Page 50 - Case Book 2017 - 2020 April 18

APPENDIX J – RYA 1990/2 (incorporating RYA 1963/5)
NOTICE OF RACE AND SAILING The racing rules do not differentiate between helmsman
and crew. Restrictions on the helming of a boat may be
INSTRUCTIONS imposed by class rules or by the notice of race. In the
absence of any other provision, an owner or person in
Rule J1.2, Notice of Race Contents charge is free to invite anyone to steer the boat. The
notice of race and the sailing instructions must state
Rule J2.2, Sailing Instruction Contents clearly when points are to be awarded to helmsmen
rather than to boats and state any restrictions or
CASE 98 qualifications that apply.
The rules listed in the definition Rule apply to races
governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing whether or not
the notice of race or sailing instructions explicitly state APPENDIX M –
that they apply. A sailing instruction, provided it is RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
consistent with any prescription to rule 88.2, may PROTEST COMMITTEES
change some or all of the prescriptions of the national
authority. Generally, neither the notice of race nor the RYA 1984/14
sailing instructions may change a class rule. When a A party to the hearing, not the protest committee, is
boat races under a handicapping or rating system, the responsible for calling that party’s witnesses.
rules of that system apply, and some or all of her class
rules may apply as well. When the notice of race RYA 1987/1
conflicts with the sailing instructions, neither takes When one boat knows that she has been protested by
precedence. another, she is under an obligation to act reasonably.
One party shall not be excluded while another is
CASE 121 present during the hearing, and all parties are entitled
The procedure that must be followed in order to change to hear and question all witnesses.
a racing rule for an event is described in detail.
RYA 2007/1
RYA 1962/1 An organizing authority has no power to revoke a
When the sailing instructions do not specify a time decision of a protest committee to rehear a protest.
limit for starting or finishing, a boat may start within a When a protest committee includes a person having a
reasonable time after her starting signal, and she is conflict of interest, whose interest has not been
entitled to a finishing position whenever she finishes. disclosed to the parties and who takes part in the
proceedings, its decision is improper.
RYA 1984/13
Sailing instructions must describe the course clearly, RYA 2008/5
including the location of the starting area. A protest committee should reopen a hearing, whether
or not requested to do so, if it may have made a mistake,
RYA 1985/4 or if there is new evidence not available at the original
When a race committee intends a mark to be looped, the hearing. However, it need not do so if there is no
mark must be identified as a rounding mark. When the prospect of a changed decision, or when a changed
sailing instructions do not do so, or when they are decision would not affect the major places when final
ambiguous, a boat may elect not to round a mark when event results are urgently needed.
she can still leave it on the required side and in the A party asking for a reopening must offer a good
correct order. reason, and the protest committee need not hear from
RYA 1989/6 any other party before deciding whether or not to
‘Other documents that govern the event’ in the reopen. However, when it decides to reopen, its
definition Rule must be stated or referred to in the decision to do so may be open to appeal by another
notice of race and in the sailing instructions before they party if an objection to the reopening is made at the
become mandatory for boats racing. When a race start of the reopened hearing.
committee considers it necessary for boats to adhere to Evidence that was clearly relevant to the original
local regulations or prohibitions, it must issue an hearing and that was, or should have been, available at
explicit notice of race and sailing instructions to that that hearing is not new evidence. However, evidence
effect. When no such notice or instructions are issued, a related to issues not arising until during the original
boat that does not comply with a local regulation or hearing, or evidence or a witness that the protest
prohibition does not break the Fair Sailing rule. committee knows had been unsuccessfully sought for the
original hearing may be ‘new’. When a hearing is
RYA 1989/9
A boat appearing alone at the start is entitled to sail the reopened, there is no limitation on evidence that may be
course and to be awarded any prize unless sailing presented.
instructions say otherwise.

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