall also tack as soon as possible, or

(b)     immediately reply 'You tack', in which case the hailing boat shall immediately tack and the hailed boat shall give room, and rules 10 and 13 do not apply.

19.2 Rule 19.1 does not apply at a starting mark or its anchor line.

20 STARTING ERRORS; PENALTY TURNS; MOVING ASTERN

A boat sailing towards the pre-start side of the starting line or its extensions to comply with rule 29.1 or rule 30.1 shall keep clear of a boat not doing so until she is completely on the pre-start side. A boat making penalty turns shall keep clear of one that is not. A boat moving astern by backing a sail shall keep clear of one that is not.

28 SAILING THE COURSE – A boat shall leave each mark so that a string representing her wake would when drawn taut, pass each mark on the required side.

29 RECALLS

29.1 INDIVIDUAL RECALL - When at a boat’s starting signal, any part of her hull, crew or equipment is on the course side of the line, she must return completely to the pre-start side of the line and has to comply with any additional requirements e.g. I Flag or Black Flag.  The race committee will promptly display flag X with one sound.

29.2 GENERAL RECALL – If the race committee cannot identify boats that are on course side then the First Substitute will be displayed with two sounds.  The warning signal for the recalled class will be one minute after the First Substitute is removed.

31.1 TOUCHING A MARK - While racing a boat shall not touch a starting mark, a coarse mark, or a finishing mark.

31.2 A boat that has broken rule 31.1 may, after getting well clear of other boats,  take a penalty by promptly making one turn including a tack and a gybe.

41 OUTSIDE HELP – A boat shall not receive help from any outside source. Except

(a)     help as provided in rule 1

(b)     help for an injured or ill crew member

(c)     after a collision, help from the crew of the other boat to get clear.

42. PROPULSION – A boat shall only use the wind and water to increase, maintain or decrease her speed.

42.2 PROHIBITED ACTIONS

(a)     pumping

(b)     rocking

(c)     ooching

(d)     sculling

(e)     repeated tacks or gybes

44.2 TWO-TURNS PENALTY (720° TURN) – After getting well clear of other boats as soon after the incident as possible, a boat takes a two turns penalty by promptly making two turns in the same direction including two tacks and two gybes.

60 RIGHT TO PROTEST – A boat may

(a)     protest another boat if she was involved in or saw the incident

(b)     request redress

61 PROTEST REQUIREMENTS – A boat intending to protest shall inform the other boat at the first reasonable opportunity by hailing “Protest”

61.1 PROTEST CONTENTS

The protest shall be in writing and identify.

(a)     the protestor and protestee

(b)     the incident including where and when it occurred

(c)     any rule the protestor believes was broken

(d)     the name of the protestor’s representative

a) You are over the start line at the start signal?

b) You collide with a right-of-way boat?

c) You touch a mark as you round it?

d) Another boat shouts for water to tack at an obstruction?

a) Tell the difference between an individual and general recall?

b) Ask for room at a mark?

c) Respond if you are hailed “Water/room to tack”

d) Inform another boat you wish to protest?

e) Illegally propel your boat through the water?

 or……  

Even with all this in mind, the best sailors avoid collisions and protests as much as possible.  Even if that means giving up their rights sometimes. 

It also means more time at the bar….