1. Index
  2. 2025-2028
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APPENDIX D
TEAM RACING RULES
Team races shall be sailed under The Racing Rules of Sailing as changed by this appendix.
D1. CHANGES TO THE RACING RULES
D1.1. Definitions and the Rules of Parts 2 and 4
  1. In the definition Zone the distance is changed to two hull lengths.
  2. Rule 18.2(a) is changed to: 
    1. When the first of two boats reaches the zone
      1. If boats are overlapped, the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside boat mark-room.
      2. If the boats are not overlapped, the boat thet has not reached the zone at that moment shall give the other boat mark-room.
If a boat passes head to wind and at that moment is clear astern of a boat in the zone, she shall give the clear ahead boat mark-room.
When a boat is required to give mark-room by this rule, she shall continue to do so for as long as this rule applies, even if later an overlap is broken or a new overlap begins.
c. Rule 18.4 is deleted.
d. When stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions, 20.4 is changed so that the following arm signals are required in addition to the hails: 
(1) for "room to tack", repeatedly and clearly pointing to windward; and
(2) for ‘You tack’, repeatedly and clearly pointing at the other boat and waving the arm to windward. 
e. Rule 23.1 is changed to: ‘If reasonably possible, a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat that is racing , and a boat that has finished shall not act to interfere with a boat that has not finished .
 f. Add new rule 23.3: ‘When boats in different races meet, any change of course by either boat shall be consistent with complying with a rule or trying to win her own race.’
g. Add to rule 41
 (e) help from another boat on her team provided electronic communication is not used.
h. Rule 45 is deleted.
D1.2. Protests and Requests for Redress
  1. A boat may 
    1. protest another boat, but her protest is invalid if it alleges a breach of a rule of 2 and she was not involved in the incident, unless the incident involved contact between boats on the other team (This changes 60.4(a)(2).);
    2. remove her red flag after it has been conspicuously displayed (This changes rule 60.2(a)(1).);
    3. request redress, but not for damage or injury caused by another boat on her team (This changes rule 61.1(a).).
  2. The race committee and protest committee shall not protest a boat for breaking a rule of Part 2 except
    1. based on evidence in a report from an umpire after a black and white flag has been displayed; or
    2. under rule 14 on reciept of a report from any source alleging damage or injury.
  3. Protests and requests for redress need not be in writing. The protest committee may take evidence in any way it considers appropriate and may communicate its decision orally.
  4. When a supplied boat suffers a breakdown, rule D5 applies.
D1.3. Penalties
  1. Rule 44.1 is changed to: 
     A boat may take a One-Turn Penalty when she may have broken one or more rules of Part 2, or rule 31 or 42, in an incident while racing. However, she or her team may be further penalized under rule D2.3 or D3.3 if the incident caused injury or damage, or despite taking a penality her team had gained an advantage.
  2. When a boat clearly indicates that she will take a penalty under 44.1, she shall take that penalty.
  3. A boat may take a penalty by retiring and informing the race committee or an umpire.
  4. There shall be no penalty for breaking a rule of Part 2 when the incident is between boats on the same team and there is no contact.
D2. UMPIRED RACES
D2.1. When Rule D2 Applies
  1. Rule D2 applies to umpired races. Races to be umpired shall be identified in the notice of race or  sailing instructions or by the display of flag J no later than the warning signal.
  2. A boat that protests under a rule listed in rule D2.2 or D2.3 for an incident while racing shall hail 'Protest' and display a red flag and is not entitled to a hearing. This changes rules 60.2(a)(1) and 63.2(a).
  3. A boat requesting redress for an incident in the racing area, or requesting a breakdown score change under rule D5.2, shall conspicuously display a red flag at the first reasonable opportunity after the incident or breakdown. She shall display the red flag until is is acknowledged by the race committee or an umpire.
D2.2. Protests by Boats
When a boat protests under a rule of Part 2 or under rule 31 or 42:
  1. Boats shall be given time to respond.
  2. An umpire may penalize any boat that broke a rule, is not exonerated, and did not take an appropriate penalty.
  3. An umpire shall signal a decision in compliance with rule D2.4.
D2.3. Umpire-Initiated Decisions
When a boat
  1. breaks rule 31 or 42 and does not take a penalty;
  2. breaks a rule of Part 2 and makes contact with another boat on her team or with a boat in another race, and no boat takes a penalty;
  3. breaks a rule and her team gains an advantage despite her, or another boat on her team, taking a penalty;
  4. breaks rule 14 and there is damage or injury;
  5. breaks rule D1.3(b) or D2.5;
  6. commits a breach of sportsmanship.
an umpire may penalize her, or report the incident to the protest committee, or both. No protest is required.
D2.4. Signaling an Umpire Decisoin
An umpire shall signal a decision with one long sound and the display of a flag as follows:
  1. For no penalty, a green and white flag.
  2. To penalize one or more boats, a red flag. The umpire shall hail or signal to identify each boat penalized.
  3. To report the incident to the protest committee, a black and white flag.
D2.5. Taking a Penalty Signaled by an Umpire
A boat penalized by an umpire shall take a Two-Turns Penalty. However, when a boat is penalized under rule D2.3 and an umpire hails or signals a number of turns, the boat shall take that number of One-Turn Penalties.
D2.6. Limitations on Other Proceeding
  1. A boat may not protest under rule D1.3(b) or D.25.
  2. A decision, action or non-action of an umpire shall not be
    1. the basis for a request for redress or appeal by a boat, or
    2. grounds for abandoning a race after it has started. 
  3. However, the protest committee may call a hearing to consider redres when it believes that an umpire boat may have seriously interfered with a boat racing.
D3. SCORING A RACE
D3.1.
  1. Each boat finishing a race and not retiring thereafter shall be scored points equal to her finishing place. All other boats shall be scored points equal to the number of boats entitled to race.
  2. When a boat is scored OCS and does not then either return to start or promptly retire, 10 points shall be added to her score
  3. When a boat finishes and has not sailed the course, 6 points shall be added to her score, unless rule D3.1(b) applies.
  4. When a boat fails to take a penalty imposed by an umpire at or near the finishing line, she shall be scored as retired. 
  5. When a boat is scored as retired after finishing, each boat with a worse finishing place shall be moved up one place.
D3.2.
When all boats on one team have finished, retired or failed to start, the other team’s boats racing at that time shall be scored the points they would have received had they finished.
D3.3.
When a protest committee decides that a boat that is a party to a protest hearing has broken a rule and was not exonerated:
  1. If the boat has broken
    1. rule 1 or 2,
    2. rule 14 when she has caused damage or injury, or
    3. a rule when not racing,
half or more race wins may be deducted from her team, or no penalty may be imposed. Race wins deducted shall not be awarded to the other team.
b. If the boat has broken a rule other than the rules mentioned in D3.3(a) while racing and has not taken or received a penalty for that breach, 6 points shall be added to her score.
c. If the boat's team has gained an advantage despite taking or receiving a penalty, the boat's score may be increased.
D3.4.
The team with the lower total points wins the race. If the totals are equal, the team that does not have first place wins.
D4. SCORING A EVENT
D4.1. Terminology
  1. The format of an event consists of one or more stages.
  2. In a round-robin stage, teams are divided into one or more groups, and each group is scheduled to sail one or more round-robins.
  3. A round-robin consists of each team in a group sailing one race against each other team in that group.
  4. A knockout stage consists of one or more rounds in which each team sails one match. A match is one or more races between two teams.
D4.2. Event Format
  1. The notice of race or sailing instructions shall state the format and stages of the event, and any special scoring rules.
  2. In order to conclude an event, the race committee may change or terminate any part of the format at any reasonable time taking into account the entries, weather, time constraints and other relevant factors.
D4.3. Scoring a Round-Robin Stage
  1. Teams in a round-robin group shall be ranked in order of number of race wins, highest first. If the teams have not completed an equal number of races, they shall be ranked in order of the percentage of races won, highest first.
  2. However, if a round-robin is terminated when fewer than 80% of its scheduled races have been completed, its race results shall not be included, but shall be used to break ties between teams in the group who all sailed each other in the terminated round-robin.
  3. Results from a previous round-robin stage shall only be carried forward if stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions.
D4.4. Round-Robin Tie Breaks
Ties in a round-robin stage shall be broken using results from that stage only.
  1. If the tied teams have all sailed each other at least once in the stage, the tie shall be broken in the order below.
    1. Percentage of races won in all races between the tied teams, highest first;
    2. Average points per race in all races between the tied teams, lowest first;
    3. If two teams remain tied, the winner of the last race between them;
    4. Average points per race in all races against common opponents, lowest first;
    5. A sail-off if possible, otherwise a game of chance.
  2. Otherwise, the tie shall be broken using only steps (4) and (5) above.
  3. When a tie is partially broken by one of the above, the remaining tie shall be broken in accordance with D4.4(a) or (b) as appropriate
D4.5. Scoring a Knockout Stage
  1. A round shall not be scored unless at least one race has been completed in each match in that round. The final and petit-final are separate rounds.
  2. The winner of a match shall be the first team to score the number of race wins stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions. If a match is terminated, the winner shall be the team with the higher number of race wins in that match or, if this is a tie, the team that won the last race of the match.

    1. Teams that win in a round shall be ranked ahead of those that lose.
    2. Teams that lose in a round and do not sail again shall be equally ranked.
    3. In a round that is not scored, teams shall be ranked in order of their places in the previous stage of the event, with teams from different groups ranked separately.
D5. BREAKDOWNS WHEN BOATS ARE SUPPLIED BY THE ORGANIZING AUTHORITY
D5.1.
Rule D5 applies when boats are supplied by the organizing authority.
D5.2.
When a boat suffers a breakdown in the racing area, she may request a score change by displaying a red flag at the first reasonable opportunity after the breakdown until it is acknowledged by the race committee or by an umpire. If possible, she shall continue racing.
D5.3.
The race committee shall decide requests for a score change in accordance with rules D5.4 and D5.5. It may take evidence in any way it considers appropriate and may communicate its decision orally.
D5.4.
When the race committee decides that the team’s score was made significantly worse, that the breakdown was through no fault of the crew, and that in the same circumstances a reasonably competent crew would not have been able to avoid the breakdown, it shall make as equitable a decision as possible. This may be to abandon and resail the race or, when the boat’s finishing place was predictable, award her points for that place. Any doubt about a boat’s position when she broke down shall be resolved against her.
D5.5.
A breakdown caused by defective supplied equipment or a breach of a rule by an opponent shall not normally be determined to be the fault of the crew, but one caused by careless handling, capsizing or a breach by a boat on the same team shall be. If there is doubt, it shall be presumed that the crew are not at fault.
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