Part 3 - CONDUCT OF A RACE

The notice of race shall be made available to each boat that enters an event before she enters. The sailing instructions shall be made available to each boat before a race begins.

The meanings of the visual and sound signals stated in Race Signals shall not be changed except under rule 86.1(b). The meanings of any other signals that may be used shall be stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions.

When the race committee is required to display a flag as a visual signal, it may use a flag or other object of a similar appearance.

No later than the warning signal, the race committee shall signal or otherwise designate the course to be sailed if the sailing instructions have not stated the course, and it may replace one course signal with another and signal that wearing personal flotation devices is required (display flag Y with one sound).

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

Before the starting signal, the race committee may for any reason postpone (display flag AP, AP over H, or AP over A, with two sounds) or abandon the race (display flag N, N over H, or N over A, with three sounds).

A boat shall sail the course.

A boat may correct any errors in sailing the course, provided she has not finished.

When at a boat’s starting signal any part of her hull is on the course side of the starting line or she must comply with rule 30.1, the race committee shall promptly display flag X with one sound. The flag shall be displayed until the hull of each such boat has been completely on the pre-start side of the starting line or one of its extensions, and until all such boats have complied with rule 30.1 if it applies, but no later than four minutes after the starting signal or one minute before any later starting signal, whichever is earlier. If rule 29.2, 30.3 or 30.4 applies this rule does not.

When at the starting signal the race committee is unable to identify boats that are on the course side of the starting line or to which rule 30 applies, or there has been an error in the starting procedure, the race committee may signal a general recall (display the First Substitute with two sounds). The warning signal for a new start for the recalled class shall be made one minute after the First Substitute is removed (one sound), and the starts for any succeeding classes shall follow the new start.

If flag I has been displayed, and any part of a boat’s hull is on the course side of the starting line or one of its extensions during the last minute before her starting signal, she shall sail across an extension so that her hull is completely on the pre-start side before she starts.

If flag Z has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall receive, without a hearing, a 20% Scoring Penalty calculated as stated in rule 44.3(c). She shall be penalized even if the race is restarted or resailed, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal. If she is similarly identified during a subsequent attempt to start the same race, she shall receive an additional 20% Scoring Penalty.

If flag U has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, but not if the race is restarted or resailed.

If a black flag has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, even if the race is restarted or resailed, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal. If a general recall is signalled or the race is abandoned after the starting signal, the race committee shall display her sail number before the next warning signal for that race, and if the race is restarted or resailed she shall not sail in it. If she does so, her disqualification shall not be excluded in calculating her series score.

After the starting signal, the race committee may shorten the course or abandon the race: (a) because of foul weather, (b) because of insufficient wind making it unlikely that any boat will sail the course within the race time limit, (c) because a mark is missing or out of position, or (d) for any other reason directly affecting the safety or fairness of the competition. In addition, the race committee may shorten the course so that other scheduled races can be sailed, or abandon the race because of an error in the starting procedure. However, after one boat has sailed the course within the race time limit, if any, the race committee shall not abandon the race without considering the consequences for all boats in the race or series.

To shorten the course, the race committee shall display flag S with two sounds before the first boat crosses the finishing line. If the course is shortened, the finishing line shall be,

• (a) at a rounding mark, between the mark and a staff displaying flag S;
• (b) a line the course requires boats to cross; or
• (c) at a gate, between the gate marks.

To abandon a race in progress, the race committee shall display flag N, N over H, or N over A, with three sounds.