1. ISAF RACING RULES FOR SAILING
YCC
16 July 2001

2. des règles d'allumette-emballage
YCC
16 July 2001

3. ISAF RACING RULES FOR SAILING
DISCLAIMER: THIS IS ONLY MY INTERPRETATION OF THE RACING RULES. YOU SHOULD READ THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
These are the links to the ISAF Racing Rules page.
You will also find a copy of the rules on the YCC web.
The rules come into effect on 1st April 2001, with no “relevant” modification wrt the previous edition.
DISCLAIMER: THE REGATTA INSTRUCTIONS ARE THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENT FOR THE MATCH RACE. HERE I GIVE MY UNOFFICIAL INTERPRETATION
YCC
16 July 2001

4. Racing – Normal Races
A boat is racing from her preparatory signal until she finishes and clears the finishing line and marks or retires, or until the race committee signals a general recall, postponement or abandon.
Warning
Class flag
1 sound
5 minutes or more (stated in the instructions)
Preparatory
P , I, Z, Z with I…
4 minutes
One-Minute
Preparatory removed
1 long sound
1 minute
Starting
Class flag removed
Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal should be disregarded.
YCC
16 July 2001

5. Racing – YCC Match races 07/02
Attention
10 minutes
Class flag
1 gun
Preparatory
5 minutes
P displayed
1 horn
End pre-start entry
1 minute
P removed
Starting
Class flag removed
Yngling
470
Laser
Class flags
YCC
16 July 2001

6. MatchRacing starting procedure
Pre-start zone
Yellow boat side
Blue boat side
wind
Laser 1
470 2
Yngling 9
Laser 4
470 3
Yngling 10
Before the display of “P” you must be on your side of the pre-start zone.
While “P” is posted (4 min) you MUST enter the pre-start zone from outside.
YCC
16 July 2001

7. Leeward and windward
The leeward side is the side that is (was) away from the wind (if she is head to wind).
Wind
Wind
Leeward boat
Windward boat
Leeward boat
Windward boat
YCC
16 July 2001

8. Tack, Starboard or Port
Wind
Starboard boat
Port boat
YCC
16 July 2001

9. Clear Astern B D is clear astern of A. A is clear ahead of D.
B and C are NOT clear astern of A. A C D
YCC
16 July 2001

10. OVERLAP Two boats OVERLAP when neither is clear astern. B
A and C are overlapping.
A and B are NOT overlapping. A C
YCC
16 July 2001

11. OVERLAP Two boats OVERLAP when a boat between them overlaps both. A BC
A and C are overlapped.
YCC
16 July 2001

12. OVERLAP: opposite tacks
When rule 18 applies, these definitions are also relevant for boats on opposite tacks. A B
A and B are overlapped.
YCC
16 July 2001

13. Keep Clear
One boat keeps clear of another if the other can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action.
Where the boats are overlapped on the same tack, the leeward boat is kept clear if she can change course in both directions without immediately making contact with the windward boat. 1
YCC
16 July 2001

14. Proper course
The proper course is the course a boat would sail to finish as soon as possible in the absence of other boats referred to in the rule using the term. A boat has no proper course before her starting signal.
YCC
16 July 2001

15. Two length zone
The area around a mark or obstruction within a distance of two hull- lengths of the boat nearer to it.
YCC
16 July 2001

16. Right of way
12: when boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, a boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead.
11: when boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.
10: port boat shall keep clear of starboard boat.
YCC
16 July 2001

17. Right of way
NO !
13: while tacking. After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course. During this time rules 10, 11 and 12 do not apply.
Special for MR:
After the foot of the mainsail of a boat sailing downwind crosses the centreline she shall keep clear until her mainsail has filled on the other tack. 2
YCC
16 July 2001

18. Avoiding contacts
14: A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible. However a right-of-way boat
need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not keeping clear, and
shall not be penalized under this rule unless there is contact that causes damage. 2
YCC
16 July 2001

19. Acquiring right of way NOOOO !!!
15: 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 action.
Here TIMING is very important, as a consequence of the word initially ! 2
YCC
16 July 2001

20. Changing course
16.1 : When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear.
The red boat CANNOT LUFF ABRUPTLY.
Here TIMING is also important.
This rule and the previous one are very important. They essentially say that you CANNOT make a quick change of course (when you acquire right-of-way or you have it already ) and claim to room before giving the other boat time and possibility to react.
YCC
16 July 2001

21. Changing course
16.2 : After the start, when boats are crossing on opposite tacks, the starboard boat shall not change course if as result the port boat would immediately need to change course to continue keeping clear.
NO !!!!
The red boat CANNOT bear up forcing the blue boat to tack !!!
This rule does not apply in match races
YCC
16 July 2001

22. On the same tack; proper course
NO !!!!
17.1 : 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 while they remain overlapped,
unless in doing so she promptly sails astern of the other boat. 2
YCC
16 July 2001

23. On the same tack; proper course
17.2 : Except on a beat to windward, while a boat is less than two hull lengths from a leeward boat or a boat clear astern steering a course to leeward of her, she shall not sail below her proper course unless she gybes.
NO!!!!
This rule does not apply in match races
YCC
16 July 2001

24. Rounding and passing marks (obstructions) Rule 18
This applies when boats are about to round or pass a mark they are required to leave on the same side, until they have passed it. It does not apply
at a starting mark from the time the boats are approaching to start until they have passed,
between two boats on opposite tacks, either on a beat to windward or when the proper course for one or both of them to round or pass the mark is to tack.
YCC
16 July 2001

25. Giving room; keep clear
18.2 a) When the boats are overlapped, the outside boat shall give the inside boat room to pass the mark.
If the inside boat has right-of-way, the outside boat shall also keep clear.
YCC
16 July 2001

26. Giving room; keep clear
18.2 b) When the boats are overlapped before either of them reached the two-length zone and the overlap is broken after one of them reached it, the boat that was outside shall continue to give the other boat room.
If the outside boat becomes clear astern or overlapped inside the other boat, she is not entitled to room and shall keep clear. 2
YCC
16 July 2001

27. Giving room; keep clear
18.2 c) If a boat is clear ahead at the time she reaches the two-length zone, the boat clear astern shall thereafter keep clear.
WIND
If the clear astern boat becomes overlapped outside, she shall also give the inside boat room.
If the boat clear astern becomes overlapped inside, she is not entitled to room. 2
YCC
16 July 2001

28. Giving room; keep clear
18.2 c) Important exception:
If the boat that was clear ahead passes head to wind, rule 18.2 c) no longer applies.
Wind
The blue boat cannot tack until the red has tacked ! (Rule 13, keep clear while tacking) 2
YCC
16 July 2001

29. Giving room; keep clear
18.2 d) When rule 18 applies between two boats and the right-of-way boat is changing course to round or pass a mark, rule 16 (change of course) DOES NOT APPLY. 3
YCC
16 July 2001

30. Tacking at mark
18.3 If two boats are approaching a mark on opposite tacks and one of them completes a tack in the two-length zone when the other is rounding the mark, rule 18.2 does not apply. The boat that tacked
shall not cause the other boat to sail above close-hauled to avoid her nor prevent the other boat from passing the mark,
shall give room should the other boat become overlapped inside her, in which case rule 15 (acquiring right-of-way) does not apply. 3
YCC
16 July 2001

31. Tacking at mark Match race
18.3 If two boats are approaching a mark on opposite tacks and one of them completes a tack in the two-length zone to pass a mark, and thereafter the other boat cannot by luffing avoid becoming overlapped inside her, the boat that tacked shall keep clear, and rules 15 and 18.2 do not apply.
If the other boat can by luffing avoid becoming overlapped inside her, then rule 18.2 c) shall apply as if the boats were clear ahead and clear astern at the two-length zone. 3
YCC
16 July 2001

32. Gybing at a Mark
18.4 When an inside-overlapped right-of-way boat must gybe at a mark to sail her proper course, until she gybes she shall sail no further from the mark than needed to sail her course.
No !!!!! 3
YCC
16 July 2001

33. Room to tack at an obstruction
19.1 : When safety requires a close-hauled boat to make a substantial course change and she intends to tack, but cannot tack and avoid another boat on the same tack, she shall hail room to do so. Before tacking she shall give the hailed boat time to respond. The hailed boat shall either tack as soon as possible or reply “you tack” and give room. 1
YCC
16 July 2001

34. Miscellanea A boat “repeating the start” shall keep clear.
A boat making a penalty shall keep clear.
A boat shall not deliberately interfere with a boat taking a penalty.
A boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat that is racing.
YCC
16 July 2001

35. PENALTIES
44.1: A boat that may have broken a rule of Part 2 (when boats meet) while racing, may take a penalty at the time of the incident. Her penalty shall be a 720 deg. Turn Penalty unless the sailing instructions specify differently. However if she caused serious damage or gained significant advantage in the race or series by her breach she shall retire.
44.2: After getting well clear of other boats as soon after the incident as possible a boat makes two complete turns in the same direction including two tacks and two gybes.
This rule is modified for match races 1
YCC
16 July 2001

36. Touching a mark – Starting penalty
31.1: While racing a boat shall not touch a starting mark before starting, nor a mark that begins, bounds or ends a leg of the course or a finishing mark after finishing.
31.2: A boat that has broken rule 31.1 may, after getting well clear of other boats as soon as possible, take a penalty by making a 360 deg. turn including one tack and one gybe. When a boat takes the penalty after touching the finishing mark, she shall sail completely to the course side of the finishing line before finishing. This rule is modified for match races.
30.1 If flag “I” has been displayed before, with, or as a boat’s preparatory signal, and any part of her hull, crew or equipment is on the course side of the starting line during the minute before the start she shall sail to the pre-start side of the line around either end before starting. 1
YCC
16 July 2001

37. Penalty in match races
C 7.2 a) When on a leg of the course to a windward mark, a boat shall gybe and, as soon as reasonably possible, luff to a close-hauled course. When on a leg of the course to a leeward mark or the finishing line, she shall tack and, as soon as reasonably possible, bear away to a downwind course.
C 7.2 b) If a boat has one or two outstanding penalties and the other boat in her match is penalized, one penalty for each boat shall be cancelled. 1
YCC
16 July 2001

38. ISAF RACING RULES FOR SAILING
Rule 60.1, Right to Protest and Request Redress
Question Boats A, B and C are racing with others. After an incident, boat A hails and displays her protest flag, but boat B neither retires nor takes a penalty. Later, B protests a third boat, C, after a second incident. The protest committee hears A's protest against B and disqualifies B. Does this disqualification invalidate B's protest against C?
Answer No. When a boat continues to race after an alleged breach of a rule, her rights and obligations under the rules do not change. Consequently, even though A's protest against B is upheld, B's protest against C is still valid and, when the protest committee is satisfied from the evidence that C broke a rule, she must be disqualified.
YCC
16 July 2001

39. ISAF RACING RULES FOR SAILING
S hailed PL as the two dinghies approached each other on a collision course. PL then twice hailed 'water for starboard boat', but PW did not respond. PL hailed a third time, and PW then began to tack but S, now within three feet (1m) of PL, had to bear away sharply to avoid a collision. PW retired and S protested PL under rule 10. The protest committee disqualified PL observing that, not having had a timely response from PW, she should have used her right to luff and forced PW to tack. PL appealed.
Appeal upheld. Having hailed three times, PL was entitled to expect that PW would respond and give her room to tack. She was not obliged to anticipate PW's failure to comply with rule 19.1 or to bear away below the obstruction S. PL is exonerated as the innocent victim of another boat's breach of a rule, under the provisions of rule 64.1 b).
YCC
16 July 2001

40. ISAF RACING RULES FOR SAILING
Two close-hauled boats on opposite tacks meet at a windward mark to be left to starboard. S has adequate room to tack and round the mark with due allowance for wind and current but instead of tacking, S holds her course with the intention of forcing P to tack to keep clear. Can P disregard rule 10 if she considers S to be sailing beyond her proper course and to have sufficient room to round the mark?
No; rule 10 applies. Rule 18.1 b) provides that the boats are not subject to rule 18; thus when S chooses to hold her course, P must keep clear. While in certain circumstances boats are prohibited from sailing below or above a proper course, there is no rule that requires a boat to sail a proper course.
YCC
16 July 2001

41. ISAF RACING RULES FOR SAILING
After sailing alongside P for some time on port tack, S gybes on to starboard tack without breaking rule 15. Both boats continue to sail parallel courses. About two minutes after S has completed her gybe, she hails P and begins to luff; the boats touch with no damage at position 3. Does S hold right-of-way under rule 10, or does rule 15 still apply?
S, having completed her gybe, is the starboard-tack right-of-way boat under rule 10, and P as the port-tack boat is bound to keep clear. Rule 15 applies only briefly after S becomes a right-of-way boat. After that, she may luff provided she complies with rule 16.
YCC
16 July 2001

42. ISAF RACING RULES FOR SAILING
On a windward leg, P met S and sailed a course to cross ahead of S. S bore away, displayed a protest flag, and hailed P her intent to protest. Both boats were identical 27-foot keel boats, and the wind strength was Force 3.
S protested under rule 10, stating that she had to bear away to avoid colliding with P. The protest committee dismissed the protest by S, stating that: 'The need to change course could not be substantiated by the conflicting testimony of the two helmsmen.' S appealed.
In her own defence, P must present adequate evidence to establish either that S did not change course or that P would have safely crossed ahead of S and that S had no need to take avoiding action.
When, on all the evidence, a protest committee finds that S did not change course or that there was not a genuine and reasonable apprehension of collision on her part, it should dismiss her protest. When, however, it is satisfied that S did change course, that there was reasonable doubt that P could have crossed ahead, and that S was justified in taking avoiding action by bearing away, then P should be disqualified.
YCC
16 July 2001

43. ISAF RACING RULES FOR SAILING
About 200 yards (200m) from the mark, L established a leeward overlap on W from clear astern. L was less than two of her hull lengths from W. The two boats then sailed alongside each other, about one-and-a-half hull lengths apart, until they were 80 yards (80m) from the mark. At this point, L luffed up slightly to lay the mark, a luff that did not affect W. W, not sailing below her proper course, maintained a steady course. L never became clear ahead. W's boom touched L's shroud, although without damage, and L protested under rule 11. L's protest was dismissed, and she was disqualified on the grounds that she had not allowed W enough room to fulfil her obligation to keep clear as required by rule 15. L appealed.
YCC
16 July 2001

44. ISAF RACING RULES FOR SAILING
Appeal upheld. When L established a leeward overlap from clear astern, W became bound by rule 11 to keep clear of L. At the same time, L was bound by rule 15 to allow W room to keep clear, but that obligation is not a continuing one, and in this case the overlap had been in existence for a considerable period during which nothing had obstructed W's room.
L was justified in changing course to approach the mark, provided that she did not sail above her proper course; it is L's proper course that is the criterion for deciding whether she broke rule According to the agreed diagram, L at no time sailed above her proper course. L was also subject to rule 14, but since there was no damage, rule 14 did not affect her. W is disqualified under rule 11, and L is reinstated.
YCC
16 July 2001

45. ISAF RACING RULES FOR SAILING
OL and IW were approaching a mark to be left to starboard. The winds were light and there was a 2-knot current in the same direction as the wind. IW, which had sailed high on the course to the mark to offset the effect of the current, approached it with the current, almost on a run. OL, on the other hand, had been set to leeward and, at
position 1, about two hull-lengths from the mark, was beating slowly against the current. IW twice hailed for water, and OL twice replied 'You can't come in here.' At the last moment shortly after position 3 in the diagram, as IW luffed to begin her passing manoeuvre, OL tried to give her room but the two dinghies made contact. There was no damage. OL protested under rule 11 but was herself disqualified under rule 18.2 a). She appealed,
Appeal dismissed. The boats were about to leave the mark on the same side and were on the same tack, and so rule 18 applied. The boats were overlapped at all relevant times and therefore rule 18.2 a) applied, modifying rule 11. L's disqualification is confirmed.
YCC
16 July 2001

46. ISAF RACING RULES FOR SAILING
As the two 14-foot dinghies manoeuvred before the starting signal, they crossed the starting line. While bearing away to return to the pre-start side, L, initially the windward boat, assumed a leeward position by sailing under W's stern. Immediately after position 4, L luffed to close-hauled and sailed straight for the port end of the line. W meanwhile, with sheets eased, sailed along the line more slowly. At position 5, there was contact, W's boom touching L's weather shroud. L protested W under rule 11; W counter-protested under rules 12 and 15.
The protest committee found that L had right-of-way under rule 11 from the time she assumed a steady course until contact. W had enough room to keep clear, although she would have had to cross the starting line prematurely to do so. Therefore, it dismissed W's protest and upheld the protest by L. W appealed, this time citing rule 16.
Appeal dismissed. While rule 16 applied just after position 4, L's change of course to windward did not affect W. Thereafter, while L was sailing a close-hauled course, rule 11 applied. W had enough room to keep clear but failed to do so. W's disqualification under rule 11 is upheld.
YCC
16 July 2001