Rule C2: CHANGES TO THE DEFINITIONS AND THE RULES OF PARTS 1, 2, 3 AND 4

Section C — Match Racing Rules

Match races shall be sailed under The Racing Rules of Sailing as changed by this appendix. Matches shall be umpired unless the notice of race or sailing instructions state otherwise.

Note: A Standard Notice of Race, Standard Sailing Instructions, and Match Racing Rules for Visually Impaired Sailors are available on the World Sailing website.

CHANGES TO THE DEFINITIONS AND THE RULES OF PARTS 1, 2, 3 AND 4

C2.1:

The definition Finish is changed to:

Finish A boat finishes when, after her starting signal, any part of her hull crosses the finishing line from the course side after completing any penalties. However, when penalties are cancelled under rule C7.2(d) after one or both boats have finished each shall be recorded as finished when she crossed the line. A boat has not finished if she continues to sail the course.

C2.2:

The definition Mark-Room is changed to:

Mark-Room Room for a boat to sail her proper course to round or pass the mark, and room to pass a finishing mark after finishing.

C2.3:

Add to the definition Proper Course: ‘A boat taking a penalty or manoeuvring to take a penalty is not sailing a proper course.’

C2.4:

In the definition Zone the distance is changed to two hull lengths.

C2.5:

Add new rule 7 to Part 1:

7 LAST POINT OF CERTAINTY
The umpires will assume that the state of a boat, or her relationship to another boat, has not changed, until they are certain that it has changed.

C2.6:

Rule 13 is changed to:

13 WHILE TACKING OR GYBING
13.1 After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course.
13.2 After the foot of the mainsail of a boat sailing downwind crosses the centreline she shall keep clear of other boats until her mainsail has filled or she is no longer sailing downwind.
13.3 While rule 13.1 or 13.2 applies, rules 10, 11 and 12 do not apply. However, if two boats are subject to rule 13.1 or 13.2 at the same time, the one on the other’s port side or the one astern shall keep clear.

C2.7:

Rule 16.2 is changed to:

16.2 In addition, when boats on opposite tacks are sailing to a mark that is to windward of them, the starboard-tack boat shall not bear away to a course that is more than ninety degrees from the true wind and that is below her proper course, if as a result the port-tack boat must change course immediately to continue keeping clear.

C2.8:

Rule 17 is deleted.

C2.9:

Rule 18 is changed to:

18 MARK-ROOM

18.1 When Rule 18 Applies
Rule 18 applies between boats when they are required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is in the zone. However, it does not apply between a boat approaching a mark and one leaving it. Rule 18 no longer applies between boats when the boat entitled to mark-room is on the next leg and the mark is astern of her.

18.2 Giving Mark-Room

(a) When the first boat reaches the zone,
- (1) if boats are overlapped, the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside boat mark-room.
- (2) if boats are not overlapped, the boat that has not reached the zone shall thereafter give mark-room.
(b) If the boat entitled to mark-room leaves the zone, the entitlement to mark-room ceases and rule 18.2(a) is applied again if required based on the relationship of the boats at the time rule 18.2(a) is re-applied.
(c) If a boat obtained an inside overlap and, from the time the overlap began, the outside boat is unable to give mark-room, rule 18.2(a) does not apply between them.

18.3 Tacking or Gybing

(a) If mark-room for a boat includes a change of tack, such tack or gybe shall be done no faster than a tack or gybe to sail her proper course.
(b) When an inside overlapped right-of-way boat must change tack at a mark to sail her proper course, until she changes tack she shall sail no farther from the mark than needed to sail that course. Rule 18.3(b) does not apply at a gate mark or a finishing mark and a boat shall be exonerated for breaking this rule if the course of another boat was not affected before the boat changed tack.

C2.10:

Rule 20.4(a) is changed to:

(a) The following arm signals by the helmsperson are required in addition to the hails:
- (1) for ‘Room to tack’, repeatedly and clearly pointing to windward; and
- (2) for ‘You tack’, repeatedly and clearly pointing at the other boat and waving the arm to windward.

C2.11:

Rule 21.3 is deleted.

C2.12:

Rule 23.1 is changed to:

23.1 If reasonably possible, a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat that is racing or an umpire boat.

C2.13:

Add new rule 23.3:

23.3 When boats in different matches meet, any change of course by either boat shall be consistent with complying with a rule or trying to win her own match.

C2.14:

Rule 27.2 is changed to:

27.2 No later than the warning signal, the race committee may move a starting mark.

C2.15:

Rule 31 is changed to:

31 TOUCHING A MARK

While racing, neither the crew nor any part of a boat’s hull shall touch a starting mark before starting, a mark that begins, bounds or ends the leg of the course on which she is sailing, or a finishing mark after finishing. In addition, while racing, a boat shall not touch a race committee vessel that is also a mark.

C2.16:

Add new rule 41(e):

(e) help to recover from the water and return on board a crew member, provided the return on board is at the approximate location of the recovery.

C2.17:

Rule 42 shall also apply between the warning and preparatory signals.

C2.18:

Rule 42.2(d) is changed to:

(d) sculling: repeated movement of the helm to propel the boat forward;

Definitions in Context

Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap

One boat is clear astern of another when her hull and equipment in normal position are behind a line abeam from the aftermost point of the other boat’s hull and equipment in normal position. The other boat is clear ahead. They overlap when neither is clear astern. However, they also overlap when a boat between them overlaps both. These terms always apply to boats on the same tack. They apply to boats on opposite tacks only when rule 18 applies between them or when both boats are sailing more than ninety degrees from the true wind.

Finish

A boat finishes when, after her starting signal, any part of her hull crosses the finishing line from the course side. However, she has not finished if after crossing the finishing line she

(a) takes a penalty under rule 44.2,
(b) corrects an error in sailing the course made at the line, or
(c) continues to sail the course.

After finishing she need not cross the finishing line completely. The sailing instructions may change the direction in which boats are required to cross the finishing line to finish.

Keep Clear

A boat keeps clear of a right-of-way boat

(a) if the right-of-way boat can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action and,
(b) when the boats are overlapped, if the right-of-way boat can also change course in both directions without immediately making contact.

Leeward and Windward

A boat’s leeward side is the side that is or, when she is head to wind, was away from the wind. However, when sailing by the lee or directly downwind, her leeward side is the side on which her mainsail lies. The other side is her windward side. When two boats on the same tack overlap, the one on the leeward side of the other is the leeward boat. The other is the windward boat.

Mark

An object the sailing instructions require a boat to leave on a specified side, a race committee vessel surrounded by navigable water from which the starting or finishing line extends, and an object intentionally attached to the object or vessel. However, an anchor line is not part of the mark.

Mark-Room

Room for a boat

(a) to sail to the mark when her proper course is to sail close to it,
(b) to round or pass the mark on the required side, and
(c) to leave it astern.

Proper Course

A course a boat would choose in order to sail the course as quickly as possible in the absence of the other boats referred to in the rule using the term. A boat has no proper course before her starting signal.

Racing

A boat is racing from her preparatory signal until she finishes and clears the finishing line and marks or retires, or until the race committee signals a general recall, postponement or abandonment.

Room

The space a boat needs in the existing conditions, including space to comply with her obligations under the rules of Part 2 and rule 31, while manoeuvring promptly in a seamanlike way.

Rule

(a) The rules in this book, including the Definitions, Race Signals, Introduction, preambles and the rules of relevant appendices, but not the Basic Principles or titles;
(b) World Sailing Regulations that have been designated by World Sailing as having the status of a rule and are published on the World Sailing website;
(c) the prescriptions of the national authority, unless they are changed by the notice of race or sailing instructions in compliance with the national authority’s prescription, if any, to rule 88.2;
(d) the class rules (for a boat racing under a handicap or rating system, the rules of that system are ‘class rules’);
(e) the notice of race;
(f) the sailing instructions; and
(g) any other documents that govern the event.

Sail the Course

A boat sails the course when

(a) she starts;
(b) a string representing her track until she finishes, when drawn taut,
- (1) passes each mark of the course for the race on the required side and in the correct order (including the starting marks),
- (2) touches each mark designated in the sailing instructions to be a rounding mark, and
- (3) passes between the marks of a gate from the direction of the course from the previous mark; and then
(c) she finishes.

A mark that does not begin, bound or end the leg the boat is sailing does not have a required side.

Start

A boat starts when, her hull having been entirely on the pre-start side of the starting line at or after her starting signal, and having complied with rule 30.1 if it applies, any part of her hull crosses the starting line from the pre-start side to the course side.

Tack, Starboard or Port

A boat is on the tack, starboard or port, corresponding to her windward side.

Zone

The area around a mark within a distance of three hull lengths of the boat nearer to it. A boat is in the zone when any part of her hull is in the zone.