The Racing Rules of Sailing (2021-2024)

THE
RACING RULES
OF
SAILING
for 2021-2024
Including US Sailing Prescriptions
and changes made by World Sailing as of 1 January 2022

United States Sailing Association
ussailing.org
1 (800) US-SAIL-1

As the leading authority for the sport, World Sailing promotes and supports the protection of the environment in all sailing competitions and related activities throughout the world.

As the national authority for the sport, US Sailing is committed to

providing an equal opportunity to all sailors to participate in the sport, and
promoting compliance with applicable government regulations regarding life-saving equipment.

Contact Details:

US Sailing

Telephone

General Email
Racing Rules Email
Website

1 (800) US-SAIL-1
1 (800) 877-2451
info@ussailing.org
rules@ussailing.org
ussailing.org

World Sailing Executive Office

Telephone
General Email
Racing Rules Email
Website
Address:

+44 (0)20 3940 4888
office@sailing.org
rules@sailing.org
sailing.org
20 Eastbourne Terrace
Paddington
London W26LG, UK

The Racing Rules of Sailing for 2021-2024
Including US Sailing Prescriptions

ISBN (paper): 978-1-938915-44-4
ISBN (waterproof): 978-1-938915-45-1

Issue Date: October 2020
Frequency: Quadrennially
Authorizing Organization: United States Sailing Association
1 Roger Williams University Way
Bristol, RI 02809
Issue Number: Issue No. 1

© World Sailing Limited, June 2020
Reprinted by permission of World Sailing (UK) Limited

Foreword, Prescriptions and Index © United States Sailing Association, 2020
All rights reserved.

Front cover image: JH Peterson
Back cover images: Cindy Cady, Matthew Cohen, Mauricio Arregui, Nancy Mazzuli, and Stacey Gibb

Greetings to all US Sailors:

Every four years The Racing Rules of Sailing are revised with input from competitors and US Sailing’s Racing Rules Committee. This quadrennial revision to our racing rules is the result of suggestions made by sailors and race officials from around the world. Please visit the US Sailing website at rules.ussailing.org for publications about the rules and for additional information about the Racing Rules Committee. If you would like to suggest an improvement in a rule, please contact the Rules Committee at rules@ussailing.org.

Our US Sailing trained and certified officials – race officers, judges, umpires, classifiers and measurers – are experts on the rules. They are volunteers who work hard to provide safe, fair and fun sailing for you. When you see them at regattas, please thank them for their service. Our only repayment to them is our appreciation, so please be generous with it. We all hope to avoid protests at regattas, but when they happen it is comforting to know that these experts, who are also experienced racing sailors, will ensure that you receive a fair hearing.

Special thanks to the Racing Rules Committee, whose countless hours of discussions and reflection on how we play the game have led to this final product.

And my deepest thanks to you, the racing sailor, for your membership and support of US Sailing’s mission. I wish you continued enjoyment of sailboat racing and look forward to meeting you on the water.

Sincerely,

Cory Sertl, President of US Sailing

This 2021-2024 edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing was produced by US Sailing under license from World Sailing and is the result of four years of careful review of the 2017-2020 rules. Here are some changes of interest:

Exoneration has been incorporated into the Basic Principle of Sportsmanship. When a boat breaks a rule but is exonerated, she need not take a penalty for breaking that rule. New rule 43 places all the conditions for exoneration in one rule.

Rule 18.1 now has a final sentence indicating that rule 18 no longer applies between boats when mark-room has been given to the boat entitled to it.

The protest form that was included in previous editions of this book has been replaced by two separate forms, a hearing request form and a hearing decision form. These new forms are not in the book but are available for download and printing on the US Sailing website at rules.ussailing.org.

The Notice of Race Guide (Appendix K) and the Sailing Instructions Guide (Appendix L) are no longer in the rule book but are available for download and printing on the US Sailing website at rules.ussailing.org.

In addition to the World Sailing rules, this rulebook contains prescriptions, which are rules adopted by US Sailing for events held in the United States. These prescriptions appear in bold italics. They do not apply when racing at a regatta in another country; in that case, refer to the prescriptions in that country’s rulebook.

Several rules that used to require additional instructions or specific information to be stated in the sailing instructions now indicate that these may be stated in either the notice of race or the sailing instructions. As a result of this change, US Sailing has added an important new prescription to rule 25.1: US Sailing prescribes that the race committee shall ensure that the notice of race and sailing instructions are readily available to competitors throughout the event.

Many of the rule changes in this book are the result of suggestions from competitors and race officials. The US Sailing Racing Rules Committee welcomes your ideas on how to improve the racing rules for the next rulebook. Please email comments and proposals to rules@ussailing.org.

Peter Wilson, Chairman, US Sailing Racing Rules Committee
Jim Capron, David Dellenbaugh, Arthur Engel, Kevin Hawkins, Robert Long, Rob Overton, Dick Rose, and Mary Savage.

World Sailing has established a single internet address at which readers will find links to all the documents available on the World Sailing website that are mentioned in this book. Those documents are listed below. Links to other rules documents will also be provided at that address.
The address is: sailing.org/racingrules/documents

Document	Mentioned in
Guidelines for discretionary penalties	Introduction
Changes made to these rules after 1 January 2021	Introduction
World Sailing Regulations	Introduction
The Case Book	Introduction
The Call Books for various disciplines (TR / MR)	Introduction
World Sailing Regulations with the status of a rule	Definition Rule (b)
Interpretations of Rule 42, Propulsion	Rule 42
World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations	Rule 49.2
Equipment Rules of Sailing	Rule 55
Appendix TS, Traffic Separation Schemes	Rule 56.2
Hearing Request and Hearing Decision Forms	Part 5 Preamble
Rules for other windsurfing competition formats	Appendix B Preamble
Standard Notice of Race for Match Racing	Appendix C Preamble
Standard Sailing Instructions for Match Racing	Appendix C Preamble
Match Racing Rules for Blind Competitors	Appendix C Preamble
Test Rules for Umpired Radio Sailing	Appendix E Preamble
Rules for other kiteboarding competition formats	Appendix F Preamble
Up-to-date table of national sail letters	Appendix G
Notice of Race Guide	Appendix K Notice
Sailing Instructions Guide	Appendix L Notice
Guidance on conflicts of interest	Appendix M2.3
Guidance on misconduct	Appendix M5.8
World Sailing Judges Manual	Appendix T Preamble

US Sailing Note: Links to documents referred to in US Sailing prescriptions and notes can be found at rules.ussailing.org. However, links to documents referred to in Appendix R, Procedures for Appeals and Requests, can be found at appeals.ussailing.org.

The Racing Rules of Sailing includes two main sections. The first, Parts 1-7, contains rules that affect all competitors. The second, the appendices, provides details of rules, rules that apply to particular kinds of racing, and rules that affect only a small number of competitors or officials.

Terminology A term used in the sense stated in the Definitions is printed in italics or, in preambles, in bold italics (for example, racing and racing).
Each of the terms in the table below is used in The Racing Rules of Sailing with the meaning given.

Term	Meaning
Boat	A sailboat and the crew on board.
Competitior	A person who races or intends to race in the event.
National authority	A World Sailing member national authority.
Race committee	The race committee appointed under rule 89.2(c) and any other person or committee performing a race committee function.
Racing rule	A rule in The Racing Rules of Sailing.
Technical committee	The technical committee appointed under rule 89.2(c) and any other person or committee performing a technical committee function.
Vessel	Any boat or ship.

Other words and terms are used in the sense ordinarily understood in nautical or general use.

Hails A language other than English may be used for a hail required by the rules provided that it is reasonable for it to be understood by all boats affected. However, a hail in English is always acceptable.

Notation The notation ‘[DP]’ in a rule means that the penalty for a breach of the rule may, at the discretion of the protest committee, be less than disqualification. Guidelines for discretionary penalties are available on the World Sailing website.

Revision The racing rules are revised and published every four years by World Sailing, the international authority for the sport. This edition becomes effective on 1 January 2021 except that for an event beginning in 2020 the date may be postponed by the notice of race or sailing instructions. Marginal markings indicate important changes to Parts 1-7 and the Definitions in the 2017-2020 edition. No changes are contemplated before 2025, but any changes determined to be urgent before then will be announced through national authorities and posted on the World Sailing website.

Appendices When the rules of an appendix apply, they take precedence over any conflicting rules in Parts 1-7 and the Definitions. Each appendix is identified by a letter. A reference to a rule in an appendix will contain the letter and the rule number (for example, ‘rule A1’). The letters I, O and Q are not used to designate appendices in this book.

World Sailing Regulations The Regulations are referred to in the definition Rule and in rule 6, but they are not included in this book because they can be changed at any time. The most recent versions of the Regulations are published on the World Sailing website; new versions will be announced through national authorities.

Interpretations World Sailing publishes the following authoritative interpretations of the racing rules:

•: The Case Book – Interpretations of the Racing Rules,

•: The Call Books, for various disciplines,

•: Interpretations of Rule 42, Propulsion, and

•: Interpretations of the Regulations, for those Regulations that are rules.

These publications are available on the World Sailing website. Other interpretations of the racing rules are not authoritative unless approved by World Sailing in accordance with Regulation 28.4.

US Sailing Prescriptions US Sailing prescriptions are printed in bold italics, except Appendices R, U and V. Those three appendices are, nevertheless, US Sailing prescriptions. No changes in the prescriptions are contemplated before 2025, but any change determined to be urgent before then will be posted in a document titled “Changes and Corrections to the US Sailing Prescriptions.” Go to rules.ussailing.org to find this document.

A term used as stated below is shown in italic type or, in preambles, in bold italic type. The meaning of several other terms is given in Terminology in the Introduction.

Abandon A race that a race committee or protest committee abandons is void but may be resailed.

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 normal position. The other boat is clear ahead. They overlap when neither is clear astern. However, they also overlap when a boat between them overlaps both. These terms always apply to boats on the same tack. They apply to boats on opposite tacks only when rule 18 applies between them or when both boats are sailing more than ninety degrees from the true wind.

Conflict of Interest A person has a conflict of interest if he

(a): may gain or lose as a result of a decision to which he contributes,

(b): may reasonably appear to have a personal or financial interest which could affect his ability to be impartial, or

(c): has a close personal interest in a decision.

Fetching A boat is fetching a mark when she is in a position to pass to windward of it and leave it on the required side without changing tack.

Finish A boat finishes when, after starting, any part of her hull crosses the finishing line from the course side. However, she has not finished if after crossing the finishing line she

(a): takes a penalty under rule 44.2,

(b): corrects an error in sailing the course made at the line, or

(c): continues to sail the course.

Keep Clear A boat keeps clear of a right-of-way boat

(a): if the right-of-way boat can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action and,

(b): when the boats are overlapped, if the right-of-way boat can also change course in both directions without immediately making contact.

Leeward and Windward A boat’s leeward side is the side that is or, when she is head to wind, was away from the wind. However, when sailing by the lee or directly downwind, her leeward side is the side on which her mainsail lies. The other side is her windward side. When two boats on the same tack overlap, the one on the leeward side of the other is the leeward boat. The other is the windward boat.

Mark An object the sailing instructions require a boat to leave on a specified side, a race committee vessel surrounded by navigable water from which the starting or finishing line extends, and an object intentionally attached to the object or vessel. However, an anchor line is not part of the mark.

Mark-Room Room for a boat to leave a mark on the required side. Also,

(a): room to sail to the mark when her proper course is to sail close to it, and

(b): room to round or pass the mark as necessary to sail the course without touching the mark

However, mark-room for a boat does not include room to tack unless she is overlapped inside and to windward of the boat required to give mark-room and she would be fetching the mark after her tack.

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 object, area or line 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 or, if rule 22 applies, avoid her. A vessel under way, including a boat racing, is never a continuing obstruction.

Overlap See Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap.

Party A party to a hearing is

(a): for a protest hearing: a protestor, a protestee;

(b): for a redress hearing: a boat requesting redress or for which redress is requested; a boat for which a hearing is called to consider redress under rule 60.3(b); a race committee acting under rule 60.2(b); a technical committee acting under rule 60.4(b);

(c): for a redress hearing under rule 62.1(a): the body alleged to have made an improper action or omission;

(d): a person against whom an allegation of a breach of rule 69.1(a) is made; a person presenting an allegation under rule 69.2(e)(1);

(e): a support person subject to a hearing under rule 60.3(d) or 69; any boat that person supports; a person appointed to present an allegation under rule 60.3(d).

However, the protest committee is never a party.

Postpone A postponed race is delayed before its scheduled start but may be started or abandoned later.

Proper Course A course a boat would choose in order to sail the course and 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 her starting signal.

Protest An allegation made under rule 61.2 by a boat, a race committee, a technical committee or a protest committee that a boat has broken a rule.

Racing 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 abandonment.

Room The space a boat needs in the existing conditions, including space to comply with her obligations under the rules of Part 2 and rule 31, while manoeuvring promptly in a seamanlike way.

Rule

(a): The rules in this book, including the Definitions, Race Signals, Introduction, preambles and the rules of relevant appendices, but not titles;

(b): World Sailing Regulations that have been designated by World Sailing as having the status of a rule and are published on the World Sailing website;

(c): the prescriptions of the national authority, unless they are changed by the notice of race or sailing instructions in compliance with the national authority’s prescription, if any, to rule 88.2;

(d): the class rules (for a boat racing under a handicap or rating system, the rules of that system are ‘class rules’);

(e): the notice of race;

(f): the sailing instructions; and

(g): any other documents that govern the event.

Sail the Course

A boat sails the course provided that a string representing her track from the time she begins to approach the starting line from its pre-start side to start until she finishes, when drawn taut,

(a): passes each mark of the course for the race on the required side and in the correct order,

(b): touches each mark designated in the sailing instructions to be a rounding mark, and

(c): passes between the marks of a gate from the direction of the course from the previous mark

Start A boat starts when, her hull having been entirely on the pre-start side of the starting line at or after her starting signal, and having complied with rule 30.1 if it applies, any part of her hull crosses the starting line from the pre-start side to the course side.

Support Person Any person who

provides, or may provide, physical or advisory support to a competitor, including any coach, trainer, manager, team staff, medic, paramedic or any other person working with, treating or assisting a competitor in or preparing for the competition, or
is the parent or guardian of a competitor.

Tack, Starboard or Port A boat is on the tack, starboard or port, corresponding to her windward side.

Windward See Leeward and Windward.

Zone The area around a mark within a distance of three hull lengths of the boat nearer to it. A boat is in the zone when any part of her hull is in the zone.

SPORTSMANSHIP AND THE RULES
Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that when a boat breaks a rule and is not exonerated she will promptly take an appropriate penalty or action, which may be to retire.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
Participants are encouraged to minimize any adverse environmental impact of the sport of sailing.

1: SAFETY

1.1: Helping Those in Danger
A boat, competitor or support person shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger.

1.2: Life-Saving Equipment and Personal Flotation Devices
A boat shall carry adequate life-saving equipment for all persons on board, including one item ready for immediate use, unless her class rules make some other provision. Each competitor is individually responsible for wearing a personal flotation device adequate for the conditions.

2: FAIR SAILING
A boat and her owner shall compete in compliance with recognized principles of sportsmanship and fair play. A boat may be penalized under this rule only if it is clearly established that these principles have been violated. The penalty shall be a disqualification that is not excludable.

3: DECISION TO RACE
The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.

4: ACCEPTANCE OF THE RULES

4.1

(a): By participating or intending to participate in an event conducted under the rules, each competitor and boat owner agrees to accept the rules.

(b): A support person by providing support, or a parent or guardian by permitting their child to enter an event, agrees to accept the rules.

4.2: Each competitor and boat owner agrees, on behalf of their support persons, that such support persons are bound by the rules.

4.3

Acceptance of the rules includes agreement.

(a): to be governed by the rules;

(b): to accept the penalties imposed and other action taken under the rules, subject to the appeal and review procedures provided in them, as the final determination of any matter arising under the rules;

(c): with respect to any such determination, not to resort to any court of law or tribunal not provided for in the rules; and

(d): by each competitor and boat owner to ensure that their support persons are aware of the rules.

4.4: The person in charge of each boat shall ensure that all competitors in the crew and the boat’s owner are aware of their responsibilities under this rule.

4.5: This rule may be changed by a prescription of the national authority of the venue.

5: RULES GOVERNING ORGANIZING AUTHORITIES AND OFFICIALS
The organizing authority, race committee, technical committee, protest committee and other race officials shall be governed by the rules in the conduct and judging of the event.

6: WORLD SAILING REGULATIONS

6.1

Each competitor, boat owner and support person shall comply with the World Sailing Regulations that have been designated by World Sailing as having the status of a rule. These regulations as of 30 June 2020 are the World Sailing:

•: Advertising Code

•: Anti-Doping Code

•: Betting and Anti-Corruption Code

•: Disciplinary Code

•: Eligibility Code

•: Sailor Categorization Code

6.2: Rule 63.1 does not apply unless protests are permitted in the Regulation alleged to have been broken.

The rules of Part 2 apply between boats that are sailing in or near the racing area and intend to race, are racing, or have been racing. However, a boat not racing shall not be penalized for breaking one of these rules, except rule 14 when the incident resulted in injury or serious damage, or rule 23.1.

When a boat sailing under these rules meets a vessel that is not, she shall comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCAS) or government right-of-way rules. If the notice of race so states, the rules of Part 2 are replaced by the right-of-way rules of the IRPCAS or by government right-of-way rules.

SECTION A
RIGHT OF WAY

A boat has right of way over another boat when the other boat is required to keep clear of her. However, some rules in Sections B, C and D limit the actions of a right-of-way boat.

10: ON OPPOSITE TACKS
When boats are on opposite tacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.

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.

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.

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 that time rules 10, 11 and 12 do not apply. If two boats are subject to this rule at the same time, the one on the other’s port side or the one astern shall keep clear.

SECTION B
GENERAL LIMITATIONS

14: AVOIDING CONTACT
A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible. However, a right-of-way boat, or one sailing within the room or mark-room to which she is entitled, need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not keeping clear or giving room or mark-room.

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

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

16.2: In addition, on a beat to windward when a port-tack boat is keeping clear by sailing to pass to leeward of a starboard-tack boat, the starboard-tack boat shall not bear away if as a result the port-tack boat must change course immediately to continue keeping clear.

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 while they remain on the same tack and overlapped within that distance, unless in doing so she promptly sails astern of the other boat. This rule does not apply if the overlap begins while the windward boat is required by rule 13 to keep clear.

SECTION C
AT MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS

Section C rules do not apply at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water or at its anchor line from the time boats are approaching them to start until they have passed them.

18: MARK-ROOM

18.1

When Rule 18 Applies
Rule 18 applies between boats when they are required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is in the zone. However, it does not apply

(a): between boats on opposite tacks on a beat to windward,

(b): between boats on opposite tacks when the proper course at the mark for one but not both of them is to tack,

(c): between a boat approaching a mark and one leaving it, or

(d): if the mark is a continuing obstruction, in which case rule 19 applies.; Rule 18 no longer applies between boats when mark-room has been given.

18.2

Giving Mark-Room

(a): When boats are overlapped the outside boat shall give the inside boat mark-room, unless rule 18.2(b) applies.

(b): If boats are overlapped when the first of them reaches the zone, the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside boat mark-room. If a boat is clear ahead when she reaches the zone, the boat clear astern at that moment shall thereafter give her mark-room.

(c)

When a boat is required to give mark-room by rule 18.2(b) ,

(1): she shall continue to do so even if later an overlap is broken or a new overlap begins;

(2): if she becomes overlapped inside the boat entitled to mark-room, she shall also give that boat room to sail her proper course while they remain overlapped.

(d): Rules 18.2(b) and (c) cease to apply if the boat entitled to mark-room passes head to wind or leaves the zone.

(e): If there is reasonable doubt that a boat obtained or broke an overlap in time, it shall be presumed that she did not.

(f): If a boat obtained an inside overlap from clear astern or by tacking to windward of the other boat and, from the time the overlap began, the outside boat has been unable to give mark-room, she is not required to give it.

18.3: Passing Head to Wind in the Zone
If a boat in the zone of a mark to be left to port passes head to wind from port to starboard tack and is then fetching the mark, she shall not cause a boat that has been on starboard tack since entering the zone to sail above close-hauled to avoid contact and she shall give mark-room if that boat becomes overlapped inside her. When this rule applies between boats, rule 18.2 does not apply between them.

18.4: Gybing
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 farther from the mark than needed to sail that course. Rule 18.4 does not apply at a gate mark.

19: ROOM TO PASS AN OBSTRUCTION

19.1

When Rule 19 Applies
Rule 19 applies between two boats at an obstruction except

(a): when the obstruction is a mark the boats are required to leave on the same side, or

(b): when rule 18 applies between the boats and the obstruction is another boat overlapped with each of them.

However, at a continuing obstruction, rule 19 always applies and rule 18 does not.

19.2

Giving Room at an Obstruction

(a): A right-of-way boat may choose to pass an obstruction on either side.

(b): When boats are overlapped, the outside boat shall give the inside boat room between her and the obstruction, unless she has been unable to do so from the time the overlap began.

(c)

While boats are passing a continuing obstruction, if a boat that was clear astern and required to keep clear becomes overlapped between the other boat and the obstruction and, at the moment the overlap begins, there is not room for her to pass between them,

(1): she is not entitled to room under rule 19.2(b), and

(2): while the boats remain overlapped, she shall keep clear and rules 10 and 11 do not apply.

20: ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION

20.1

Hailing
A boat may hail for room to tack and avoid a boat on the same tack. However, she shall not hail unless

(a): she is approaching an obstruction and will soon need to make a substantial course change to avoid it safely, and

(b): she is sailing close-hauled or above.

In addition, she shall not hail if the obstruction is a mark and a boat that is fetching it would be required to change course as a result of the hail.

20.2

Responding

(a): After a boat hails, she shall give a hailed boat time to respond.

(b): A hailed boat shall respond even if the hail breaks rule 20.1.

(c): A hailed boat shall respond either by tacking as soon as possible, or by immediately replying ‘You tack’ and then giving the hailing boat room to tack and avoid her.

(d): When a hailed boat responds, the hailing boat shall tack as soon as possible.

(e): From the time a boat hails until she has tacked and avoided a hailed boat, rule 18.2 does not apply between them.

20.3: Passing On a Hail to an Additional Boat
When a boat has been hailed for room to tack and she intends to respond by tacking, she may hail another boat on the same tack for room to tack and avoid her. She may hail even if her hail does not meet the conditions of rule 20.1. Rule 20.2 applies between her and a boat she hails.

20.4

Additional Requirements for Hails

(a): When conditions are such that a hail may not be heard, the boat shall also make a signal that clearly indicates her need for room to tack or her response.

(b): The notice of race may specify an alternative communication for a boat to indicate her need for room to tack or her response, and require boats to use it.

SECTION D
OTHER RULES

When rule 21 or 22 applies between two boats, Section A rules do not.

21: STARTING ERRORS; TAKING PENALTIES; BACKING A SAIL

21.1: A boat sailing towards the pre-start side of the starting line or one of its extensions after her starting signal to start or to comply with rule 30.1 shall keep clear of a boat not doing so until her hull is completely on the pre-start side.

21.2: A boat taking a penalty shall keep clear of one that is not.

21.3: A boat moving astern, or sideways to windward, through the water by backing a sail shall keep clear of one that is not.

22: CAPSIZED, ANCHORED OR AGROUND; RESCUING
If possible, a boat shall avoid a boat that is capsized or has not regained control after capsizing, is anchored or aground, or is trying to help a person or vessel in danger. A boat is capsized when her masthead is in the water.

23: INTERFERING WITH ANOTHER BOAT

23.1: If reasonably possible, a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat that is racing.

23.2: If reasonably possible, a boat shall not interfere with a boat that is taking a penalty, sailing on another leg or subject to rule 21.1. However, after the starting signal this rule does not apply when the boat is sailing her proper course.

25: NOTICE OF RACE, SAILING INSTRUCTIONS AND SIGNALS

25.1: The notice of race shall be made available to each boat that enters an event before she enters. The sailing instructions shall be made available to each boat before a race begins.
US Sailing prescribes that the race committee shall ensure that the notice of race and sailing instructions are readily available to competitors throughout the event.

25.2: The meanings of the visual and sound signals stated in Race Signals shall not be changed except under rule 86.1(b). The meanings of any other signals that may be used shall be stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions.

25.3: When the race committee is required to display a flag as a visual signal, it may use a flag or other object of a similar appearance.

26

STARTING RACES
Races shall be started by using the following signals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded.

Minutes before starting signal	Visual signal	Sound signal	Means
5*	Class flag	One	Warning signal
4	P, I, Z, Z with I, U, or black flag	One	Preparatory signal
1	Preparatory flag removed	One long	One minute
0	Class flag removed	One	Starting signal

*or as stated in the notice of race or sailing instruction
The warning signal for each succeeding class shall be made with or after the starting signal of the preceding class.

27: OTHER RACE COMMITTEE ACTIONS BEFORE THE STARTING SIGNAL

27.1: No later than the warning signal, the race committee shall signal or otherwise designate the course to be sailed if the sailing instructions have not stated the course, and it may replace one course signal with another and signal that wearing personal flotation devices is required (display flag Y with one sound).

27.2: No later than the preparatory signal, the race committee may move a starting mark.

27.3: Before the starting signal, the race committee may for any reason postpone (display flag AP, AP over H, or AP over A, with two sounds) or abandon the race (display flag N over H, or N over A, with three sounds).

28: SAILING THE RACE

28.1: A boat shall start, sail the course and then finish. While doing so, she may leave on either side a mark that does not begin, bound or end the leg she is sailing. After finishing she need not cross the finishing line completely.

28.2: A boat may correct any errors in sailing the course, provided she has not crossed the finishing line to finish.

29: RECALLS

29.1: Individual Recall
When at a boat’s starting signal any part of her hull is on the course side of the starting line or she must comply with rule 30.1, the race committee shall promptly display flag X with one sound. The flag shall be displayed until the hull of each such boat has been completely on the pre-start side of the starting line or one of its extensions, and until all such boats have complied with rule 30.1 if it applies, but no later than four minutes after the starting signal or one minute before any later starting signal, whichever is earlier. If rule 29.2, 30.3 or 30.4 applies this rule does not.

29.2: General Recall
When at the starting signal the race committee is unable to identify boats that are on the course side of the starting line or to which rule 30 applies, or there has been an error in the starting procedure, the race committee may signal a general recall (display the First Substitute with two sounds). The warning signal for a new start for the recalled class shall be made one minute after the First Substitute is removed (one sound), and the starts for any succeeding classes shall follow the new start.

30: STARTING PENALTIES

30.1: I Flag Rule
If flag I has been displayed, and any part of a boat’s hull is on the course side of the starting line or one of its extensions during the last minute before her starting signal, she shall sail across an extension so that her hull is completely on the pre-start side before she starts.

30.2: Z Flag Rule
If flag Z has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall receive, without a hearing, a 20% Scoring Penalty calculated as stated in rule 44.3(c). She shall be penalized even if the race is restarted or resailed, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal. If she is similarly identified during a subsequent attempt to start the same race, she shall receive an additional 20% Scoring Penalty.

30.3: U Flag Rule
If flag U has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, but not if the race is restarted or resailed.

30.4: Black Flag Rule
If a black flag has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, even if the race is restarted or resailed, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal. If a general recall is signalled or the race is abandoned after the starting signal, the race committee shall display her sail number before the next warning signal for that race, and if the race is restarted or resailed she shall not sail in it. If she does so, her disqualification shall not be excluded in calculating her series score.

31: TOUCHING A MARK
While racing, a boat shall not touch a starting mark before starting, a mark that begins, bounds or ends the leg of the course on which she is sailing, or a finishing mark after finishing.

32: SHORTENING OR ABANDONING AFTER THE START

32.1

After the starting signal, the race committee may shorten the course (display flag S with two sounds) or abandon the race (display flag N, N over H, or N over A, with three sounds),

(a): because of foul weather,

(b): because of insufficient wind making it unlikely that any boat will finish within the race time limit,

(c): because a mark is missing or out of position, or

(d): for any other reason directly affecting the safety or fairness of the competition.

In addition, the race committee may shorten the course so that other scheduled races can be sailed, or abandon the race because of an error in the starting procedure. However, after one boat has started, sailed the course and finished within the race time limit, if any, the race committee shall not abandon the race without considering the consequences for all boats in the race or series.

32.2

If the race committee signals a shortened course (displays flag S with two sounds), the finishing line shall be,

(a): at a rounding mark, between the mark and a staff displaying flag S;

(b): a line the course requires boats to cross; or

(c): at a gate, between the gate marks.

The shortened course shall be signalled before the first boat crosses the finishing line.
US Sailing prescribes that, if the sailing instructions so state, the race committee may display flag A (with no sound) while boats are finishing to signal that there will be no more races that day.

33

CHANGING THE NEXT LEG OF THE COURSE
While boats are racing, the race committee may change a leg of the course that begins at a rounding mark or at a gate by changing the position of the next mark (or the finishing line) and signalling all boats before they begin the leg. The next mark need not be in position at that time.

(a)

If the direction of the leg will be changed, the signal shall be the display of flag C with repetitive sounds and one or both of

(1): the new compass bearing,

(2): a green triangle for a change to starboard or a red rectangle for a change to port.

(b): If the length of the leg will be changed, the signal shall be the display of flag C with repetitive sounds and a ‘–’ if the length will be decreased or a ‘+’ if it will be increased.

(c): Subsequent legs may be changed without further signalling to maintain the course shape.

34

MARK MISSING; RACE COMMITTEE ABSENT
If a mark is missing or out of position while boats are racing, the race committee shall, if possible,

(a): replace it in its correct position or substitute a new one of similar appearance, or

(b): substitute an object displaying flag M and make repetitive sound signals

US Sailing prescribes that, if a finishing mark is missing but another one remains in place, the finishing line is a line through the remaining mark at a 90° angle to the last leg and of the shortest practicable length. If the race committee is absent when a boat finishes, she should at the first reasonable opportunity report to the race committee her finishing time and her position in relation to nearby boats.

35: RACE TIME LIMIT AND SCORES
If one boat starts, sails the course and finishes within the time limit for that race, if any, all boats that finish shall be scored according to their finishing places unless the race is abandoned. If no boat finishes within the race time limit, the race committee shall abandon the race.

36

RACES RESTARTED OR RESAILED
If a race is restarted or resailed, a breach of a rule in the original race, or in any previous restart or resail of that race, shall not

(a): prohibit a boat from competing unless she has broken rule 30.4; or

(b): cause a boat to be penalized except under rule 2, 30.2, 30.4 or 69 or under rule 14 when she has caused injury or serious damage.

37: SEARCH AND RESCUE INSTRUCTIONS
When the race committee displays flag V with one sound, all boats and official and support vessels shall, if possible, monitor the race committee communication channel for search and rescue instructions.

Part 4 rules apply only to boats racing unless the rule states otherwise.

SECTION A
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

40: PERSONAL FLOATION DEVICE

40.1: Basic RuleWhen rule 40.1 is made applicable by rule 40.2, each competitor shall wear a personal flotation device except briefly while changing or adjusting clothing or personal equipment. Wet suits and dry suits are not personal flotation devices.

40.2

When Rule 40.1 Applies
Rule 40.1 applies

(a): if flag Y was displayed afloat with one sound before or with the warning signal, while racing in that race; or

(b): if flag Y was displayed ashore with one sound, at all times while afloat that day.

However, rule 40.1 applies when so stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions.

41

OUTSIDE HELP
A boat shall not receive help from any outside source, except

(a): help for a crew member who is ill, injured or in danger;

(b): after a collision, help from the crew of the other vessel to get clear;

(c): help in the form of information freely available to all boats;

(d): unsolicited information from a disinterested source, which may be another boat in the same race.

42: PROPULSION

42.1: Basic Rule
Except when permitted in rule 42.3 or 45, a boat shall compete by using only the wind and water to increase, maintain or decrease her speed. Her crew may adjust the trim of sails and hull, and perform other acts of seamanship, but shall not otherwise move their bodies to propel the boat.

42.2

Prohibited Actions
Without limiting the application of rule 42.1, these actions are prohibited:

(a): pumping: repeated fanning of any sail either by pulling in and releasing the sail or by vertical or athwartship body movement;

(b)

rocking: repeated rolling of the boat, induced by

(1): body movement,

(2): repeated adjustment of the sails or centreboard, or

(3): steering;

(c): ooching: sudden forward body movement, stopped abruptly;

(d): sculling: repeated movement of the helm that is either forceful or that propels the boat forward or prevents her from moving astern;

(e): repeated tacks or gybes unrelated to changes in the wind or to tactical considerations.

42.3

Exceptions

(a): A boat may be rolled to facilitate steering.

(b): A boat’s crew may move their bodies to exaggerate the rolling that facilitates steering the boat through a tack or a gybe, provided that, just after the tack or gybe is completed, the boat’s speed is not greater than it would have been in the absence of the tack or gybe.

(c)

When surfing (rapidly accelerating down the front of a wave), planing or foiling is possible

(1): to initiate surfing or planing, each sail may be pulled in only once for each wave or gust of wind, or

(2): to initiate foiling, each sail may be pulled in any number of times.

(d): When a boat is above a close-hauled course and either stationary or moving slowly, she may scull to turn to a close-hauled course.

(e): If a batten is inverted, the boat’s crew may pump the sail until the batten is no longer inverted. This action is not permitted if it clearly propels the boat.

(f): A boat may reduce speed by repeatedly moving her helm.

(g): Any means of propulsion may be used to help a person or another vessel in danger.

(h): To get clear after grounding or colliding with a vessel or object, a boat may use force applied by her crew or the crew of the other vessel and any equipment other than a propulsion engine. However, the use of an engine may be permitted by rule 42.3(i).

(i): Sailing instructions may, in stated circumstances, permit propulsion using an engine or any other method, provided the boat does not gain a significant advantage in the race.

Note: Interpretations of rule 42 are available at the World Sailing website or by mail upon request.

43: EXONERATION

43.1

(a): When as a consequence of breaking a rule a boat has compelled another boat to break a rule, the other boat is exonerated for her breach.

(b): When a boat is sailing within the room or mark-room to which she is entitled and, as a consequence of an incident with a boat required to give her that room or mark-room, she breaks a rule of Section A of Part 2, rule 15, 16, or 31, she is exonerated for her breach.

(c): A right-of-way boat, or one sailing within the room or mark-room to which she is entitled, is exonerated for breaking rule 14 if the contact does not cause damage or injury.

43.2: A boat exonerated for breaking a rule need not take a penalty and shall not be penalized for breaking that rule.

44: PENALTIES AT THE TIME OF AN INCIDENT

44.1

Taking a Penalty
A boat may take a Two-Turns Penalty when she may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 in an incident while racing. She may take a One-Turn Penalty when she may have broken rule 31. Alternatively, the notice of race or sailing instructions may specify the use of the Scoring Penalty or some other penalty, in which case the specified penalty shall replace the One-Turn and the Two-Turns Penalty. However,

(a): when a boat may have broken a rule of Part 2 and rule 31 in the same incident she need not take the penalty for breaking rule 31;

(b): if the boat caused injury or serious damage or, despite taking a penalty, gained a significant advantage in the race or series by her breach her penalty shall be to retire.

44.2: One-Turn and Two-Turns Penalties
After getting well clear of other boats as soon after the incident as possible, a boat takes a One-Turn or Two-Turns Penalty by promptly making the required number of turns in the same direction, each turn including one tack and one gybe. When a boat takes the penalty at or near the finishing line, her hull shall be completely on the course side of the line before she finishes.

44.3

Scoring Penalty

(a): A boat takes a Scoring Penalty by displaying a yellow flag at the first reasonable opportunity after the incident.

(b): When a boat has taken a Scoring Penalty, she shall keep the yellow flag displayed until finishing and call the race committee’s attention to it at the finishing line. At that time she shall also inform the race committee of the identity of the other boat involved in the incident. If this is impracticable, she shall do so at the first reasonable opportunity and within the protest time limit.

(c): The race score for a boat that takes a Scoring Penalty shall be the score she would have received without that penalty, made worse by the number of places stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions. When the number of places is not stated, the penalty shall be 20% of the score for Did Not Finish, rounded to the nearest whole number (0.5 rounded upward). The scores of other boats shall not be changed; therefore, two boats may receive the same score. However, the penalty shall not cause the boat’s score to be worse than the score for Did Not Finish.

45: HAULING OUT; MAKING FAST; ANCHORING
A boat shall be afloat and off moorings at her preparatory signal. Thereafter, she shall not be hauled out or made fast except to bail out, reef sails or make repairs. She may anchor or the crew may stand on the bottom. She shall recover the anchor before continuing in the race unless she is unable to do so.

46: PERSON IN CHARGE
A boat shall have on board a person in charge designated by the member or organization that entered the boat. See rule 75.

47: TRASH DISPOSAL
Competitors and support persons shall not intentionally put trash in the water. This rule applies at all times while afloat. The penalty for a breach of this rule may be less than disqualification.

SECTION B
EQUIPMENT-RELATED REQUIREMENTS

48: LIMITATIONS ON EQUIPMENT AND CREW

48.1: A boat shall use only the equipment on board at her preparatory signal.

48.2: No person on board shall intentionally leave, except when ill or injured, or to help a person or vessel in danger, or to swim. A person leaving the boat by accident or to swim shall be back in contact with the boat before the crew resumes sailing the boat to the next mark.

49: CREW POSITION; LIFELINES

49.1: Competitors shall use no device designed to position their bodies outboard, other than hiking straps and stiffeners worn under the thighs.

49.2: When lifelines are required by the class rules or any other rule, competitors shall not position any part of their torsos outside them, except briefly to perform a necessary task. On boats equipped with upper and lower lifelines, a competitor sitting facing outboard with his waist inside the lower lifeline may have the upper part of his body outside the upper lifeline. Unless a class rule or any other rule specifies a maximum deflection, lifelines shall be taut. If the class rules do not specify the material or minimum diameter of lifelines, they shall comply with the corresponding specifications in the World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations.
Note: Those regulations are available at the World Sailing website.

50: COMPETITOR CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

50.1

(a): Competitors shall not wear or carry clothing or equipment for the purpose of increasing their weight.

(b): Furthermore, a competitor’s clothing and equipment shall not weigh more than 8 kilograms, excluding a hiking or trapeze harness and clothing (including footwear) worn only below the knee. Class rules or the notice of race may specify a lower weight or a higher weight up to 10 kilograms. Class rules may include footwear and other clothing worn below the knee within that weight. A hiking or trapeze harness shall have positive buoyancy and shall not weigh more than 2 kilograms, except that class rules may specify a higher weight up to 4 kilograms. Weights shall be determined as required by Appendix H.

(c): A trapeze harness worn by a competitor which may be used to support the competitor on a trapeze shall be of the quick release variety complying with ISO 10862 which allows the competitor to detach from the hook or other method of attachment at any time. A class rule may change this rule to permit trapeze harnesses that are not of the quick release variety, but a class rule may not change the requirement that a quick release harness comply with ISO 10862.
Note: Rule 50.1(c) does not take effect until 1 January 2023.

50.2: Rules 50.1(b) and 50.1(c) do not apply to boats required to be equipped with lifelines.

51: MOVABLE BALLAST
All movable ballast, including sails that are not set, shall be properly stowed. Water, dead weight or ballast shall not be moved for the purpose of changing trim or stability. Floorboards, bulkheads, doors, stairs and water tanks shall be left in place and all cabin fixtures kept on board. However, bilge water may be bailed out.

52: MANUAL POWER
A boat’s standing rigging, running rigging, spars and movable hull appendages shall be adjusted and operated only by the power provided by the crew.

53: SKIN FRICTION
A boat shall not eject or release a substance, such as a polymer, or have specially textured surfaces that could improve the character of the flow of water inside the boundary layer.

54: FORESTAYS AND HEADSAIL TACKS
Forestays and headsail tacks, except those of spinnaker staysails when the boat is not close-hauled, shall be attached approximately on a boat’s centreline.

55: SETTING AND SHEETING SAILS

55.1: Changing Sails
When headsails or spinnakers are being changed, a replacing sail may be fully set and trimmed before the replaced sail is lowered. However, only one mainsail and, except when changing, only one spinnaker shall be carried set at a time.

55.2: Spinnaker Poles; Whisker Poles
Only one spinnaker pole or whisker pole shall be used at a time except when gybing. When in use, it shall be attached to the foremost mast.

55.3

Sheeting SailsNo sail shall be sheeted over or through any device that exerts outward pressure on a sheet or clew of a sail at a point from which, with the boat upright, a vertical line would fall outside the hull or deck, except:

(a): a headsail clew may be connected (as defined in The Equipment Rules of Sailing) to a whisker pole, provided that a spinnaker is not set;

(b): any sail may be sheeted to or led above a boom that is regularly used for a sail and is permanently attached to the mast from which the head of the sail is set;

(c): a headsail may be sheeted to its own boom that requires no adjustment when tacking; and

(d): the boom of a sail may be sheeted to a bumkin.

55.4: Headsails and SpinnakersFor the purposes of rules 54 and 55 and Appendix G, the definitions of ‘headsail’ and ‘spinnaker’ in The Equipment Rules of Sailing shall be used.
Note: The Equipment Rules of Sailing are available at the World Sailing website.

56: FOG SIGNALS AND LIGHTS; TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEMES

56.1: When so equipped, a boat shall sound fog signals and show lights as required by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCAS) or applicable government rules.

56.2: A boat shall comply with rule 10, Traffic Separation Schemes, of the IRPCAS.
Note: Appendix TS, Traffic Separation Schemes, is available at the World Sailing website. The notice of race may change rule 56.2 by stating that Section A, Section B or Section C of Appendix TS applies.

The protest form that was included in previous editions of this book has been replaced by two forms, a hearing request form and a hearing decision form. The new forms, in various formats, are available at the World Sailing website at sailing.org/racingrules/documents. They may be downloaded and printed.

Note that The Racing Rules of Sailing does not require a particular form to be used.

Suggestions for improving these forms are welcome and should be sent to rules@sailing.org.

SECTION A
PROTESTS; REDRESS; RULE 69 ACTION

60: RIGHT TO PROTEST; RIGHT TO REQUEST REDRESS OR RULE 69 ACTION

60.1

A boat may

(a): protest another boat, but not for an alleged breach of a rule of Part 2 or rule 31 unless she was involved in or saw the incident;

(b): request redress; or

(c): report to the protest committee requesting action under rule 60.3(d) or 69.2(b)

60.2

A race committee may

(a): protest a boat, but not as a result of information arising from a request for redress or an invalid protest, or from a report from a person with a conflict of interest other than the representative of the boat herself;

(b): request redress for a boat; or

(c): report to the protest committee requesting action under rule 60.3(d) or 69.2(b).

60.3

A protest committee may

(a)

protest a boat, but not as a result of information arising from a request for redress or an invalid protest, or from a report from a person with a conflict of interest other than the representative of the boat herself. However, it may protest a boat

(1): if it learns of an incident involving her that may have resulted in injury or serious damage, or

(2): if during the hearing of a valid protest it learns that the boat, although not a party to the hearing, was involved in the incident and may have broken a rule;

(b): call a hearing to consider redress;

(c): act under rule 69.2(b); or

(d): call a hearing to consider whether a support person has broken a rule, based on its own observation or information received from any source, including evidence taken during a hearing.

US Sailing prescribes that rule 60.3(b) is changed to:

(b): request redress for a boat or call a hearing to consider redress;

60.4

A technical committee may

(a): protest a boat, but not as a result of information arising from a request for redress or an invalid protest, or from a report from a person with a conflict of interest other than the representative of the boat herself. However, it shall protest a boat if it decides that a boat or personal equipment does not comply with the class rules or with rule 50;

(b): request redress for a boat; or

(c): report to the protest committee requesting action under rule 60.3(d) or 69.2(b)

60.5: However, neither a boat nor a committee may protest for an alleged breach of rule 69 or a Regulation referred to in rule 6, unless permitted by the Regulation concerned.

61: PROTEST REQUIREMENTS

61.1

Informing the Protesee

(a)

The protesting boat shall inform the other boat at the first reasonable opportunity. When her protest will concern an incident in the racing area, she shall hail ‘Protest’ and conspicuously display a red flag at the first reasonable opportunity for each. She shall display the flag until she is no longer racing. However,

(1): if the other boat is beyond hailing distance, the protesting boat need not hail but she shall inform the other boat at the first reasonable opportunity;

(2): if the hull length of the protesting boat is less than 6 metres, she need not display a red flag;

(3): if the incident was an error by the other boat in sailing the course, she need not hail or display a red flag but she shall inform the other boat either before or at the first reasonable opportunity after the other boat finishes;

(4): if at the time of the incident it is obvious to the protesting boat that a member of either crew is in danger, or that injury or serious damage resulted, the requirements of this rule do not apply to her, but she shall attempt to inform the other boat within the time limit of rule 61.3.

(b): If the race committee, technical committee or protest committee intends to protest a boat concerning an incident the committee observed in the racing area, it shall inform her after the race within the time limit of rule 61.3. In other cases the committee shall inform the boat of its intention to protest as soon as reasonably possible. A notice posted on the official notice board within the appropriate time limit satisfies this requirement.

(c): If the protest committee decides to protest a boat under rule 60.3(a)(2), it shall inform her as soon as reasonably possible, close the current hearing, proceed as required by rules 61.2 and 63, and hear the original and the new protests together.

61.2

Protest Contents
A protest shall be in writing and identify

(a): the protestor and protestee;

(b): the incident;

(c): where and when the incident occurred;

(d): any rule the protestor believes was broken; and

(e): the name of the protestor’s representative.

However, if requirement (b) is met, requirement (a) may be met at any time before the hearing, and requirements (d) and (e) may be met before or during the hearing. Requirement (c) may also be met before or during the hearing, provided the protestee is allowed reasonable time to prepare for the hearing.

61.3: Protest Time Limit
A protest by a boat, or by the race committee, technical committee or protest committee about an incident observed in the racing area, shall be delivered to the race office within the protest time limit stated in the sailing instructions. If none is stated, the time limit is two hours after the last boat in the race finishes. Other protests shall be delivered to the race office no later than two hours after the protestor receives the relevant information. The protest committee shall extend the time if there is good reason to do so.

61.4: Fees for Protests and Requests for Redress
US Sailing prescribes that no fees shall be charged for protests or requests for redress.

62: REDRESS

62.1

A request for redress or a protest committee’s decision to consider redress shall be based on a claim or possibility that a boat’s score or place in a race or series has been or may be, through no fault of her own, made significantly worse by

(a): an improper action or omission of the race committee, protest committee, organizing authority or technical committee for the event, but not by a protest committee decision when the boat was a party to the hearing;

(b): injury or physical damage because of the action of a boat that was breaking a rule of Part 2 and took an appropriate penalty or was penalized, or of a vessel not racing that was required to keep clear or is determined to be at fault under the IRPCAS or a government right-of-way rule;

(c): giving help (except to herself or her crew) in compliance with rule 1.1; or

(d): an action of another boat, or a crew member or support person of that boat, that resulted in a penalty under rule 2 or a penalty or warning under rule 69.

62.2

A request shall be in writing and identify the reason for making it. If the request is based on an incident in the racing area, it shall be delivered to the race office within the protest time limit or two hours after the incident, whichever is later. Other requests shall be delivered as soon as reasonably possible after learning of the reasons for making the request. The protest committee shall extend the time if there is good reason to do so. No red flag is required.

(a): However, on the last scheduled day of racing a request for redress based on a protest committee decision shall be delivered no later than 30 minutes after the decision was posted.

SECTION B
HEARINGS AND DECISIONS

63: HEARINGS

63.1

Requirement for a Hearing
A boat or competitor shall not be penalized without a protest hearing, except as provided in rules 30.2, 30.3, 30.4, 64.4(d), 64.5(b), 64.6, 69, 78.2, A5.1 and P2. A decision on redress shall not be made without a hearing. The protest committee shall hear all protests and requests for redress that have been delivered to the race office unless it allows a protest or request to be withdrawn.
US Sailing prescribes that:

(a): No person who brings an incident to the attention of the protest committee or who will give evidence regarding an incident shall, when practicable, be a member of the protest committee for a hearing involving that incident.

(b): A request for redress based on a protest committee decision shall, when practicable, be heard by a committee that contains no members of the committee that made the original decision.

63.2

Time and Place of the Hearing; Time for Parties to Prepare
All parties to the hearing shall be notified of the time and place of the hearing, the protest or redress information or the allegations shall be made available to them, and they shall be allowed reasonable time to prepare for the hearing. When two or more hearings arise from the same incident, or from very closely connected incidents, they may be heard together in one hearing. However, a hearing conducted under rule 69 shall not be combined with any other type of hearing.
US Sailing prescribes that when redress has been requested or is to be considered for one or more boats:

(a): Any other boat may participate in the hearing.

(b): The protest committee shall make a reasonable attempt to notify all boats of the time and place of the hearing and the reason for the request or for considering redress, and boats shall be allowed reasonable time to prepare for the hearing.

(c)

The protest committee shall request redress for boats

(1): that participate in the hearing, or

(2): that request in writing to do so before the hearing begins, mmaking them parties to the hearing. It need not state a reason for such a request; this changes rule 62.2.

63.3

Right to Be Present

(a): A representative of each party to the hearing has the right to be present throughout the hearing of all the evidence. When a protest claims a breach of a rule of Part 2, 3 or 4, the representatives of boats shall have been on board at the time of the incident, unless there is good reason for the protest committee to rule otherwise. Any witness, other than a member of the protest committee, shall be excluded except when giving evidence.

(b): If a party to a hearing does not come to the hearing, the protest committee may nevertheless proceed with the hearing. If the party was unavoidably absent, the committee may reopen the hearing.

63.4

Conflict of Interest

(a): A protest committee member shall declare any possible conflict of interest as soon as he is aware of it. A party to the hearing who believes a member of the protest committee has a conflict of interest shall object as soon as possible. A conflict of interest declared by a protest committee member shall be included in the written information provided under rule 65.2.

(b)

A member of a protest committee with a conflict of interest shall not be a member of the committee for the hearing, unless

(1): all parties consent, or

(2): the protest committee decides that the conflict of interest is not significant.

(c): When deciding whether a conflict of interest is significant, the protest committee shall consider the views of the parties, the level of the conflict, the level of the event, the importance to each party, and the overall perception of fairness.

(d): However, for World Sailing major events, or for other events as prescribed by the national authority of the venue, rule 63.4(b) does not apply and a person who has a conflict of interest shall not be a member of the protest committee.

63.5: Validity of the Protest or Request for Redress
At the beginning of the hearing the protest committee shall take any evidence it considers necessary to decide whether all requirements for the protest or request for redress have been met. If they have been met, the protest or request is valid and the hearing shall be continued. If not, the committee shall declare the protest or request invalid and close the hearing. If the protest has been made under rule 60.3(a)(1), the committee shall also determine whether or not injury or serious damage resulted from the incident in question. If not, the hearing shall be closed.

63.6

Taking Evidence and Finding Facts

(a): The protest committee shall take the evidence, including hearsay evidence, of the parties present at the hearing and of their witnesses and other evidence it considers necessary. However, the committee may exclude evidence which it considers to be irrelevant or unduly repetitive.

(b): A member of the protest committee who saw the incident shall, while the parties are present, state that fact and may give evidence.

(c): A party present at the hearing may question any person who gives evidence.

(d): The committee shall then give the weight it considers appropriate to the evidence presented, find the facts and base its decision on them.

63.7: Conflict Between Rules
If there is a conflict between two or more rules that must be resolved before the protest committee makes a decision, the committee shall apply the rule that it believes will provide the fairest result for all boats affected. Rule 63.7 applies only if the conflict is between rules in the notice of race, the sailing instructions, or any of the other documents that govern the event under item (g) of the definition Rule.

63.8: Hearings Involving Parties in Different Events
A hearing involving parties in different events conducted by different organizing authorities shall be heard by a protest committee acceptable to those authorities.

63.9: Hearings under Rule 60.3(d) — Support PersonsIf the protest committee decides to call a hearing under rule 60.3(d), it shall promptly follow the procedures in rules 63.2, 63.3, 63.4 and 63.6, except that the information given to the parties shall be details of the alleged breach and a person may be appointed by the protest committee to present the allegation.

64: DECISIONS

64.1

Standard of Proof, Majority Decisions and Reclassifying Requests

(a): A protest committee shall make its decision based on a balance of probabilities, unless provided for otherwise in the rule alleged to have been broken.

(b): Decisions of the protest committee shall be by simple majority vote of all members. When there is equal division of votes cast, the chairman may cast an additional vote.

(c): The protest committee shall proceed with each case, as a protest, request for redress or other type of request, based on the information in the written request or allegation and testimony during the hearing. This permits the type of case to be changed if appropriate.

64.2

Penalties
When the protest committee decides that a boat that is a party to a protest hearing has broken a rule and is not exonerated, it shall disqualify her unless some other penalty applies. A penalty shall be imposed whether or not the applicable rule was mentioned in the protest. If a boat has broken a rule when not racing, her penalty shall apply to the race sailed nearest in time to that of the incident. However,

: |

(a): if a boat has taken an applicable penalty, she shall not be further penalized under this rule unless the penalty for a rule she broke is a disqualification that is not excludable from her series score;

(b): if the race is restarted or resailed, rule 36 applies.

64.3: Decisions on Redress
When the protest committee decides that a boat is entitled to redress under rule 62, it shall make as fair an arrangement as possible for all boats affected, whether or not they asked for redress. This may be to adjust the scoring (see rule A9 for some examples) or finishing times of boats, to abandon the race, to let the results stand or to make some other arrangement. When in doubt about the facts or probable results of any arrangement for the race or series, especially before abandoning the race, the protest committee shall take evidence from appropriate sources.

64.4

Decisions on Protests Concerning Class Rules

(a): When the protest committee finds that deviations in excess of tolerances specified in the class rules were caused by damage or normal wear and do not improve the performance of the boat, it shall not penalize her. However, the boat shall not race again until the deviations have been corrected, except when the protest committee decides there is or has been no reasonable opportunity to do so.

(b): When the protest committee is in doubt about the meaning of a class rule, it shall refer its questions, together with the relevant facts, to an authority responsible for interpreting the rule. In making its decision, the committee shall be bound by the reply of the authority.
US Sailing prescribes that the authority responsible for interpreting the rules of a handicap or rating system is the organization that issued the handicap or the rating certificate involved.

(c): When a boat is penalized under a class rule and the protest committee decides that the boat also broke the same rule in earlier races in the same event, the penalty may be imposed for all such races. No further protest is necessary.

(d): When a boat penalized under a class rule states in writing that she intends to appeal, she may compete in subsequent races without changes to the boat. However, if she fails to appeal or the appeal is decided against her, she shall be disqualified without a further hearing from all subsequent races in which she competed.

(e): Measurement costs arising from a protest involving a class rule shall be paid by the unsuccessful party unless the protest committee decides otherwise.

64.5

Decisions Concerning Support Persons

(a)

When the protest committee decides that a support person who is a party to a hearing under rule 60.3(d) or 69 has broken a rule, it may

(1): issue a warning,

(2): exclude the person from the event or venue or remove any privileges or benefits, or

(3): take other action within its jurisdiction as provided by the rules.

(b)

The protest committee may also penalize a boat that is a party to a hearing under rule 60.3(d) or 69 for the breach of a rule by a support person by changing the boat’s score in a single race, up to and including disqualification, when the protest committee decides that

(1): the boat may have gained a competitive advantage as the result of the breach by the support person, or

(2): the support person committed a further breach after the protest committee warned the boat in writing, following a previous hearing, that a penalty may be imposed.

64.6: Discretionary PenaltiesWhen a boat reports within the protest time limit that she has broken a rule subject to a discretionary penalty, the protest committee shall decide the appropriate penalty after taking evidence from the boat and any witnesses it decides are appropriate.

65: INFORMING THE PARTIES AND OTHERS

65.1: After making its decision, the protest committee shall promptly inform the parties to the hearing of the facts found, the applicable rules, the decision, the reasons for it, and any penalties imposed or redress given.

65.2: A party to the hearing is entitled to receive the above information in writing, provided she asks for it in writing from the protest committee no later than seven days after being informed of the decision. The committee shall then promptly provide the information, including, when relevant, a diagram of the incident prepared or endorsed by the committee.

65.3: Unless there is good reason not to do so, after any hearing, including a hearing under rule 69, the protest committee may publish the information set out in rule 65.1. The protest committee may direct that the information is to be confidential to the parties.

65.4: When the protest committee penalizes a boat under a class rule, it shall send the above information to the relevant class rule authorities.

66: REOPENING A HEARING

66.1: The protest committee may reopen a hearing when it decides that it may have made a significant error, or when significant new evidence becomes available within a reasonable time. It shall reopen a hearing when required by the national authority under rule 71.2 or R5.

66.2

A party to the hearing may request a reopening in writing no later than 24 hours after being informed of the decision.

(a)

However, on the last scheduled day of racing the request shall be delivered

(1): within the protest time limit if the requesting party was informed of the decision on the previous day;

(2): no later than 30 minutes after the party was informed of the decision on that day.

66.3

The protest committee shall consider all requests to reopen. When a request to reopen is being considered or the hearing is reopened,

(a): when based only on new evidence, a majority of the members of the protest committee shall, if practicable, be members of the original committee;

(b): when based on a significant error, the protest committee shall, if practicable, have at least one new member.

67

DAMAGES
The question of damages arising from a breach of any rule shall be governed by the prescriptions, if any, of the national authority.
US Sailing prescribes that:

(a): A boat that retires from a race or accepts a penalty does not, by that action alone, admit liability for damages.

(b): A protest committee shall find facts and make decisions only in compliance with the rules. No protest committee or US Sailing appeal authority shall adjudicate any claim for damages. Such a claim is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts.

(c): A basic purpose of the rules is to prevent contact between boats. By participating in an event governed by the rules, a boat agrees that responsibility for damages arising from any breach of the rules shall be based on fault as determined by application of the rules, and that she shall not be governed by the legal doctrine of ‘assumption of risk’ for monetary damages resulting from contact with other boats.

Note: There is no rule 68.

SECTION C
MISCONDUCT

69: MISCONDUCT

69.1

Obligation not to Commit Misconduct; Resolution

(a): A competitor, boat owner or support person shall not commit an act of misconduct.

(b)

Misconduct is:

(1): conduct that is a breach of good manners, a breach of good sportsmanship, or unethical behaviour; or

(2): conduct that may bring, or has brought, the sport into disrepute.

(c): An allegation of a breach of rule 69.1(a) shall be resolved in accordance with the provisions of rule 69. It shall not be grounds for a protest and rule 63.1 does not apply.

69.2

Action by a Protest Committee

(a): A protest committee acting under this rule shall have at least three members.

(b): When a protest committee, from its own observation or from information received from any source, including evidence taken during a hearing, believes a person may have broken rule 69.1(a), it shall decide whether or not to call a hearing.

(c): When the protest committee needs more information to make the decision to call a hearing, it shall consider appointing a person or persons to conduct an investigation. These investigators shall not be members of the protest committee that will decide the matter.

(d): When an investigator is appointed, all relevant information he gathers, favourable or unfavourable, shall be disclosed to the protest committee, and if the protest committee decides to call a hearing, to the parties.

(e)

If the protest committee decides to call a hearing, it shall promptly inform the person in writing of the alleged breach and of the time and place of the hearing and follow the procedures in rules 63.2, 63.3(a), 63.4, 63.6, 65.1, 65.2, 65.3 and 66, except that:

(1): unless a person has been appointed by World Sailing, a person may be appointed by the protest committee to present the allegation.

(2): a person against whom an allegation has been made under this rule shall be entitled to have an advisor and a representative with him who may act on his behalf.

(f)

If the person

(1): provides good reason why he is unable to come to the hearing at the scheduled time, the protest committee shall reschedule it; or

(2): does not provide good reason and does not come to the hearing, the protest committee may conduct it without the person present.

(g): The standard of proof to be applied is the test of the comfortable satisfaction of the protest committee, bearing in mind the seriousness of the alleged misconduct. However, if the standard of proof in this rule conflicts with the laws of a country, the national authority may, with the approval of World Sailing, change it with a prescription to this rule.

(h)

When the protest committee decides that a competitor or boat owner has broken rule 69.1(a), it may take one or more of the following actions

(1): issue a warning;

(2): change their boat’s score in one or more races, including disqualification(s) that may or may not be excluded from her series score;

(3): exclude the person from the event or venue or remove any privileges or benefits; and

(4): take any other action within its jurisdiction as provided by the rules.

(i): When the protest committee decides that a support person has broken rule 69.1(a), rule 64.5 applies.

(j)

If the protest committee

(1): imposes a penalty greater than one DNE;

(2): excludes the person from the event or venue; or

(3): in any other case if it considers it appropriate, it shall report its findings, including the facts found, its conclusions and decision to the national authority of the person or, for specific international events listed in the World Sailing Regulations, to World Sailing. If the protest committee has acted under rule 69.2(f)(2), the report shall also include that fact and the reasons for it.

(k): If the protest committee decides not to conduct the hearing without the person present, or if the protest committee has left the event and a report alleging a breach of rule 69.1(a) is received, the race committee or organizing authority may appoint the same or a new protest committee to proceed under this rule. If it is impractical for the protest committee to conduct a hearing, it shall collect all available information and, if the allegation seems justified, make a report to the national authority of the person or, for specific international events listed in the World Sailing Regulations, to World Sailing.

69.3: Action by a National Authority and World Sailing
The disciplinary powers, procedures and responsibilities of national authorities and World Sailing that apply are specified in the World Sailing Disciplinary Code. National authorities and World Sailing may impose further penalties, including suspension of eligibility, under that code.

SECTION D
APPEALS

70: APPEALS AND REQUESTS TO A NATIONAL AUTHORITY

70.1

(a): Provided that the right of appeal has not been denied under rule 70.5, a party to a hearing may appeal a protest committee’s decision or its procedures, but not the facts found.

(b): A boat may appeal when she is denied a hearing required by rule 63.1.

70.2: A protest committee may request confirmation or correction of its decision.

70.3: An appeal under rule 70.1 or a request by a protest committee under rule 70.2 shall be sent to the national authority with which the organizing authority is associated under rule 89.1. However, if boats will pass through the waters of more than one national authority while racing, an appeal or request shall be sent to the national authority where the finishing line is located, unless the sailing instructions identify another national authority.

70.4: A club or other organization affiliated to a national authority may request an interpretation of the rules, provided that no protest or request for redress that may be appealed is involved. The interpretation shall not be used for changing a previous protest committee decision.

70.5

There shall be no appeal from the decisions of an international jury constituted in compliance with Appendix N. Furthermore, if the notice of race or the sailing instructions so state, the right of appeal may be denied provided that

(a): it is essential to determine promptly the result of a race that will qualify a boat to compete in a later stage of an event or a subsequent event (a national authority may prescribe that its approval is required for such a procedure);
US Sailing prescribes that its approval is required. Go to rules.ussailing.org and click the ‘No Appeal’ link for more information or to obtain approval.

(b): a national authority so approves for a particular event open only to boats entered by an organization affiliated to that national authority, a member of an organization affiliated to that national authority, or a personal member of that national authority; or

(c): a national authority after consultation with World Sailing so approves for a particular event, provided the protest committee is constituted as required by Appendix N, except that only two members of the protest committee need be International Judges.

70.6: Appeals and requests shall conform to Appendix R.

71: NATIONAL AUTHORITY DECISIONS

71.1: A person who has a conflict of interest or was a member of the protest committee shall not take any part in the discussion or decision on an appeal or a request for confirmation or correction.

71.2: The national authority may uphold, change or reverse a protest committee’s decision including a decision on validity or a decision under rule 69. Alternatively, the national authority may order that a hearing be reopened, or that a new hearing be held by the same or a different protest committee. When the national authority decides that there shall be a new hearing, it may appoint the protest committee.

71.3: When from the facts found by the protest committee the national authority decides that a boat that was a party to a protest hearing broke a rule and is not exonerated, it shall penalize her, whether or not that boat or that rule was mentioned in the protest committee’s decision.

71.4: The decision of the national authority shall be final. The national authority shall send its decision in writing to all parties to the hearing and the protest committee, who shall be bound by the decision.

75

ENTERING AN EVENT
To enter an event, a boat shall comply with the requirements of the organizing authority of the event. She shall be entered by

(a): a member of a club or other organization affiliated to a World Sailing member national authority,

(b): such a club or organization, or

(c): a member of a World Sailing member national authority.

76: EXCLUSION OF BOATS OR COMPETITORS

76.1: The organizing authority or the race committee may reject or cancel the entry of a boat or exclude a competitor, subject to rule 76.3, provided it does so before the start of the first race and states the reason for doing so. On request the boat shall promptly be given the reason in writing. The boat may request redress if she considers that the rejection or exclusion is improper.
US Sailing prescribes that an organizing authority or race committee shall not reject or cancel the entry of a boat or exclude a competitor eligible under the notice of race and sailing instructions for an arbitrary or capricious reason or for reason of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or age.
However, an organizing authority or race committee may exclude a competitor who is a citizen of, or holds a World Sailing ID as an MNA member of, a country listed on the US Sailing website at https://www.ussailing.org/exclusion.

76.2: The organizing authority or the race committee shall not reject or cancel the entry of a boat or exclude a competitor because of advertising, provided the boat or competitor complies with the World Sailing Advertising Code.

76.3: At world and continental championships no entry within stated quotas shall be rejected or cancelled without first obtaining the approval of the relevant World Sailing Class Association (or the Offshore Racing Congress) or World Sailing.

77: IDENTIFICATION ON SAILS
A boat shall comply with the requirements of Appendix G governing class insignia, national letters and numbers on sails.

78: COMPLIANCE WITH CLASS RULES; CERTIFICATES

78.1: While a boat is racing, her owner and any other person in charge shall ensure that the boat is maintained to comply with her class rules and that her measurement or rating certificate, if any, remains valid. In addition, the boat shall also comply at other times specified in the class rules, the notice of race or the sailing instructions.

78.2: When a rule requires a valid certificate to be produced or its existence verified before a boat races, and this cannot be done, the boat may race provided that the race committee receives a statement signed by the person in charge that a valid certificate exists. The boat shall produce the certificate or arrange for its existence to be verified by the race committee before the start of the last day of the event, or of the first series, whichever is earlier. The penalty for breaking this rule is disqualification without a hearing from all races of the event.

79: CATEGORIZATION
If the notice of race or class rules state that some or all competitors must satisfy categorization requirements, the categorization shall be carried out as described in the World Sailing Sailor Categorization Code.

80: RESCHEDULED EVENT
When an event is rescheduled to dates different from the dates stated in the notice of race, all boats entered shall be notified. The race committee may accept new entries that meet all the entry requirements except the original deadline for entries.

81: INDEMNIFICATION OR HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENTS
US Sailing prescribes that the organizing authority shall not require a competitor to assume any liabilities of the organizing authority, race committee, protest committee, host club, sponsors, or any other organization or official involved with the event. (This is commonly referred to as an ‘indemnification’ or ‘hold harmless’ agreement.) Go to rules.ussailing.org and click the ‘Indemnification’ link for more information.

85: CHANGES TO RULES

85.1: A change to a rule shall refer specifically to the rule and state the change. A change to a rule includes an addition to it or deletion of all or part of it.

85.2

A change to one of the following types of rules may be made only as shown below.

Type of rule	Change only if permitted by
Racing rule	Rule 86
Rule in a World Sailing code	A rule in the code
National authority prescription	Rule 88.2
Class Rule	Rule 87
Rule in the notice of race	Rule 89.2(b)
Rule in the sailing instructions	Rule 90.2(c)
Rule in any other document governing the event	A rule in the document itself

86: CHANGES TO THE RACING RULES

86.1

A racing rule shall not be changed unless permitted in the rule itself or as follows:

(a): Prescriptions of a national authority may change a racing rule, but not the Definitions; the Basic Principles; a rule in the Introduction; Part 1, 2 or 7; rule 42, 43, 47, 50, 63.4, 69, 70, 71, 75, 76.3 or 79; a rule of an appendix that changes one of these rules; Appendix H or N; or a rule in a World Sailing Code listed in rule 6.1.

(b): The notice of race or sailing instructions may change a racing rule, but not rule 76.1 or 76.2, Appendix R, or a rule listed in rule 86.1(a).

(c): Class rules may change only racing rules 42, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, and 55.

86.2: In exception to rule 86.1, World Sailing may in limited circumstances (see World Sailing Regulation 28.1.3) authorize changes to the racing rules for a specific international event. The authorization shall be stated in a letter of approval to the organizing authority and in the notice of race or sailing instructions, and the letter shall be posted on the official notice board.

86.3

If a national authority so prescribes, the restrictions in rule 86.1 do not apply if rules are changed to develop or test proposed rules. The national authority may prescribe that its approval is required for such changes.
US Sailing prescribes that:

(a): In exception to rule 86.1, an organizing authority may request, and US Sailing may authorize, proposed changes to the racing rules for a specific event. The authorization shall be stated in a letter of approval to the organizing authority, and the letter shall be posted on the official notice board.

(b): The proposed rules shall be stated in the notice of race and sailing instructions, and the organizing authority shall promptly report the results of the test to US Sailing.

Go to rules.ussailing.org to apply.

87: CHANGES TO CLASS RULES
The notice of race may change a class rule only when the class rules permit the change, or when written permission of the class association for the change is posted on the official notice board.

88: NATIONAL PRESCRIPTIONS

88.1: Prescriptions that Apply
The prescriptions that apply to an event are the prescriptions of the national authority with which the organizing authority is associated under rule 89.1. However, if boats will pass through the waters of more than one national authority while racing, the notice of race shall identify the prescriptions that will apply and when they will apply.

88.2: Changes to Prescriptions
The notice of race or sailing instructions may change a prescription. However, a national authority may restrict changes to its prescriptions with a prescription to this rule, provided World Sailing approves its application to do so. The restricted prescriptions shall not be changed.
US Sailing prescribes that the notice of race or sailing instructions may change or delete any prescriptions except: this prescription, rule 61.4, Appendix R, and the prescriptions to rules 60.3, 67, 70.5(a) and 76.1.

89: ORGANIZING AUTHORITY; NOTICE OF RACE; APPOINTMENT OF RACE OFFICIALS

89.1

Organizing Authority
An event shall be organized by an organizing authority, which shall be

(a): World Sailing;

(b): a member national authority of World Sailing;

(c): an affiliated club;

(d): an affiliated organization other than a club and, if so prescribed by the national authority, with the approval of the national authority or in conjunction with an affiliated club;

(e): an unaffiliated class association, either with the approval of the national authority or in conjunction with an affiliated club;

(f): two or more of the above organizations;

(g): an unaffiliated body in conjunction with an affiliated club where the body is owned and controlled by the club. The national authority of the club may prescribe that its approval is required for such an event; or

(h): if approved by World Sailing and the national authority of the club, an unaffiliated body in conjunction with an affiliated club where the body is not owned and controlled by the club.

In rule 89.1, an organization is affiliated if it is affiliated to the national authority of the venue; otherwise the organization is unaffiliated. However, if boats will pass through the waters of more than one national authority while racing, an organization is affiliated if it is affiliated to the national authority of one of the ports of call.

89.2

Notice of Race; Appointment of Race Officials

(a): The organizing authority shall publish a notice of race that conforms to rule J1.

(b): The notice of race may be changed provided adequate notice is given.

(c): The organizing authority shall appoint a race committee and, when appropriate, appoint a protest committee, a technical committee and umpires. However, the race committee, an international jury, a technical committee and umpires may be appointed by World Sailing as provided in its Regulations.

90: RACE COMMITTEE; SAILING INSTRUCTIONS; SCORING

90.1: Race Committee
The race committee shall conduct races as directed by the organizing authority and as required by the rules.

90.2

Sailing Instructions

(a): The race committee shall publish written sailing instructions that conform to rule J2.

(b): When appropriate, for an event where entries from other countries are expected, the sailing instructions shall include, in English, the applicable national prescriptions.

(c): The sailing instructions may be changed provided the change is in writing and posted on the official notice board before the time stated in the sailing instructions or, on the water, communicated to each boat before her warning signal. Oral changes may be given only on the water, and only if the procedure is stated in the sailing instructions.

90.3

Scoring

(a): The race committee shall score a race or series as provided in Appendix A unless the notice of race or sailing instructions specify some other system. A race shall be scored if it is not abandoned and if one boat starts, sails the course and finishes within the race time limit, if any, even if she retires after finishing or is disqualified.

(b): When a scoring system provides for excluding one or more race scores, any score that is a Disqualification Not Excludable (DNE) shall be included in a boat’s series score.

(c): When the race committee determines from its own records or observations that it has scored a boat incorrectly, it shall correct the error and make the corrected scores available to competitors.

(d): The race committee shall implement scoring changes directed by the protest committee or national authority as a result of decisions made in accordance with the rules.

(e)

When so stated in the notice of race, notwithstanding the provisions of rules 90.3(a), (b), (c) and (d), there shall be no changes to race or series scores resulting from action, including the correction of errors, initiated more than 24 hours after

(1): the protest time limit for the last race of the series (including a single-race series);

(2): being informed of a protest committee decision after the last race of the series (including a single-race series); or

(3): the results are published.

: However, in exception, changes to scores shall be made resulting from a decision under rules 6, 69 or 70. The notice of race may change ‘24 hours’ to a different time.

91

PROTEST COMMITTEE
A protest committee shall be

(a): a committee appointed by the organizing authority or race committee;

(b): an international jury appointed by the organizing authority or as prescribed in the World Sailing Regulations. It shall be composed as required by rule N1 and have the authority and responsibilities stated in rule N2. A national authority may prescribe that its approval is required for the appointment of international juries for races within its jurisdiction, except World Sailing events or when international juries are appointed by World Sailing under rule 89.2(c); or

(c): a committee appointed by the national authority under rule 71.2.

92: TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

92.1: A technical committee shall be a committee of at least one member and be appointed by the organizing authority or the race committee or as prescribed in the World Sailing Regulations.

92.2: The technical committee shall conduct equipment inspection and event measurement as directed by the organizing authority and as required by the rules.

: See rule 90.3.

A1: NUMBER OF RACES
The number of races scheduled and the number required to be completed to constitute a series shall be stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions.

A2: SERIES SCORES

A2.1: Each boat’s series score shall, subject to rule 90.3(b), be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score. However, the notice of race or sailing instructions may make a different arrangement by providing, for example, that no score will be excluded, that two or more scores will be excluded, or that a specified number of scores will be excluded if a specified number of races are completed. A race is completed if scored; see rule 90.3(a). If a boat has two or more equal worst scores, the score(s) for the race(s) sailed earliest in the series shall be excluded. The boat with the lowest series score wins and others shall be ranked accordingly.

A2.2: If a boat has entered any race in a series, she shall be scored for the whole series.

A3: STARTING TIMES AND FINISHING PLACES
The time of a boat’s starting signal shall be her starting time, and the order in which boats finish a race shall determine their finishing places. However, when a handicap or rating system is used a boat’s corrected time shall determine her finishing place.

A4: SCORING SYSTEM
This Low Point System will apply unless the notice of race or sailing instructions specify another system; see rule 90.3(a).

: Each boat starting and finishing and not thereafter retiring, being penalized or given redress shall be scored points as follows:

Finishing Place	Points
First	1
Second	2
Third	3
Fourth	4
Fifth	5
Sixth	6
Seventh	7
Each place thereafter	Add 1 point

A5: SCORES DETERMINED BY THE RACE COMMITTEE

A5.1: A boat that did not start, sail the course or finish, or comply with rule 30.2, 30.3, 30.4 or 78.2, or that retires or takes a penalty under rule 44.3(a), shall be scored accordingly by the race committee without a hearing. Only the protest committee may take other scoring actions that worsen a boat’s score.

A5.2: A boat that did not start, did not sail the course, did not finish, retired or was disqualified shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats entered in the series. A boat that is penalized under rule 30.2 or that takes a penalty under rule 44.3(a) shall be scored points as provided in rule 44.3(c).

A5.3: If the notice of race or sailing instructions state that rule A5.3 will apply, rule A5.2 is changed so that a boat that came to the starting area but did not start, did not sail the course, did not finish, retired or was disqualified shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats that came to the starting area, and a boat that did not come to the starting area shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats entered in the series.

A6: CHANGES IN PLACES AND SCORES OF OTHER BOATS

A6.1: If a boat is disqualified from a race or retires after finishing, each boat with a worse finishing place shall be moved up one place.

A6.2: If the protest committee decides to give redress by adjusting a boat’s score, the scores of other boats shall not be changed unless the protest committee decides otherwise.

A7: RACE TIES
If boats are tied at the finishing line or if a handicap or rating system is used and boats have equal corrected times, the points for the place for which the boats have tied and for the place(s) immediately below shall be added together and divided equally. Boats tied for a race prize shall share it or be given equal prizes.

A8: SERIES TIES

A8.1: If there is a series-score tie between two or more boats, each boat’s race scores shall be listed in order of best to worst, and at the first point(s) where there is a difference the tie shall be broken in favour of the boat(s) with the best score(s). No excluded scores shall be used.

A8.2: If a tie remains between two or more boats, they shall be ranked in order of their scores in the last race. Any remaining ties shall be broken by using the tied boats’ scores in the next-to-last race and so on until all ties are broken. These scores shall be used even if some of them are excluded scores.

A9

GUIDANCE ON REDRESS
If the protest committee decides to give redress by adjusting a boat’s score for a race, it is advised to consider scoring her

(a): points equal to the average, to the nearest tenth of a point (0.05 to be rounded upward), of her points in all the races in the series except the race in question;

(b): points equal to the average, to the nearest tenth of a point (0.05 to be rounded upward), of her points in all the races before the race in question; or

(c): points based on the position of the boat in the race at the time of the incident that justified redress.

A10

SCORING ABBREVIATIONS
These scoring abbreviations shall be used for recording the circumstances described:

DNC	Did not start; did not come to the starting area
DNS	Did not start (other than DNC and OCS)
OCS	Did not start; on the course side of the starting line at her starting signal and failed to start, or broke rule 30.1
ZFP	20% penalty under rule 30.2
UFD	Disqualification under rule 30.3
BFD	Disqualification under rule 30.4
SCP	Scoring Penalty applied
NSC	Did not sail the course
DNF	Did not finish
RET	Retired
DSQ	Disqualification
DNE	Disqualification that is not excludable
RDG	Redress given
DPI	Discretionary penalty imposed

US Sailing Note on Scoring a Long Series: The scoring systems in Appendix A may be inappropriate for a long series, such as a club’s season championship held over several weeks or months, in which some boats do not compete in all of the races and in which more boats compete in some races than in others. Go to rules.ussailing.org and click the ‘Scoring a Long Series’ link for an explanation of the scoring problems that occur in such series, alternative scoring systems, and language for sailing instructions to implement them.

: Windsurfing fleet races (including marathon races) shall be sailed under The Racing Rules of Sailing as changed by this appendix. The term ‘boat’ elsewhere in the racing rules means ‘board’ or ‘boat’ as appropriate. A marathon race is a race intended to last more than one hour.

Note: Rules for Slalom, Expression (including Wave and Freestyle) and Speed disciplines are not included in this appendix. These are available at the World Sailing website.

CHANGES TO THE DEFINITIONS

: The definitions Mark-Room, and Tack, Starboard or Port are changed to:

Mark-Room Mark-Room for a board is room to sail her proper course to round or pass the mark. However, mark-room for a board does not include room to tack unless she is overlapped inside and to windward of the board required to give mark-room and she would be fetching the mark after her tack.

Tack, Starboard or Port A board is on the tack, starboard or port, corresponding to the competitor’s hand that would be nearer the mast if the competitor were in normal sailing position with both hands on the wishbone and arms not crossed. A board is on starboard tack when the competitor’s right hand would be nearer the mast and is on port tack when the competitor’s left hand would be nearer the mast.

The definition Zone is deleted.

: Add the following definitions:

: Capsized A board is capsized when she is not under control because her sail or the competitor is in the water.

: Rounding or Passing A board is rounding or passing a mark from the time her proper course is to begin to manoeuvre to round or pass it, until the mark has been rounded or passed.

B1: CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 1
[No changes.]

B2

CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 2

13: WHILE TACKING
Rule 13 is changed to:
After a board passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boards until her sail has filled. During that time rules 10, 11 and 12 do not apply. If two boards are subject to this rule at the same time, the one on the other’s port side or the one astern shall keep clear.

17: ON THE SAME TACK BEFORE A REACHING START
Rule 17 is changed to:
When, at the warning signal, the course to the first mark is approximately ninety degrees from the true wind, a board overlapped to leeward of another board on the same tack during the last 30 seconds before her starting signal shall not sail above the shortest course to the first mark while they remain overlapped if as a result the other board would need to take action to avoid contact, unless in doing so she promptly sails astern of the other board.

18

MARK-ROOM
Rule 18 is changed as follows:
The first sentence of rule 18.1 is changed to:
Rule 18 applies between boards when they are required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is rounding or passing it.
Rule 18.2(b) is changed to:

(b): If boards are overlapped when the first of them is rounding or passing the mark, the outside board at that moment shall thereafter give the inside board mark-room. If a board is clear ahead when she is rounding or passing the mark, the board clear astern at that moment shall thereafter give her mark-room.

Rule 18.2(c) is changed to:

(c): When a board is required to give mark-room by rule 18.2(b), she shall continue to do so even if later an overlap is broken or a new overlap begins.

Rule 18.2(d) is changed to:

(d): Rules 18.2(b) and (c) cease to apply if the board entitled to mark-room passes head to wind.

Rule 18.3 is deleted.

18.4: Gybing and Bearing Away
Rule 18.4 is changed to:
When an inside overlapped right-of-way board must gybe or bear away at a mark to sail her proper course, until she gybes or bears away she shall sail no farther from the mark than needed to sail that course. Rule 18.4 does not apply at a gate mark.

22: CAPSIZED; AGROUND; RESCUING
Rule 22 is changed to:

22.1: If possible, a board shall avoid a board that is capsized or has not regained control after capsizing, is aground, or is trying to help a person or vessel in danger.

22.2: If possible, a board that is capsized or aground shall not interfere with another board.

23: INTERFERING WITH ANOTHER BOARD; SAIL OUT OF WATER
Add new rule 23.3:

23.3: In the last minute before her starting signal, a board shall have her sail out of the water and in a normal position, except when accidentally capsized.

B3

CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 3

26: STARTING RACES
Rule 26 is changed to:

26.1

System 1 (for Upwind Starts)
Races shall be started by using the following signals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded.

Minutes before starting signal	Visual signal	Sound signal	Means
5*	Class flag	One	Warning signal
4	P, I, U, or black flag	One	Preparatory signal
1	Preparatory flag removed	One long	One minute
0	Class flag removed	One	Starting signal

*or as stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions
The warning signal for each succeeding class shall be made with or after the starting signal of the preceding class.

26.2

System 2 (for Reaching Starts)
Races shall be started by using the following signals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded.

Minutes before starting signal	Visual signal	Sound signal	Means
3	Class flag		Attention signal
2	Red flag; attention signal removed	One	Warning signal
1	Yellow flag; red flag removed	One	Preparatory signal
¹/₂	Yellow flag removed		30 seconds
0	Green flag	One	Starting signal

26.3

System 3 (for Beach Starts)

(a): When the starting line is on the beach, or so close to the beach that the competitor must stand in the water to start, the start is a beach start.

(b)

The starting stations shall be numbered so that station 1 is the most windward one. Unless the sailing instructions specify some other system, a board’s starting station shall be determined

(1): by ranking (the highest ranking board on station 1, the next highest on station 2, and so on), or

(2): by draw.

(c): After boards have been called to take their positions, the race committee shall make the preparatory signal by displaying a red flag with one sound. The starting signal shall be made, at any time after the preparatory signal, by removing the red flag with one sound.

(d): After the starting signal each board shall take the shortest route from her starting station to the water and then to her sailing position without interfering with other boards. Part 2 rules will apply when both of the competitor’s feet are on the board.

30: STARTING PENALTIES
Rule 30.2 is deleted.

31: TOUCHING A MARK
Rule 31 is changed to:
A board may touch a mark but shall not hold on to it.

B4

CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 4

42: PROPULSION
Rule 42 is changed to:
A board shall be propelled only by the action of the wind on the sail and by the action of the water on the hull. However, pumping and fanning the sail is permitted. The board shall not be propelled by paddling, swimming or walking.

44: PENALTIES AT THE TIME OF AN INCIDENT
Rule 44 is changed to:

44.1: Taking a Penalty
A board may take a 360°-Turn Penalty when she may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 in an incident while racing. The sailing instructions may specify the use of some other penalty. However, if the board caused injury or serious damage or, despite taking a penalty, gained a significant advantage in the race or series by her breach, her penalty shall be to retire.

44.2: 360°-Turn Penalty
After getting well clear of other boards as soon after the incident as possible, a board takes a 360°-Turn Penalty by promptly making a 360° turn with no requirement for a tack or a gybe. When a board takes the penalty at or near the finishing line, her hull shall be completely on the course side of the line before she finishes.

50: COMPETITOR CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
Rule 50.1(a) is changed to:
(a) Competitors shall not wear or carry clothing or equipment for the purpose of increasing their weight. However, a competitor may wear a drinking container that shall have a capacity of no more than 1.5 litres.

PART 4 RULES DELETED

: Rules 45, 48.2, 49, 50.1(c), 50.2, 51, 52, 54, 55 and 56.1 are deleted.

B5

CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 5

60: RIGHT TO PROTEST; RIGHT TO REQUEST REDRESS OR RULE 69 ACTION
Rule 60.1(a) is changed by deleting ‘or saw’.

61: PROTEST REQUIREMENTS

61.1

Informing the Protestee
Rule 61.1(a) is changed to:

(b)

The protesting board shall inform the other board at the first reasonable opportunity. When her protest will concern an incident in the racing area, she shall hail ‘Protest’ at the first reasonable opportunity. She shall also inform the race committee of her intention to protest as soon as practicable after she finishes or retires. However,

(1): if the other board is beyond hailing distance, the protesting board need not hail but she shall inform the other board at the first reasonable opportunity;

(2): no red flag need be displayed;

(3): if the incident was an error by the other board in sailing the course, she need not hail but she shall inform the other board either before or at the first reasonable opportunity after the other board finishes;

(4): if at the time of the incident it is obvious to the protesting board that either competitor is in danger, or that injury or serious damage resulted, the requirements of this rule do not apply to her, but she shall attempt to inform the other board within the time limit of rule 61.3.

61.2: Protest Contents
Add to rule 61.2:
This rule does not apply to a race in an elimination series that will qualify a board to compete in a later stage of an event.

62

REDRESS
Rule 62.1(b) is changed to:

(b)

injury, physical damage or capsize because of the action of

(1): a board that broke a rule of Part 2 and took an appropriate penalty or was penalized, or

(2): a vessel not racing that was required to keep clear.

63: HEARINGS

63.6: Taking Evidence and Finding Facts
Add to rule 63.6:
However, for an elimination series race that will qualify a board to compete in a later stage of an event, protests and requests for redress need not be in writing; they shall be made orally to a member of the protest committee as soon as reasonably possible following the race. The protest committee may take evidence in any way it considers appropriate and may communicate its decision orally.

64

DECISIONS
Rule 64.4(b) is changed to:

(b): When the protest committee is in doubt about a matter concerning the measurement of a board, the meaning of a class rule, or damage to a board, it shall refer its questions, together with the relevant facts, to an authority responsible for interpreting the rule. In making its decision, the committee shall be bound by the reply of the authority.

65: INFORMING THE PARTIES AND OTHERS
Add to rule 65.2:
This rule does not apply to a race in an elimination series that will qualify a board to compete in a later stage of an event.

70: APPEALS AND REQUESTS
TO A NATIONAL AUTHORITY
Rules 70.5 and 70.5(a) are changed to:

70.5

There shall be no appeal from the decisions of an international jury constituted in compliance with Appendix N, and no appeal from the decisions of the protest committee for a race in an elimination series that will qualify a board to compete in a later stage of an event. Furthermore, if the notice of race or sailing instructions so state, the right of appeal may be denied provided that

(a): it is essential to determine promptly the result of a race that will qualify a board to compete in a subsequent event (a national authority may prescribe that its permission is required for such a procedure);

B6

CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 6

78

COMPLIANCE WITH CLASS RULES; CERTIFICATES

: Add to rule 78.1: ‘When so prescribed by World Sailing, a numbered and dated device on a board and her centreboard, fin and rig shall serve as her measurement certificate.’

B7

CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 7

90: RACE COMMITTEE; SAILING INSTRUCTIONS; SCORING
The last sentence of rule 90.2(c) is changed to: ‘Oral instructions may be given only if the procedure is stated in the sailing instructions.’

B8

CHANGES TO APPENDIX A

A1: NUMBER OF RACES; OVERALL SCORES
Rule A1 is changed to:
The number of races scheduled and the number required to be completed to constitute a series shall be stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions. If an event includes more than one discipline or format, the notice of race or sailing instructions shall state how the overall scores are to be calculated.

A2

SERIES SCORES
Rule A2.1 is changed to:
Each board’s series score shall, subject to rule 90.3(b), be the total of her race scores excluding her

(a): worst score when from 5 to 11 races have been completed, or

(b): two worst scores when 12 or more races have been completed.

However, the notice of race or sailing instructions may make a different arrangement. A race is completed if scored; see rule 90.3(a). If a board has two or more equal worst scores, the score(s) for the race(s) sailed earliest in the series shall be excluded. The board with the lowest series score wins and others shall be ranked accordingly.

A5: SCORES DETERMINED BY THE RACE COMMITTEE
Add new rule A5.4:

A5.4: For an elimination series race that will qualify a board to compete in a later stage of an event, a board that did not start, did not sail the course, did not finish, retired or was disqualified shall be scored points equal to the number of boards permitted to sail in that race.

A8: SERIES TIES
Rule A8 is changed to:

A8.1: If there is a series-score tie between two or more boards, each board’s excluded race scores shall be listed in order of best to worst, and at the first point(s) where there is a difference the tie shall be broken in favour of the board(s) with the best excluded race score(s).

A8.2: If a tie remains between two or more boards, each board’s race scores, including excluded scores, shall be listed in order of best to worst, and at the first point(s) where there is a difference the tie shall be broken in favour of the board(s) with the best score(s). These scores shall be used even if some of them are excluded scores.

A8.3: If a tie still remains between two or more boards, they shall be ranked in order of their scores in the last race. Any remaining ties shall be broken by using the tied boards’ scores in the next-to-last race and so on until all ties are broken. These scores shall be used even if some of them are excluded scores.

B9

CHANGES TO APPENDIX G

G1: WORLD SAILING CLASS BOARDS

G1.3: Positioning
Rule G1.3 is changed to:
The class insignia shall be displayed once on each side of the sail in the area above a line projected at right angles from a point on the luff of the sail one-third of the distance from the head to the wishbone. The national letters and sail numbers shall be in the central third of that part of the sail above the wishbone, clearly separated from any advertising. They shall be black and applied back to back on an opaque white background. The background shall extend a minimum of 30 mm beyond the characters. There shall be a ‘–’ between the national letters and the sail number, and the spacing between characters shall be adequate for legibility.

: Match races shall be sailed under The Racing Rules of Sailing as changed by this appendix. Matches shall be umpired unless the notice of race or sailing instructions state otherwise.

: Note: A Standard Notice of Race, Standard Sailing Instructions, and Match Racing Rules for Blind Competitors are available at the World Sailing website.

C1: TERMINOLOGY
‘Competitor’ means the skipper, team or boat as appropriate for the event. ‘Flight’ means two or more matches started in the same starting sequence.

C2: CHANGES TO THE DEFINITIONS AND THE RULES OF PARTS 1, 2, 3 AND 4

C2.1

The definition Finish is changed to

Finish A boat finishes when any part of her hull crosses the finishing line from the course side after completing any penalties. However, when penalties are cancelled under rule C7.2(d) after one or both boats have finished each shall be recorded as finished when she crossed the line. A boat has not finished if she continues to sail the course.

C2.2

The definition Mark-Room is changed to:

: Mark-Room Room for a boat to sail her proper course to round or pass the mark, and room to pass a finishing mark after finishing.

C2.3: Add to the definition Proper Course: ‘A boat taking a penalty or manoeuvring to take a penalty is not sailing a proper course.’

C2.4: In the definition Zone the distance is changed to two hull lengths.

C2.5

Add new rule 7 to Part 1:

7: LAST POINT OF CERTAINTY
The umpires will assume that the state of a boat, or her relationship to another boat, has not changed, until they are certain that it has changed.

C2.6

Rule 13 is changed to:

13: WHILE TACKING OR GYBING

13.1: After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course.

13.2: After the foot of the mainsail of a boat sailing downwind crosses the centreline she shall keep clear of other boats until her mainsail has filled or she is no longer sailing downwind.

13.3: While rule 13.1 or 13.2 applies, rules 10, 11 and 12 do not. However, if two boats are subject to rule 13.1 or 13.2 at the same time, the one on the other’s port side or the one astern shall keep clear.

C2.7: Rule 16.2 is deleted.

C2.8: Rule 17 is deleted.

C2.9

Rule 18 is changed to:

18: MARK-ROOM

18.1: When Rule 18 Applies
Rule 18 applies between boats when they are required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is in the zone. However, it does not apply between a boat approaching a mark and one leaving it. Rule 18 no longer applies between boats when the boat entitled to mark-room is on the next leg and the mark is astern of her.

18.2

Giving Mark-Room

(a)

When the first boat reaches the zone,

(1): if boats are overlapped, the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside boat mark-room.

(2): if boats are not overlapped, the boat that has not reached the zone shall thereafter give mark-room.

(b): If the boat entitled to mark-room leaves the zone, the entitlement to mark-room ceases and rule 18.2(a) is applied again if required based on the relationship of the boats at the time rule 18.2(a) is re-applied.

(c): If a boat obtained an inside overlap and, from the time the overlap began, the outside boat is unable to give mark-room, she is not required to give it.

18.3

Tacking or Gybing

(a): If mark-room for a boat includes a change of tack, such tack or gybe shall be done no faster than a tack or gybe to sail her proper course.

(b): When an inside overlapped right-of-way boat must change tack at a mark to sail her proper course, until she changes tack she shall sail no farther from the mark than needed to sail that course. Rule 18.3(b) does not apply at a gate mark or a finishing mark and a boat shall be exonerated for breaking this rule if the course of another boat was not affected before the boat changed tack.

C2.10

Rule 20.4(a) is changed to:

(a)

The following arm signals by the helmsman are required in addition to the hails:

(1): for room to tack, repeatedly and clearly pointing to windward; and

(2): for ‘You tack’, repeatedly and clearly pointing at the other boat and waving the arm to windward.

C2.11: Rule 21.3 is deleted.

C2.12

Rule 23.1 is changed to:

23.1: If reasonably possible, a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat that is racing or an umpire boat.

C2.13

Add new rule 23.3:

23.3: When boats in different matches meet, any change of course by either boat shall be consistent with complying with a rule or trying to win her own match.

C2.14

Rule 31 is changed to:

31: TOUCHING A MARK
While racing, neither the crew nor any part of a boat’s hull shall touch a starting mark before starting, a mark that begins, bounds or ends the leg of the course on which she is sailing, or a finishing mark after finishing. In addition, while racing, a boat shall not touch a race committee vessel that is also a mark.

C2.15

Add new rule 41(e):

(e): help to recover from the water and return on board a crew member, provided the return on board is at the approximate location of the recovery.

C2.16: Rule 42 shall also apply between the warning and preparatory signals.

C2.17

Rule 42.2(d) is changed to:

(d): sculling: repeated movement of the helm to propel the boat forward;

C3: RACE SIGNALS AND CHANGES TO RELATED RULES

C3.1

Starting Signals
The signals for starting a match shall be as follows. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the failure of a sound signal shall be disregarded. If more than one match will be sailed, the starting signal for one match shall be the warning signal for the next match.

Time in minutes	Visual signal	Sound signal	Means
7	Flag F displayed	One	Attention signal
6	Flag F removed	None
5	Numeral pennant displayed*	One	Warning signal
4	Flag P displayed	One	Preparatory signal
2	Blue or yellow flag or both displayed**	One**	End of pre-start entry time
1	Flag P removed	One long
0	Warming signal removed	One	Starting signal

*Within a flight, numeral pennant 1 means Match 1, pennant 2 means Match 2, etc., unless the sailing instructions state otherwise.
**These signals shall be made only if one or both boats fail to comply with rule C4.2. The flag(s) shall be displayed until the umpires have signalled a penalty or for one minute, whichever is earlier.

C3.2

Changes to Related Rules

(a)

Rule 29.1 is changed to:

(1): When at a boat’s starting signal any part of her hull is on the course side of the starting line or one of its extensions, the race committee shall promptly display a blue or yellow flag identifying the boat with one sound. The flag shall be displayed until the hull of the boat is completely on the pre-start side of the starting line or one of its extensions or until two minutes after her starting signal, whichever is earlier.

(2): When after a boat’s starting signal any part of her hull crosses from the pre-start side to the course side of the starting line across an extension without having started correctly, the race committee shall promptly display a blue or yellow flag identifying the boat. The flag shall be displayed until the hull of the boat is completely on the pre-start side of the starting line or one of its extensions or until two minutes after her starting signal, whichever is earlier.

(b): In the race signal AP the last sentence is changed to: ‘The attention signal will be made 1 minute after removal unless at that time the race is postponed again or abandoned.’

(c): In the race signal N the last sentence is changed to: ‘The attention signal will be made 1 minute after removal unless at that time the race is abandoned again or postponed.’

C3.3: Finshing Line Signals
The race signal Blue flag or shape shall not be used.

C4: REQUIREMENTS BEFORE THE START

C4.1: At a boat’s preparatory signal, her hull shall be completely outside the line that is at a 90º angle to the starting line through the starting mark at her assigned end. In the pairing list, the boat listed on the left-hand side is assigned the port end and shall display a blue flag at her stern while racing. The other boat is assigned the starboard end and shall display a yellow flag at her stern while racing.

C4.2: Within the two-minute period following a boat’s preparatory signal, her hull shall cross and clear the starting line, the first time from the course side to the pre-start side.

C5: SIGNALS BY UMPIRES

C5.1: A green and white flag with one long sound means ‘No penalty’.

C5.2: A blue or yellow flag identifying a boat with one long sound means ‘The identified boat shall take a penalty by complying with rule C7.’

C5.3: A red flag with or soon after a blue or yellow flag with one long sound means ‘The identified boat shall take a penalty by complying with rule C7.3(d).’

C5.4: A black flag with a blue or yellow flag and one long sound means ‘The identified boat is disqualified, and the match is terminated and awarded to the other boat.’

C5.5: One short sound means ‘A penalty is now completed.’

C5.6: Repetitive short sounds mean ‘A boat is no longer taking a penalty and the penalty remains.’

C5.7: A blue or yellow flag or shape displayed from an umpire boat means ‘The identified boat has an outstanding penalty.’

C6: PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS BY BOATS

C6.1

A boat may protest another boat

(a): under a rule of Part 2, except rule 14, by clearly displaying flag Y immediately after an incident in which she was involved;

(b): under any rule not listed in rule C6.1(a) or C6.2 by clearly displaying a red flag as soon as possible after the incident.

C6.2

A boat may not protest another boat under

(a): rule 14, unless damage or injury results;

(b): a rule of Part 2, unless she was involved in the incident;

(c): rule 31 or 42; or

(d): rule C4 or C7.

C6.3: A boat requesting redress because of circumstances that arise while she is racing or in the finishing area shall clearly display a red flag as soon as possible after she becomes aware of those circumstances, but no later than two minutes after finishing or retiring.

C6.4

(a): A boat protesting under rule C6.1(a) shall remove flag Y before or as soon as possible after the umpires’ signal.

(b): A boat protesting under rule C6.1(b) or requesting redress under rule C6.3 shall, for her protest or request to be valid, keep her red flag displayed until she has so informed the umpires after finishing or retiring. No written protest or request for redress is required.

C6.5

Umpire Decisions

(a)

After flag Y is displayed, the umpires shall decide whether to penalize any boat. They shall signal their decision in compliance with rule C5.1, C5.2 or C5.3. However,

(1): if the umpires decide to penalize a boat, and as a result that boat will have more than two outstanding penalties, the umpires shall signal her disqualification under rule C5.4;

(2): when the umpires penalize a boat under rule C8.2 and in the same incident there is a flag Y from a boat, the umpires may disregard the flag Y.

(b): The red-flag penalty in rule C5.3 shall be used when a boat has gained a controlling position as a result of breaking a rule, but the umpires are not certain that the conditions for an additional umpire-initiated penalty have been fulfilled.

C6.6

Protest Committee Decisions

(a): The protest committee may take evidence in any way it considers appropriate and may communicate its decision orally.

(b)

If the protest committee decides that a breach of a rule has had no significant effect on the outcome of the match, it may

(1): impose a penalty of one point or part of one point;

(2): order a resail; or

(3): make another arrangement it decides is equitable, which may be to impose no penalty.

(c): The penalty for breaking rule 14 when damage or injury results will be at the discretion of the protest committee, and may include exclusion from further races in the event.

C6.7

Add new rule N1.10 to Appendix N:

N1.10: In rule N1.1, one International Umpire may be appointed to the jury, or a panel of it, in place of one International Judge.

C7: PENALTY SYSTEM

C7.1: Deleted Rule
Rule 44 is deleted.

C7.2

All Penalties

(a)

A penalized boat may delay taking a penalty within the limitations of rule C7.3 and shall take it as follows:

(1): When on a leg of the course to a windward mark, she shall gybe and, as soon as reasonably possible, luff to a close-hauled course.

(2): 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 course that is more than ninety degrees from the true wind.

(b): Add to rule 2: ‘When racing, a boat need not take a penalty unless signalled to do so by an umpire.’

(c): A boat completes a leg of the course when any part of her hull crosses the extension of the line from the previous mark through the mark she is rounding, or on the last leg when she finishes.

(d): A penalized boat shall not be recorded as having finished until she takes her penalty and her hull is completely on the course side of the line and she then finishes, unless the penalty is cancelled before or after she crosses the finishing line.

(e): 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 except that a red-flag penalty shall not cancel or be cancelled by another penalty.

(f): If one boat has finished and is no longer racing, and the other boat has an outstanding penalty, the umpires may cancel the outstanding penalty.

C7.3

Penalty Limitations

(a): A boat taking a penalty that includes a tack shall have the spinnaker head below the main-boom gooseneck from the time she passes head to wind until she is on a close-hauled course.

(b): No part of a penalty may be taken inside the zone of a rounding mark that begins, bounds or ends the leg the boat is on.

(c): If a boat has one outstanding penalty, she may take the penalty any time after starting and before finishing. If a boat has two outstanding penalties, she shall take one of them as soon as reasonably possible, but not before starting.

(d): When the umpires display a red flag with or soon after a penalty flag, the penalized boat shall take a penalty as soon as reasonably possible, but not before starting.

C7.4

Taking and Completing Penalties

(a): When a boat with an outstanding penalty is on a leg to a windward mark and gybes, or is on a leg to a leeward mark or the finishing line and passes head to wind, she is taking a penalty.

(b): When a boat taking a penalty either does not take the penalty correctly or does not complete the penalty as soon as reasonably possible, she is no longer taking a penalty. The umpires shall signal this as required by rule C5.6.

(c): The umpire boat for each match shall display blue or yellow flags or shapes, each flag or shape indicating one outstanding penalty. When a boat has taken a penalty, or a penalty has been cancelled, one flag or shape shall be removed, with the appropriate sound signal. Failure of the umpires to signal correctly shall not change the number of penalties outstanding.

C8: PENALTIES INITIATED BY UMPIRES

C8.1: Rule Changes
Rules 60.2(a) and 60.3(a) do not apply to rules for which penalties may be imposed by umpires.

C8.2: When the umpires decide that a boat has broken rule 31, 42, C4, C7.3(c) or C7.3(d) she shall be penalized by signalling her under rule C5.2 or C5.3. However, if a boat is penalized for breaking a rule of Part 2 and if she in the same incident breaks rule 31, she shall not be penalized for breaking rule 31. Furthermore, a boat that displays an incorrect flag or does not display the correct flag shall be warned orally and given an opportunity to correct the error before being penalized.

C8.3

When the umpires decide that a boat has

(a): gained an advantage by breaking a rule after allowing for a penalty,

(b): deliberately broken a rule, or

(c): committed a breach of sportsmanship,

she shall be penalized under rule C5.2, C5.3 or C5.4.

C8.4: If the umpires or protest committee members decide that a boat may have broken a rule other than those listed in rules C6.1(a) and C6.2, they shall so inform the protest committee for its action under rule 60.3 and rule C6.6 when appropriate.

C8.5: When, after one boat has started, the umpires are satisfied that the other boat will not start, they may signal under rule C5.4 that the boat that did not start is disqualified and the match is terminated.

C8.6: When the match umpires, together with at least one other umpire, decide that a boat has broken rule 14 and damage resulted, they may impose a points-penalty without a hearing. The competitor shall be informed of the penalty as soon as practicable and, at the time of being so informed, may request a hearing. The protest committee shall then proceed under rule C6.6. Any penalty decided by the protest committee may be more than the penalty imposed by the umpires. When the umpires decide that a penalty greater than one point is appropriate, they shall act under rule C8.4.

C9: REQUESTS FOR REDRESS OR REOPENING; APPEALS; OTHER PROCEEDINGS

C9.1: There shall be no request for redress or an appeal from a decision made under rule C5, C6, C7 or C8. Rule 66.2: ‘A party to the hearing may not ask for a reopening.’

C9.2: A competitor may not base a request for redress on a claim that an action by an official boat was improper. The protest committee may decide to consider giving redress in such circumstances but only if it believes that an official boat, including an umpire boat, may have seriously interfered with a competing boat.

C9.3: No proceedings of any kind may be taken in relation to any action or non-action by the umpires, except as permitted in rule C9.2.

C10: SCORING

C10.1: The winning competitor of each match scores one point (half a point each for a dead heat); the loser scores no points.

C10.2: When a competitor withdraws from part of an event the scores of all completed races shall stand.

C10.3: When a single round robin is terminated before completion, or a multiple round robin is terminated during the first round robin, a competitor’s score shall be the average points scored per match sailed by the competitor. However, if any of the competitors have completed less than one third of the scheduled matches, the entire round robin shall be disregarded and, if necessary, the event declared void. For the purposes of tie-breaking in rule C11.1(a), a competitor’s score shall be the average points scored per match between the tied competitors.

C10.4

When a multiple round robin is terminated with an incomplete round robin, only one point shall be available for all the matches sailed between any two competitors, as follows:

Number of matches completed between any two competitors	Points for each win
1	One point
2	Half a point
3	A third of a point
(etc.)

C10.5

In a round-robin series,

(a): competitors shall be placed in order of their total scores, highest score first;

(b): a competitor who has won a match but is disqualified for breaking a rule against a competitor in another match shall lose the point for that match (but the losing competitor shall not be awarded the point); and

(c): the overall position between competitors who have sailed in different groups shall be decided by the highest score.

C10.6: In a knockout series the sailing instructions shall state the minimum number of points required to win a series between two competitors. When a knockout series is terminated it shall be decided in favour of the competitor with the higher score.

C10.7: When only one boat in a match fails to sail the course, she shall be scored no points (without a hearing).

C11: TIES

C11.1

Round-Robin Series
In a round-robin series competitors are assigned to one or more groups and scheduled to sail against all other competitors in their group one or more times. Each separate stage identified in the event format shall be a separate round-robin series irrespective of the number of times each competitor sails against each other competitor in that stage.
Ties between two or more competitors in a round-robin series shall be broken by the following methods, in order, until all ties are broken. When one or more ties are only partially broken, rules C11.1(a) to C11.1(e) shall be reapplied to them. Ties shall be decided in favour of the competitor(s) who

(a): placed in order, has the highest score in the matches between the tied competitors;

(b): when the tie is between two competitors in a multiple round robin, has won the last match between the two competitors;

(c)

has the most points against the competitor placed highest in the round-robin series or, if necessary, second highest, and so on until the tie is broken. When two separate ties have to be resolved but the resolution of each depends upon resolving the other, the following principles shall be used in the rule C11.1(c) procedure:

(1): the higher-place tie shall be resolved before the lower-place tie, and

(2): all the competitors in the lower-place tie shall be treated as a single competitor for the purposes of rule C11.1(c);

(d): after applying rule C10.5(c), has the highest place in the different groups, irrespective of the number of competitors in each group;

(e): has the highest place in the most recent stage of the event (fleet race, round robin, etc.).

C11.2

Knockout Series
Ties (including 0–0) between competitors in a knockout series shall be broken by the following methods, in order, until the tie is broken. The tie shall be decided in favour of the competitor who

(a): has the highest place in the most recent round-robin series, applying rule C11.1 if necessary;

(b): has won the most recent match in the event between the tied competitors.

C11.3

Remaining Ties
When rule C11.1 or C11.2 does not resolve a tie,

(a): if the tie needs to be resolved for a later stage of the event (or another event for which the event is a direct qualifier), the tie shall be broken by a sail-off when practicable. When the race committee decides that a sail-off is not practicable, the tie shall be decided in favour of the competitor who has the highest score in the round-robin series after eliminating the score for the first race for each tied competitor or, should this fail to break the tie, the second race for each tied competitor and so on until the tie is broken. When a tie is partially resolved, the remaining tie shall be broken by reapplying rule C11.1 or C11.2.

(b): to decide the winner of an event that is not a direct qualifier for another event, or the overall position between competitors eliminated in one round of a knockout series, a sail-off may be used (but not a draw).

(c): when a tie is not broken any monetary prizes or ranking points for tied places shall be added together and divided equally among the tied competitors.

Team races shall be sailed under The Racing Rules of Sailing as changed by this appendix.

D1: CHANGES TO THE RACING RULES

D1.1

Definitions and the Rules of Parts 2 and 4

(a): In the definition Zone the distance is changed to two hull lengths.

(b): Rule 18.2(b) is changed to:
If boats are overlapped when the first of them reaches the zone, the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside boat mark-room. If a boat is clear ahead when she reaches the zone, or she later becomes clear ahead when another boat passes head to wind, the boat clear astern at that moment shall thereafter give her mark-room.

(c): Rule 18.4 is deleted.

(d)

When stated in the sailing instructions, rule 20 is changed so that the following arm signals are required in addition to the hails:

(1): for room to tack, repeatedly and clearly pointing to windward; and

(2): for ‘You tack’, repeatedly and clearly pointing at the other boat and waving the arm to windward.

(e): Rule 23.1 is changed to: ‘If reasonably possible, a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat that is racing, and a boat that has finished shall not act to interfere with a boat that has not finished.’

(f): Add new rule 23.3: ‘When boats in different races meet, any change of course by either boat shall be consistent with complying with a rule or trying to win her own race.’

(g)

Add to rule 41:

(e): help from another boat on her team provided electronic communication is not used.

(h): Rule 45 is deleted.

D1.2

Protests and Requests for Redress

(a)

Rule 60.1 is changed to:
A boat may

(a): protest another boat, but not for an alleged breach of a rule of Part 2 unless she was involved in the incident or the incident involved contact between members of the other team; or

(b): request redress.

(b): Rule 61.1(a) is changed so that the boat may remove her red flag after it has been conspicuously displayed.

(c): The boat requesting redress for an incident in the racing area shall display a red flag at the first reasonable opportunity after the incident. She shall display the red flag until it is acknowledged by the race committee or by an umpire.

(d)

The race committee or protest committee shall not protest a boat for breaking a rule of Part 2 or rule 31 or 42 except

(1): based on evidence in a report from an umpire after a black and white flag has been displayed; or

(2): under rule 14 upon receipt of a report from any source alleging damage or injury.

(e): Protests and requests for redress need not be in writing. The protest committee may take evidence in any way it considers appropriate and may communicate its decision orally.

(f): A boat is not entitled to redress based on damage or injury caused by another boat on her team.

(g): When a supplied boat suffers a breakdown, rule D5 applies.

D1.3

Penalties

(a): Rule 44.1 is changed to:
A boat may take a One-Turn Penalty when she may have broken one or more rules of Part 2, or rule 31 or 42, in an incident while racing. However, when she may have broken a rule of Part 2 and rule 31 in the same incident she need not take the penalty for breaking rule 31.

(b): When a boat clearly indicates that she will take a penalty under rule 44.1, she shall take that penalty.

(c): A boat may take a penalty by retiring and informing the race committee or an umpire.

(d): There shall be no penalty for breaking a rule of Part 2 when the incident is between boats on the same team and there is no contact.

D2: UMPIRED RACES

D2.1: When Rule D2 Applies
Rule D2 applies to umpired races. Races to be umpired shall be identified in the notice of race or sailing instructions or by the display of flag J no later than the warning signal.

D2.2

Protests by Boats
When a boat protests under a rule of Part 2 or under rule 31 or 42 for an incident in the racing area, she is not entitled to a hearing and the following applies:

(a): She shall hail ‘Protest’ and conspicuously display a red flag at the first reasonable opportunity for each.

(b): The boats shall be given time to respond.

(c): If no boat takes a penalty or clearly indicates that she will do so, an umpire shall decide whether to penalize any boat.

(d): If more than one boat breaks a rule, an umpire shall decide whether to penalize any boat that did not take a penalty.

(e): An umpire shall signal a decision in compliance with rule D2.4.

D2.3

Penalties Initiated by an Umpire
An umpire may penalize a boat without a protest by another boat, or report the incident to the protest committee, or both, when the boat

(a): breaks rule 31 or 42 and does not take a penalty;

(b): breaks a rule of Part 2 and makes contact with another boat on her team or with a boat in another race, and no boat takes a penalty;

(c): breaks a rule and her team gains an advantage despite her, or another boat on her team, taking a penalty;

(d): breaks rule 14 and there is damage or injury;

(e): breaks rule D1.3(b);

(f): fails to take a penalty signalled by an umpire;

(g): commits a breach of sportsmanship.

The umpire shall signal a decision in compliance with rule D2.4.

D2.4

Signals by an Umpire
An umpire shall signal a decision with one long sound and the display of a flag as follows:

(a): For no penalty, a green and white flag.

(b): To penalize one or more boats, a red flag. The umpire shall hail or signal to identify each boat penalized.

(c): To report the incident to the protest committee, a black and white flag.

D2.5: Penalties Imposed by Umpires
A boat penalized by an umpire shall take a Two-Turns Penalty. However, when a penalty is imposed under rule D2.3 and an umpire hails or signals a number of turns, the boat shall take that number of One-Turn Penalties.

D2.6

Limitations on Other Proceedings

(a): A breach of rule D2.5 shall not be grounds for a protest by a boat.

(b)

A decision, action or non-action of an umpire shall not be

(1): grounds for redress,

(2): subject to an appeal under rule 70, or

(3): grounds for abandoning a race after it has started.

(c): The protest committee may decide to consider giving redress when it believes that an official boat, including an umpire boat, may have seriously interfered with a competing boat.

D3: SCORING A RACE

D3.1

(a): Each boat finishing a race and not retiring thereafter shall be scored points equal to her finishing place. All other boats shall be scored points equal to the number of boats entitled to race.

(b): When a boat is scored OCS, 10 points shall be added to her score unless she retired as soon as possible after the starting signal.

(c): When a boat fails to take a penalty imposed by an umpire at or near the finishing line, she shall be scored as retired.

(d): When a boat is scored as retired after finishing, each boat with a worse finishing place shall be moved up one place.

(e)

When a protest committee decides that a boat that is a party to a protest hearing has broken a rule and is not exonerated,

(1): if the boat has not taken a penalty, 6 points shall be added to her score;

(2): if the boat’s team has gained an advantage despite any penalty taken or imposed, the boat’s score may be increased;

(3): when the boat has broken rule 1 or 2, rule 14 when she has caused damage or injury, or a rule when not racing, half or more race wins may be deducted from her team, or no penalty may be imposed. Race wins deducted shall not be awarded to any other team.

D3.2: When all boats on one team have finished, retired or failed to start, the other team’s boats racing at that time shall be scored the points they would have received had they finished.

D3.3: The team with the lower total points wins the race. If the totals are equal, the team that does not have first place wins.

D4: SCORING AN EVENT

D4.1

Terminology

(a): The format of an event consists of one or more stages.

(b): In a round-robin stage, teams are divided into one or more groups, and each group is scheduled to sail one or more round-robins.

(c): A round-robin consists of each team in a group sailing one race against each other team in that group.

(d): A knockout stage consists of one or more rounds in which each team sails one match. A match is one or more races between two teams.

D4.2

Event Format

(a): The sailing instructions shall state the format and stages of the event, and any special scoring rules.

(b): In order to conclude an event, the race committee may change or terminate any part of the format at any reasonable time taking into account the entries, weather, time constraints and other relevant factors.

D4.3

Scoring a Round-Robin Stage

(a): Teams in a round-robin group shall be ranked in order of number of race wins, highest first. If the teams have not completed an equal number of races, they shall be ranked in order of the percentage of races won, highest first.

(b): However, if a round-robin is terminated when fewer than 80% of its scheduled races have been completed, its race results shall not be included, but shall be used to break ties between teams in the group who all sailed each other in the terminated round-robin.

(c): Results from a previous round-robin stage shall only be carried forward if stated in the sailing instructions.

D4.4

Round-Robin Tie Breaks
Ties in a round-robin stage shall be broken using results from that stage only.

(a)

If the tied teams have all sailed each other at least once in the stage, the tie shall be broken in the order below.

(1): Percentage of races won in all races between the tied teams, highest first;

(2): Average points per race in all races between the tied teams, lowest first;

(3): If two teams remain tied, the winner of the last race between them;

(4): Average points per race in all races against common opponents, lowest first;

(5): A sail-off if possible, otherwise a game of chance.

(b): Otherwise, the tie shall be broken using only steps (4) and (5) above.

(c): When a tie is partially broken by one of the above, the remaining tie shall be broken in accordance with D4.4(a) or (b) as appropriate.

D4.5

Scoring a Knockout Stage

(a): A round shall not be scored unless at least one race has been completed in each match in that round. The final and petit-final are separate rounds.

(b): The winner of a match shall be the first team to score the number of race wins stated in the sailing instructions. If a match is terminated, the winner shall be the team with the higher number of race wins in that match or, if this is a tie, the team that won the last race of the match.

(c)

(1): Teams that win in a round shall be ranked ahead of those that lose.

(2): Teams that lose in a round and do not sail again shall be equally ranked.

(3): In a round that is not scored, teams shall be ranked in order of their places in the previous stage of the event, with teams from different groups ranked separately.

D5: BREAKDOWNS WHEN BOATS ARE SUPPLIED BY
THE ORGANIZING AUTHORITY

D5.1: Rule D5 applies when boats are supplied by the organizing authority.

D5.2: When a boat suffers a breakdown in the racing area, she may request a score change by displaying a red flag at the first reasonable opportunity after the breakdown until it is acknowledged by the race committee or by an umpire. If possible, she shall continue racing.

D5.3: The race committee shall decide requests for a score change in accordance with rules D5.4 and D5.5. It may take evidence in any way it considers appropriate and may communicate its decision orally.

D5.4: When the race committee decides that the team’s finishing position was made significantly worse, that the breakdown was through no fault of the crew, and that in the same circumstances a reasonably competent crew would not have been able to avoid the breakdown, it shall make as equitable a decision as possible. This may be to abandon and resail the race or, when the boat’s finishing position was predictable, award her points for that position. Any doubt about a boat’s position when she broke down shall be resolved against her.

D5.5: A breakdown caused by defective supplied equipment or a breach of a rule by an opponent shall not normally be determined to be the fault of the crew, but one caused by careless handling, capsizing or a breach by a boat on the same team shall be. If there is doubt, it shall be presumed that the crew are not at fault.

Radio sailing races shall be sailed under The Racing Rules of Sailing as changed by this appendix.

Note: A Test Rule for Umpired Radio Sailing is available at the World Sailing website.

E1: CHANGES TO THE DEFINITIONS, TERMINOLOGY AND THE RULES OF PARTS 1, 2 AND 7

E1.1

Definitions
Add to the definition Conflict of Interest:

: However, an observer does not have a conflict of interest solely by being a competitor.

In the definition Zone the distance is changed to four hull lengths.
Add new definition:

: Disabled A boat is disabled while she is unable to continue in the heat.

E1.2

Terminology
The Terminology paragraph of the Introduction is changed so that:

(a): ‘Boat’ means a sailboat controlled by radio signals and having no crew. However, in the rules of Part 1 and Part 5, rule E6 and the definitions Party and Protest, ‘boat’ includes the competitor controlling her.

(b): ‘Competitor’ means the person designated to control a boat using radio signals.

(c): In the racing rules, but not in its appendices, replace the noun ‘race’ with ‘heat’. In Appendix E a race consists of one or more heats and is completed when the last heat in the race is completed.

E1.3

Rules of Parts 1, 2 and 7

(a): Rule 1.2 is deleted.

(b): Hails under rules 20.1 and 20.3 shall include the words ‘room’ and ‘tack’ and the sail number of the hailing boat, in any order.

(c): Rule 22 is changed to: ‘If possible, a boat shall avoid a boat that is disabled.’

(d): Rule 90.2(c) is changed to:
Changes to the sailing instructions may be communicated orally to all affected competitors before the warning signal of the relevant race or heat. When appropriate, changes shall be confirmed in writing.

E2: ADDITIONAL RULES WHEN RACING
Rule E2 applies only while boats are racing.

E2.1

Hailing Requirements

(a): A hail shall be made and repeated as appropriate so that the competitors to whom the hail is directed might reasonably be expected to hear it.

(b): When a rule requires a boat to hail or respond, the hail shall be made by the competitor controlling the boat.

(c): The individual digits of a boat’s sail number shall be hailed; for example ‘one five’, not ‘fifteen’.

E2.2: Giving Advice
A competitor shall not give tactical or strategic advice to a competitor controlling a boat that is racing.

E2.3: Boat Out of Radio Control
A competitor who loses radio control of his boat shall promptly hail ‘(The boat’s sail number) out of control’ and the boat shall retire.

E2.4: Transmitter Aerials
If a transmitter aerial is longer than 200 mm when extended, the extremity shall be adequately protected.

E2.5: Radio Interference
Transmission of radio signals that cause interference with the control of other boats is prohibited. A competitor that has broken this rule shall not race again until permitted to do so by the race committee.

E3: CONDUCT OF A RACE

E3.1: Control Area
Unless the sailing instructions specify a control area, it shall be unrestricted. Competitors shall be in this area when controlling boats that are racing, except briefly to handle and then release or relaunch the boat.

E3.2: Launching Area
Unless the sailing instructions specify a launching area and its use, it shall be unrestricted.

E3.3: Course Board
When the sailing instructions require a course board to be displayed, it shall be located in or adjacent to the control area.

E3.4

Starting and Finishing

(a): Rule 26 is changed to:
Heats shall be started using warning, preparatory and starting signals at one-minute intervals. During the minute before the starting signal, additional sound or oral signals shall be made at ten-second intervals, and during the final ten seconds at one-second intervals. Each signal shall be timed from the beginning of its sound.

(b): The starting and finishing lines shall be between the course sides of the starting and finishing marks.

E3.5: Individual Recall
Rule 29.1 is changed to:
When at a boat’s starting signal any part of her hull is on the course side of the starting line or when she must comply with rule 30.1, the race committee shall promptly hail ‘Recall (sail numbers)’. If rule 30.3 or 30.4 applies this rule does not.

E3.6: General Recall
Rule 29.2 is changed to:
When at the starting signal the race committee is unable to identify boats that are on the course side of the starting line or to which rule 30 applies, or there has been an error in the starting procedure, the race committee may hail ‘General recall’ and make two loud sounds. The warning signal for a new start will normally be made shortly thereafter.

E3.7: U Flag and Black Flag Rules
When the race committee informs a boat that she has broken rule 30.3 or 30.4, the boat shall immediately leave the course area.

E3.8

Other Changes to the Rules of Part 3

(a): Rules 30.2 and 33 are deleted.

(b): All race committee signals shall be made orally or by other sounds. No visual signals are required unless specified in the sailing instructions.

(c): Courses shall not be shortened.

(d): Rule 32.1(a) is changed to: ‘because of foul weather or thunderstorms,’.

E3.9: Disabled Competitors
The race committee may make or permit reasonable arrangements to assist disabled competitors to compete on as equal terms as possible. A boat or the competitor controlling her that receives any such assistance, including help from a support person, does not break rule 41.

E4: RULES OF PART 4

E4.1: Deleted Rules in Part 4
Rules 40, 44.3, 45, 48, 49, 50, 52, 54, 55 and 56 are deleted.

E4.2

Outside Help
Rule 41 is changed to:
A boat or the competitor controlling her shall not receive help from any outside source, except

(a): help needed as a direct result of a competitor becoming ill, injured or in danger;

(b): when the boat is entangled with another boat, help from the other competitor;

(c): when the boat is disabled or in danger, help from the race committee;

(d): help in the form of information freely available to all competitors;

(e): unsolicited information from a disinterested source. A competitor is not a disinterested source unless acting as an observer.

E4.3

Taking a Penalty
Rule 44.1 is changed to:
A boat may take a One-Turn Penalty when she may have broken one or more rules of Part 2, or rule 31, in an incident while racing. However,

(a): when she may have broken a rule of Part 2 and rule 31 in the same incident she need not take the penalty for breaking rule 31;

(b): if the boat gained an advantage in the heat or race by her breach despite taking a penalty, her penalty shall be additional One-Turn Penalties until her advantage is lost;

(c): if the boat caused serious damage, or as a result of breaking a rule of Part 2 she caused another boat to become disabled and retire, her penalty shall be to retire.

E4.4: Person in Charge
Rule 46 is changed to: ‘The member or organization that entered the boat shall designate the competitor. See rule 75.’

E5: RACING WITH OBSERVERS AND UMPIRES

E5.1

Observers

(a): The race committee may appoint observers, who may be competitors.

(b): Observers shall hail the sail numbers of boats that make contact with a mark or another boat.

(c): At the end of a heat, observers shall report to the race committee all unresolved incidents, and any failure to sail the course.

E5.2: Rules for Observers and Umpires
Observers and umpires shall be located in the control area. They shall not use any aid or device that gives them a visual advantage over competitors

E6: PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS

E6.1

Right to Protest
Rule 60.1 is changed to:
A boat may

(a): protest another boat, but not for an alleged breach of a rule of Part 2, 3 or 4 unless she was scheduled to sail in that heat; or

(b): request redress.

However, a boat or competitor may not protest for an alleged breach of rules E2 or E3.7.

E6.2: Protest for a Rule Broken by a Competitor
When a race committee, protest committee or technical committee learns that a competitor may have broken a rule, it may protest the boat controlled by that competitor.

E6.3: Informing the Protestee
Rule 61.1(a) is changed to:
The protesting boat shall inform the other boat at the first reasonable opportunity. When her protest concerns an incident in the racing area, she shall hail ‘(Her own sail number) protest (the sail number of the other boat)’.

E6.4: Informing the Race Committee
The boat protesting or requesting redress about an incident while racing shall inform the race committee as soon as reasonably possible after finishing or retiring.

E6.5: Time Limits
A protest, request for redress or request for reopening shall be delivered to the race committee no later than ten minutes after the last boat in the heat finishes or after the relevant incident, whichever is later.

E6.6

Redress
Add to rule 62.1:

(e): external radio interference acknowledged by the race committee, or

(f): becoming disabled because of the action of a boat that was breaking a rule of Part 2 or of a vessel not racing that was required to keep clear.

E6.7: Right to Be Present
In rule 63.3(a) ‘the representatives of boats shall have been on board’ is changed to ‘the representative of each boat shall be the competitor designated to control her’.

E6.8: Taking Evidence and Finding Facts
Add new rule 63.6(e):
(e) When the protest concerns an alleged breach of a rule of Part 2, 3 or 4, any witness shall have been in the control area at the time of the incident. If the witness is a competitor who was not acting as an observer, he shall also have been scheduled to race in the relevant heat.

E6.9: Decisions on Redress
Add to rule 64.3:
If a boat is given redress because she was damaged, her redress shall include reasonable time, but not more than 30 minutes, to make repairs before her next heat.

E7

PENALTIES
When a protest committee decides that a boat that is a party to a protest hearing has broken a rule other than a rule of Part 2, 3 or 4, it shall either

(a): disqualify her or add any number of points (including zero and fractions of points) to her score. The penalty shall be applied, if possible, to the heat or race in which the rule was broken; otherwise it shall be applied to the next heat or race for that boat. When points are added, the scores of other boats shall not be changed; or

(b): require her to take one or more One-Turn Penalties that shall be taken as soon as possible after the starting signal of her next heat that is started and not subsequently recalled or abandoned.

However, if the boat has broken a rule in Appendix G or rule E8, the protest committee shall act in accordance with rule G4.

E8

CHANGES TO APPENDIX G, INDENTIFICATION ON SAILS
Rule G1, except the table of National Sail Letters, is changed to:

G1: WORLD SAILING AND IRSA CLASS BOATS
This rule applies to every boat of a class administered or recognised by World Sailing or by the International Radio Sailing Association (IRSA).

G1.1

Identification

(a): A boat of a World Sailing or IRSA Class shall display her class insignia, national letters and sail number as specified in rule G1, unless her class rules state otherwise.

(b): At world and continental championships, sails shall comply with these rules. At other events they shall comply with these rules or the rules applicable at the time of their initial certification.

G1.2

National Letters
At all international events, a boat shall display national letters in accordance with the table of National Sail Letters denoting:

(a): when entered under rule 75(a), the national authority of the nationality, place of residence, or affiliation of the owner or the member.

(b): when entered under rule 75(b), the national authority of the organisation which entered her.

For the purposes of this rule, international events are world and continental championships and events described as international events in their notices of race and sailing instructions.
Note: An up-to-date version of the National Sail Letters table is available on the World Sailing website.

G1.3

Sail Numbers

(a): The sail number shall be the last two digits of the boat’s registration number or the competitor’s or owner’s personal number, allotted by the relevant issuing authority.

(b): When there is conflict between sail numbers, or when a sail number may be misread, the race committee shall require that the sail numbers of one or more boats be changed to numeric alternatives.

G1.4

Specifications

(a): National letters and sail numbers shall be in capital letters and Arabic numerals, clearly legible and of the same colour. Commercially available typefaces giving the same or better legibility than Helvetica are acceptable.

(b)

The height and spacing of letters and numbers shall be as follows:

Dimension	Minimum	Maximum
Height of sail numbers	100 mm	110 mm
Spacing of adjacent sail numbers	20 mm	30 mm
Height of national letters	60 mm	70 mm
Spacing of adjacent national letters	13 mm	23 mm

G1.5

(a)

Class insignia, sail numbers and national letters shall be positioned

(1): on both sides of the sail;

(2): with those on the starboard side uppermost;

(3): approximately horizontally;

(4): with no less than 40 mm vertical spacing between numbers and letters on opposite sides of the sail;

(5): with no less than 20 mm vertical spacing between class insignia on opposite sides of the sail.

However, symmetrical or reversed class insignia may be positioned back to back.

(b)

On a mainsail, sail numbers shall be positioned

(1): below class insignia;

(2): above the line perpendicular to the luff through the quarter leech point;

(3): above national letters;

(4): with sufficient space in front of the sail number for a prefix ‘1’.

G1.6

(a)

Where the size of the sail prevents compliance with rule G1.2, National Letters, then exceptions to rules G1.2, G1.4, and G1.5 shall be made in the following order of precedence. National letters shall

(1): be spaced vertically below sail numbers by less than 30 mm, but no less than 20 mm;

(2): be spaced on opposite sides of the sail by less than 30 mm, but no less than 20 mm;

(3): be reduced in height to less than 45 mm, but no less than 40 mm;

(4): be omitted.

(b)

Where the size of the sail prevents compliance with rule G1.3, Sail Numbers, then exceptions to rules G1.4 and G1.5 shall be made in the following order of precedence. Sail numbers shall

(1): extend below the specified line;

(2): be spaced on opposite sides of the sail by less than 30 mm, but no less than 20 mm apart;

(3): be reduced in height to less than 90 mm, but no less than 80 mm;

(4): be omitted on all except the largest sail;

(5): be reduced in height until they do fit on the largest sail.

: Kiteboarding course races shall be sailed under The Racing Rules of Sailing as changed by this appendix. The term ‘boat’ elsewhere in the racing rules means ‘kiteboard’ or ‘boat’ as appropriate.

: Note: Rules for other kiteboarding racing formats (such as Short Track, Kitecross, Slalom, Boarder X) or other kiteboarding competitions (such as Freestyle, Wave, Big Air, Speed) are not included in this appendix. Links to current versions of these rules can be found on the World Sailing website.

CHANGES TO THE DEFINITIONS

: The definitions Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap, Finish, Keep Clear, Leeward and Windward, Mark-Room, Obstruction, Start, Tack, Starboard or Port and Zone are changed to:

: Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap One kiteboard is clear astern of another when her hull is behind a line abeam from the aftermost point of the other kiteboard’s hull. The other kiteboard is clear ahead. They overlap when neither is clear astern. However, they also overlap when a kiteboard between them overlaps both. If there is reasonable doubt that two kiteboards are overlapped, it shall be presumed that they are not. These terms always apply to kiteboards on the same tack. They apply to kiteboards on opposite tacks only when both kiteboards are sailing more than ninety degrees from the true wind.

Finish A kiteboard finishes when, after starting, while the competitor is in contact with the hull, any part of her hull, or the competitor, crosses the finishing line from the course side. However, she has not finished if after crossing the finishing line she

(a): takes a penalty under rule 44.2,

(b): corrects an error in sailing the course made at the line, or

(c): continues to sail the course.

Keep Clear A kiteboard keeps clear of a right-of-way kiteboard

(a): if the right-of-way kiteboard can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action and,

(b): when the kiteboards are overlapped, if the right-of-way kiteboard can also change course in both directions or move her kite in any direction without immediately making contact.

: Leeward and Windward A kiteboard’s leeward side is the side that is or, when she is head to wind, was away from the wind. However, when sailing by the lee or directly downwind, her leeward side is the side on which her kite lies. The other side is her windward side. When two kiteboards on the same tack overlap, the one whose hull is on the leeward side of the other’s hull is the leeward kiteboard. The other is the windward kiteboard.

: Mark-Room Room for a kiteboard to sail her proper course to round or pass the mark on the required side.

: Obstruction An object that a kiteboard could not pass without substantially changing her course or the position of her kite, if she were sailing directly towards it and 10 metres from it. An object that can be safely passed on only one side and an object, area or line so designated by the sailing instructions are also obstructions. However, a kiteboard racing is not an obstruction to other kiteboards unless they are required to keep clear of her or, if rule 22 applies, avoid her. A vessel under way, including a kiteboard racing, is never a continuing obstruction.

: Start A kiteboard starts when, her hull and the competitor having been entirely on the pre-start side of the starting line at or after her starting signal, any part of her hull or the competitor crosses the starting line from the pre-start side to the course side.

: Tack, Starboard or Port A kiteboard is on the tack, starboard or port, corresponding to the competitor’s hand that would be forward if the competitor were in normal riding position (riding heel side with both hands on the control bar and arms not crossed). A kiteboard is on starboard tack when the competitor’s right hand would be forward and is on the port tack when the competitor’s left hand would be forward.

: Zone The area around a mark within a distance of 30 metres. A kiteboard is in the zone when any part of her hull is in the zone.

Add the following definitions:
Capsized A kiteboard is capsized if

(a): her kite is in the water, or

(b): her lines are tangled with another kiteboard’s lines.

: Jumping A kiteboard is jumping when her hull, its appendages and the competitor are clear of the water.

Recovering

(a): A kiteboard is recovering from the time she loses steerage way until she regains it, unless she is capsized.

(b): A kiteboard is recovering from the time her kite is out of the water until she has steerage way.

F1: CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 1
[No changes.]

F2

CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 2
PART 2 – PREAMBLE

: In the second sentence of the preamble, ‘injury or serious damage’ is changed to ‘injury, serious damage or a tangle’.

13: WHILE TACKING
Rule 13 is deleted.

16: CHANGING COURSE OR KITE POSITION
Rule 16 is changed to:

16.1: When a right-of-way kiteboard changes course or the position of her kite, she shall give the other kiteboard room to continue keeping clear.

16.2: In addition, on a beat to windward when a port-tack kiteboard is keeping clear by sailing to pass to leeward of a starboard-tack kiteboard, the starboard-tack kiteboard shall not bear away or change the position of her kite if as a result the port-tack kiteboard must change course or the position of her kite immediately to continue keeping clear.

17: ON THE SAME TACK; PROPER COURSE
Rule 17 is deleted.

18: MARK-ROOM
Rule 18 is changed to:

18.1

When Rule 18 Applies
Rule 18 applies between kiteboards when they are required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is in the zone. However, it does not apply

(a): between a kiteboard approaching a mark and one leaving it, or

(b): between kiteboards on opposite tacks.

Rule 18 no longer applies between kiteboards when mark-room has been given.

18.2

Giving Mark-Room

(a)

When the first kiteboard reaches the zone,

(1): if kiteboards are overlapped, the outside kiteboard at that moment shall thereafter give the inside kiteboard mark-room.

(2): if kiteboards are not overlapped, the kiteboard that has not reached the zone shall thereafter give mark-room.

(b): If the kiteboard entitled to mark-room leaves the zone, the entitlement to mark-room ceases and rule 18.2(a) is applied again if required based on the relationship of the kiteboards at the time rule 18.2(a) is re-applied.

(c): If a kiteboard obtained an inside overlap and, from the time the overlap began, the outside kiteboard is unable to give mark-room, she is not required to give it.

18.3: Tacking and Gybing
When an inside overlapped right-of-way kiteboard must change tack at a mark to sail her proper course, until she changes tack she shall sail no farther from the mark than needed to sail that course. Rule 18.3 does not apply at a gate mark or a finishing mark and a kiteboard shall not be penalized for breaking this rule unless the course of another kiteboard was affected by the breach of this rule.

20

ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION
Rule 20.1(a) is changed to:

(a): she is approaching an obstruction, and, to avoid it safely, will soon need to make a substantial change of her course or the position of her kite, and

Add new rule 20.5:

20.5

Arm Signals
The following arm signals are required in addition to the hails

(a): for room to tack, repeatedly and clearly circling one hand over the head; and

(b): for ‘You tack’, repeatedly and clearly pointing at the other kiteboard and waving the arm to windward.

SECTION D — PREAMBLE

: The preamble to Section D is changed to:
When rule 21 or 22 applies between two kiteboards, Section A and C rules do not.

21: STARTING ERRORS; TAKING PENALTIES; JUMPING
Rule 21.3 is changed and new rule 21.4 is added:

21.3: During the last minute before her starting signal, a kiteboard that stops, slows down significantly, or one that is not making significant forward progress shall keep clear of all others unless she is accidentally capsized.

21.4: A kiteboard that is jumping shall keep clear of one that is not.

22: CAPSIZED; RECOVERING; AGROUND; RESCUING
Rule 22 is changed to:

22.1: If possible, a kiteboard shall avoid a kiteboard that is capsized, is aground, or is trying to help a person or vessel in danger.

22.2: A kiteboard that is recovering shall keep clear of a kiteboard that is not.

F3

CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 3

26

STARTING RACES
Rule 26 is changed to:
Races shall be started by using the following signals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded.

Minutes before starting signal	Visual signal	Sound signal	Means
3	Class flag	One	Warning signal
2	U or black flag	One	Preparatory signal
1	U or black flag removed	One long	One minute
0	Class flag removed	One	Starting signal

29: RECALLS
29.1 is deleted.

30: STARTING PENALTIES
Rules 30.1 and 30.2 are deleted.
In rules 30.3 and 30.4, ‘hull’ is changed to ‘hull or competitor’.
In rule 30.4, ‘sail number’ is changed to ‘competitor number’.

31: TOUCHING A MARK
Rule 31 is changed to:
While racing, a kiteboard shall not touch a windward mark.

36

RACES RESTARTED OR RESAILED
Rule 36(b) is changed to:

(b): cause a kiteboard to be penalized except under rule 2, 30.4 or 69 or under rule 14 when she has caused injury, serious damage or a tangle.

F4

CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 4

41

OUTSIDE HELP
Add new rules 41(e) and 41(f):

(e): help from another competitor in the same race to assist a relaunch;

(f): help to change equipment, but only in the launching area.

42: PROPULSION
Rule 42 is changed to:

42.1: Basic Rule
Except when permitted in rule 42.2, a kiteboard shall compete by using only the wind and water to increase, maintain or decrease her speed.

42.2

Exceptions

(a): A kiteboard may be propelled by unassisted actions of the competitor on the kiteboard.

(b): A competitor may swim, walk or paddle while capsized or recovering, provided that the kiteboard does not gain a significant advantage in the race.

(c): Any means of propulsion may be used to help a person or another vessel in danger.

43

EXONERATION
Rule 43.1(c) is changed to:

(c): A right-of-way kiteboard, or one sailing within the room or mark-room to which she is entitled, is exonerated for breaking rule 14 if the contact does not cause damage, injury or a tangle.

Add new rule 43.1(d):

(d): When a kiteboard breaks rule 15 and there is no contact, she is exonerated for her breach.

44: PENALTIES AT THE TIME OF AN INCIDENT
Rules 44.1 and 44.2 are changed to:

44.1

Taking a Penalty
A kiteboard may take a One-Turn Penalty when she may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 or rule 31 in an incident while racing. Alternatively, the notice of race or sailing instructions may specify the use of the Scoring Penalty or some other penalty, in which case the specified penalty shall replace the One-Turn Penalty. However,

(a): when a kiteboard may have broken a rule of Part 2 and rule 31 in the same incident she need not take the penalty for breaking rule 31; and

(b): if the kiteboard caused injury,serious damage or a tangle or, despite taking a penalty, gained a significant advantage or caused significant disadvantage to the other kiteboard in the race or series by her breach, her penalty shall be to retire.

44.2: One-Turn Penalty
After getting well clear of other kiteboards as soon after the incident as possible, a kiteboard takes a One-Turn Penalty by promptly making one turn with her hull appendage in the water. The turn shall include one completed tack and one completed gybe. When a kiteboard takes the penalty at or near the finishing line, her hull and competitor shall be completely on the course side of the line before she finishes.

50

COMPETITOR CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
Rule 50.1(a) is changed to:

(a): Competitors shall not wear or carry clothing or equipment for the purpose of increasing their weight. However, a competitor may wear a drinking container that shall have a capacity of at least one litre and weigh no more than 1.5 kilograms when full.

PART 4 RULES DELETED

: Rules 45, 48, 49, 50.2, 51, 52, 54, 55 and 56.1 are deleted.

F5

CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 5

61

PROTEST REQUIREMENTS
Rule 61.1(a) is changed to:

(a)

The protesting kiteboard shall inform the other kiteboard at the first reasonable opportunity. When her protest will concern an incident in the racing area, she shall hail ‘Protest’ at the first reasonable opportunity. However,

(1): if the other kiteboard is beyond hailing distance, the protesting kiteboard need not hail but she shall inform the other kiteboard at the first reasonable opportunity;

(2): no red flag need be displayed;

(3): if the incident was an error by the other kiteboard in sailing the course, she need not hail but she shall inform the other kiteboard before that kiteboard finishes or at the first reasonable opportunity after she finishes;

(4): if at the time of the incident it is obvious to the protesting kiteboard that either competitor is in danger, or that injury, serious damage or a tangle resulted, the requirements of this rule do not apply to her, but she shall attempt to inform the other kiteboard within the time limit of rule 61.3.

63: HEARINGS
For a race of an elimination series that will qualify a kiteboard to compete in a later stage of an event, rules 61.2 and 65.2 are deleted and rule 63.6 is changed to:

63.6: Protests and requests for redress need not be in writing; they shall be made orally to a member of the protest committee as soon as reasonably possible following the race. The protest committee may take evidence in any way it considers appropriate and may communicate its decision orally.

64

DECISIONS
Add new rule 64.2(c):

(c): if a kiteboard has broken a rule and, as a result, caused a tangle for the second or subsequent time during the event, her penalty shall be a disqualification that is not excludable.

Rules 64.4(a) and 64.4(b) are changed to:

(a): When the protest committee finds that deviations in excess of acceptable manufacturing tolerances were caused by damage or normal wear and do not improve the performance of the kiteboard, it shall not penalize her. However, the kiteboard shall not race again until the deviations have been corrected, except when the protest committee decides there is or has been no reasonable opportunity to do so.

(b): When the protest committee is in doubt about any matter concerning the measurement of a kiteboard, the interpretation of a class rule, or a matter involving damage to a kiteboard, it shall refer its questions, together with the relevant facts, to an authority responsible for interpreting the rule. In making its decision, the committee shall be bound by the reply of the authority.

70: APPEALS AND REQUESTS TO A NATIONAL AUTHORITY
Add new rule 70.7:

70.7: Appeals are not permitted in disciplines and formats with elimination series.

F6: CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 6
[No changes.]

F7

CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 7

90: RACE COMMITTEE; SAILING INSTRUCTIONS; SCORING
The last sentence of rule 90.2(c) is changed to: ‘Oral instructions may be given only if the procedure is stated in the sailing instructions.’

F8

CHANGES TO APPENDIX A

A1: NUMBER OF RACES; OVERALL SCORES
Rule A1 is changed to:
The number of races scheduled and the number required to be completed to constitute a series shall be stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions. If an event includes more than one discipline or format, the notice of race or sailing instructions shall state how the overall scores are to be calculated.

A5: SCORES DETERMINED BY THE RACE COMMITTEE
Rule A5.2 is changed to:

A5.2: A kiteboard that did not start, did not sail the course, did not finish, retired or was disqualified shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of kiteboards entered in the series or, in a race of an elimination series, the number of kiteboards in that heat.

A10: SCORING ABBREVIATIONS
Add to Rule A10:
DCT Disqualified after causing a tangle in an incident.

F9

CHANGES TO APPENDIX G
Appendix G is changed to:
Appendix G – Identification

G1

Every kiteboard shall be identified as follows:

(a): Each competitor shall be provided with and wear a bib with a personal competition number of no more than three digits. The bib shall be worn as intended with the competition number clearly displayed.

(b): The numbers shall be displayed as high as possible on the front, back and sleeves of the bib. They should be at least 20 cm tall on the back and at least 6 cm tall on the front and the sleeves.

(c): The numbers shall be Arabic numerals, all of the same solid colour, clearly legible and in a commercially available typeface giving the same or better legibility as Helvetica. The colour of the numbers shall contrast with the colour of the bib.

See rule 77.

G1: WORLD SAILING CLASS BOATS

G1.1

Identification
Every boat of a World Sailing Class shall carry on her mainsail and, as provided in rule G1.3(c) for letters and numbers only, on her spinnaker and headsail

(a): the insignia denoting her class;

(b): at all international events, except when the boats are provided to all competitors, national letters denoting her national authority from the table below. For the purposes of this rule, international events are World Sailing events, world and continental championships, and events described as international events in their notices of race and sailing instructions; and

(c): a sail number of no more than four digits allotted by her national authority or, when so required by the class rules, by the class association. The four-digit limitation does not apply to classes whose World Sailing membership or recognition took effect before 1 April 1997. Alternatively, if permitted in the class rules, an owner may be allotted a personal sail number by the relevant issuing authority, which may be used on all his boats in that class.

Sails measured before 31 March 1999 shall comply with rule G1.1 or with the rules applicable at the time of measurement.
Note: An up-to-date version of the table below is available on the World Sailing website.

NATIONAL SAIL LETTERS

National authority	Letters	National authority	Letters
Algeria	ALG	Libya	LBA
American Samoa	ASA	Liechtenstein	LIE
Andorra	AND	Lithuania	LTU
Angola	ANG	Luxembourg	LUX
Antigua	ANT	Macau, China	MAC
Argentina	ARG	Madagascar	MAD
Armenia	ARM	Malaysia	MAS
Aruba	ARU	Malta	MLT
Australia	AUS	Mauritius	MRI
Austria	AUT	Mexico	MEX
Azerbaijan	AZE	Moldova	MDA
Bahamas	BAH	Monaco	MON
Bahrain	BRN	Montenegro	MNE
Barbados	BAR	Montserrat	MNT
Belarus	BLR	Morocco	MAR
Belgium	BEL	Mozambique	MOZ
Belize	BIZ	Myanmar	MYA
Bermuda	BER	Namibia	NAM
Botswana	BOT	Netherlands	NED
Brazil	BRA	Netherlands Antilles	AHO
British Virgin Islands	IVB	New Zealand	NZL
Brunei Darussalam	BRU	Nigeria	NGR
Bulgaria	BUL	North Macedonia	MKD
Cambodia	CAM	Norway	NOR
Canada	CAN	Oman	OMA
Cayman Islands	CAY	Pakistan	PAK
Chile	CHI	Palestine	PLE
China, PR	CHN	Panama	PAN
Chinese Taipei	TPE	Papua New Guinea	PNG
Colombia	COL	Paraguay	PAR
Cook Islands	COK	Peru	PER
Croatia	CRO	Philippines	PHI
Cuba	CUB	Poland	POL
Cyprus	CYP	Portugal	POR
Czech Republic	CZE	Puerto Rico	PUR
Denmark	DEN	Qatar	QAT
Djibouti	DJI	Romania	ROU
Dominican Republic	DOM	Russia	RUS
Ecuador	ECU	Samoa	SAM
Egypt	EGY	San Marino	SMR
El Salvador	ESA	Senegal	SEN
Estonia	EST	Serbia	SRB
Fiji	FIJ	Seychelles	SEY
Finland	FIN	Singapore	SGP
France	FRA	Slovak Republic	SVK
Georgia	GEO	Slovenia	SLO
Germany	GER	South Africa	RSA
Great Britain	GBR	Spain	ESP
Greece	GRE	Sri Lanka	SRI
Grenada	GRN	St. Kitts & Nevis	SKN
Guam	GUM	St. Lucia	LCA
Guatemala	GUA	Sudan	SUD
Hong Kong, China	HKG	Sweden	SWE
Hungary	HUN	Switzerland	SUI
Iceland	ISL	Tahiti	TAH
India	IND	Tanzania	TAN
Indonesia	INA	Thailand	THA
Iran	IRN	Timor Leste	TLS
Iraq	IRQ	Trinidad & Tobago	TTO
Ireland	IRL	Tunisia	TUN
Israel	ISR	Turkey	TUR
Italy	ITA	Turks & Caicos	TKS
Jamaica	JAM	Uganda	UGA
Japan	JPN	Ukraine	UKR
Kazakhstan	KAZ	United Arab Emirates	UAE
Kenya	KEN	United States of America	USA
Korea, DPR	PRK	Uruguay	URU
Korea, Republic of	KOR	US Virgin Islands	ISV
Kosovo	KOS	Vanuatu	VAN
Kuwait	KUW	Venezuela	VEN
Kyrgyzstan	KGZ	Vietnam	VIE
Latvia	LAT	Zimbabwe	ZIM
Lebanon	LIB

G1.2

Specifications

(a)

National letters and sail numbers shall be:

(1): in capital letters and Arabic numerals,

(2): of the same colour,

(3): of a contrasting colour to the body of the sail, and

(4): of a sans-serif typeface.

In addition, the letters and numbers identifying the boat shall be clearly legible when the sail is set.

(b)

The height of characters and space between adjoining characters on the same and opposite sides of the sail shall be related to the boat’s overall length as follows:

Overall length	Minimum height	Minimum space between characters and from edge of sail
Under 3.5 m	230 mm	45 mm
3.5 m - 8.5 m	300 mm	60 mm
8.5 m - 11 m	375 mm	75 mm
Over 11 m	450 mm	90 mm

G1.3

Positioning
Class insignia, national letters and sail numbers shall be positioned as follows:

(a)

General

(1): Class insignia, national letters and sail numbers, where applicable, shall be placed on both sides and such that those on the starboard side are uppermost.

(2): National letters shall be placed above the sail numbers on each side of the sail.

(b)

Mainsails

(1): The class insignia, national letters and sail numbers shall, if possible, be wholly above an arc whose centre is the head point and whose radius is 60% of the leech length.

(2): The class insignia shall be placed above the national letters. If the class insignia is of a design that it may be placed back to back, then it may be so placed.

(c)

Headsails and Spinnakers

(1): National letters and sail numbers are only required on a headsail whose foot length is greater than 1.3 x foretriangle base.

(2): The national letters and sail numbers of headsails shall be displayed wholly below an arc whose centre is the head point and whose radius is 50% of the luff length and, if possible, wholly above an arc whose radius is 75% of the luff length.

(3): The national letters and sail number shall be displayed on the front side of a spinnaker but may be placed on both sides. They shall be displayed wholly below an arc whose centre is the head point and whose radius is 40% of the foot median and, if possible, wholly above an arc whose radius is 60% of the foot median.

G2: OTHER BOATS
Other boats shall comply with the rules of their national authority or class association in regard to the allotment, carrying and size of insignia, letters and numbers. Such rules shall, when practicable, conform to the above requirements.

US Sailing prescribes that unless otherwise stated in her class rules, the sails of a boat that is not in a World Sailing Class shall comply with rule G1. However, offshore racing boats not in a class that is subject to rule G1 shall carry numbers allotted by US Sailing on mainsails, spinnakers and each overlapping headsail having a luff-perpendicular measurement exceeding 130% of the base of the foretriangle. This rule applies only to a boat whose owner’s national authority is US Sailing. Go to rules.ussailing.org and click the ‘Sail Numbers’ link for the full text of the Sail Numbering System for offshore racing boats in the United States and for an application for a sail number.

G3: CHARTERED OR LOANED BOATS
When so stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions, a boat chartered or loaned for an event may carry national letters or a sail number in contravention of her class rules.

G4: WARNINGS AND PENALTIES
When a protest committee finds that a boat has broken a rule of this appendix, it shall either warn her and give her time to comply or penalize her.

G5: CHANGES BY CLASS RULES
World Sailing Classes may change the rules of this appendix provided the changes have first been approved by World Sailing.

See rule 50. This appendix shall not be changed by the notice of race, sailing instructions or prescriptions of national authorities.

H1: Items of clothing and equipment to be weighed shall be arranged on a rack. After being saturated in water the items shall be allowed to drain freely for one minute before being weighed. The rack must allow the items to hang as they would hang from clothes hangers, so as to allow the water to drain freely. Pockets that have drain-holes that cannot be closed shall be empty, but pockets or items that can hold water shall be full.

H2: When the weight recorded exceeds the amount permitted, the competitor may rearrange the items on the rack and the member of the technical committee in charge shall again soak and weigh them. This procedure may be repeated a second time if the weight still exceeds the amount permitted.

H3

A competitor wearing a dry suit may choose an alternative means of weighing the items

(a): The dry suit and items of clothing and equipment that are worn outside the dry suit shall be weighed as described above.

(b): Clothing worn underneath the dry suit shall be weighed as worn while racing, without draining.

(c): The two weights shall be added together.

See rules 89.2 and 90.2. In this appendix, the term ‘event’ includes a race or series of races.

A rule in the notice of race need not be repeated in the sailing instructions.

Care should be taken to ensure that there is no conflict between rules in the notice of race, the sailing instructions or any other document that governs the event.

J1: NOTICE OF RACE CONTENTS

J1.1

The notice of race shall include the following:

(1): the title, place and dates of the event and name of the organizing authority;

(2): that the event will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing;

(3): a list of any other documents that will govern the event (for example, The Equipment Rules of Sailing, to the extent that they apply), stating where or how each document or an electronic copy of it may be obtained;

(4): the classes to race, any handicap or rating system that will be used, and the classes to which it will apply; conditions of entry and any restrictions on entries;

(5): the procedures and times for registration or entry, including fees and any closing dates;

(6): the times of warning signals for the practice race, if one is scheduled, and the first race, and succeeding races if known.

J1.2

The notice of race shall include any of the following that will apply:

(1): times or procedures for equipment inspection or event measurement, or requirements for measurement or rating certificates;

(2): changes to the racing rules authorized by World Sailing under rule 86.2, referring specifically to each rule and stating the change (also include the statement from World Sailing authorizing the change);

(3): changes to class rules, as permitted under rule 87, referring specifically to each rule and stating the change;

(4)

categorization or classification requirements that some or all competitors must satisfy;

(a): for sailor categorization (see rule 79 and the World Sailing Sailor Categorization Code), or

(b): for functional classification for Para World Sailing events (see World Sailing Para Classification Rules);

(5): that boats will be required to display advertising chosen and supplied by the organizing authority (see rule 6 and the World Sailing Advertising Code) and other information related to advertising;

(6): when entries from other countries are expected, any national prescriptions that may require advance preparation (see rule 88);

(7): prescriptions that will apply if boats will pass through the waters of more than one national authority while racing, and when they will apply (see rule 88.1);

(8): alternative communication required in place of hails under rule 20 (see rule 20.4(b));

(9): any change in the weight limit for a competitor’s clothing and equipment permitted by rule 50.1(b);

(10): any requirements necessary for compliance with data protection legislation that applies in the venue of the event;

(11): an entry form, to be signed by the boat’s owner or owner’s representative, containing words such as ‘I agree to be bound by The Racing Rules of Sailing and by all other rules that govern this event.’;

(12): replacement of the rules of Part 2 with the right-of-way rules of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea or other government right-of-way rules, the time(s) or place(s) they will apply, and any night signals to be used by the race committee.

J1.3

The notice of race shall include any of the following that will apply and that would help competitors decide whether to attend the event or that conveys other information they will need before the sailing instructions become available:

(1): changes to the racing rules permitted by rule 86, referring specifically to each rule and stating the change;

(2): changes to the national prescriptions (see rule 88.2);

(3): the time and place at which the sailing instructions will be available;

(4): a general description of the course, or type of courses, to be sailed;

(5): the scoring system, if different from the system in Appendix A, included by reference to class rules or other rules governing the event, or stated in full. State the number of races scheduled and the minimum number that must be completed to constitute a series. If appropriate, for a series where the number of starters may vary substantially, state that rule A5.3 applies;

(6): the penalty for breaking a rule of Part 2, other than the Two-Turns Penalty;

(7): the time after which no warning signal will be made on the last scheduled day of racing;

(8): denial of the right of appeal, subject to rule 70.5;

(9): for chartered or loaned boats, whether rule G3 applies;

(10): prizes.

J2: SAILING INSTRUCTION CONTENTS

J2.1

Unless included in the notice of race, the sailing instructions shall include the following:

(1): the information in rules J1.3(1), (2) and (5) and, when applicable, rules J1.3(6), (7), (8), (9) and (10);

(2): the schedule of races and the times of warning signals for each class;

(3): a complete description of the course(s) to be sailed, or a list of marks from which the course will be selected and, if relevant, how courses will be signalled;

(4): descriptions of marks, including starting and finishing marks, stating the order in which marks are to be passed and the side on which each is to be left and identifying all rounding marks (see the definition Sail the Course);

(5): descriptions of the starting and finishing lines, class flags and any special signals to be used;

(6): the race time limit, if any, for the first boat to finish (see rule 35);

(7): location(s) of official notice board(s) or address of online notice board; location of the race office.

J2.2

Unless included in the notice of race, the sailing instructions shall include those of the following that will apply:

(1): whether Appendix P will apply;

(2): when appropriate, at an event where entries from other countries are expected, a copy in English of the national prescriptions that will apply;

(3): procedure for changing the sailing instructions;

(4): procedure for giving oral changes to the sailing instructions on the water (see rule 90.2(c));

(5): safety requirements, such as requirements and signals for personal flotation devices, check-in at the starting area, and check-out and check-in ashore;

(6): signals to be made ashore and location of signal station(s);

(7): restrictions controlling changes to boats when supplied by the organizing authority;

(8): when and under what circumstances propulsion is permitted under rule 42.3(i);

(9): restrictions on use of support person vessels, plastic pools, radios, etc.; on trash disposal; on hauling out; and on outside assistance provided to a boat that is not racing;

(10): the racing area (a chart is recommended);

(11): location of the starting area and any restrictions on entering it;

(12): any special procedures or signals for individual or general recall;

(13): approximate course length and approximate length of windward legs;

(14): any special procedures or signals for changing a leg of the course (see rule 33);

(15): description of any object, area or line designated by the race committee to be an obstruction (see the definition Obstruction), and any restriction on entering such an area or crossing such a line;

(16): boats identifying mark locations;

(17): any special procedures for shortening the course or for finishing a shortened course;

(18): the time limit, if any, for boats other than the first boat to finish and any other time limits or target times that apply while boats are racing;

(19): declaration requirements;

(20): time allowances;

(21): time limits, place of hearings, and special procedures for protests, requests for redress or requests for reopening;

(22): the national authority’s approval of the appointment of an international jury, when required under rule 91(b);

(23): the time limit for requesting a hearing under rule N1.4(b), if not 30 minutes;

(24): when required by rule 70.3, the national authority to which appeals and requests are required to be sent;

(25): substitution of competitors;

(26): the minimum number of boats appearing in the starting area required for a race to be started;

(27): when and where races postponed or abandoned for the day will be sailed;

(28): tides and currents;

(29): other commitments of the race committee and obligations of boats.

NOTICE OF RACE GUIDE

Previously Appendix K

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS GUIDE

Previously Appendix L

These guides, updated to conform to the rules in this edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing, are available, in various formats, at the World Sailing website at sailing.org/racingrules/documents. National authorities are encouraged to translate the guides, and World Sailing will make translated versions available at that website.

The guides, which will have a two-letter designation starting with ‘K’ or ‘L’, may be downloaded either as PDF documents or as Word documents. This will enable users to easily and quickly create, using the tested wording in the guides, either the notice of race or the sailing instructions, or both, for a particular event.

Suggestions for improving these guides are welcome and should be sent to rules@sailing.org.

This appendix is advisory only; in some circumstances changing these procedures may be advisable. It is addressed primarily to protest committee chairmen but may also help judges, protest committee secretaries, race committees and others connected with protest and redress hearings.

In a protest or redress hearing, the protest committee should weigh all testimony with equal care; should recognize that honest testimony can vary, and even be in conflict, as a result of different observations and recollections; should resolve such differences as best it can; should recognize that no boat or competitor is guilty until a breach of a rule has been established to the satisfaction of the protest committee; and should keep an open mind until all the evidence has been heard as to whether a boat or competitor has broken a rule.

M1

PRELIMINARIES (may be performed by race office staff)

•: Receive the protest or request for redress.

•: Note on the form the time the protest or request is delivered and the protest time limit.

•: Inform each party, and the race committee when necessary, when and where the hearing will be held.

M2: BEFORE THE HEARING

M2.1

Make sure that

•: each party has a copy of or the opportunity to read the protest, request for redress or allegation and has had reasonable time to prepare for the hearing.

•: only one person from each boat (or party) is present unless an interpreter is needed.

•: all boats and people involved are represented. If they are not, however, the committee may proceed under rule 63.3(b).

•: boats’ representatives were on board when required (rule 63.3(a)). When the parties were in different events, both organizing authorities must accept the composition of the protest committee (rule 63.8). In a protest concerning class rules, obtain the current class rules and identify the authority responsible for interpreting them (rule 64.4(b)).

M2.2: Determine if any members of the protest committee saw the incident. If so, require each of them to state that fact in the presence of the parties (rule 63.6(b)).

M2.3

Assess conflicts of interest.

•: Ensure that all protest committee members declare any possible conflicts of interest. At major events this will often be a formal written declaration made before the event starts that will be kept with the protest committee records.

•: At the start of any hearing, ensure that the parties are aware of any conflicts of interest of protest committee members. Ask the parties if they consent to the members. If a party does not object as soon as possible after a conflict of interest has been declared, the protest committee may take this as consent to proceed and should record it.

•: If a party objects to a member, the remainder of the protest committee members need to assess whether the conflict of interest is significant. The assessment will consider the level of the event, the level of the conflict and the perception of fairness. It may be acceptable to balance conflicts between protest committee members. Guidance may be found on the World Sailing website. Record the decision and the grounds for that decision.

•: In cases of doubt it may be preferable to proceed with a smaller protest committee. Except for hearings under rule 69, there is no minimum number of protest committee members required.

•: When a request for redress is made under rule 62.1(a) and is based on an improper action or omission of a body other than the protest committee, a member of that body should not be a member of the protest committee.

M3: THE HEARING

M3.1

Check the validity of the protest or request for redress.

•: Are the contents adequate (rule 61.2 or 62)?

•: Was it delivered in time? If not, is there good reason to extend the time limit (rule 61.3 or 62.2)?

•: When required, was the protestor involved in or a witness to the incident (rule 60.1(a))?

•: When necessary, was ‘Protest’ hailed and, if required, a red flag displayed correctly (rule 61.1(a))?

•: When the flag or hail was not necessary, was the protestee informed?

•: Decide whether the protest or request for redress is valid (rule 63.5).

•: Once the validity of the protest or request has been determined, do not let the subject be introduced again unless truly new evidence is available.

M3.2

Take the evidence (rule 63.6).

•: Ask the protestor and then the protestee to tell their stories. Then allow them to question one another. In a redress matter, ask the party to state the request.

•: Make sure you know what facts each party is alleging before calling any witnesses. Their stories may be different.

•: Allow anyone, including a boat’s crew, to give evidence. It is the party who normally decides which witnesses to call, although the protest committee may also call witnesses (rule 63.6(a)). The question asked by a party ‘Would you like to hear N?’ is best answered by ‘It is your choice.’

•: Call each party’s witnesses (and the protest committee’s if any) one by one. Limit parties to questioning the witness(es). (They may wander into general statements.)

•: Invite the protestee to question the protestor’s witness first (and vice versa). This prevents the protestor from leading his witness from the beginning.

•: Allow members of the protest committee who saw the incident to give evidence (rule 63.6(b)), but only while the parties are present. Members who give evidence may be questioned, should take care to relate all they know about the incident that could affect the decision, and may remain on the protest committee (rule 63.3(a)).

•: Try to prevent leading questions, but if that is impossible discount the evidence so obtained.

•: The protest committee chairman should advise a party or a witness giving hearsay, repetitive or irrelevant evidence that the protest committee must give such evidence appropriate weight, which may be little or no weight at all.

•: Accept written evidence from a witness who is not available to be questioned only if all parties agree. In doing so they forego their rights to question that witness (rule 63.6(c)).

•: Ask one member of the committee to note down evidence, particularly times, distances, speeds, etc.

•: Invite questions from protest committee members.

•: Invite first the protestor and then the protestee to make a final statement of her case, particularly on any application or interpretation of the rules.

M3.3

Find the facts (rule 63.6(d)).

•: Write down the facts; resolve doubts one way or the other.

•: Call back parties for more questions if necessary.

•: When appropriate, draw a diagram of the incident using the facts you have found.

M3.4

Decide the case (rule 64).

•: Base the decision on the facts found. (If you cannot, find some more facts.)

•: In redress cases, make sure that no further evidence is needed from boats that will be affected by the decision

M3.5

Inform the parties (rule 65).

•: Recall the parties and read them the facts found, conclusions and rules that apply, and the decision. When time presses it is permissible to read the decision and give the details later.

•: Give any party a copy of the decision on request. File the protest or request for redress with the committee records.

M4: REOPENING A HEARING (rule 66)

M4.1: When a party, within the time limit, has asked for a hearing to be reopened, hear the party making the request, look at any video, etc., and decide whether there is any significant new evidence that might lead you to change your decision. Decide whether your interpretation of the rules may have been wrong; be open-minded as to whether you have made a mistake. If none of these applies refuse to reopen; otherwise schedule a hearing

M4.2

Evidence is ‘new’

•: if it was not reasonably possible for the party asking for the reopening to have discovered the evidence before the original hearing,

•: if the protest committee is satisfied that before the original hearing the evidence was diligently but unsuccessfully sought by the party asking for the reopening, or

•: if the protest committee learns from any source that the evidence was not available to the parties at the time of the original hearing.

M5: MISCONDUCT (rule 69)

M5.1: An action under this rule is not a protest, but the protest committee gives its allegations in writing to the competitor before the hearing. The hearing is conducted under rules similar to those governing a protest hearing but the protest committee must have at least three members (rule 69.2(a)). Use the greatest care to protect the competitor’s rights.

M5.2: A competitor or a boat cannot protest under rule 69, but the hearing request form of a competitor who tries to do so may be accepted as a report to the protest committee, which can then decide whether or not to call a hearing.

M5.3: Unless World Sailing has appointed a person for the role, the protest committee may appoint a person to present the allegation. This person might be a race official, the person making the allegation or other appropriate person. When no reasonable alternative person is available, a person who was appointed as a member of the protest committee may present the allegation.

M5.4: When it is desirable to call a hearing under rule 69 as a result of a Part 2 incident, it is important to hear any boat-vs.-boat protest in the normal way, deciding which boat, if any, broke which rule, before proceeding against the competitor under rule 69.

M5.5: Although action under rule 69 is taken against a competitor, boat owner or support person, and not a boat, a boat may also be penalized (rules 69.2(h)(2) and 64.5).

M5.6: When a protest committee upholds a rule 69 allegation it will need to consider if it is appropriate to report to either a national authority or World Sailing. Guidance on when to report may be found in the World Sailing Case Book. When the protest committee does make a report it may recommend whether or not further action should be taken.

M5.7: Unless the right of appeal is denied in accordance with rule 70.5, a party to a rule 69 hearing may appeal the decision of the protest committee.

M5.8: Further guidance for protest committees about misconduct may be found on the World Sailing website.

M6

APPEALS (rule 70 and Appendix R)
When decisions can be appealed,

•: retain the papers relevant to the hearing so that the information can easily be used for an appeal. Is there a diagram endorsed or prepared by the protest committee? Are the facts found sufficient? (Example: Was there an overlap? Yes or No. ‘Perhaps’ is not a fact found.) Are the names of the protest committee members and other important information on the form?

•: comments by the protest committee on any appeal should enable the appeals committee to picture the whole incident clearly; the appeals committee knows nothing about the situation.

M7

PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE

Photographs and videos can sometimes provide useful evidence but protest committees should recognize their limitations and note the following points:

•: The party producing the photographic evidence is responsible for arranging the viewing.

•: View the video several times to extract all the information from it.

•: The depth perception of any single-lens camera is very poor; with a telephoto lens it is non-existent. When the camera views two overlapped boats at right angles to their course, it is impossible to assess the distance between them. When the camera views them head on, it is impossible to see whether an overlap exists unless it is substantial.

Ask the following questions:

•: Where was the camera in relation to the boats?

•: Was the camera’s platform moving? If so in what direction and how fast?

•: Is the angle changing as the boats approach the critical point? Fast panning causes radical change.

•: Did the camera have an unrestricted view throughout?

See rules 70.5 and 91(b). This appendix shall not be changed by the notice of race, sailing instructions or national prescriptions.

N1: COMPOSITION, APPOINTMENT AND ORGANIZATION

N1.1: An international jury shall be composed of experienced sailors with excellent knowledge of the racing rules and extensive protest committee experience. It shall be independent of and have no members from the race committee or the technical committee, and it shall be appointed by the organizing authority, subject to approval by the national authority if required (see rule 91(b)), or by World Sailing under rule 89.2(c).

N1.2: The jury shall consist of a chairman, a vice chairman if desired, and other members for a total of at least five. A majority shall be International Judges.

N1.3: No more than two members (three, in Groups M, N and Q) shall be from the same national authority.

N1.4

(a): The chairman of a jury may appoint one or more panels composed in compliance with rules N1.1, N1.2 and N1.3. This can be done even if the full jury is not composed in compliance with these rules.

(b): The chairman of a jury may appoint panels of at least three members each, of which the majority shall be International Judges. Members of each panel shall be from at least three different national authorities except in Groups M, N and Q, where they shall be from at least two different national authorities. If dissatisfied with a panel’s decision, a party is entitled to a hearing by a panel composed in compliance with rules N1.1, N1.2 and N1.3, except concerning the facts found, if requested within 30 minutes or the time limit specified in the sailing instructions.

N1.5: When a full jury, or a panel, has fewer than five members, because of illness or emergency, and no qualified replacements are available, it remains properly constituted if it consists of at least three members and if at least two of them are International Judges. When there are three or four members they shall be from at least three different national authorities except in Groups M, N and Q, where they shall be from at least two different national authorities.

N1.6: When it is considered desirable that some members not participate in discussing and deciding a protest or request for redress, and no qualified replacements are available, the jury or panel remains properly constituted if at least three members remain and at least two of them are International Judges.

N1.7: In exception to rules N1.1 and N1.2, World Sailing may in limited circumstances (see World Sailing Regulation 25.8.13) authorize an international jury consisting of a total of only three members. All members shall be International Judges. The members shall be from three different national authorities (two, in Groups M, N and Q). The authorization shall be stated in a letter of approval to the organizing authority and in the notice of race or sailing instructions, and the letter shall be posted on the official notice board.

N1.8: When the national authority’s approval is required for the appointment of an international jury (see rule 91(b)), notice of its approval shall be included in the sailing instructions or be posted on the official notice board.

N1.9: If the jury or a panel acts while not properly constituted, its decisions may be appealed.

N2: RESPONSIBILITIES

N2.1: An international jury is responsible for hearing and deciding all protests, requests for redress and other matters arising under the rules of Part 5. When asked by the organizing authority, the race committee or the technical committee, it shall advise and assist them on any matter directly affecting the fairness of the competition.

N2.2

Unless the organizing authority directs otherwise, the jury shall decide

(a): questions of eligibility, measurement or rating certificates; and

(b): whether to authorize the substitution of competitors, boats or equipment when a rule requires such a decision.

N2.3: The jury shall also decide matters referred to it by the organizing authority, the race committee or the technical committee.

N3: PROCEDURES

N3.1: Members shall not be regarded as having a significant conflict of interest (see rule 63.4) by reason of their nationality, club membership or similar. When otherwise considering a significant conflict of interest as required by rule 63.4, considerable weight must be given to the fact that decisions of an international jury cannot be appealed and this may affect the perception of fairness and lower the level of conflict that is significant. In case of doubt, the hearing should proceed as permitted by rule N1.6.

N3.2: If a panel fails to agree on a decision it may adjourn, in which case the chairman shall refer the matter to a properly constituted panel with as many members as possible, which may be the full jury.

N4: MISCONDUCT (Rule 69)

N4.1: The World Sailing Disciplinary Code contains procedures that apply to specific international events with regard to the appointment of a person to conduct any investigation. These procedures override any conflicting provision of this appendix.

N4.2: A person shall be responsible for presenting to the hearing panel any allegations of misconduct under rule 69. This person shall not be a member of the hearing panel but may be a member of the jury. Such a person shall be required to make full disclosure of all material that may come into his possession in the course of his investigation to the person subject to allegations of a breach of rule 69.

N4.3: Prior to a hearing, the hearing panel, to the extent practically possible, shall not act as an investigator of any allegations made under rule 69. However, during the hearing the panel shall be entitled to ask any investigative questions it may see fit.

N4.4: If the panel decides to call a hearing, all material disclosed to the panel in order for them to make that decision must be disclosed to the person subject to the allegations before the hearing begins.

All or part of this appendix applies only if the notice of race or sailing instructions so state.

P1: OBSERVERS AND PROCEDURE

P1.1: The protest committee may appoint observers, including protest committee members, to act in accordance with rule P1.2. A person with a significant conflict of interest shall not be appointed as an observer.

P1.2: An observer appointed under rule P1.1 who sees a boat breaking rule 42 may penalize her by, as soon as reasonably possible, making a sound signal, pointing a yellow flag at her and hailing her sail number, even if she is no longer racing. A boat so penalized shall not be penalized a second time under rule 42 for the same incident.

P2: PENALTIES

P2.1: First Penalty
When a boat is first penalized under rule P1.2 her penalty shall be a Two-Turns Penalty under rule 44.2. If she fails to take it she shall be disqualified without a hearing.

P2.2: Second Penalty
When a boat is penalized a second time during the event, she shall promptly retire. If she fails to do so she shall be disqualified without a hearing and her score shall not be excluded.

P2.3: Third and Subsequent Penalties
When a boat is penalized a third or subsequent time during the event, she shall promptly retire. If she does so her penalty shall be disqualification without a hearing and her score shall not be excluded. If she fails to do so her penalty shall be disqualification without a hearing from all races in the event, with no score excluded, and the protest committee shall consider calling a hearing under rule 69.2.

P2.4: Penalties Near the Finishing Line
If a boat is penalized under rule P2.2 or P2.3 and it was not reasonably possible for her to retire before finishing, she shall be scored as if she had retired promptly.

P3: POSTPONEMENT, GENERAL RECALL OR ABANDONMENT

: If a boat has been penalized under rule P1.2 and the race committee signals a postponement, general recall or abandonment, the penalty is cancelled, but it is still counted to determine the number of times she has been penalized during the event.

P4: REDRESS LIMITATION
A boat shall not be given redress for an action by a member of the protest committee or its designated observer under rule P1.2 unless the action was improper due to a failure to take into account a race committee signal or a class rule.

P5: FLAGS O AND R

P5.1: When Rule P5 Applies
Rule P5 applies if the class rules permit pumping, rocking and ooching when the wind speed exceeds a specified limit.

P5.2

Before the Starting Signal

(a): The race committee may signal that pumping, rocking and ooching are permitted, as specified in the class rules, by displaying flag O before or with the warning signal.

(b): If the wind speed becomes less than the specified limit after flag O has been displayed, the race committee may postpone the race. Then, before or with a new warning signal, the committee shall display either flag R, to signal that rule 42 as changed by the class rules applies, or flag O, as provided in rule P5.2(a).

(c): If flag O or flag R is displayed before or with the warning signal, it shall be displayed until the starting signal.

P5.3

After the Starting Signal
After the starting signal,

(a): if the wind speed exceeds the specified limit, the race committee may display flag O with repetitive sounds at a mark to signal that pumping, rocking and ooching are permitted, as specified in the class rules, after passing the mark;

(b): if flag O has been displayed and the wind speed becomes less than the specified limit, the race committee may display flag R with repetitive sounds at a mark to signal that rule 42, as changed by the class rules, applies after passing the mark.

: This appendix is a US Sailing prescription.

: See rules 70 and 71. This appendix replaces Appendix R as adopted by World Sailing for the purpose of creating a two-level appeals system. The US Sailing Appeals Committee acts as the national authority under rule 71.

: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the appeals system and their answers, including advice on how to prepare an appeal, can be found on the US Sailing website. Go to appeals.ussailing.org and click the ‘Appeals FAQ’ link.

R1: WHERE TO SEND AN APPEAL OR REQUEST

R1.1: Send appeals, requests and the US Sailing Appeals & Requests Information Form (see rule R2.2) by email to the US Sailing Race Administration Director at submitappeal@ussailing.org. For more information about submitting appeal documents, call US Sailing at
1 (800) US SAIL-1 — (1 800 877 2451).

R1.2: Except as provided in rule R1.4, the Director will forward an appeal of a decision of a protest committee, an appeal under rule 70.1(b) or a request by a protest committee for confirmation or correction of its decision to the association appeals committee for the place in which the event was held. However, such an appeal or request arising from an event conducted under the procedural rules of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association or the Interscholastic Sailing Association will be forwarded to the association appeals committee for the ICSA and ISSA.

R1.3: The Director will forward an appeal of a decision of an association appeals committee, a request by an association appeals committee for confirmation or correction of its decision, and a request for an interpretation of rules to the US Sailing Appeals Committee.

R1.4

The Director will forward to the US Sailing Appeals Committee an appeal under rule 70.1 or a request by a protest committee under rule 70.2 if the appeal or request arose from

(a): a decision made under rule 69.2,

(b): a US Sailing national championship, or

(c): a race that either started or finished outside of US waters (see rule 70.3).

R2: TO APPEAL OR MAKE A REQUEST

R2.1

(a): To appeal the decision of a protest committee or an association appeals committee, no later than 15 days after receiving the written decision being appealed or a protest committee’s decision not to reopen a hearing, the appellant shall send an appeal and a copy of the decision being appealed to US Sailing. The appeal shall state why the appellant believes that committee’s decision or its procedures were incorrect;

(b): To appeal when the hearing required by rule 63.1 has not been held within 30 days after a protest or request for redress was delivered, the appellant shall, within a further 15 days, send an appeal with a copy of the protest or request and any relevant correspondence. The appeals committee to which the appeal is forwarded shall extend the time if there is good reason to do so; or

(c): To appeal when the protest committee fails to comply with rule 65, the appellant shall, within a reasonable time after the hearing, send an appeal with a copy of the protest or request and any relevant correspondence.

If a copy of the protest or request is not available, the appellant shall instead send a statement of its substance.

R2.2

The appellant shall also send, with the appeal or as soon as possible thereafter, the US Sailing Appeals & Requests Information Form. To obtain the form, go to appeals.ussailing.org and click the ‘Information Form’ link. The form requests all of the following documents and information available:

(a): the written protest(s) or request(s) for redress;

(b): if the appeal is from a decision of an association appeals committee, the written decision of the protest committee and the appeal to the association appeals committee;

(c)

a diagram, prepared or endorsed by the protest committee, that shows

(1): the positions of all boats involved at relevant times, and their tracks;

(2): the course to the next mark and its required side;

(3): the speed and direction of the wind;

(4): any relevant mark, obstruction or zone; and

(5): if relevant, the depth of the water and the speed and direction of any current;

(d): the notice of race, sailing instructions, any other documents governing the event, and any changes to them;

(e): the names, postal addresses and email addresses of the parties to the hearing, the chairman of the protest committee and, if relevant, the chairman of the association appeals committee; and

(f): any other relevant documents.

R2.3: To request confirmation or correction of its decision, a protest committee or association appeals committee shall, no later than 15 days after making its decision, send to US Sailing a copy of its decision, the US Sailing Appeals & Requests Information Form, and all relevant documents and comments (see rule R2.2).

R2.4: To request an interpretation of the rules, a club or other organization affiliated to US Sailing shall send its request to US Sailing. The request shall include assumed facts and be endorsed by an officer of the club or organization. A US Sailing committee is considered to be an organization affiliated to US Sailing.

R3: FEES

R3.1: If the appeal or request is being made to an association appeals committee (see rule R1.2), US Sailing charges no fee for forwarding that appeal or request. However, an association appeals committee may charge a fee, in which case the association appeals committee will send a notice to the appellant (or, for a request, to the protest committee) stating the fee, to whom the fee is payable, and the address to which the fee must be sent.

R3.2: If the appeal is being made to the US Sailing Appeals Committee (see rules R1.3 and R1.4) by a member of US Sailing or another national authority, US Sailing charges a fee of $25. The fee is $75 for all others.

R3.3: A fee of $25 is charged for a request for an interpretation of the rules, but there is no fee for such a request from a US Sailing committee. There is no fee for a request from an association appeals committee for confirmation or correction of its decision. There is no fee for an appeal under rule 70.1(b).

R3.4: If a fee is required for an appeal or request, it must be received before the appeal or request will be considered. For appeals and requests made to the US Sailing Appeals Committee, the fee can be paid by check to ‘US Sailing’ or electronically as described in the Appeals FAQ.

R4: NOTIFICATION OF THE COMMITTEE WHOSE DECISION IS BEING APPEALED

: Upon receipt of an appeal, the appeals committee shall send a copy of the appeal to the committee whose decision is being appealed, asking it for any documents required by rule R2.2 not supplied by the appellant.

R5: COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES

R5.1: Protest Committee
A protest committee whose decision is being appealed shall supply the documents requested under rule R4 and any facts or other information requested under rule R5.4. If directed to do so by the appeals committee, it shall conduct a hearing, or reopen the hearing, of the protest or request for redress, or conduct a hearing to consider redress.

R5.2

Association Appeals Committee
An association appeals committee may act as the national authority under rule 71.2 and shall act as the national authority under rule 71.3, subject to further appeal as provided in rule R7.1(a). In addition, an association appeals committee

(a): shall send to all parties to the hearing, and to the protest committee whose decision is being appealed or reviewed, copies of all relevant documents, comments and clarifications it has received, except those supplied by that party or committee;

(b): shall send its decision in writing to all parties to the hearing and the protest committee; and

(c): shall consider an appeal it has refused to decide if directed to do so by the US Sailing Appeals Committee.

R5.3: US Sailing Appeals Committee
The US Sailing Appeals Committee shall send to all parties to the hearing, to the protest committee and to the association appeals committee whose decision is being appealed or reviewed, copies of all relevant documents, comments and clarifications it has received, except those supplied by that party or committee.

R5.4

Facts and Other Information

(a): An appeals committee shall accept the facts found by the protest committee.

(b)

When an appeals committee decides that the facts found by the protest committee are inadequate, or that it needs other information, the appeals committee shall require the protest committee to

Title: provide additional facts or information, or

Title: reopen the hearing and report any new facts or information

The protest committee shall promptly do so and respond in writing.

R6: COMMENTS
The parties to the hearing, the protest committee and, if relevant, the association appeals committee may make comments on the appeal or request, on any of the documents listed in rule R2.2, and on any clarifications received under rule R7.2(d). Comments shall be sent in writing to the appeals committee no later than 15 days after the party or committee receives the document. The appeals committee need not consider comments sent after that time or comments on comments.

R7: PROVISIONS IN ADDITION TO THOSE OF RULES 70 AND 71

R7.1

Right to Appeal or Request Confirmation or Correction

(a): A party to a hearing may appeal an association appeals committee’s decision.

(b): An association appeals committee may request confirmation or correction of its decision (see rule R2.3).

R7.2

Other Provisions

(a): No member of the association appeals committee shall take part in the discussion or decision on an appeal or a request for confirmation or correction to the US Sailing Appeals Committee.

(b): An appeals committee may direct a protest committee to conduct a hearing to consider redress for an appellant or other boats.

(c): The US Sailing Appeals Committee may direct an association appeals committee to consider an appeal it has refused to decide.

(d): An appeals committee may seek clarifications of rules governing the event from organizations that are not parties to the hearing.

R7.3: Withdrawing an Appeal
With the consent of the appeals committee, an appellant may withdraw an appeal before it is decided.

R8: EXPEDITED APPEALS
An expedited appeals process, which can only be used at US Sailing Protected Competitions (see US Sailing Regulation 12.03), can be found on the US Sailing website. Go to appeals.ussailing.org and click the ‘Expedited Appeals’ link.

This appendix applies only if the notice of race so states.

These Standard Sailing Instructions may be used at an event in place of printed sailing instructions made available to each boat. To use them, state in the notice of race that ‘The sailing instructions will consist of the instructions in RRS Appendix S, Standard Sailing Instructions, and supplementary sailing instructions that will be posted on the official notice board located at _____.’

The supplementary sailing instructions will include:

The location of the race office and of the flag pole on which signals made ashore will be displayed (see SI 4.1 below).
A table showing the schedule of races, including the day and date of each scheduled day of racing, the number of races scheduled each day, the scheduled time of the first warning signal each day, and the latest time for a warning signal on the last scheduled day of racing (SI 5).
A list of the marks that will be used and a description of each one (SI 8). How new marks will differ from original marks (SI 10).
The time limits, if any, that are listed in SI 12.
Any changes or additions to the instructions in this appendix.

A copy of the supplementary sailing instructions will be available to competitors on request.

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

1: RULES

1.1: The event will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing.

2: NOTICES TO COMPETITORS

2.1: Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board.

2.2: Supplementary sailing instructions (called ‘the supplement’ below) will be posted on the official notice board.

3: CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

3.1: Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted before 0800 on the day it will take effect, unless this time is changed in the supplement. Any change to the schedule of races will be posted by 2000 on the day before it will take effect.

4: SIGNALS MADE ASHORE

4.1: Signals made ashore will be displayed from the flag pole. The supplement will state its location.

5: SCHEDULE OF RACES

5.1: The supplement will include a table showing the days, dates, number of races scheduled, the scheduled times of the first warning signal each day, and the latest time for a warning signal on the last scheduled day of racing.

5.2: To alert boats that a race or sequence of races will begin soon, the orange starting line flag will be displayed with one sound at least five minutes before a warning signal is made.

6: CLASS FLAGS

6.1: Each class flag will be the class insignia on a plain background or as stated in the supplement.

7: THE COURSES

7.1: No later than the warning signal, the race committee will designate the course, and it may also display the approximate compass bearing of the first leg.

7.2: The course diagrams are on the pages following SI 13. They show the courses, the order in which marks are to be passed, and the side on which each mark is to be left. The supplement may include additional courses.

8: MARKS

8.1: A list of the marks that will be used, including a description of each one, will be included in the supplement.

9: THE START

9.1: Races will be started by using RRS 26.

9.2: The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the race committee vessel and the course side of the starting mark.

10: CHANGE OF THE NEXT LEG OF THE COURSE

10.1: To change the next leg of the course, the race committee will lay a new mark (or move the finishing line) and remove the original mark as soon as practicable. When in a subsequent change a new mark is replaced, it will be replaced by an original mark.

11: THE FINISH

11.1: The finishing line will be between a staff displaying a blue flag on the race committee vessel and the course side of the finishing mark.

12: TIME LIMITS

12.1

The supplement will state which of the following time limits, if any, will apply and, for each, the time limit.

•: Mark 1 Time Limit Time limit for the first boat to pass Mark 1.

•: Race Time Limit Time limit for the first boat to start, sail the course and finish.

•: Finishing Window Time limit for boats to finish after the first boat starts, sails the course and finishes.

12.2: If no boat has passed Mark 1 within the Mark 1 Time Limit, the race shall be abandoned.

12.3: Boats failing to finish within the Finishing Window shall be scored Did Not Finish without a hearing. This changes RRS 35, A5.1 and A5.2.

13: PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS

13.1: Hearing request forms are available at the race office. Protests and requests for redress or reopening shall be delivered there within the appropriate time limit.

13.2: For each class, the protest time limit is 60 minutes after the last boat has finished the last race of the day or the race committee signals no more racing today, whichever is later.

13.3: Notices will be posted no later than 30 minutes after the protest time limit to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses and where the hearings will be held.

13.4: Notices of protests by the race committee, technical committee or protest committee will be posted to inform boats under RRS 61.1(b).

COURSE DIAGRAMS

This appendix applies only if the notice of race or sailing instructions so state.

Arbitration adds an extra step to the protest resolution process but can eliminate the need for some protest hearings, thus speeding up the process for events in which many protests are expected. Arbitration may not be appropriate for all events as it requires an additional knowledgeable person to act as the arbitrator. Further guidance on arbitration can be found in the World Sailing Judges Manual, which can be downloaded from the World Sailing website.

T1

POST-RACE PENALTIES

(a): Provided that rule 44.1(b) does not apply, a boat that may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 or rule 31 in an incident may take a Post-Race Penalty at any time after the race until the beginning of a protest hearing involving the incident.

(b): A Post-Race Penalty is a 30% Scoring Penalty calculated as stated in rule 44.3(c). However, rule 44.1(a) applies.

(c): A boat takes a Post-Race Penalty by delivering to the arbitrator or a member of the protest committee a written statement that she accepts the penalty and that identifies the race number and where and when the incident occurred.

T2: ARBITRATION MEETING
An arbitration meeting will be held prior to a protest hearing for each incident resulting in a protest by a boat involving one or more rules of Part 2 or rule 31, but only if each party is represented by a person who was on board at the time of the incident. No witnesses will be permitted. However, if the arbitrator decides that rule 44.1(b) may apply or that arbitration is not appropriate, the meeting will not be held, and if a meeting is in progress, it will be closed.

T3

ARBITRATOR’S OPINION
Based on the evidence given by the representatives, the arbitrator will offer an opinion as to what the protest committee is likely to decide:

(a): the protest is invalid,

(b): no boat will be penalized for breaking a rule, or

(c): one or more boats will be penalized for breaking a rule, identifying the boats and the penalties.

T4

ARBITRATION MEETING OUTCOMES
After the arbitrator offers an opinion,

(a): a boat may take a Post-Race Penalty, and

(b): a boat may ask to withdraw her protest. The arbitrator may then act on behalf of the protest committee in accordance with rule 63.1 to allow the withdrawal.

Unless all protests involving the incident are withdrawn, a protest hearing will be held.

: This appendix is a US Sailing prescription.

: US Sailing prescribes that when the notice of race or sailing instructions so state the Audible-Signal Racing System described below shall be used. It is recommended primarily for small-boat racing or when race committee resources are limited. Rules in this appendix replace rule 26 and permit changes to Race Signals and the corresponding rules in Part 3.

U1: Any Race Signal may be made by hailing, in which case the corresponding visual signal may also be used, but not its designated sound signal.

U2: A series of short sounds may be made at any time to call attention to a hail or a visual signal.

U3

The starting sequence shall consist of the following sound signals made at the indicated times. These signals shall be timed from their commencement and shall govern, even if visual signals are also used.

Signal	Sound	Time before start
Attention	Series of short sounds	Before the warning
Warning	3 long	3 minutes
Preparatory	2 long	2 minutes
	1 long, 3 short	1 minute, 30 seconds
	1 long	1 minute
	3 short	30 seconds
	2 short	20 seconds
	1 short	10 seconds
	5 short, 1 second apart	5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 seconds
Starting	1 long	0

U4: Individual recalls shall be signalled by hailing the sail number (or other distinguishing feature) of each recalled boat. Flag X need not be displayed.

U5: Failure to hear an adequate hail or sound signal shall not be grounds for redress. This changes rule 62.1.

This appendix is a US Sailing prescription.

Rules V1 and V2 provide alternative penalties that encourage competitors to take a penalty when they may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 or rule 31 in an incident. One or both of these rules apply only if the notice of race or sailing instructions so state. When rule V2 applies it does not replace any penalty that may be taken under rule 44.1.

Please report your experiences with and evaluations of these rules to US Sailing by sending an email to rules@ussailing.org.

V1: PENALTY AT THE TIME OF AN INCIDENT
The first two sentences of rule 44.1 are changed to: ‘A boat may take a One-Turn Penalty when she may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 or rule 31 in an incident while racing. However, when she may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 while in the zone around a mark other than a starting mark, her penalty shall be a Two-Turns Penalty.’

V2

POST-RACE PENALTIES

(a): Provided that rule 44.1(b) does not apply, a boat that may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 or rule 31 in an incident may take a Post-Race Penalty at any time after the race until the beginning of a protest hearing involving the incident.

(b): A Post-Race Penalty is a 30% Scoring Penalty calculated as stated in rule 44.3(c). However, rule 44.1(a) applies.

(c): A boat takes a Post-Race Penalty by delivering to the race office a written statement that she accepts the penalty and that identifies the race number and where and when the incident occurred.

The Racing Rules of Sailing (2021-2024)

SECTION ARIGHT OF WAY

SECTION BGENERAL LIMITATIONS

SECTION CAT MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS

SECTION DOTHER RULES

SECTION AGENERAL REQUIREMENTS

SECTION BEQUIPMENT-RELATED REQUIREMENTS

SECTION APROTESTS; REDRESS; RULE 69 ACTION

SECTION BHEARINGS AND DECISIONS

SECTION CMISCONDUCT

SECTION DAPPEALS

NOTICE OF RACE GUIDE

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS GUIDE

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

COURSE DIAGRAMS

SECTION A
RIGHT OF WAY

SECTION B
GENERAL LIMITATIONS

SECTION C
AT MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS

SECTION D
OTHER RULES

SECTION A
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

SECTION B
EQUIPMENT-RELATED REQUIREMENTS

SECTION A
PROTESTS; REDRESS; RULE 69 ACTION

SECTION B
HEARINGS AND DECISIONS

SECTION C
MISCONDUCT

SECTION D
APPEALS