New Starting Sequence

The Starting Sequence for the 2009 series races have changed in that the Fast Handicap Fleet will start first followed by the Laser Fleet. The usual 4 minute; 2 minute; zero; sequence remains the same, but the order of starting will be:

• Fast Handicap
• Laser
• Enterprise
• GP14
• Slow Handicap

Time (start +)	Action	Flags Flying (after action)
+12 minutes	Fast Handicap Flag Raised	Fast
+10 minutes	Preparatory Flag Raised Laser Flag Raised	FastPrepLaser
+8 minutes	Enterprise Flag Raised Fast Handicap Flag Lowered	PrepLaserEnterprise
+6 minutes	GP14 Flag Raised Laser Flag Lowered	PrepEnterpriseGP14
+4 minutes	Slow Handicap Flag Raised Enterprise Flag Lowered	PrepGP14Slow
+2 minutes	Preparatory Flag Lowered GP14 Flag Lowered	Slow
+0 minutes	Slow Handicap Flag Lowered

Racing Rules of Sailing

The ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing 2005 - 2008 can be downloaded here.

The 2009 - 2012 new rules are available here.

They are both in pdf format and are very large, so the download may take some time.

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From the Racing Rules of Sailing 2005 - 2008:

RIGHT OF WAY
A boat has right of way when another 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.

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


• Rule 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.


• Rule 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.


• Rule 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

RRoS 2005-08 Pt7

RACE ORGANIZATION

85 GOVERNING RULES
The organizing authority, race committee and protest committee shall
be governed by the rules in the conduct and judging of races.
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; a rule in the Introduction; Sportsmanship
and the Rules; Part 1, 2 or 7; rule 42, 43.1, 43.2, 69, 70,
71, 75, 76.2 or 79; a rule of an appendix that changes one of
these rules; Appendix H or N; or ISAF Regulation 19, 20 or 21.
(b) Sailing instructions may change a racing rule by referring specifically
to it and stating the change, but not rule 76.1, Appendix
F, or a rule listed in rule 86.1(a).
(c) Class rules may change only racing rules 42, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53
and 54.
86.2 In exception to rule 86.1, the ISAF may in limited circumstances (see
ISAF Regulation 31.1.3) authorize changes to the racing rules for
a specific international event. The authorization shall be stated in a
letter of approval to the event organizing authority and in the notice
of race and sailing instructions, and the letter shall be posted on the
event’s official notice board.
86.3 If a national authority so prescribes, these restrictions 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.

87 CHANGES TO NATIONAL AUTHORITY PRESCRIPTIONS
A national authority may restrict changes to its prescriptions with a
prescription to this rule. If it does so, that prescription shall not be
changed or deleted by sailing instructions.

88 ORGANIZING AUTHORITY; NOTICE OF RACE; APPOINTMENT OF RACE OFFICIALS
88.1 Organizing Authority
Races shall be organized by an organizing authority, which shall be
(a) the ISAF;
(b) a member national authority of the ISAF;
(c) a club or other organization affiliated to a national authority;
(d) a class association, either with the approval of a national
authority or in conjunction with an affiliated club;
(e) 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
(f) if approved by the ISAF 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.
88.2 Notice of Race; Appointment of Race Officials
(a) The organizing authority shall publish a notice of race that conforms
to rule J1. The notice of race may be changed provided
adequate notice is given.
(b) The organizing authority shall appoint a race committee and,
when appropriate, appoint a protest committee and umpires.
However, the race committee, an international jury and umpires
may be appointed by the ISAF as provided in the ISAF regulations.

89 RACE COMMITTEE; SAILING INSTRUCTIONS; SCORING
89.1 Race Committee
The race committee shall conduct races as directed by the organizing
authority and as required by the rules.
89.2 Sailing Instructions
(a) The race committee shall publish written sailing instructions
that conform to rule J2.
(b) The sailing instructions for an international event shall include,
in English, the applicable prescriptions of the national authority.
(c) Changes to the sailing instructions shall be in writing and posted
within the required time on the official notice board 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.
89.3 Scoring
(a) The race committee shall score a race or series as provided in
Appendix A using the Low Point System, unless the sailing
instructions specify the Bonus Point System or some other
system. A race shall be scored if it is not abandoned and if one
boat sails the course in compliance with rule 28.1 and finishes
within the 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 from a boat’s series score, the score for disqualification
under rule 2; rule 30.3’s next-to-last sentence; rule 42 if rule
67, P2.2 or P2.3 applies; or rule 69.1(b)(2) shall not be excluded.
The next-worse score shall be excluded instead.

90 PROTEST COMMITTEE
A protest committee shall be
(a) a committee appointed by the organizing authority or race committee,
or
(b) an international jury appointed by the organizing authority or
as prescribed in the ISAF regulations and meeting the requirements
of Appendix N. A national authority may prescribe that
its approval is required for the appointment of international
juries for races within its jurisdiction, except ISAF events or
when international juries are appointed by the ISAF under rule
88.2(b).

RRoS 2005-08 Pt6

ENTRY AND QUALIFICATION

75 ENTERING A RACE
75.1 To enter a race, a boat shall comply with the requirements of the
organizing authority of the race. She shall be entered by
(a) a member of a club or other organization affiliated to an ISAF
member national authority,
(b) such a club or organization, or
(c) a member of an ISAF member national authority.
75.2 Competitors shall comply with ISAF Regulation 19, Eligibility Code.

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 76.2,
provided it does so before the start of the first race and states the reason
for doing so. However, 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
ISAF Regulation 20, Advertising Code.
76.2 At world and continental championships no entry within stated
quotas shall be rejected or cancelled without first obtaining the
approval of the relevant international class association (or the
Offshore Racing Council) or the ISAF.

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 A boat’s 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.
78.2 When a rule requires a certificate to be produced before a boat races,
and it is not produced, the boat may race provided that the race
committee receives a statement signed by the person in charge that a
valid certificate exists and that it will be given to the race committee
before the end of the event. If the certificate is not received in time, the
boat shall be disqualified from all races of the event.
78.3 When a measurer for an event decides that a boat or personal
equipment does not comply with the class rules, he shall report the
matter in writing to the race committee, which shall protest the boat.

79 ADVERTISING
A boat and her crew shall comply with ISAF Regulation 20,
Advertising Code.

80 RESCHEDULED RACES
When a race has been rescheduled, rule 36 applies and all boats
entered in the original race shall be notified and, unless disqualified
under rule 30.3, be entitled to sail the rescheduled race. New entries
that meet the entry requirements of the original race may be accepted
at the discretion of the race committee.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt5d

APPEALS

70 APPEALS; CONFIRMATION OR CORRECTION OF DECISIONS; RULE INTERPRETATIONS
70.1 Provided that the right of appeal has not been denied under rule 70.4,
a party to a hearing may appeal a protest committee’s decision or its
procedures, but not the facts found, to the national authority of the
venue.
70.2 A protest committee may request confirmation or correction of its
decision.
70.3 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.
70.4 There shall be no appeal from the decisions of an international jury
constituted in compliance with Appendix N. Furthermore, if the
notice of race and 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);
(b) a national authority so approves for a particular event open only
to entrants under its own jurisdiction; or
(c) a national authority after consultation with the ISAF 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.
70.5 Appeals and requests shall conform to Appendix F.

71 APPEAL DECISIONS
71.1 No interested party or member of the protest committee shall 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 the protest
committee’s decision; declare the protest or request for redress invalid;
or return the protest or request for the hearing to be reopened, or
for a new hearing and decision by the same or a different 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, 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.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt5c

GROSS MISCONDUCT

69 ALLEGATIONS OF GROSS MISCONDUCT
69.1 Action by a Protest Committee
(a) When a protest committee, from its own observation or a report
received from any source, believes that a competitor may have
committed a gross breach of a rule, good manners or sportsmanship,
or may have brought the sport into disrepute, it may
call a hearing. The protest committee shall promptly inform the
competitor in writing of the alleged misconduct and of the time
and place of the hearing.
(b) A protest committee of at least three members shall conduct the
hearing, following rules 63.2, 63.3, 63.4 and 63.6. If it decides
that the competitor committed the alleged misconduct it shall
either
(1) warn the competitor or
(2) impose a penalty by excluding the competitor and, when
appropriate, disqualifying a boat, from a race or the remaining
races or all races of the series, or by taking other action
within its jurisdiction. A disqualification under this rule
shall not be excluded from the boat’s series score.
(c) The protest committee shall promptly report a penalty, but not a
warning, to the national authorities of the venue, of the competitor
and of the boat owner.
(d) If there is good reason for the competitor not to attend the hearing,
the protest committee shall postpone it. However, if the
competitor has left the event and as a result cannot reasonably
be expected to attend a hearing, the protest committee shall not
conduct one. Instead, it shall collect all available information
and, if the allegation seems justified, make a report to the relevant
national authorities.
(e) When the protest committee has left the event and a report
alleging misconduct is received, the race committee or organizing
authority may appoint a new protest committee to proceed
under this rule.
69.2 Action by a National Authority
(a) When a national authority receives a report required by rule
69.1(c) or 69.1(d), a report alleging a gross breach of a rule,
good manners or sportsmanship, or a report alleging conduct
that has brought the sport into disrepute, it may conduct an
investigation and, when appropriate, shall conduct a hearing. It
may then take any disciplinary action within its jurisdiction it
considers appropriate against the competitor or boat, or other
person involved, including suspending eligibility, permanently
or for a specified period of time, to compete in any event held
within its jurisdiction, and suspending ISAF eligibility under
ISAF Regulation 19.
(b) The national authority of a competitor shall also suspend the
ISAF eligibility of the competitor as required in ISAF Regulation
19.
(c) The national authority shall promptly report a suspension of
eligibility under rule 69.2(a) to the ISAF, and to the national
authorities of the person or the owner of the boat suspended if
they are not members of the suspending national authority.
69.3 Action by the ISAF
Upon receipt of a report required by rule 69.2(c) or ISAF Regulation
19, the ISAF shall inform all national authorities, which may also
suspend eligibility for events held within their jurisdiction. The ISAF
Executive Committee shall suspend the competitor’s ISAF eligibility as
required in ISAF Regulation 19 if the competitor’s national authority
does not do so.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt5b

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, 67, 69, A5 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.
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 shall be made available to them, and they shall be allowed reasonable time to prepare for the hearing.
63.3 Right to Be Present
(a) The parties to the hearing, or a representative of each, have 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 the hearing does not come to the hearing, the protest committee may nevertheless decide the protest or request for redress. If the party was unavoidably absent, the committee may reopen the hearing.
63.4 Interested Party
A member of a protest committee who is an interested party shall not take any further part in the hearing but may appear as a witness. A party to the hearing who believes a member of the protest committee is an interested party shall object as soon as possible.
63.5 Validity of the Protest or Request for Redress
At the beginning of the hearing the protest committee shall decide whether all requirements for the protest or request for redress have been met, after first taking any evidence it considers necessary. If all requirements have been met, the protest or request is valid and the hearing shall be continued. If not, it shall be closed. If the protest has been made under rule 60.3(a)(1), the protest 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
The protest committee shall take the evidence of the parties to the hearing and of their witnesses and other evidence it considers necessary. A member of the protest committee who saw the incident may give evidence. A party to the hearing may question any person who gives evidence. The committee shall then find the facts and base its decision on them.
63.7 Conflict between Rules
If there is a conflict between a rule in the notice of race and one in the sailing instructions that must be resolved before the protest committee can decide a protest or request for redress, the committee shall apply the rule that it believes will provide the fairest result for all boats affected.
63.8 Protests between Boats in Different Races
A protest between boats sailing in different races conducted by different organizing authorities shall be heard by a protest committee acceptable to those authorities.

64 DECISIONS
64.1 Penalties and Exoneration
(a) When the protest committee decides that a boat that is a party to a protest hearing has broken a rule, 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. (b) When as a consequence of breaking a rule a boat has compelled another boat to break a rule, rule 64.1(a) does not apply to the other boat and she shall be exonerated. (c) 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.
64.2 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 A10 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.
64.3 Decisions on Measurement Protests
(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 measurement 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. (c) When a boat disqualified under a measurement rule states in writing that she intends to appeal, she may compete in subsequent races without changes to the boat, but shall be disqualified if she fails to appeal or the appeal is decided against her. (d) Measurement costs arising from a protest involving a measurement rule shall be paid by the unsuccessful party unless the protest committee decides otherwise.

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 within seven days of 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 When the protest committee penalizes a boat under a measurement rule, it shall send the above information to the relevant measurement authorities.

66 REOPENING A HEARING
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 F5. A party to the hearing may ask for a reopening no later than 24 hours after being informed of the decision. When a hearing is reopened, a majority of
the members if the protest committee shall, if possible, be members of the original protest committee.

67 RULE 42 AND HEARING REQUIREMENT
When so stated in the sailing instructions, the protest committee may penalize without a hearing a boat that has broken rule 42, provided that a member of the committee or its designated observer has seen the incident, and a disqualification under this rule shall not be excluded from the boat’s series score. A boat so penalized shall be informed by notification in the race results.

68 DAMAGES
The question of damages arising from a breach of any rule shall be governed by the prescriptions, if any, of the national authority.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt5a

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 unless she was involved in or saw the incident; or (b) request redress.
60.2 A race committee may (a) protest a boat, but not as a result of a report from an interested party or information in an invalid protest or in a request for redress; (b) request redress for a boat; or (c) report to the protest committee requesting action under rule 69.1(a).
60.3 A protest committee may (a) protest a boat, but not as a result of a report from an interested party or information in an invalid protest or in a request for redress. 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; 30 (b) call a hearing to consider redress; or (c) act under rule 69.1(a).

61 PROTEST REQUIREMENTS
61.1 Informing the Protestee
(a) A boat intending to protest shall inform the other boat at the first reasonable opportunity. When her protest concerns an incident in the racing area that she is involved in or sees, 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 results in damage or injury that is obvious to the boats involved and one of them intends to protest, 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) A race committee or protest committee intending to protest a boat shall inform her as soon as reasonably possible. However, if the protest arises from an incident the committee observes in the racing area, it shall inform the boat after the race within the time limit of rule 61.3. (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, including where and when it occurred; (c) any rule the protestor believes was broken; and (d) 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 (c) and (d) may be met before or during the hearing.
61.3 Protest Time Limit
A protest by a boat, or by the race committee or protest committee about an incident the committee observes in the racing area, shall be delivered to the race office no later than the 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 race committee or protest committee protests shall be delivered to the race office within two hours after the committee receives the relevant information. The protest committee shall extend the time if there is good reason to do so.

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 in a race or series has, through no fault of her own, been made significantly worse by (a) an improper action or omission of the race committee, protest committee or organizing authority; (b) injury or physical damage 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; (c) giving help (except to herself or her crew) in compliance with rule 1.1; or (d) a boat against which a penalty has been imposed under rule 2 or disciplinary action has been taken under rule 69.1(b).
62.2 The request shall be made in writing within the time limit of rule 61.3 or within two hours of the relevant incident, whichever is later. The protest committee shall extend the time if there is good reason to do so. No red flag is required.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt4

OTHER REQUIREMENTS WHEN RACING

Part 4 rules apply only to boats racing.

40 PERSONAL BUOYANCY; HARNESSES
40.1 When flag Y is displayed with one sound before or with the warning signal, competitors shall wear life-jackets or other adequate personal buoyancy. Wet suits and dry suits are not adequate personal buoyancy.
40.2 A trapeze or hiking harness shall have a device that can quickly release the competitor from the boat at any time while in use. Note: This rule takes effect on 1 January 2006.

41 OUTSIDE HELP
A boat shall not receive help from any outside source, except (a) help as provided for in rule 1; (b) help for an ill or injured crew member; (c) after a collision, help from the crew of the other boat to get clear; (d) help in the form of information freely available to all boats; (e) 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 athwartships 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) Except on a beat to windward, when surfing (rapidly accelerating down the leeward side of a wave) or planing is possible, the boat’s crew may pull the sheet and the guy controlling any sail in order to initiate surfing or planing, but only once for each wave or gust of wind. (d) When a boat is above a close-hauled course and either stationary or moving slowly, she may scull to turn to a closehauled course. (e) A boat may reduce speed by repeatedly moving her helm. (f) Any means of propulsion may be used to help a person or another vessel in danger. (g) To get clear after grounding or colliding with another boat or object, a boat may use force applied by the crew of either boat and any equipment other than a propulsion engine. Note: Interpretations of rule 42 are available at the ISAF website (www.sailing.org) or by mail upon request.

43 COMPETITOR CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
43.1 (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 sailing instructions 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) When a measurer in charge of weighing clothing and equipment believes a competitor may have broken rule 43.1(a) or 43.1(b) he shall report the matter in writing to the race committee, which shall protest the boat of the competitor.
43.2 Rule 43.1(b) does not apply to boats required to be equipped with lifelines.

44 PENALTIES FOR BREAKING RULES OF PART 2
44.1 Taking a Penalty
A boat that may have broken a rule of Part 2 while racing may take a penalty at the time of the incident. Her penalty shall be a Two-Turns Penalty unless the sailing instructions specify the use of the Scoring Penalty or some other penalty. However, if she caused injury or serious damage or gained a significant advantage in the race or series by her breach her penalty shall be to retire.
44.2 Two-Turns Penalty
After getting well clear of other boats as soon after the incident as possible, a boat takes a Two-Turns Penalty by promptly making two turns in the same direction, including two tacks and two gybes. When a boat takes the penalty at or near the finishing line, she shall sail completely to the course side of the line before finishing.
44.3 Scoring Penalty
(a) A boat takes a Scoring Penalty by displaying a yellow flag at the first reasonable opportunity after the incident, keeping it displayed until finishing, and calling 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 within the time limit for protests. (b) If a boat displays a yellow flag, she shall also comply with the other parts of rule 44.3(a). (c) The boat’s penalty score shall be the score for the place worse than her actual finishing place by the number of places stated in the sailing instructions, except that she shall not be scored worse than Did Not Finish. When the sailing instructions do not state the number of places, the number shall be the whole number (rounding 0.5 upward) nearest to 20% of the number of boats entered. The scores of other boats shall not be changed; therefore, two boats may receive the same score.
44.4 Limits on Penalties
(a) When a boat intends to take a penalty as provided in rule 44.1 and in the same incident has touched a mark, she need not take the penalty provided in rule 31.2. (b) A boat that takes a penalty shall not be penalized further with respect to the same incident unless she failed to retire when rule 44.1 required her to do so.

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 LIMITATIONS ON EQUIPMENT AND CREW
47.1 A boat shall use only the equipment on board at her preparatory signal.
47.2 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 on board before the boat continues in the race.

48 FOG SIGNALS AND LIGHTS
When safety requires, a boat shall sound fog signals and show lights as required by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea or applicable government rules.

49 CREW POSITION
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 the sailing instructions they shall be taut, and 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 of wire, a competitor sitting on the deck facing outboard with his waist inside the lower lifeline may have the upper part of his body outside the upper lifeline.

50 SETTING AND SHEETING SAILS
50.1 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.
50.2 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.
50.3 Use of Outriggers
(a) No sail shall be sheeted over or through an outrigger, except as permitted in rule 50.3(b) or 50.3(c). An outrigger is any fitting or other device so placed that it could exert outward pressure on a sheet or sail at a point from which, with the boat upright, a vertical line would fall outside the hull or deck planking. For the
purpose of this rule, bulwarks, rails and rubbing strakes are not part of the hull or deck planking and the following are not outriggers: a bowsprit used to secure the tack of a working sail, a bumkin used to sheet the boom of a working sail, or a boom of a boomed headsail that requires no adjustment when tacking. (b) Any sail may be sheeted to or led above a boom that is regularly used for a working sail and is permanently attached to the mast from which the head of the working sail is set. (c) A headsail may be sheeted or attached at its clew to a spinnaker pole or whisker pole, provided that a spinnaker is not set.
50.4 Headsails
The difference between a headsail and a spinnaker is that the mid-girth of a headsail, measured from the mid-points of its luff and leech, does not exceed 50% of the length of its foot, and no other intermediate girth exceeds a percentage similarly proportional to its distance from the head of the sail. A sail tacked down behind the foremost mast is not a headsail.

51 MOVABLE BALLAST
All movable ballast shall be properly stowed, and 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.

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

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.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt3

CONDUCT OF A RACE

25 NOTICE OF RACE, SAILING INSTRUCTIONS AND SIGNALS
The notice of race and sailing instructions shall be made available to each boat before a race begins. 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 sailing instructions.

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.
Signal Flag and sound Minutes before starting signal
Warning Class flag; 1 sound 5*
Preparatory P, I, Z, Z with I, or black flag; 1 sound 4
One-minute Preparatory flag removed; 1 long sound 1
Starting Class flag removed; 1 sound 0
*or as stated in the sailing instructions 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 buoyancy is required (display flag Y with one sound).
27.2 No later than the preparatory signal, the race committee may move a starting mark and may apply rule 30.
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 COURSE
28.1 A boat shall start, leave each mark on the required side in the correct order, and finish, so that a string representing her wake after starting and until finishing would when drawn taut pass each mark on the required side and touch each rounding mark. She may correct any errors to comply with this rule. After finishing she need not cross the finishing line completely.
28.2 A boat may leave on either side a mark that does not begin, bound or end the leg she is on. However, she shall leave a starting mark on the required side when she is approaching the starting line from its prestart side to start.

29 RECALLS
29.1 Individual Recall
When at a boat’s starting signal any part of her hull, crew or equipment 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 all such boats are completely on the pre-start side of the starting line or its extensions and have complied with rule 30.1 if it applies, but not later than four minutes after the starting signal or one minute before any later starting signal,
whichever is earlier.
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 Round-an-End Rule
If flag I has been displayed, and any part of a boat’s hull, crew or equipment is on the course side of the starting line or its extensions during the minute before her starting signal, she shall thereafter sail from the course side across an extension to the pre-start side before starting.
30.2 20% Penalty Rule
If flag Z has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull, crew or equipment shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the 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, resailed or rescheduled, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal.
30.3 Black Flag Rule
If a black flag has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull, crew or equipment shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the 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, resailed or rescheduled, 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. If this rule applies rule 29.1 does not.

31 TOUCHING A MARK
31.1 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.
31.2 A boat that has broken rule 31.1 may, after getting well clear of other boats as soon as possible, take a penalty by promptly making one turn including one tack and one gybe. When a boat takes the penalty after touching a finishing mark, she shall sail completely to the course side of the line before finishing. However, if a boat has gained a significant advantage in the race or series by touching the mark her penalty shall be to retire.

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), as appropriate, (a) because of an error in the starting procedure, (b) because of foul weather, (c) because of insufficient wind making it unlikely that any boat will finish within the time limit, (d) because a mark is missing or out of position, or (e) for any other reason directly affecting the safety or fairness of the competition, or may shorten the course so that other scheduled races can be sailed. However, after one boat has sailed the course and finished within the 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) at a line boats are required to cross at the end of each lap, that line; (c) at a gate, between the gate marks.

33 CHANGING THE NEXT LEG OF THE COURSE
The race committee may change a leg of the course that begins at a rounding mark 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 either (1) the new compass bearing or (2) a green triangular flag or board for a change to starboard or a red rectangular flag or board 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 leg will be shortened or a ‘+’ if the leg will be lengthened. (c) Subsequent legs may be changed without further signalling to maintain the course shape.

34 MARK MISSING
If a mark is missing or out of position, 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.

35 TIME LIMIT AND SCORES
If one boat sails the course as required by rule 28.1 and finishes within the time limit, 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 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, other than rule 30.3, in the original race shall not prohibit a boat from competing or, except under rule 30.2, 30.3 or 69, cause her to be penalized.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt2d

OTHER RULES

When rule 20 or 21 applies between two boats, Section A rules do not.

20 STARTING ERRORS; PENALTY TURNS; MOVING ASTERN
20.1 A boat sailing towards the pre-start side of the starting line or 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 she is completely on the prestart side.
20.2 A boat making a penalty turn shall keep clear of one that is not.
20.3 A boat moving astern by backing a sail shall keep clear of one that is not.

21 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.

22 INTERFERING WITH ANOTHER BOAT
22.1 If reasonably possible, a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat that is racing.
22.2 A boat shall not change course if her only purpose is to interfere with a boat making a penalty turn or one on another leg or lap of the course.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt2c

AT MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS

To the extent that a Section C rule conflicts with a rule in Section A or B, the Section C rule takes precedence.

18 ROUNDING AND PASSING MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS
In rule 18, room is room for an inside boat to round or pass between an outside boat and a mark or obstruction, including room to tack or gybe when either is a normal part of the manoeuvre.
18.1 When This Rule Applies
Rule 18 applies when boats are about to round or pass a mark they are required to leave on the same side, or an obstruction on the same side, until they have passed it. However, it does not apply (a) at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water or at its anchor line from the time the boats are approaching them to start until they have passed them, or (b) while the boats are on opposite tacks, either on a beat to windward or when the proper course for one of them, but not both, to round or pass the mark or obstruction is to tack.
18.2 Giving Room; Keeping Clear
(a) OVERLAPPED – BASIC RULE
When boats are overlapped the outside boat shall give the inside boat room to round or pass the mark or obstruction, and if the inside boat has right of way the outside boat shall also keep clear. Other parts of rule 18 contain exceptions to this rule.
(b) OVERLAPPED AT THE ZONE
If boats were overlapped before either of them reached the two length zone and the overlap is broken after one of them has reached it, the boat that was on the outside shall continue to give the other boat room. If the outside boat becomes clear astern or overlapped inside the other boat, she is not entitled to room and shall keep clear.
(c) NOT OVERLAPPED AT THE ZONE
If a boat was clear ahead at the time she reached the two-length zone, the boat clear astern shall thereafter keep clear. If the boat clear astern becomes overlapped outside the other boat, she shall also give the inside boat room. If the boat clear astern becomes overlapped inside the other boat, she is not entitled to room. If the boat that was clear ahead passes head to wind, rule 18.2(c) no longer applies and remains inapplicable.
(d) CHANGING COURSE TO ROUND OR PASS
When after the starting signal rule 18 applies between two boats and the right-of-way boat is changing course to round or pass a mark, rule 16 does not apply between her and the other boat.
(e) OVERLAP RIGHTS
If there is reasonable doubt that a boat obtained or broke an overlap in time, it shall be presumed that she did not. If the outside boat is unable to give room when an overlap begins, rules 18.2(a) and 18.2(b) do not apply.
18.3 Tacking at a Mark
If two boats were approaching a mark on opposite tacks and one of them completes a tack in the two-length zone when the other is fetching the mark, rule 18.2 does not apply. The boat that tacked (a) shall not cause the other boat to sail above close-hauled to avoid her or prevent the other boat from passing the mark, and (b) shall give room if the other boat becomes overlapped inside her, in which case rule 15 does not apply.
18.4 Gybing
When an inside overlapped right-of-way boat must gybe at a mark or obstruction to sail her proper course, until she gybes she shall sail no farther from the mark or obstruction than needed to sail that course.
18.5 Passing a Continuing Obstruction
While boats are passing a continuing obstruction, rules 18.2(b) and 18.2(c) do not apply. A boat clear astern that obtains an inside overlap is entitled to room to pass between the other boat and the obstruction only if at the moment the overlap begins there is room to do so. If there is not, she is not entitled to room and shall keep clear.

19 ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION
19.1 When approaching an obstruction, a boat sailing close-hauled or above may hail for room to tack and avoid another boat on the same tack. However, she shall not hail unless safety requires her to make a substantial course change to avoid the obstruction. Before tacking she shall give the hailed boat time to respond. The hailed boat shall respond by either (a) tacking as soon as possible, in which case the hailing boat shall also tack as soon as possible, or (b) immediately replying ‘You tack’, in which case the hailing boat shall tack as soon as possible and the hailed boat shall give room, and rules 10 and 13 do not apply.
19.2 Rule 19.1 does 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 or at a mark that the hailed boat can fetch. When rule 19.1 applies, rule 18 does not.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt2b

GENERAL LIMITATIONS

14 AVOIDING CONTACT
A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible. However, a right-of-way boat or one entitled to room (a) need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not keeping clear or giving room, and (b) shall not be penalized under this rule unless there is contact that causes damage or injury.

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, when after the starting signal a port-tack boat is keeping clear by sailing to pass astern of a starboard-tack boat, the starboard tack boat shall not change course if as a result the port-tack boat would immediately need to change course to continue keeping clear.

17 ON THE SAME TACK; PROPER COURSE
17.1 If a boat clear astern becomes overlapped within two of her hull lengths to leeward of a boat on the same tack, she shall not sail above her proper course while they remain overlapped 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.
17.2 Except on a beat to windward, while a boat is less than two of her hull lengths from a leeward boat or a boat clear astern steering a course to leeward of her, she shall not sail below her proper course unless she gybes.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt2a

RIGHT OF WAY

A boat has right of way when another 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.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt2

WHEN BOATS MEET

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 22.1. 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. However, an alleged breach of those rules shall not be grounds for a protest except by the race committee or protest committee.
If the sailing instructions so state, the rules of Part 2 are replaced by the right if way rules of the IRPCAS or by government right-of-way rules.

RRoS 2005-08 Pt1

FUNDAMENTAL RULES

1 SAFETY
1.1 Helping Those in Danger
A boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger.
1.2 Life-Saving Equipment and Personal Buoyancy
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 personal buoyancy adequate or 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. A disqualification under this rule shall not be excluded from the boat’s series score.

3 ACCEPTANCE OF THE RULES
By participating in a race conducted under these racing rules, each competitor and boat owner agrees
(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; and
(c) with respect to such determination, not to resort to any court or other tribunal not provided in the rules.

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

5 BANNED SUBSTANCES AND METHODS
A competitor shall neither take a substance nor use a method banned by the Olympic Movement Anti-Doping Code or the World Anti-Doping Agency and shall comply with ISAF Regulation 21, Anti-Doping Code. An alleged or actual breach of this rule shall be dealt with under Regulation 21. It shall not be grounds for a protest and rule 63.1 does not apply.