Racing Rules Archives

Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028: What Changed and Why

The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) changed on 1 January 2025. At SailZing.com, we have updated our rules articles for

ILYA Fair Sailing, mark room, Racing Rules, Sailing School ActivitiesRacing Rules

Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028: What Changed and Why Read Post »

Protests diagram: after a port-starboard crossing, the starboard-tack boat displays a red protest flag

Protests, Hearings and Redress: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. Protesting isn’t mean. It’s how the sport keeps

ILYA Fair Sailing, Racing Rules, Sailing School ActivitiesRacing Rules

Protests, Hearings and Redress: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Exoneration and penalties diagram: a boat completes a one-turn penalty, a full circle that includes a tack and a gybe

Exoneration and Penalties: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. You broke a rule, but only because another

ILYA Fair Sailing, penalty turns, Racing Rules, Sailing School ActivitiesRacing Rules

Exoneration and Penalties: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Conduct of a race illustration: two starboard-tack boats sail upwind while a judge boat follows at a distance

Conduct of a Race: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. Flags, sounds, recalls and shortened courses: Part 3

ILYA Fair Sailing, Racing Rules, Sailing School ActivitiesRacing Rules

Conduct of a Race: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Rules 21 to 23 diagram: a boat returning to the pre-start side after a starting error must keep clear of a boat that has started

Rules 21-23 – Keeping Clear, Avoiding, Interfering: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. Restarting after an early start, spinning a penalty

ILYA Fair Sailing, Racing Rules, Sailing School ActivitiesRacing Rules

Rules 21-23 – Keeping Clear, Avoiding, Interfering: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Race signal flags, including flag P, the preparatory signal

Race Signals 2025-2028: Summary and Quiz

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. Think you know the race signals? Here is

ILYA Fair Sailing, Racing Rules, Sailing School ActivitiesRace Signals

Race Signals 2025-2028: Summary and Quiz Read Post »

Fair sailing illustration: three boats sail close-hauled on starboard tack, evenly spaced, with no one fouling anyone

What is Fair Sailing? Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. Win or lose, do it fairly. – Knute

Fair Sailing, ILYA Fair Sailing, Racing Rules, Sailing School Activities, SportsmanshipPart 1 - Fundamental Rules

What is Fair Sailing? Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Rules 19 and 20 diagram: two overlapped port-tack boats approach a shoreline, and the leeward boat hails for room to tack

Rules 19-20 – Room at Obstructions: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. A moored boat, a shoreline, a starboard boat

ILYA Fair Sailing, Racing Rules, Sailing School Activities, UK SailsPart 2 - When Boats Meet

Rules 19-20 – Room at Obstructions: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Rules 18.3 and 18.4 diagram: boats tacking and gybing in the zone at a mark

Rules 18.3 and 18.4 – Tacking and Gybing in the Zone: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. You tack onto starboard inside the zone at

ILYA Fair Sailing, mark room, Racing Rules, Sailing School Activities, UK SailsPart 2 - When Boats Meet

Rules 18.3 and 18.4 – Tacking and Gybing in the Zone: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Rule 18.2 diagram: the inside overlapped boat at the zone is entitled to mark-room from the outside boat

Rule 18.2 – Giving Mark-Room: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. The zone is a snapshot: who was overlapped,

ILYA Fair Sailing, mark room, Racing Rules, Sailing School Activities, UK SailsPart 2 - When Boats Meet

Rule 18.2 – Giving Mark-Room: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Rule 18.1 diagram: two boats approaching a leeward mark as the leading boat reaches the three-length zone

Rule 18.1 – When Rule 18 (Mark-Room) Applies: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. Two boats near a mark: does the mark-room

ILYA Fair Sailing, mark room, Racing Rules, Sailing School Activities, UK SailsPart 2 - When Boats Meet

Rule 18.1 – When Rule 18 (Mark-Room) Applies: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Rule 17 diagram: a boat from clear astern establishes a leeward overlap and sails its proper course

Rule 17 – On the Same Tack, Proper Course: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. You sailed up from behind and got a

ILYA Fair Sailing, Racing Rules, Sailing School Activities, UK SailsPart 2 - When Boats Meet

Rule 17 – On the Same Tack, Proper Course: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Rule 12 diagram: a boat clear astern keeps clear of the boat clear ahead on the same tack

Rule 12 – On the Same Tack, Not Overlapped: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. The boat behind has to keep clear of

ILYA Fair Sailing, Racing Rules, Sailing School Activities, UK SailsPart 2 - When Boats Meet

Rule 12 – On the Same Tack, Not Overlapped: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Rule 16 diagram: the leeward right-of-way boat luffs gradually, giving the windward boat room to keep clear

Rule 16 – Changing Course: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. You have right of way, so you can

ILYA Fair Sailing, Racing Rules, Sailing School Activities, UK SailsPart 2 - When Boats Meet

Rule 16 – Changing Course: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Rule 11 diagram: two overlapped starboard-tack boats, with the windward boat keeping clear of the leeward boat

Rule 11 – On the Same Tack, Overlapped: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. Two boats side by side on the same

ILYA Fair Sailing, Racing Rules, Sailing School Activities, UK SailsPart 2 - When Boats Meet

Rule 11 – On the Same Tack, Overlapped: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »

Rule 13 diagram: a boat tacking past head to wind keeps clear of a close-hauled port-tack boat

Rule 13 – While Tacking: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028

This post has been updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. You’ve just tacked, so you’re on starboard and

ILYA Fair Sailing, Racing Rules, Sailing School Activities, starting rules, UK SailsPart 2 - When Boats Meet

Rule 13 – While Tacking: Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 Read Post »