Racing Rules of Sailing...

J

jakeeper

jakeeper
I'm hoping to do some racing and stumbled upon a Racing Rules of Sailing test and found out I have no clue!!! So, My question is: how much of this is really obvious once you're on the water? Are there 3 or four "guiding principles" that keep you safe, or is knowing the rules integral to the sport? Is it possible to race without getting a coach just so I don't start my first race with 30 penalty turns?

Watching the America's Cup, it seemed that the protest flags came out at the start and were rarely seen after that. Is this echoed in fleet/class racing?

Anyone have some perspective on this?
 
jakeeper said:
I'm hoping to do some racing and stumbled upon a Racing Rules of Sailing test and found out I have no clue!!! So, My question is: how much of this is really obvious once you're on the water? Are there 3 or four "guiding principles" that keep you safe, or is knowing the rules integral to the sport? Is it possible to race without getting a coach just so I don't start my first race with 30 penalty turns?

Watching the America's Cup, it seemed that the protest flags came out at the start and were rarely seen after that. Is this echoed in fleet/class racing?

Anyone have some perspective on this?
Click to expand...

First of all, forget about the America's Cup; that was match racing, with its own set of rules (Appendix C in the RRS).

Secondly, I agree that the RRS are very hard to decipher without outside help. Fortunately, help is available. I like Dave Perry's "100 Best Racing Rules Quizzes", but on-line help with nice animation is available as well via the UK-Halsey Sails website http://www.ukhalsey.com/RulesQuiz/index.asp. You can buy this simulation on a CD (Mauri or APS).

The most important rule (10) is that a port tack boat has to keep clear.
The second most important rule (11) is that (when on the same tack) the windward boat has to keep clear.
However, these rules may not apply at the start and at marks.

Therefore, if you don't push it, you can race in club races with this absolute minimum knowledge. If there is any chance of a collision, give way (it's not the World Championship that's at stake). Have fun meeting the challenges and learn, both on the water and in your favorite chair afterwards. Don't be afraid to ask your competitors to resolve questions that have arisen (the sooner the better, because we tend to forget).
 
Sailing rules -- Top 10

When boats meet...
1. ...if you're on different tacks, a port tack boat must keep clear of starboard tack boats.
2. ...if you're on the same tack, a windward boat must keep clear of leeward boats.
3. ...if you're tacking, you must keep clear of boats that aren't.
4. Your boat must be completely behind the starting line at the starting signal.
5. If you have the right of way and turn toward another boat, you must give them time and space to keep clear.
6. When you're two boat lengths from a mark or obstruction, you must give any boat between you and the mark/obstruction room to round or pass it.
7. An exception to #6: you don't have to give a same-tack boat room to pass between your boat and a starting mark.
8. You must avoid all collisions.
9. If you make a right of way boat change its course, you must take a penalty of two circles (two tacks and two gybes).
10. If you touch a mark, you must take a penalty of one circle (one tack and one gybe).

These are not the rules; they are a merely a quick reference to some of the important principles behind the rules (which I think were paraphrased from Dave Perry).

Consider joining US Sailing; they'll send you an ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing book. Those are the rules...

Best,
Kevin
 
You got some good replies. Put the America's Cup aside; match racing uses a different set of rules and those guys are more likely to push them all.

The RRS aren't so much different from the right-of-way rules between any two sailboats, except in situations such as marks & obstructions. There's port/starboard, windward/leeward, clear ahead/astern, & while tacking. As mentioned, a boat with an inside overlap when about to round a mark is entitled to room to pass between you & the mark -- in a "seamanlike" manner if you have the ROW, as wide as they like if they have ROW.

One rule (#14 in the book) needs special mention: AVOID COLLISIONS! A boat which has right-of-way but doesn't act to avoid a collision can be disqualfied, as well as the boat breaking the ROW rule.

If you foul somebody, promptly get clear of other boats & do your turns. (This is a big difference from match racing.) If you get fouled, only one word means anything: "Protest!" Say it even if you don't intend to carry through to a hearing. (It keeps you from saying something that could make the situation worse.)

Join US SAILING to get the rulebook with the US prescriptions. The rules without the prescriptions can be downloaded from the ISAF website. (You can download the prescriptions from US SAILING's site.)

Don't neglest the first five (Fundamental) rules in the book: Safety (includes helping those in danger), fair sailing, acceptance of the rules, decision to race, and banned substances.

Get an understanding of rule 26 for starting (usually, "5-4-1-Go"). Read the Race Signals page in the back & the definitions. (Some of the rules depend heavily on the definitions.)
 
Actually most of those rules are also right of way rules that every sailor in every situation needs to know and follow. New sailors (and some of the old ones:) should familiarize themselves with right of way as soon as the first time they grab a main sheet. Try, "start sailing right" by the red cross and USYRU for some great basic information. Mark
 
Yep. Perzactly. If you know the ordinary ROW rules, you know most of enough to stay out of trouble on a race course.

'Course, when it gets to the fine technical points of tactics, more detailed RRS understanding is needed, e.g., the implications of "no proper course before the starting signal", limitations on luffing & "inside at the zone".
 
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