Forum: The Racing Rules of Sailing
The Racing Area
P
Stavros KourisCertifications:
- International Judge
- National Umpire
1
The concept of the racing area is quite common in the Racing Rules of Sailing as it is mentioned in various rules
- Preamble to Part 2 " The rules of part 2 apply between boats that are sailing in or near the racing area...."
- Rule 61.1b " If the race committee, technical committee or protest committee intend to protest a boat concerning an incident the committee observed in the racing area...."
But how exactly the racing are is defined? Maybe one description of the racing area we can find in the SI because there the racing area should be described (as required by J 2.2.(10) and if not included in the NoR). But is this adequate and could be classified as a definition of the race area?
Also, if there is no definition of the racing area how can one interpret the "in" and, in particular, the "near" the racing area referred to in the preamble to Part 2? How near is near?
Moreover, rule A5.3 refers to boats that shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats that came to the starting area.
When is a boat qualified as "came to the starting area"?
- Preamble to Part 2 " The rules of part 2 apply between boats that are sailing in or near the racing area...."
- Rule 61.1b " If the race committee, technical committee or protest committee intend to protest a boat concerning an incident the committee observed in the racing area...."
But how exactly the racing are is defined? Maybe one description of the racing area we can find in the SI because there the racing area should be described (as required by J 2.2.(10) and if not included in the NoR). But is this adequate and could be classified as a definition of the race area?
Also, if there is no definition of the racing area how can one interpret the "in" and, in particular, the "near" the racing area referred to in the preamble to Part 2? How near is near?
Moreover, rule A5.3 refers to boats that shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats that came to the starting area.
When is a boat qualified as "came to the starting area"?
Comments
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DO we need to clutter the Rules further - when dictionary definition suffices?
Certain areas might be specifically excluded eg among moorings or near ferry routes otherwise likely to fall within the race area in the ordinary meaning of that phrase.
"Near" means what a sensible sailor in a common sailing boat of any of the types being raced would consider it to mean having regard to the surrounding circumstances. EG where a boat might heave to during a race, an area where a boat might sail to do a penalty turn so as to remain clear of other boats racing, but where boats would not normally venture while racing otherwise.
When the starting area is not stated in the sailing instructions, it will normally be the area where boats in good time for their start will sail between their preparatory signal and starting signal. When a boat never reaches the starting area, for whatever reason, she is to be scored DNC. When she reaches the starting area after the starting signal but does not start, DNS will be the correct score if the race committee and starting line are still in position, otherwise she is to be scored DNC.
This is not definitive of course, but I hope may assist.
Let's imagine the following situtation... a boat starts in the first race but in the second race she is dealing with a damage, trying to fix it.... so she starts sailing away from the starting line in order to deal with the damage..... So according to the above statement is there kind of an immaginary line where there is this limit of where boats in good time for their start will sail between their preparatory signal and their start??
In some SI there is sometimes also a timit limit to start which is for example 5 minutes after the signal....This doesn't seem to be included in the above statement... right?
So an area where a boat might sail to do a penalty turn would be considered "near" the racing area?
Would that be the only criterion wether or not rules of Part 2 will apply between boats sailing near the racing area?
Thank you
I don't think a boat needs to leave the racing area to take a penalty turn as long as she's well clear of other boats. You can spin around a mark if you want, as long as there's no traffic.