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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Scope
This guide attempts to highlight best practice, accommodate many of World Sailing Race
Management Policies and interpret the rules accordingly. It is not intended to be a fully
comprehensive manual of race management but rather an aide memoire for race officers and those
wanting to know more. It may also be appropriate to vary the practices described in this guide for
smaller events when there are other constraints on the race management to be taken onto account.
The World Sailing Race Management Manual should also be referred to and is available on the
World Sailing website, as are the World Sailing Race Management Policies. Race Officers running
MYA events should refer to the MYA Race Management Manual.
1.2 Abbreviations
Throughout this document some phrases are used a lot and so are abbreviated in many instances:
abbreviated to:
Race Officer RO
Racing Rules of Sailing RRS
Notice of Race NOR
Sailing Instructions SI
1.3 Racing Rules of Sailing
The race officials' bible is the rule book - the Racing Rules of Sailing. We are duty bound to know
the rules and so be very familiar with the rule book. Racing is governed according to the Rules as
defined in the RRS (see definition 'Rule'). The rules that are contained within the RRS book are
defined as the Definitions, the Race Signals, the Introduction, the preambles and the relevant
appendices, some of which are now in separate electronic form.
Through its prescriptions to the RRS, a Member National Authority (the RYA for the UK) states how
certain of these rules are to be interpreted or applied at its own events or those organised by an
organising authority affiliated to that MNA (see 'Authority to Run Racing', page 6).
1.4 Terminology
Terms used in the preamble to ‘Race Signals’:
A visual signal is always DISPLAYED ()
A visual signal that is displayed is at some time REMOVED ()
means a sound signal
- - - - - means repetitive sounds
_____ means a long sound signal
‘Shall’ - mandatory action
‘Will’ - intended action Use these terms at all times!
‘Should’ - best endeavours
‘May’ - optional action
Version March 2018 1
