Changes to the RRS for 2013-2016

Rob OvertonChairman,

Racing Rules CommitteeUS Sailing

11/2/2012 1US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

rob.overton1@gmail.comhttp://racingrulesblog.blogspot.com

Principal Changes

11/2/2012 2US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

• Definitions moved to front of book• Preamble to Section C of Part 2, Marks and Obstructions• Rule 18, Mark Room and Definition Mark-Room• Rule 20, Room to Tack at an Obstruction• Rule 18.5, Exoneration, moved to new rule 21• New rule 55: “A competitor shall not intentionally put trash in the

water.”• Rule 28, Sailing the Course• Rule 69• Rule 86, Changes to the Racing Rules• Appendix F, Appeals, Moved to Appendix R• New US Sailing Appendix T, Dispute Resolution

Changes Related to Mark-Room

11/2/2012 3US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

Zone [3 lengths – can’t be changed by Sis] (Rule 86)

Mark-Room Room for a boat to leave a mark on the required side. Also,(a) room to sail to the mark when her proper course is to sail close to it, and(b) room to round the mark as necessary to sail the course.

However, mark-room for a boat does not include room to tack unless she is overlapped inside and to windward of the boat required to give mark-room and she would be fetching the mark after her tack.

Rule 18.2(c) When a boat is required to give mark-room by rule 18.2(b),(1) she shall continue to do so even if later an overlap is broken or a new overlap begins;(2) if she becomes overlapped inside the boat entitled to mark-room, she shall also give that boat room to sail her proper course while they remain overlapped.

Other Rule 18 Changes

11/2/2012 4US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

• Rule 18.2(e) If a boat obtained an inside overlap from clear astern or by tacking to windward of the other boat and, from the time the overlap began, the outside boat has been unable to give mark-room, she is not required to give it.

• Rule 18.5, Exoneration, has been moved – now rule 21• Rule 18.3 now begins “If a boat in the zone passes head to

wind and is then on the same tack …”− Far more readable− Avoids “… subject to rule 13 in the zone …”− Moves the tack about a boatlength closer to the mark

Mark-Room at Passing Marks

11/2/2012 5US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

1. No unnecessary right to sail to the mark at passing marks or at the pin on the finishing line

Under 2009-2013 RRS, X could sail to the pin and shut A out. No longer true, because X’s proper course does not take her close to the pin.

Mark-Room at Turning Marks

11/2/2012 6US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

2. Room at the mark is essentially what it was supposed to be, pre-2009: A boat only gets what she needs to sail to the mark, round it, and head for the next mark

2009-2012 2013-2016 (and before 2009)

New Rule 18.2(c)(2)

11/2/2012 7US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

3. If a boat required to give room under rule 18.2(b) becomes overlapped inside –she has to give the other boat room to sail her proper course

Course to next mark

Implication of “Proper Course” in Rule 18.2(c)(2)

11/2/2012 8US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

4. This means rule-18 rights to “shut the door” are still limited to proper course, as in 2009-2012

Here, Blue breaks rule 16.1, Changing Course, and is not exonerated because she is not taking mark-room under rule 18.2(b), nor room to sail her proper course under rule 18.2(c)(2)

Course to next mark

Other Changes Involving Rule 18

11/2/2012 9US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

• The Preamble to Section C of Part 2 no longer says, “When rules 19 or 20 apply, rule 18 does not.” − The part about rule 20 was problematic:

When does rule 20 “apply”? When does it stop applying?Do we really want to remove, say, rule 18.3?

− Rule 19.1 already lays out the relationship between rule 19 and rule 18

• Rule 18.5, Exoneration, is not really gone!− It’s been promoted to new rule 21, Exoneration− Exoneration now applies to boats taking room to which they are

entitled under all Section C rules, not just under rule 18− Important consequence: Exoneration now applies at

obstructions as well as marks

Rule 20

11/2/2012 10US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

• Reorganized for readability• Makes it clear that a hailed boat must respond to illegal

hails• Expressly allows hailed boat to “pass the hail along” to

another boat

Yellow’s hail was illegal under pre-2013 rules

Rule 69

11/2/2012 11US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

• Rule 69.1 is now a rule that can be broken

• Rule 69.3 has a new standard of proof: “comfortable satisfaction” of the protest committee− This is stronger than “preponderance of the evidence” but

weaker than “beyond a reasonable doubt” − It would seem to require unanimity, or at least no minority

position after deliberation

• Rule 69.1 applies only to “competitors”, but rule 69.3 allows MNAs to take action “against the competitor or boat, or other person involved …”

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Why the New Appendix T Dispute Resolution?

11/2/2012 US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

• Sailors are not doing their turns− Rule 44 requires instant recognition of breach− The Two-Turn Penalty is onerous, especially in big boats

• Sailors are not enforcing the rules− Protest hearings are not quick, not short, and not fun− DSQ is huge compared to doing turns

• Solutions: − Encourage voluntary penalties by specifying 1 turn instead of 2− Allow boats to take penalties some time after the incident− Make protest meetings quicker and shorter− Use arbitration when appropriate

• Arbitration has been around for decades, but never specified in the RRS

Appendix T

11/2/2012 13US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

Four sections, each of which can be invoked by SIs:• Section A, Penalties While Racing

− 1Turn instead of 2, except for fouls in zone

• Section B, Post-Race Penalties− 20% before protest time limit, 30% before protest hearing− Gives boats a chance to “do the right thing”− Can be used with or without arbitration

• Section C, Expedited Hearings− Idea: Quick, short protest hearings− Hearing gets underway ASAP – maybe on dock upon arrival− PC controls evidence− Appealable, but no reopening− Essentially the same system used in TR, MR, college sailing

• Section D, Arbitration− From US Judges Manual, with some mods

Summary of Changes: Definitions – Part 2

11/2/2012 14US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

(Potential game changes in bold)Definitions have been moved to the front of the book.Def. Finish – “from course side” v. “from direction of the last mark”.Def. Keep Clear – “making contact” (not necessarily with the other boat in the rule).Def. Mark – object must be “accidentally” attached in order to not be part of the mark.Def. Mark-Room – Removes “to” vs. “at” distinction of 2009-2012 RRS. Only gives room to sail to the mark if the boat’s proper course is to sail close to it; grants “room to round the mark as necessary to sail the course”, which can be much less than proper course. But see also new rule 18.3(c)(2). Def. Party – for redress, adds the person or organization alleged to have made an improper act or omission. See change to rule 62.1.Def. Room – “including space to comply with her obligations under the rules of Part 2 and rule 31”.Part 2 Preamble – “right of way” slight wording change.14(b) “exonerated” instead of “shall not be penalized”.Preamble to Section C of Part 2 – “When rule 20 applies, rules 18 and 19 do not” deleted.18.2(c)(2) Tied into new mark-room definition.18.2(e) “or by tacking to windward of the other boat”18.3 passes head to wind and is then on same tack …20 Order of rule: Hailing, Responding, Passing On a Hail to an Additional BoatMakes it clear that a boat must respond to an improper hail; allows passing the hail on to another boat even if the initial conditions for hailing do not apply to the middle boat.21 EXONERATION Moves exoneration from rule 18 to cover all of Section C -- big deal for rule 19.Old rules 21, 22 renumbered as 22, 23.

Summary of Changes: Parts 3, 4

11/2/2012 15US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

22.3 (previously 21.3) “moving astern through the water”.25.3 RC may use shapes for flags, as long as they look right.28 Made two separate rules – sailing the course and string rule. No real change.41(a) “help for a crew member … in danger”.41(e) delete recovery of crew member overboard – covered by (a).41 “However, a boat that gains a significant advantage in the race from help received under rule 41(a) may be protested and penalized; any penalty may be less than disqualification.”42.3(e) (new rule) “If a batten is inverted, the boat’s crew may pump the sail until the batten is no longer inverted. This action is not permitted if it clearly propels the boat.”42.3(h) “after colliding with a vessel …” (used to be “boat”).44.1 makes the scoring penalty an “alternative” (so by default either one or the other applies, not both).44.1(b) makes clear that the penalty is included in deciding whether she gains an advantage.49.2 Crew may sit with heads outside lifelines regardless of the material of the lifelines. Lifelines must comply with the ISAF OSR.50.4 Headsails can have big roaches – 75% midgirth – and still not be spinnakers.55 “A competitor shall not intentionally put trash in the water.” (Applies at all times on the water.) Moves a common SI into the RRS.

Summary of Changes: Parts 5-7

11/2/2012 16US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING

60.1 “A boat may … protest another boat, but not for an alleged breach of a rule of Part 2 or rule 31 unless she was involved in or saw the incident;”61.1(a)(3) Clarifies that a boat may protest under rule 28 any time until just after the other boat finishes.62.1 extends redress for improper actions or omissions by OA, measurer, etc.63.6 “testimony of parties present …”63.6 “A member of the protest committee who saw the incident shall, while the parties are present, state that fact and may give evidence.”64.1 “When the protest committee decides that a boat … has broken a rule and is not exonerated, it shall disqualify her …” Also, some reorganization – in particular, exoneration for being compelled to break a rule is now rule 64.1(a), not 64.1(c).67 Delete the rule – deals with rule 42 enforcement when App P is in effect. Duplicates provisions in App P.69 Broken into 4 rules: 1. prohibiting misconduct; 2. laying out the procedure; 3. MNA actions; 4. ISAF actions. Only substantive changes: 69.1(c) specifies a standard of proof as “comfortable satisfaction” of the protest committee. 71.2 Allows MNAs to appoint new protest committees when upholding appeals.76.1 Basically adopts the US procedure for excluding competitors, but not the US standard against race, religion, etc. 78.2 No valid measurement certificate – simply cleans up wording.81 Change in event dates – cleans up wording.86.1 Can no longer change the zone size in SIs.89.1 Obscure changes about who can serve as OAs. Defines “affiliated”.