Racing Rules of Sailing

1
Racing Rules of Sailing

• Changes for 2009-2012
• Affecting Race Management
• Presented by Bill Kirkpatrick
• December 7, 2008

2
Changes to RRS Summary - 1

• PART 2, SECTION B General Limitations
• RRS 17 On the Same Tack Proper Course
• PART 2, SECTION C At Marks and Obstructions
• RRS 18 Mark-Room
• RRS 19 Room to Pass an Obstruction
• RRS 20 Room to Tack at an Obstruction
• PART 2, SECTION D Other Rules
• RRS 21.2 - Boat taking penalty shall keep clear
• RRS 23.3 Interfering with a boat taking a
  penalty or sailing a proper course

3
Changes to RRS Summary - 2

• PART 3 Conduct of a Race
• RRS 27.1 Removes redundant statement regarding
  when RRS 30 is applied
• RRS 28.1 Replaces track for wake and adds
  gate to string rule
• RRS 29.1 Reinforces that there are no
  individual recalls when rule 30.3 is in effect
  (words moved from 30.3)
• RRS 30.2 Reinforces that Z Flag penalties are
  cumulative
• RRS 31 Moves description of penalty for
  touching a mark to RRS 44.1
• RRS 32.2 Reinforces that shortened course shall
  be signalled before the first boat crosses the
  finish line
• RRS 33 Clarifies that changed leg of course may
  begin at a gate

4
Changes to RRS Summary - 3

• PART 4 Other Requirements When Racing
• RRS 40 Personal Flotation devices Life-Saving
  Equipment
• (includes the exception about brief removal of
  PFDs while changing or adjusting clothing that we
  have often put in SIs)
• Adds US SAILING Prescription on life-saving
  equipment.
• RRS 41 Outside Help
• RRS 42 Propulsion
• 42.3 Exceptions adds (h) 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.
• RRS 43 Competitor Clothing and Equipment
• Moves wording formerly in 43.1(c) about race
  committee shall protest the boat of the
  competitor to RRS 60.2
• RRS 44 Penalties at the Time of an Incident
  substantial revision
• RRS 51 Movable Ballast unset sails included
  as movable ballast

5
Changes to RRS Summary - 4

• PART 5 SECTION A Protests Redress Rule 69
  Action
• RRS 60 Right to Protest Right to Request
  Redress or Rule 69 Action
• Changes 60.2 (a) to read A race committee may
  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 an
  interested party other than the representative of
  the boat herself
• Moves RC protest requirement regarding inspector
  or measurer reports of clothing, equipment and
  measurement infractions to 60.2 from 43.1(c) and
  78.3, respectively.
• Changes 60.3(a) to incorporate the above bolded
  wording also added to 60.2(a)

6
Changes to RRS Summary - 5

• PART 5 SECTION A - Protests, Redress, Rule 69
  Action (contd)
• RRS 62 Redress
• Changes 62.1 (a) request for redress to append
  the words . . . but not by a protest committee
  decision when a boat was a party to the hearing
• Changes 62.2 redress time limit, which is
  apparently to clean up wording

7
Changes to RRS Summary - 6

• PART 5 SECTION B Hearings and Decisions
• RRS 63 Hearings
• Makes minor wording change to RRS 63.3(b) Right
  to be Present
• Adds requirement in 63.4 for protest committee
  members to declare any possible self interest as
  soon as they are aware of it.
• Clarifies 63.5 Validity of the Protest or
  Request for Redress without changing the intent.
• RRS 64 Decisions
• Adds new 64.1 (b) that states If a boat has
  taken an applicable penalty, rule 64.1(a) does
  not apply to her unless the penalty for a rule
  she broke is a disqualification that is not
  excludable from her series score.

8
Changes to RRS Summary - 7

• PART 5 SECTION C Gross Misconduct
• RRS 69 Allegations of Gross Misconduct
• Makes major revision to wording of 69.1 Action
  by a Protest Committee
• Adds ISAF to 69.2
• Adds ISAF action to 69.3

9
Changes to RRS Summary - 8

• PART 5 SECTION D Appeals
• RRS 70 Appeals and Request to a National
  Authority
• Adds new 70.3, requiring an appeal under 70.1 or
  a request by a protest committee under 70.2 to be
  sent to the relevant national authority (or
  authorities).
• Adds US Sailing Prescription to 70.5 that its
  approval is required to deny the right of appeal.
  Denial of appeal is often invoked in events
  that are qualifiers for higher-level rungs on a
  championship ladder. The prescription gives a
  URL for obtaining more information or approval

10
Changes to RRS Summary - 9

• PART 6 Entry and Qualification
• RRS 78 Compliance with Class Rules
  Certificates
• Moves requirement, formerly in 78.3, for the RC
  to protest reports of measurement infraction to
  60.3
• RRS 79 - Classification
• Adds new RRS 79 - If the notice of race or class
  rules state that some or all competitors must
  satisfy classification requirements, the
  classification shall be carried out as described
  in ISAF Regulation 22, Sailor Classification
  Code.
• RRS 81 Rescheduled Races
• Deletes references to RRS 36 and RRS 30.3.
• RRS 82 US SAILING PRESCRIPTION
  Indemnification or Hold Harmless Agreements
• URL added for obtaining more information

11
Changes to RRS Summary - 10

• PART 7 Race Organization
• RRS 86 Changes to the Racing Rules
• Adds option for sailing instructions to change
  to two or four the number of hull lengths
  determining the zone around marks.
• Limits RRS rules that class rules may change
• Requires Class rules making allowable rule
  changes to refer specifically to the rule and
  state the change effective 1 January 2011.
• RRS 87 Changes to Class Rules
• Adds new RRS 87 - The sailing instructions 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 displayed
  on the official notice board.
• RRS 88 National Prescriptions
• Adds rule and US SAILING prescription that
  clarify applicability of the prescriptions of a
  national authority and the extent to which US
  SAILING prescriptions may be changed.

12
Changes to RRS Summary - 11

• PART 7 Race Organization (contd)
• RRS 90 Race Committee Sailing Instructions
  Scoring
• Softens requirement in 90.2(b) for SIs of
  international events to include a copy of
  national prescriptions in English
• Changes wording in 90.2(c) to clarify that time
  limit for posting of changes to SIs is to be as
  specified in the SIs.

13
Changes to RRS Summary - 12

• SOUND-SIGNAL STARTING SYSTEM
• US SAILING Prescription is now Appendix S (no
  changes)
• DEFINITIONS
• Clear Astern and Clear Ahead Overlap
• Fetching (new)
• Mark-Room (new)
• Obstruction
• Zone
• Changes default zone to three hull lengths. RRS
  86.1(b) allows the SIs to change the zone to two
  or four hull lengths.

14
Major Changes Affecting Race Management

• Change to Default zone from two hull-lengths to
  three and option to change zone in SIs (to either
  two or four hull-lengths
• Requirement to obtain US Sailing approval to deny
  right of appeal
• Requirement to obtain and post class approval to
  change class rules at a regatta

15
Effect of Change to Zone and Options

• Defined zone was changed through experience,
  especially with higher-performance boats.
• Consider changing zone in SIs to two hull-lengths
  for small race courses (e.g. frostbite racing).
• Consider changing zone in SIs to four
  hull-lengths for very-high-performance boats
  (e.g. multihulls)

16
Effect of Change to Zone and Options
Wind

• Set leeward gates in consideration of the zone
• Gate should be at least two zone radii plus one
  hull length for longest class or boat
• Gate should not be so wide as to favor one end
  excessively in a wind shift (typically no more
  than two zone radii plus three or four hull
  lengths).

Wind
17
Error in Race Signals

• Race Signals is on the inside back cover.
• If youve discarded the sticker, the complete
  corrected page and a correction sticker can be
  downloaded from www.ussailing.org/rules.

Incorrect
Corrected
18
ANY QUESTIONS?
19
UPCOMING YRALIS SEMINARS

• Rules Seminars with Dave Perry
• February 26 at Pequot YC
• March 3 at Centerport YC
• March 12 at Manhasset Bay YC
• March 18 at Riverside YC
• US Sailing Race Management Seminars
• Advanced Seminar (date tbd) at Noroton YC
• Basic Seminar on March 14 at Centerport YC
• Watch for announcements from YRALIS