Page 35 - Misconduct a Reference for Race Officials

instructions may give limited permission for the use of the engine for propulsion (see RRS
rule 42.3(i)), or (which is perhaps the safest and fairest option) may make all of a TSS a
prohibited zone. Boats that gain a significant advantage by such use of an engine break
RRS rule 42 and will be disqualified if protested unless the sailing instructions specify a
different penalty.

Other restrictions
Harbour byelaws often include requirements that are additional to the IRPCAS. The ‘moving
obstruction’ regulation in Southampton Water is a well-known example. Elsewhere, there
may be other authority byelaws and regulations. A boat that breaks such rules will be
answerable to the body making such rules and, in addition, may be protested and penalized
under the RRS provided such rules are listed as governing the event.

Protests

When boats are racing under the IRPCAS or are required by the preamble to Part 2 to
comply with the IRPCAS, they can be protested by another boat racing for a breach of those
rules. However, in the case of an incident involving a vessel not racing the incident often
only comes to light because of a report to the race committee by the offended vessel. The
vessel concerned cannot itself protest and the race committee is often unable to protest
because the report of the incident is made by a person with a conflict of interest. To ensure
that the race committee can protest regardless of the source of the information, the sailing
instructions or notice or race may amend RRS 60.2.

Redress

A boat is entitled to redress if she incurs damage or injury because of the action of a boat
that was breaking a rule of part 2 or of a vessel not racing that was required to keep clear.
However, as the rules stand, redress is not available if the damage or injury is caused by a
boat racing under the IRPCAS. To ensure that redress is available in these circumstances,
the notice of race or sailing instructions may amend RRS 62.1.

SAMPLE WORDING
The following texts are recommended.

To adopt the IRPCAS for part of an event, the following words, or their equivalent, must
be included in the sailing instructions:

[Between time A and time B] [and] [at all times] [between position 1 and position 2]
Part 2 of the Racing Rules of Sailing are replaced [by the right-of-way rules of the
International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCAS)] [and] [or] [by the
applicable Government right of way rules].

To make one or more traffic separation schemes a prohibited zone, the following words,
or their equivalent, must be included in the sailing instructions:

Boats shall not enter the areas bounded by [list of coordinates 1] [list of coordinates 2]
.............. [list of coordinates n].

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