The Racing Rules of Sailing

Protest race abandoned.

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Mike Forbes
Nationality: United Kingdom
Certifications:
  • National Judge
If a race is abandoned due to lack of wind, and there is a Protest involving serious damage at the start, is the Protest Valid?? 
Created: Today 11:13

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Angelo Guarino
Forum Moderator
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Regional Judge
I don't think this is a validity issue. Validity is based upon a series of elements that must be satisfied.  There isn't an "occurred in a race which was later abandoned" in 60.4. 

The race is "voided" as far as scoring is concerned .. so any penalty will end up having no effect as long as the incident occurred while racing, but the hearing must proceed if the protest was delivered within the PTL. 
Created: Today 11:26
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Angelo Guarino
Forum Moderator
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Regional Judge
PS: the last sentence of 60.5 is interesting ..

If this incident occurred prior to the prep-signal .. and this was not the last race of the regatta ... would one apply any penalty to the next race of the regatta? .. since abandonment voids the race?

If a boat has broken a rule when not racing, her penalty shall apply to the race sailed nearest in time to the incident.
Created: Today 11:33
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John Allan
Nationality: Australia
Certifications:
  • National Race Officer
  • National Judge
Reply to: 21286 - Angelo Guarino
If a boat has broken a rule when not racing, her penalty shall apply to the race sailed nearest in time to the incident.
I haven't thought about this in the context of a regatta.

For club racing where the incident occurred at  first or last race in a series I've had the view that the penalty should apply to the race in the previous or subsequent series (for which the boat was entered) as tested by simple comparison of dates and times.

I think for the last race in a regatta, the race nearest in time will be the preceding race.
Created: Today 11:58
Stephen Procter
Certifications:
  • International Judge
  • National Umpire
A protest has to be heard if submitted. The committee must check validity before continuing to hear the Protest. The fact a race has been abandoned is not a reason to invalidate a protest. The reason for the protest is probably a final claim for redress. The problem the committee might have is if the protest ends up in a rule 2 with a DNE decision which race to apply the decision if any. 
Created: Today 11:30
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John Allan
Nationality: Australia
Certifications:
  • National Race Officer
  • National Judge
Agree with Angelo.

If the incident occurred before the Preparatory Signal, the boats were not racing and RRS 60.5(c) last sentence says a boat's penalty shall apply to the race sailed nearest in time to the incident.

If the incident occurred after the Preparatory Signal while boats were racing:
  • If the race is restarted or resailed RRS 60.5(c)(3) says a boat shall not be disqualified.
  • If the race is abandoned and not restarted or retailed no penalty applies.

Seriousness of damage makes no difference to the severity of a penalty unless the NOR/SI gives the protest committee discretion to give a penalty less than disqualification.

The parties are entitled to get a written decision in accordance with RRS 63.6(b) in any case.
Created: Today 11:48
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Angelo Guarino
Forum Moderator
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Regional Judge
Reply to: 21289 - John Allan
John re: "I agree with Angelo" 

Printed, framed and already hanging on the wall :-)
Created: Today 11:59
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Angelo Guarino
Forum Moderator
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Regional Judge
Reply to: 21289 - John Allan
John re: "If the race is restarted or resailed RRS 60.5(c)(3) says a boat shall not be disqualified."

In the context of an abandoned race in a regatta where subsequent races are completed, is the next race always a "resailling" of the previously abandoned race? (since the race is voided by abandonment?)

If not, how is the state of "resailed" determined and by what criteria?
Created: Today 12:07
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John Allan
Nationality: Australia
Certifications:
  • National Race Officer
  • National Judge
Reply to: 21289 - John Allan
In the context of an abandoned race in a regatta where subsequent races are completed, is the next race always a "resailling" of the previously abandoned race? (since the race is voided by abandonment?) If not, how is the state of "resailed" determi...
I think 'restarted' is intended to refer to a race in progress that is abandoned by displayed flag N and 3 sounds, and the removing flag N with 1 sound and 1 minute later displaying the Warning Signal in accordance with RRS Race Signals Abandonment Signals N.

'Resailed' applies to a race that has been otherwise abandoned (N over A, N over H, or by notice from the race committee or decision of the protest committee) and is scheduled to be resaile at another time.
Created: Today 12:26
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Angelo Guarino
Forum Moderator
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Regional Judge
Reply to: 21289 - John Allan
John  .. ok N/A on Day 2.  Day 3 we have a race.  Is that a "resailing" of the race abandoned on Day 2?
Created: Today 12:31
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John Allan
Nationality: Australia
Certifications:
  • National Race Officer
  • National Judge
Reply to: 21289 - John Allan
John  .. ok N/A on Day 2.  Day 3 we have a race.  Is that a "resailing" of the race abandoned on Day 2?
I think so, unless the race committee says otherwise.

Sometimes NOR/SI say 'Abandoned races will not be resailed' or perhaps 'Abandoned races will be resailed on dddd'

OTOH, most scoring systems for weekly series just show a race as Abandoned and go on to the next race number.  This avoids confusion.
Created: Today 12:52
Mike Forbes
Nationality: United Kingdom
Certifications:
  • National Judge
I think the purpose of the Protest is find facts .   As the race was abandoned and no boats had a score for the race, presumably it is about facts found , and rules broken by either boat, with no penalty applied as no boats scored in the race. ?? 
Created: Today 12:05
Gordon Davies
Nationality: Ireland
Certifications:
  • International Judge
 According to the preamble to RRS Part 2: a boat not racing shall not be penalised for breaking one of these rules except rule 14 when the incident resulted in injury or serious damage.
Another point: the PC may conclude that a boat broke a rule but cannot be penalised BUT that the other boat may be given redress (for instance due to damage preventing then from competing in a subsequent race).
Created: Today 12:06
Satish Kumar Kanwar
Certifications:
  • International Judge
  • International Race Officer
RRS 60.4 lays down the conditions for a protest to be invalid. So, if the protest is in written, within time limit and delivered, it is valid.

If the race is abandoned, RRS 36 applies and a boat may be penalised under RRS 36(b) for serious damage or injury.

Created: Today 12:29
Tips
50 WIND
2026-05-10 - Eunjin Kim
Gordon Davies
Nationality: Ireland
Certifications:
  • International Judge
Numbering of races can be controversial. I have always found that  in a long series it is best to number the races in order of races completed, but add the date. This avoids the issue of having blank races and also allows  to refer to a race as Race 3 or Thursday Race 7th May.
An issue can arise in long-established classes in which a prize is given for instance for the second race of the third day of the Nationals. This causes problems when the donating dignitary turns up to present the prize for a race that has not yet been sailed! 
Created: Today 13:07
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