Rules Observance

What can you do if it seems that there are some of your competitors who don’t have a very high regard for sportsmanship and fair play, and are breaking rules?

What if his seems to be concentrated around certain specific parents or coaches?

Here are some preliminary things I suggest, before going too much further:

1.    Validate your opinion, make sure that it’s not you that are the one out of step:  ask around among other competitors and see if others share your views, if so identify people who may be willing to cooperated in tackling the problem;

2.    Have a think about whether you are racing in an environment that encourages rules observance:

·         When was the last time the club held a rules session?

·         Do club training and coaching programs emphasise requirements of sportsmanship and fair play (and not actually teach rule-breaking, such as illegal propulsion)?

·         Is there a healthy level of the protest process (hailing ‘protest’, on-water penalties, prompt and effective protest hearings) in operation, or is there a ‘no protest’ culture in place?

·         Has the club implemented the graduated alternatives to full protest process in the RRS Appendix T or RYA Rules Disputes Guidelines (Advisory Hearings, Post Race/Exoneration Penalty, Arbitration)?

3.    Be mindful that you don’t seriously disrupt club harmony:  if you propose changes, you need to bring as many people as possible along with you.

4.    Don’t start yelling ‘Cheats!’ and getting out the pitchforks and torches.  Don’t be too quick to reach for rule 2 or rule 69.  In my opinion, steady consistent enforcement (by the protest process) of the normal racing rules will bring most people around, even if they don’t initially hold the rules in high regard.  Saying 'Everyone can afford to improve their rules compliance' is a lot pleasanter than saying 'You, you and you need to improve your rules compliance'.

Here are two articles by Dick Rose that may be helpful

http://www.sailingworld.com/from-the-exper...nce-201272.html

http://www.sailingworld.com/from-the-exper...1000061246.html 

Who’s had successful experience in dealing with this sort of problem?

What works well and what doesn’t?

Edited by Brass - 22 Sep 17 at 7:55am

It can be very hard to manage, I grew up doing turns (well, actually retiring, t'was before 'turns' were invented) if I hit an mark or failed to cross someone when on port tack etc, but I also grew up in the era of unlimited luffing etc. I also grew up in a club where rule observance was just the done thing (but so was doing duties as allocated so we only ended up doing a couple a year). It's different now and, after 30 years racing Raceboards and Div 1 I'm well aware that certain sections of the racing community treat the rules as something to ignore if nobody is watching and to try to get away with otherwise. When I first started racing Div 1 sailboards I used to re-round a mark if I touched it, even if nobody saw me, I was the only one who did and it was a long time before I could reconcile myself to levelling the playing field and stop doing that (then they changed the rules and allowed Raceboards t touch marks......). I always did (and still do) encourage the mindset that if you break a rule and go on to win you haven't really won..... I'm now, effectively, a newb racer at a club I was a member of 50 years ago and am back to re-rounding if I touch a mark (it just wouldn't feel right if I didn't).....

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 19 Oct 17 at 9:06am

I grew up in large competitive fleets as part of the RYA youth development squads 25 years back and observing the rules was drummed into us. Now I sail on a small pond and in general rules seem to be quite well observed by most but there are some interesting dynamics that I have observed sailing in the handicap fleet or around 30 boats that regularly race. The Flying 15s seem to have their own rules...a common instance is that they pile into the windward mark on port and tack under the starboard boats using momentum to squeeze around the mark whilst head to wind. People seem to just accept this and luff a little as they know if they do not they will get a whack. Often the 15 then also hits the windward mark but no one does anything. Infringements between the 15s whilst in the handicap fleet also result in no action even if the rest of us yell at them.

Edited by H2 - 19 Oct 17 at 10:16am

There are some persistant Rule 42 offenders who if I know are sailing and it is light winds would cause me not to bother to compete.  And others who regard Rule 42 only to apply if someone vocally objects.  In both cases, somehow feel that I am the villain.