1. Racing Rules of Sailing
Start to know them
Ralph Stanford
Woollahra Sailing Club

2. Too much to learn! 20 definitions rules 1 to 91 7 parts 15 appendices
revised every 4 years!

3. Bare essentials 8 definitions 23 rules
current issue good for another 2 years!

4. International Sailing Federation (ISAF)
World governing body for sailing
Recognised by IOC
International Yacht Racing Union
truly universal racing rules of sailing
139 member nations
Yachting Australia
108 international class associations
Mirror Class

5. RRS structure Definitions 8 Part 1 – Fundamental Rules 1
Part 2 – When Boats Meet 15
Part 3 – Conduct of a Race 5
Part 4 – Other Requirements When Racing 2
Part 5 – Protests etc 1
Part 6 – Entry and Qualification 0
Part 7 – Race Organisation 0

6. Definitions
This is not all of them – look them up!

7. Starting

8. Finishing

9. AND Racing Warning signal Finished
Cleared finish line in either direction

10. Still racing after finishing
Protest!

11. Clear astern – Clear ahead

12. Overlapped Issues: Always buoy room, rule 18
Does not apply close hauled on opposite tacks
Does apply down-wind
Overlapped
Overlapped
Overlapped

13. Overlapped – boat between

14. Not overlapped – boat not between
Clear astern
Clear ahead

15. Overlapped – downwind
Overlapped
Overlapped

16. Keep clear
Red did not bear away sufficiently and green (right of way under Rule 10) had to luff to avoid contact.

17. Keep clear - overlapped
Blue has right of way over orange (Rule 11) and orange did not allow blue sufficient room to change course in either direction

18. Obstruction

19. Proper course The fastest course Not the shortest course
No proper course before the start

20. Zone

21. Part 1 Fundamental Rules Life saving equipment Fair sailing
Acceptance of the Rules
Decision to Race
Anti-doping WADA

22. 1.1 Help those in danger

23. Part 2
When boats meet
Critical
We will do all of this section

24. Part 2 – When boats meet Section A (Rules 10 – 13)
Right of way
Section B (Rules 14 – 17)
General Limitations
Section C (Rules 18 – 21)
At Marks and Obstructions
Section D (Rules 22 – 24)
Other Rules

25. Section A Right of Way 10 – Port and Starboard
11 – Windward boat keeps clear
12 – Keep clear from astern
13 – No rights whilst tacking

26. What is this section about?
Establishes right of way
Everyone knows where they stand
Not a ‘free-for-all’

27. Rule 10 On opposite tacks:
When boats are on opposite tacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.
No requirement to call
‘starboard’.

28. Rule 10

29. Rule 10
Issue:
Keep your eyes open!

30. Rule 11 On the same tack, overlapped:
When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.
Windward boat
Keeps clear
Issue:
Luffing

31. Rule 12 On the same tack, not overlapped:
When boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, a boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead.
Clear astern keeps clear
‘Overtaking boat keeps clear’

32. Rule 13
Whilst tacking:
After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course. Rules 10, 11 and 12 don’t apply.
“Don’t tack in my water!!”

33. Section B General Limitations 14 – Avoid contact
15 – Acquiring right of way, initially give room
16 – Changing course
17 – Same tack, sailing above proper course

34. What is this section about?
Trying to prevent water borne carnage
Marine dodgem cars
Softens the impact of right of way
More enjoyable racing
Protection of investment by sailors

35. Rule 14
Avoid contact:
A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible.
Best to take avoiding action and protest the boat that got in the way

36. Rule 15 Acquiring right of way:
When a boat acquires right of way, she shall initially give the other boat room to keep clear, …..

37. Rule 16
Changing course:
When a right of way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear.
Green bore away at the last moment and red was unable to keep clear

38. Rule 17 On the same tack; proper course:
If a boat clear astern becomes overlapped within two of her hull lengths to leeward of a boat on the same tack, she shall not sail above her proper course…….
Proper course

39. Section C At Marks and Obstructions 18 – Mark-room
19 – Room to Pass an Obstruction
20 – Room to Tack at an Obstruction
21 – Exoneration

40. What is this section about?
No traffic lights on the water
Like a roundabout
Everyone can keep moving if they obey the rules

41. Rule 18
Mark-room:
Applies to two boats required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is in the zone.

42. Rule 18 Giving mark-room:
Overlap is established when the first boat enters the zone.
The boat ‘outside and overlapped’ or ‘clear astern’ shall give room.
Rule 18
Orange is overlapped by blue and gives mark-room to blue, even if the overlap is later broken.
Black is clear astern of orange and gives mark-room to orange, even if an overlap is later established.

43. Rule 18 Does not apply at: Start marks
Between boats on opposite tacks whilst beating to windward
Start
‘At the windward mark on opposite tacks, take the bouy away.’
“No room at the start”

44. Rule 18 Giving mark-room:
If an outside overlapped boat is unable to give room, she is not required to give it.
Red is not going to be able to give orange mark-room.

45. Rule 18
An inside overlapped boat should gybe no later than necessary to round the mark.
Red must gybe.

46. Rule 19 Room to pass an obstruction:
Applies between two boats at an obstruction
Right of way boat chooses which side to go
When overlapped, the outside boat gives room
Rule 19
Red could pass to windward or leeward as right of way boat (Rule 11), but has to give black room when passing to leeward of the obstruction because of the overlap.
No zone, just ‘at’.

47. Rule 19 Room to pass at an obstruction:
No right to push in at a continuing obstruction.

48. Rule 20 Room to tack at an obstruction:
When approaching an obstruction, a boat may hail for room to tack and avoid a boat on the same tack.
“You tack”
“Room to tack”

49. Rule 21
A boat may be exonerated if she has right of way under Section c, but is compelled to break:
Any rule of Section A (Rules 10 to 13)
Rule 15 (acquiring right of way, give room)
Rule 16 (changing course, give room to keep clear)
Rule 31 (touching a mark)

50. Section D
Other rules
22 – Starting errors; Taking penalties; Moving astern
23 – Capsized; Anchored or aground; Rescuing
24 – Interfering with another boat

51. Rule 22
Starting errors:
A boat sailing towards the pre-start side of the starting line shall keep clear of other boats

52. Keep clear when:

53. Part 3 Conduct of a Race Starting races Sailing the course Recalls
Starting penalties
Touching a mark

54. Rule 26 – starting races 5 min – Warning 4 min – Preparatory
1 min – One minute to go
0 min – Start
Time is taken from visual flag signal

55. Rule 28 - Sailing the Course

56. Rule 29 - Recalls

57. Rule 30 – Starting penalties
If over the start line in the final minute:
Disqualified
Go back around the ends of the line
20% penalty

58. Rule 31 – touching a mark is not permitted
Start mark
Course marks
Finish mark

59. Part 4
Other Requirements When Racing
Propulsion
Penalties

60. Rule 42 - Propulsion Boats should race by use of wind and water only
Prohibited actions:
Pumping
Rocking
Ooching
Sculling
Repeated tacking or gybing

61. Pumping

62. Rocking

63. Ooching

64. Sculling

65. Rule 44 – Penalties at the time of an incident
Two turns for Section 2
One turn for Rule 31 (touching a mark)
Gybe
Tack

66. Part 5 - Protests Rule 61 Inform the protested boat immediately
Hail them ASAP