Yacht Racing Rules
Rules 25 - 36
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PART 3 -- CONDUCT OF A RACE

25 SAILING INSTRUCTIONS AND SIGNALS
Sailing instructions shall be made available to each boat before a race begins. The race committee shall conduct the race using the visual and sound signals defined in the Race Signals and any other signals included in the sailing instructions.

26 STARTING SYSTEMS 1 AND 2
26.1 A race shall be started by using either System 1 or System 2. Signals shall be made at five-minute intervals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the failure of a sound signal shall be disregarded. Signals shall be as follows (flags of a single colour may be replaced by shapes of the same colour):

26.2 In System 1, when classes are started at ten-minute intervals, the warning signal for each succeeding class shall be displayed at the starting signal of the preceding class. When five-minute intervals are used, flag P shall be left displayed until the last class starts and the warning signal for each succeeding class shall be displayed at the time of the preparatory signal of the preceding class. If there is a general recall, the warning and preparatory signals of any succeeding classes shall be removed immediately after the general recall has been signalled.

26.3 In System 2, each signal shall be removed one minute before the next is made. When classes are started at ten-minute intervals, the starting signal for each class shall be the warning signal for the next. When classes are started at five-minute intervals, the preparatory signal for each class shall be the warning signal for the next. When class flags are used, they shall be displayed before or with the preparatory signal for the class.

27 OTHER RACE COMMITTEE ACTIONS BEFORE THE STARTING SIGNAL

27.1 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, signal that a designated short course will be used (flag S), and apply rule 40 (flag Y).

27.2 No later than the preparatory signal, the race committee may move a starting mark and may apply rule 30.

27.3 Before the starting signal, the race committee may postpone (flag AP) or abandon the race (flag N over H or A) for any reason.

28 SAILING THE COURSE

28.1 A boat shall start, pass each mark on the required side in the correct order, and finish, so that a string representing her wake after starting and until finishing would, when drawn taut, lie on the required side of each mark and touch each rounding mark. She may correct any errors to comply with this rule, provided she has not already finished. After finishing, a boat need not cross the finishing line completely.

28.2 A mark has a required side for a boat only when she is on a leg that the mark begins, bounds or ends, except that a starting mark begins to have a required side when she is approaching the starting line from its pre-start side to start.

29 STARTING; RECALLS

29.1 On the Course Side at the Start When at her starting signal any part of a boat¹s hull, crew or equipment is on the course side of the starting line, the boat shall sail completely to the pre-start side of the line before starting.

29.2 Individual Recall When at her starting signal a boat must comply with rule 29.1 or rule 30.1, the race committee shall promptly display flag X. The signal shall be displayed until all such boats are completely on the pre-start side of the starting line or its extensions and have complied with rule 30.1 if it applies, but not later than four minutes after the starting signal or one minute before any later starting signal, whichever is earlier.

29.3 General Recall When at the starting signal several unidentified boats are on the course side of the starting line or there has been an error in the starting procedure, the race committee may signal a general recall (flag First Substitute). The preparatory signal for a new start for the recalled class shall be made one minute after the First Substitute is lowered, and the starts for any succeeding classes shall follow the new start.

30 STARTING PENALTIES

30.1 I Flag Rule If flag I has been displayed before or with her preparatory signal, and any part of a boat¹s hull, crew or equipment is on the course side of the starting line or its extensions during the minute before her starting signal, she shall sail to the pre-start side of the line around either end before starting.

30.2 Z Flag Rule If flag Z has been displayed before or with her preparatory signal, and any part of a boat¹s hull, crew or equipment is identified within the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the minute before her starting signal and a general recall is then signalled, she shall, without a hearing, be given a 20% scoring penalty calculated as stated in rule 44.3(c). If the race is restarted, resailed or rescheduled, she shall still be given the penalty.

30.3 Black Flag Rule If a black flag has been displayed before or with her preparatory signal, and any part of a boat¹s hull, crew or equipment is identified within the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the minute before her starting signal, the boat will be disqualified without a hearing. If the race is restarted, resailed or rescheduled, she is not entitled to compete in it. If a general recall is signalled or the race is abandoned, the race committee shall display her sail number.

31 TOUCHING A MARK

31.1 While racing, a boat shall not 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.

31.2 A boat that has broken rule 31.1 may, after getting well clear of other boats as soon as possible, take a penalty by promptly making one complete 360° turn including one tack and one gybe. When a boat takes the penalty after touching a finishing mark, she shall return completely to the course side of the line before finishing. However, if a boat has gained a significant advantage in the race or series by touching the mark she shall retire.

31.3 When a boat is wrongfully compelled by another boat to break rule 31.1, she shall be exonerated
(a) if the other boat acknowledges breaking a rule of Part 2 by taking a penalty or retiring immediately, or
(b) under rule 64.1(b), after successfully protesting another boat involved in the same incident.

32 SHORTENING OR ABANDONING AFTER THE START
After the starting signal, the race committee may abandon the race (flag N or flag N over H or A) or shorten the course (flag S), as appropriate,
(a) because of an error in the starting procedure,
(b) because of foul weather,
(c) because of insufficient wind making it unlikely that any boat will finish within the time limit,
(d) because a mark is missing or out of position, or
(e) for any other reason directly affecting the safety or fairness of the competition. However, after one boat has sailed the course and finished within the time limit, if any, the race committee shall not abandon the race without considering the consequences for all boats in the race or series.

33 CHANGING THE COURSE AFTER THE START
At any rounding mark the race committee may signal a change of the direction of the next leg of the course by displaying flag C and the compass bearing of that leg before any boat begins it. The race committee may change the length of the next leg by displaying flag C and a '-' if the leg will be shortened or a '+' if the leg will be lengthened.

34 MARK MISSING
When a mark is missing or out of position, the race committee shall, if possible,
(a) replace it in its correct position, or
(b) substitute one of similar appearance, or a buoy or vessel displaying flag M.

35 TIME LIMIT
If one boat sails the course as required in rule 28.1 and finishes within the time limit, if any, all boats shall be scored unless the race is abandoned. If no boat finishes within the time limit, the race committee shall abandon the race.

36 RACES TO BE RESTARTED OR RESAILED
If a race is restarted or resailed, a breach of a rule, other than rule 30.3, in the original race shall not prohibit a boat from competing or, except under rule 30.2, 30.3 or 69, cause her to be penalized.

These Rules are directly from the 1997 -2000 Rule Book

Race On,

Steve Steiner
Managing Editor
YachtRacing.com
email: steiner@yachtracing.com

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