Page 11 - Case Book 2017 - 2020 April 18

ceases to apply when either of them turns past head to explicit notice of race and sailing instructions to that
wind. When a boat is required to give another boat effect. When no such notice or instructions are issued, a
mark-room, the space she must give includes space for boat that does not comply with a local regulation or
the other boat to comply with rule 31. When the boat prohibition does not break the Fair Sailing rule.
entitled to mark-room is compelled to touch the mark
while sailing within the mark-room to which she is RYA 2002/14
entitled, she is exonerated for her breach of rule 31. The preamble to Part 2 of the Racing Rules of Sailing
(RRS) is a rule of Part 2.
CASE 103
The phrase ‘seamanlike way’ in the definition Room Definitions, Start
refers to boat-handling that can reasonably be expected
from a competent, but not expert, crew of the RYA 1982/13
appropriate number for the boat. A boat that has not left a starting mark on the required side
will start if she later crosses the starting line in the correct
CASE 114 direction, provided that the starting line remains open.
When a boat is entitled to room, the space she is entitled
to includes space for her to comply with her obligations BASIC PRINCIPLES
under the rules of Part 2 and rule 31.

CASE 118 Sportsmanship and the Rules
In the definition Mark-Room, the phrase ‘room to sail to
the mark’ means space to sail promptly in a seamanlike CASE 31
way to a position close to, and on the required side of, When the correct visual recall signal for individual
the mark. recall is made but the required sound signal is not, and
when a recalled boat in a position to hear a sound
CASE125 signal does not see the visual signal and does not
When an outside overlapped boat is required to give return, she is entitled to redress. However, if she
room to one or more inside boats to pass an realizes she is on the course side of the line she must
obstruction, the space she gives must be sufficient to return and start correctly.
permit all the inside boats to comply with their CASE 39
obligations under the rules of Part 2.
A race committee is not required to protest a boat. The
RYA 1975/5 primary responsibility for enforcing the rules lies with
S’s response to a wind shift must not deprive P of room the competitors.
to keep clear, or, after the starting signal, oblige P (if CASE 65
sailing a course to keep clear by passing astern of S) to When a boat knows that she has broken the Black Flag
change course immediately to continue keeping clear.
rule, she is obliged to retire promptly. When she does
not do so and then deliberately hinders another boat in
Definitions, Rule the race, she commits a breach of sportsmanship and of

CASE 85 rule 2, and her helmsman commits an act of
If a racing rule is not one of the rules listed in rule misconduct.
86.1(c), class rules are not permitted to change it. If a CASE 71
class rule attempts to change such a rule, that class rule A hail is not the ‘sound signal’ required when flag X is
is not valid and does not apply. displayed. Answers to questions arising from requests
CASE 98 for redress after a procedural error by the race
The rules listed in the definition Rule apply to races committee.
governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing whether or not RYA 1990/8
the notice of race or sailing instructions explicitly state After an incident, a boat that knows she has broken a
that they apply. A sailing instruction, provided it is rule cannot protect herself from the consequences of not
consistent with any prescription to rule 88.2, may change taking a penalty by citing the absence of a protest by the
some or all of the prescriptions of the national authority. other boat.
Generally, neither the notice of race nor the sailing
instructions may change a class rule. When a boat races RYA 2002/5
under a handicapping or rating system, the rules of that When a boat retires promptly after an incident, for
system apply, and some or all of her class rules may whatever reason, she has complied with Sportsmanship
apply as well. When the notice of race conflicts with the and the Rules in respect of any rules (apart from rule 2)
sailing instructions, neither takes precedence. she may have broken. When there is serious damage
which may have been her responsibility, she is, by
RYA 1989/6 retiring, exempted from further penalties in respect of
‘Other documents that govern the event’ in the that incident.
definition Rule must be stated or referred to in the
notice of race and in the sailing instructions before they RYA 2005/5
become mandatory for boats racing. When a race A boat that has retired may be protested, and a valid
committee considers it necessary for boats to adhere to protest against her must be heard, but the boat is not to
local regulations or prohibitions, it must issue an
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