Photo: Carlo Borlenghi 2021 - 2024 Racing Rules of Sailing RACE SIGNALS The meanings of visual and sound signals are stated below. An arrow pointing up or down ( ) means that a visual signal is displayed or removed. A dot ( ) means a sound; five short dashes (– – – – –) mean repetitive sounds; a long dash (—) means a long sound. When a visual signal is displayed over a class flag, fleet flag, event flag or race area flag, the signal applies only to that class, fleet, event or race area. Postponement Signals AP Races not started are postponed . The warning signal will be made 1 minute after removal AP over H Races not AP over A Races not unless at that time the race started are postponed. started are postponed. is postponed again or Further signals ashore. No more racing today. abandoned . AP over a Numeral Pennant 1–9 Postponement of 1-9 hours from the scheduled Pennant 1 Pennant 2 Pennant 3 Pennant 4 starting time. Pennanta laskemisesta, 5 elleiPennant 6 Pennant 7 Pennant 8 Pennant 9 purjehdusta silloin lykätä uudelleenAbandonment tai mitätöidä Signals. Safety N All races that have V Monitor started are abandoned. communication Return to the starting area. channel for safety The warning signal will instructions be made 1 minute after (see rule 37). removal unless at that time N over H N over A All races the race is abandoned All races are are abandoned. No again or postponed. abandoned. more racing today. Further signals ashore. Preparatory Signals P Preparatory I Rule 30.1 Z Rule 30.2 U Rule 30.3 Black flag. signal. is in effect. is in effect. is in effect. Rule 30.4 is in effect. Recall Signals Shortened Course X Individual recall. First Substitute General recall. S The course has The warning signal will be made been shortened. Rule 1 minute after removal. 32.2 is in effect. Changing the Next Leg C The position to starboard; to port; to decrease to increase of the next mark the length the length has been changed: of the leg; of the leg. Other Signals (no sound) (no sound) L Ashore: A notice M The object Y Wear Orange flag. Blue flag. to competitors has displaying this a personal The staff The staff been posted. signal replaces flotation displaying displaying Afloat: Come within a missing mark. device this flag is this flag is hail or follow this (see rule 40). one end of the one end of the vessel. starting line. finishing line. THE RACING RULES OF SAILING for 2021–2024 Includes changes and corrections approved by World Sailing as of 1 January 2021 World Sailing 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. Contact Details for the World Sailing Executive Office: World Sailing 20 Eastbourne Terrace Paddington London W2 6LG United Kingdom Telephone + 44 (0)20 3940 4888 General Email [email protected] Racing Rules Email [email protected] Website sailing.org Published by World Sailing (UK) Limited, London, UK © World Sailing Limited June 2020 CONTENTS Race Signals Inside front cover Online Rules Documents 4 Introduction 5 Definitions 7 Basic Principles 11 Part 1 Fundamental Rules 11 Part 2 When Boats Meet 14 Part 3 Conduct of a Race 21 Part 4 Other Requirements When Racing 26 Part 5 Protests, Redress, Hearings, Misconduct and Appeals 34 Part 6 Entry and Qualification 50 Part 7 Race Organization 52 Appendix A Scoring 57 Appendix B Windsurfing Fleet Racing Rules 61 Appendix C Match Racing Rules 72 Appendix D Team Racing Rules 86 Appendix E Radio Sailing Racing Rules 94 Appendix F Kiteboarding Racing Rules 104 Appendix G Identification on Sails 115 Appendix H Weighing Clothing and Equipment 120 Appendix J Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions 121 Notice concerning Notice of Race Guide 126 Notice concerning Sailing Instructions Guide 126 Appendix M Recommendations for Protest Committees 127 Appendix N International Juries 134 Appendix P Special Procedures for Rule 42 137 Appendix R Procedures for Appeals and Requests 140 Appendix S Standard Sailing Instructions 143 Appendix T Arbitration 150 ONLINE RULES DOCUMENTS 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 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 4 INTRODUCTION 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. Competitor A person who races or intends to race in the event. National A World Sailing member national authority. authority Race The race committee appointed under rule 89.2(c) committee and any other person or committee performing a race committee function. Racing rule A rule in The Racing Rules of Sailing. Technical The technical committee appointed under rule committee 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. 5 INTRODUCTION 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. 6 DEFINITIONS DEFINITIONS 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.