1. Rules of Racing Overview
HMBYC Women’s Sailing
Rebecca Mendenhall
March 20, 2018
HMBYC Women’s Sailing
March 20, 2018
Beccie Mendenhall

2. Rules of Racing Overview
Core Components:
ROW (Right of Way)  This trumps everything
Starting
Mark Rounding
Penalties
Protests

3. Rules of Racing – Fundamental Rules
1 SAFETY
1.1 Helping Those in Danger
 Must give help to any person or vessel in danger
Not just people you know, or people in the race – anyone in danger!
1.2 Life Saving Equipment and PFD
All competitors responsible to wear a PFD adequate for conditions
Not just on the seat near by - you must be wearing it!
Must have life saving equipment for everyone on board
Must have one device ready for immediate use
Examples:
Cleveland Race so many years ago – Everyone DFQ except our boat
Three Bridge This year – “that guy”

4. Rules of Racing – Fundamental Rules
Fair Sailing
Sportsmanship and Fair Play is expected (Corinthian spirit)
Acceptance of Rules
No – you don’t get to make up your own rules
Decision to Race
Yours alone – no one is making you do this!
Anti-Doping
(I guess drinking is excluded here)

5. Right of Way (ROW) – Section A
10 Opposite Tacks: Starboard has ROW
Port tack must KEEP CLEAR of Starboard tack boat
11 Same Tack Overlapped: Leeward has ROW
Windward boat must KEEP CLEAR of Leeward
Same Tack NOT Overlapped: Clear Ahead has ROW
The boat clear Astern (behind) must KEEP CLEAR
While Tacking: Tacking boat must KEEP CLEAR of all other boats
If 2 boats tacking at same time:
Starboard and Clear Ahead boats have ROW
Tacking boat does not have rights until sailing close hauled on new tack

6. ROW Limitations – Section B
Avoiding Contact – ROW boat
Need not act until it is clear the other boat is not
Shall be exonerated as long as no damage or injury
BUT you SHOULD Hail the other boat – confirm your ROW
15,16 Acquiring ROW or ROW boat changing course
Must give other boats room to keep clear
17, 11 Overtaking from Clear Astern
Passing on Leeward side - You acquire ROW at overlap
BUT you must sail proper course (cannot “luff” windward boat)
You also may lose your wind mid-maneuver
Passing on Windward side – Leeward boat has ROW
AND they are allowed to “luff”, windward boat must keep clear
Passing Windward ME – Kelly Pike story
Passing Windward NOT ME – Dave Morris story
But now we are talking about Tactics
This is when it gets fun!

7. Know your class
Know your order of go
Know the flags
Don’t get too far from committee
Starting Line
Starting Line Restrictions – varies by race, check your SI!
Before Race / During Race
If you are over early, you have to go back and start again
If you hit the starting pin you have to do a penalty (check SI)
If you hit committee boat you are generally DQ (but check SI)
Starboard Tack – Leeward Boats have ROW
AND are allowed to sail above proper course until race starts
can force windward boat over early
Does NOT have to give room at committee boat
Port Tack – Must keep clear of ALL Starboard boats
 Can be a daunting experience! But can pay off big if done right
 Richard (Cal 20 racer) says it is better than “Sex”
No “Barging” down the line
Race we missed – Race with no verbal cues

8. Sailing the Course The “Course” consists of
Cross the Starting Line in proper direction (heading to first mark)
Pass each Mark on required Side (Starboard or Port)
Pass each Mark in proper order
Pass between a Gate from the direction of previous Mark
Cross the finish line in proper direction
You are allowed to “correct” mistakes as long as you have not finished
If you “hit” any mark or a pin on the start or finish line it is a penalty
Penalties can vary from race to race – again the SI is key
AND – know your course, from start to finish and all points in between
You can’t follow the other boats if you are in the lead!!
AND sometimes the other boats are wrong
AND there is nothing worse than being in front and missing the finish

9. Mark Room – Rule 18 Applies for boats on the
same tack approaching a mark
Mark Room - is about giving other boats space to clear the Mark
The ZONE – an imaginary circle 3 boat lengths around the mark
Overlap is determined when the FIRST boat reaches the ZONE
No Overlap entering zone
Clear Ahead boat has ROW and does NOT have to give Mark Room
Clear Astern boats (all of them) must give Mark Room and stay clear
Overlap entering zone
Outside boat must give Mark Room to inside boat(s)
Must still give mark room even if overlap is broken
Changing Tack in the zone
Must not interfere with any boats fetching mark
Gybing
- Inside ROW boat must not sail further from mark than needed

10. Simple Right? But wait until you apply it
Rule 18.2 c – Not So Simple!!
If overlap from Clear Astern or Tacking to Windward
IF Outside boat at time of overlap cannot give mark room,
she is not required
I think what this means is –
if you are coming in faster than boat A
AND try to squeeze in at mark on inside (leeward)
But to give you room Boat A would have to sail above the wind
Then she does not have to go into irons to make room
Something similar applies for Obstructions (Rule 19c)
 overtaking from clear Astern you can’t squeeze in on the inside

11. Simple Right? But wait until you apply it
And what about the ROW stuff?
How does that work when the other boat (or you)
Have No Wind
Have Too Much Wind
Yelling at the other boat doesn’t do much good
When they are drifting
Or fighting a round up in 30 knots
And it could be you next time – so think about it and be reasonable

12. Penalties (44)
Penalty = 360 degree turn of your boat (one tack + one gybe)
Must Keep Clear of all other boats during penalty
Should be taken as soon after the incident as possible
Hitting a Mark (Rule 31) = One Turn <- includes hitting the start or finish pin
Breaking any other Rule in Part 2 (When Boats Meet) = Two Turns
Additional Conditions:
Break Rule 31 plus Rule in Part 2 – Only have to do 2 Turns
If injury or serious damage  RETIRE
If unfair advantage despite penalty turn  RETIRE
EXONERATION: If you were a ROW boat who was forced to break a rule
AGAIN – Check the SI, individual race penalties supersede the rulebook

13. Protests (60 – 63) IF you are involved with another boat
And you believe that boat broke one of the rules in Part 2 or Rule 31
First – you should have hailed the boat when they were breaking the rule
BUT suppose they did not agree with you
THEN you need to inform them you intend to protest
Protest Actions:
Raise a red flag on your boat (< 6 meters options but visual helps)
File protest paperwork with race committee as soon as possible after race
Note: You cannot raise a penalty unless you were involved in the incident

14. Know the rules – and win some races!!