Simple Racing Rules

Well I used to know them obviously the more serious you are about competing at high level, the more often you have to reach for the rule book.

But I was shocked to learn that 'mast a beam' and luffing rights have gone, not that it stops me doing it or calling for them, since no one else knows and they think I do, which is just fine.

Everything was working well until I met that shouty man Maxibuddah who didn't like my 2 point rule set.


A club level reduced set of basics, would be a good idea nonetheless.

I reckon I might know at best 50% of the (on the water) rules properly and even with concerted effort I don't think I would get to anywhere near a proper understanding. In terms of club sailing I would class that as much better than average, so does suggest something isn't working. 

Originally posted by rb_stretch ...test the outlined simple rules in club racing to see how many circumstances go beyond them. My guess is very few.

Surely situations aren't going to be any less complex in club racing than major events, given similar numbers of boats: maybe even more complicated because the boats might differ wildly in performance and dimensions.

Consider 4 boats approaching a port rounding windward mark, all overlapped, two on port, two on starboard. With the simplified guidelines all the port people can really do is to stop and wait for the others to go past, but the full rules cover whether they can tack, in what situations they have rights, all the rest of it.

As an example for how complicated club racing can get: consider Peter and I approaching a windward mark, he in his RS100, me in my Canoe. Its possible that we could be on exactly the same heading, but I could squeeze round the mark by making sure the plank is right out to windward, but there could be no way he can get than 300 round because its so much wider!

For me, the simple rules wouldn't be for standard club racing - though I agree that most people (me included) don't know very many of the rules past the ones which are regularly practiced - but for beginner racing, maybe specialist short course racing (where, for sake of argument, there is never a starboard rounding) or for regatta day fun, where you are trying to attract people who normally don't race. It would be made clear that a separate set of rules would be being used, and these would be in poster form on the wall, in large writing.

1 Port gives way to starboard
2 Windward gives way to leeward
3 Overtaking boat keeps clear (this overrides rule 2 if the overtaking boat is to leeward)
4 Inside boat has right of way at marks, except at a windward mark on different tacks [I did wonder about taking this out, but it would get a bit dangerous, wouldn't it?]
5 Marks shall be passed on the side stated by the race organizer. Bumping a mark is allowed.
6 This is a non contact sport.
7 A penalty for breaking a rule will be a tack and a gybe, done one after the other, somewhere where you won't get in the way. If damage is caused by your actions, then you must retire from the race.


Maybe the first words said for a protest to be valid in these rules should be "I say, old chap"?

Nope- get them involved, if they want a pointless procession then I doubt they'd step up to the race in th first place ;-)