The Inland Lake Yachting Association (ILYA) is building on its 2018 #FairSailing initiative to increase the level of rules knowledge and compliance. The initiative includes a Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) presentation for clubs and sailing schools to use, weekly rules scenarios articles, a rules quiz, streamlining the protest process, and incentives for club and individual participation.
In 2018, we covered the basics of the RRS. In 2019, we’ll address more complex scenarios with new articles and a second-level quiz. We’ll use material from Dave Perry’s 100 Best Racing Rules Quizzes, as well as the World Sailing 2017-2020 Casebook. Thanks to Dave for granting permission to use his material!
We’ll publish the weekly ILYA rules scenarios articles here. You can also receive the weekly articles directly from the ILYA by subscribing to ILYA’s Scowlines.
Rules scenarios #4 uses a combination of the rules of Part 2, Sections C and D. To review the basics of the rules, see the SailZing Part 2 Racing Rules category.
Scenario 1 – Mark Room Given?
Boats A and B are approaching an offset mark on starboard tack. The next leg is a downwind leg with time spent on both tacks. When A reaches the zone, she is clear ahead of B. A bears away around the mark to her downwind sailing angle. At that point she is still overlapped with the mark. As a result of her bearing away, B becomes overlapped inside her. A continues bearing away and gybes onto port tack. There is contact immediately between B’s bow and A’s port side, with damage to both boats. Both boats protest. You are on the protest committee; how would you decide this? (From Perry, Quiz 40)
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Scenario 2 – Starting Errors
Immediately after the starting signal, the race committee signals an “individual recall” and clearly hails boat S’s number. S (on starboard tack) luffs her sails in an attempt to slow down so she can clear herself from other boats and return to start. Boat P (on port tack), on a collision course with S, decides that S is a “premature starter” with no rights, and tries to cross ahead of S. S bears away ten degrees to avoid P and protests. You are on the protest committee; how would you decide this? (From Perry, Quiz 46)
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Scenario 3 – Proper Course
Boats W and L are approaching a leeward mark. The next leg is a beat to windward. W established an inside overlap on L well before the boats reached the zone, and L gave W room to sail to the mark and to round the mark onto a close-hauled course. After W passed the mark, L began to luff (head up) to her course to the next mark. W was slower in heading up, and her boom, still well out, touched L’s helmsman and shrouds. At the time of the contact W was a hull length from the mark and sailing below a close-hauled course. Both boats protest each other. You are on the protest committee; how would you decide this? (From World Sailing Casebook, Case 25)
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Scenario 4 – Proper Course and Mark Room
Boats S and P are sailing directly downwind toward a leeward mark. They had been overlapped for several lengths with S inside and slightly ahead. As S entered the zone, she luffed (headed up). As her bow became abreast of the mark, she bore away to gybe, and there was contact, but no damage or injury. Both boats protest. You are on the protest committee; how would you decide this? (From World Sailing Casebook, Case 75)
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