Racing Rules Basics: Using the Rules for Winning Strategies

1
Racing Rules BasicsUsing the Rules for Winning
Strategies

• Or
• How to Avoid Getting Yelled at by the Prince of
  Darkness
• (results may vary)

2
Organization of Rules

• Seven Parts to Rules
• Fundamental Rules
• When Boats meet
• Conduct of a Race
• Other Requirements When Racing
• Protest
• Entry and Qualification
• Race Organization.

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Four Main Rules

• 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 When Tacking
• After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep
  clear of other boats until after she is on a
  close hauled course.

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Two More Rules(Worth Knowing Well)

• Rule 1 Safety
• (1) A boat or competitor shall give all possible
  help to any person or vessel in danger.
• (2) A Boat shall carry adequate Life Saving
  equipment for all persons on board.
• Rule 14 Avoiding Contact
• A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if
  reasonably possible.

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Starboard Tack Cases
6
Leeward Boat Has Rights
7
Overtaking Boat Keeps Clear
8
Three Starts
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One Exception You Need to Know

• Rule 18.2(a)
• When boats are overlapped, the outside boat
  shall give the inside boat room to round or pass
  the mark or obstruction.
• The boats have to be overlapped when the first
  boat is 2 of its boat lengths before the mark.
  The inside boat has to be fetching the mark.

10
Mark Rounding Inside with Overlap
11
Committee Boat(Not a Mark)
12
Inside No Overlap
13
Two Boat Length Circle
14
What Do I Do When I Foul Chris?(or he says I
fouled him)

• Rule 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
• Rule 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 complete
  turns including two tacks and two gybes.

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What do I do when Chris fouls me?

• Rule 61.1(a) A boat intending to protest shall
  inform the other boat at the first reasonable
  opportunityshe shall hail protest and
  conspicuously display a red flag (no flag if you
  are under 6 meters).
• (If he doesnt do his penalty turn, get a form
  from the RC and file a formal protest).

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Hitting a Mark

• Rule 31.1 While racing, a boat shall not touch a
  starting mark before starting, a mark that begins
  or ends the leg of the course on which she is
  sailing, or a finishing mark after finishing.
• Rule 31.2 A boat that has broken rule 31.1, may,
  after getting well clear of other boats , take a
  penalty by promptly making one turn

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Starting Sequence Rule 26
CRSA rule only, other groups may or may not
provide this.
18
Flags
P- Flag Blue with white Box No 1 min rule in
effect
I-Flag Yellow with Black Circle Round the
End rule Beginning at 1 min before the start,
you must go around the end of line if you
are upwind of the line.
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Starting Rules

• Rule 29.1
• When at a boats starting signal any part of her
  hull, crew or equipment is on the course side of
  the starting lineshe must return to the
  pre-start side of the starting line. (Flag P)
• Rule 30.1 (one min rule round the end)
• When any part of a boats hull crew or equipment
  is on the course side of the starting line during
  the minute before her starting signal, she must
  sail around an end of the starting line to the
  pre-start side before starting. (flag I)

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Where do I go After the Start?(The CRSA A
course)
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Course Layouts Definitions
Wind
Windward Mark
Pin End
Committee Boat
Gybe Mark
Leeward Mark
Starting Line
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The CRSA E (D?) Course
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Having fun and Being Safe

• Most of the people are pretty friendly (OK, Chuck
  and I excepted we get a little intense).
• Making mistakes is part of the game (we might
  yell, but we forgive quickly too).

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One Last Rule

• The International Regulations for Preventing
  Collision at Sea apply when a racing boat meets a
  non-racing boat (preamble to part 2).
• Two Sailing Vessels (same rules as above)
• Boats under power are supposed to give way to
  boats under sail.
• All boats under way shall give way to boats
  fishing, not under command, or restricted in
  manoueverability.

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Rules Changes(Experts Part)

• Rule 16.2 Starboard can change course but only
  if Port is NOT keeping clear by going behind.
• Rule 42 Sculling is defined more clearly and
  clearly allowed for getting out of irons.

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Rules Resources

• U.S. Sailing Web Site www.ussailing.org
• Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008, available from
  U.S. Sailing Web site (29.95 or Free with U.S.
  Sailing Membership)
• Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing through
  2008 (by Dave Perry) (U.S. Sailing, 32.50)
• Paul Elvestrom Explains The Racing Rules of
  Sailing 2005-2008 (by Soren Krause) (Amazon,
  16.47)