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snowleopard View Drop Down
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Posts: 66 		Post Options Post Options   Quote snowleopard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Racing rules primer
    Posted: 31 Oct 17 at 9:39am
I am coming back to dinghy racing after a long spell of offshore cruising. The only races I have done in the last 20 years have been run under IRCPS. You can tell how long it's been from the fact that 'Mast abeam' was still in force when I last raced.

Can anyone recommend a site that will bring me back up to speed on the rules without having to wade through too much legalese?
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JimC View Drop Down
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Posts: 6649 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JimC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Oct 17 at 9:43am
I'd start with the actual rules on line. They're a lot more understandable than they used to be.
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Posts: 1146 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Oct 17 at 10:35am
Difficult to give you the best answer without knowing the depth of your original rules knowledge and your learning style.

Numerous on-line resources in the Rules Resources post at the head of this forum.  But these tend to focus on full 'authorised versions' of rules source documents.

While the words and style of the rules have changed over the years, the intention has always been to keep the game fundamentally unchanged:  as long as  you don't get into 'language difficulties' about the new words, you'll probably find that if you sail by the rules just as you used to, you'll be OK about 95% of the time.

For an initial brush-up, to identify what you need to review, I suggest going through the Team Racing Call Book.

It has a lot of calls that are really just quite simple examples of application of the [fleet racing] rules, particularly the two boat scenarios. Work your way through the calls, with a copy of the rules open as you do, and you should pretty quickly identify what rules changes you need to study up on.

My second suggestion is to play some on-line games, which you can easily google for and download.

The free version of Virtual Skipper, if you play your way through the different versions a few times will give you good practice in applying the rules.

Other sailing game is SailX, which just has an abundance of hotly contested rules scenarios.

As for books, In my opinion, the best rules book for beginners (that is, shortest, most succinct is Bryan Willis The Rules in Practice 2017-2020.  It's available as an e-book for Kindle, at least.

 Merlin Mags has pointed to the Holt-Allen diagrams, which may help to refresh your memory.

http://allensail.com/product/allen-racing-rules-poster-2017-2022/

Any questions you may have, pitch them up in the forum (and we'll rip your rules-speak to bits, but try to answer them for you).



Edited by Brass - 31 Oct 17 at 10:46am
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Paramedic View Drop Down
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Posts: 929 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Paramedic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 17 at 9:54pm
Originally posted by snowleopard

You can tell how long it's been from the fact that 'Mast abeam' was still in force when I last raced.

Dont worry, ive sailed against people who think it still is!
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Posts: 245 		Post Options Post Options   Quote KazRob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 17 at 11:33pm
And don't forget about overtaking boat keeps clear! That's still a regular call for some
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ColPrice2002 View Drop Down
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Posts: 222 		Post Options Post Options   Quote ColPrice2002 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jan 18 at 4:58pm
I'd suggest getting the current RRS (download for free).
I think the major changes you'll find on the water are principally in rule 18 (mark rounding) and the discussion here on windward/leeward proper course - compared to the older luffing rules.
As always, check out the definitions!

Remember to call "mark room" not "water"
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Rupert View Drop Down
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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jan 18 at 5:54pm
"Water please" still seems to be understood by everyone!
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Posts: 38 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Hitcher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jan 18 at 9:20pm
To simplify my thoughts...
I think the main general change since I started knowing the rules in the 90's is that it is never ok to do nothing once you think the other boat is not going to avoid you.

Avoiding contact even when you think you are right is important. Unfortunately not everyone has got there yet...
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Posts: 66 		Post Options Post Options   Quote snowleopard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jan 18 at 10:02pm
Originally posted by Hitcher

Avoiding contact even when you think you are right is important. Unfortunately not everyone has got there yet...

I downloaded the 2017-20 rules and was surprised to find that in rule 14 b you are allowed to hit other boats as long as you (a) have right of way and (b) don't cause damage or injury.

Hang out a few fenders and go for it!!
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Posts: 66 		Post Options Post Options   Quote snowleopard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jan 18 at 10:05pm
I was also surprised to see frequent reference to 'right of way'. On another forum, any mention of that phrase gets flamed by pedants to whom that is sacrilege.
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