TEAM RACING RULES CLINIC
January 8, 2006
INTRODUCTIONS
I’m Steve Shepstone.
Who are you, and why are you here?
What we plan on covering today
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Right of Way Rule Differences between fleet
and team racing
Protest Information
What Umpires will be looking for
Umpiring Concepts you should be aware of
Select Umpire Calls
Using the rules to your advantage
Rule Differences for Team Racing
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READ APPENDIX D!!
Read the book “Team Racing for Sailboats”
by Steve Tylecote
Download Umpire Calls from www.sailing.org
Right of Way Rules
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D1.1(a) – Proper Course
D1.1(b) – Clear ahead
D1.1(c) – Don’t have to jibe
D1.1(d) – Finish and leave everyone alone
D1.1(e) – Leave boats in other races alone
D1.2(a) – Can’t foul own teammate
D1.2(b) – Talk to your teammates
D1.2(c) – No redress for damage from teammate
Right of Way Rule D1.1(a)
You can sail below your proper course on a downwind
leg when you’re ahead of a boat, but you still can’t
when you’re within 2 lengths of a leeward boat
(overlapped).
Note: This does not apply before the start, or if the
leeward (overlapped) boat is your teammate.
EXAMPLE
Right of Way Rule D1.1(b)
The first sentence of rule 18.2(c) is changed to
“If a boat was clear ahead at the time she
reached the two-length zone, or she later
became clear ahead when another boat
passed head to wind, the boat clear astern
shall thereafter keep clear”
EXAMPLE
Right of Way Rule D1.1(c)
The rule requiring you to jibe at the jibe mark or
leeward mark when you’re the inside right of
way boat is deleted.
EXAMPLE
Question – when are you required to jibe?
Right of Way Rule D1.1(d)
Add new rule 22.3: “A boat that has finished
shall not act to interfere with a boat that has
not finished” See 22.1 & 22.2
EXAMPLE
Right of Way Rule D1.1(e)
You can’t change course to go after a boat in
another race.
Right of Way Rule D1.2(a)
There’s no penalty for fouling another boat on
your team if there’s no contact. However,
this won’t help you if your foul causes your
teammate to foul a boat on another team.
EXAMPLE
Right of Way Rule D1.2(b)
You can communicate with your teammates as
long as you don’t use electronic
communications.
Right of Way Rule D1.2(c)
You can’t get redress for damage caused by
your teammate.
Right of Way Rules
Any final questions?
Protest Information
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D2.1(a) – Flying the flag
D2.1(b) – When can I spin?
D2.2(a) – When are Protest Hearings held?
D2.2(b & c) – Umpire flags
D2.2(d) – When will an Umpire flag me?
Protest Information – D2.1(a)
A boat of any size has to display a red flag and
hail protest, but it doesn’t have to be flown for
the entire race.
Question – what are typical fouls you would fly
the protest flag for in team racing?
Protest Information D2.1(b)
If you break a rule in Part 2 (Right of Way) or 42
(propulsion), but not rule 14 (damage), you can
exonerate yourself by doing one turn.
Question – what is one considered one turn?
Question – when does the turn have to be done?
Protest Information D2.2(a)
For umpired races, there is no hearing for Part
2 (except 14 for damage), rule 31.1 (touching
a mark), rule 42 (propulsion), or rule 44
(penalty turns).
Question – what happens if the other boat
doesn’t do a penalty turn?
Protest Information D2.2 (b & c)
Umpires respond with green or green and white
flags for no penalty or a red flag and hailing
for the penalized boat or boats.
Question – how many turns can the umpire
make the penalized boat turn?
Protest Information D2.2(d)
Question - What infractions can umpires
penalize a boat for?
Protest Information D2.2(d)
Umpires can penalize a boat or boats for:
 Touching a mark
 Propulsion
 Contact with a boat on the same team
 Not doing a 2-turn penalty correctly
 Breach of sportsmanship
 Rule 14
 The penalized boat’s team gaining an advantage
despite the boat taking a penalty
Protest Information D2.2(d)
Who flies a black flag in team racing, and what
does it mean??
Additional Protest Information
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D2.3(a) – Single flag protest procedure
D2.3(b) – Races with limited umpiring
Breakdowns
When can points be added to a boats or
teams score?
Additional items which can be added to the
sailing instructions.
Additional Protest Information D2.3(a)
Single flag protest procedure (must be in the
S.I.’s):
If a boat protests with a red flag and nobody
takes a penalty, then the umpires will decide
if a boat will be penalized. Umpires will wait
to see if someone takes a penalty turn. If
there’s no turn, they’ll signal their decision in
the same manner as for two flag protests.
Additional Protest Information D2.3(b)
Races with limited umpiring (must be in the
S.I.’s);
If the umpires don’t give a signal or if they
display a yellow flag, then there will be a
protest hearing.
Additional Protest Information Breakdowns
If you have a breakdown in a supplied boat, fly a red
flag and keep racing (if possible). Then try to obtain
redress for the race to be re-sailed or for you to be
awarded a fair position.
Note that how the breakdown occurred is key to the
decision, and that any carelessness on the part of
the crew will count against your claim.
Question – what happens if you have a breakdown in
your own boat, ??
Additional Protest Information – When
Can An Umpire Add Points?
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Scores can be increased by 10 points when
a boat has caused damage and broken Rule
14 or if the boat was a premature starter that
did not return properly.
Additional Protest Information – When
Can An Umpire Add Points?
If a boat has broken any other rule, but a
penalty has not been taken, her score can be
increased by 6 points (if there’s a hearing).
Additional Protest Information – When
Can An Umpire Add Points?
In addition, a protest committee may further
increase a team’s score if one of them has
broken a rule and they believe that their team
has gained an advantage as a result.
Example
Additional Items That Can Be Added To
The Sailing Instructions
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Check the recall procedure to be used
Check what types of marks and whether the
flag is part of the mark
Check which rule will be used when
capsizing, because if the “mast head rule” is
in use, the capsized boat must retire from the
race.
What Umpires Look For
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Right of way
Proper Course
Contact between Boats
Interfering with a boat on a different leg
Touching marks
Propulsion
2 boat length zone
Overlaps
What Umpires Look For – Right of Way
When a right of way boat alters course, does
the give way boat alter course (if appropriate)
promptly and far enough?
The same thing applies when a boat acquires
the right of way
What Umpires Look For – Proper
Course
Is a boat sailing above or below a proper
course when it’s not allowed?
Question – how is proper course determined?
What Umpires Look For – Contact
Between Boats
Umpires will watch for contact between boats,
and they should fly a black flag if there is any
chance of damage.
What Umpires Look For – Interference
With A Boat On Another Leg
Question – how can you “legally” interfere with
a boat on another leg?
What Umpires Look For – Touching
Marks
Question – what do you do if you touch a mark,
and what rights do you have & not have?
What Umpires Look For – Propulsion
Rules
When is it OK to:
 Scull
 Pump
 Rock
 Do 2 tacks or jibes in immediate succession
What Umpires Look For – 2 Boat
Length Zone
They will look at:
 When the boats enter the zone
 When the boats are no longer about to round
 Does the outside boat give enough room
 Does the inside boat take more room than
she needs
What Umpires Look For - Overlaps
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When was it established
How was it established
Question – how can I alert the ump that I do
have or that the other boat doesn’t have an
overlap?
Umpiring Concepts You Should Know
About
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“Last Point of Certainty”
Giving Room
How to get the call from the umpire
Umpiring Concepts – Last Point of
Certainty
The umpire will assume that you have not
completed a tack, passed head to wind,
broken an overlap, etc. until they are certain
that you have done so.
Question – what can I do to show the umpire
that I have completed the action?
Umpiring Concepts – Giving Room
You cannot make a boat do an unseamanlike move to
keep clear of you. However, “Some actions that are
abnormal and therefore unseamanlike in a fleet of
many boats will be considered normal and therefore
seamanlike in a team race”.
Question – what are some examples of moves that
would and would not be acceptable in a team race?
Umpiring Concepts – How To Get The
Calls
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Yell loud!
Use hand signals – know skipper & umpire
signals
Use correct protest language
Use proper flag procedure
Select Umpire Calls
See handouts of select calls
Using The Rules To Your Advantage
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Prevent your opponent from doing his
penalty turn until after the start
Leeward boat at the leeward mark
Slowing down to establish overlaps
Prevent your opponent from completing a
tack
Using Rules To Your Advantage –
Penalty Turn After The Start
If a boat fouls you before the start, try to keep
them from getting clear to do a penalty turn
until either right before or after the start.
Using Rules To Your Advantage –
Leeward Outside Boat At Leeward
Mark
When you’re the outside leeward boat, give the
windward inside opponent only enough room
to make a seamanlike rounding, not a tactical
rounding.
Using Rules To Your Advantage – Slow
Down To Allow Teammate To Overlap
You
When approaching a mark with an opponent
outside of you and a teammate close astern
of you, slow down to allow your teammate to
overlap both of you.
Using Rules To Your Advantage –
Prevent Your Opponent From
Completing A Tack
If an opponent passes just ahead of you and
tries to tack on you, head up after they cross
you to prevent them from coming down to
close hauled on your tack.
Be Nice To The Umpires – They’re
People Too!
Always remember that umpires, like everyone
else, are not perfect. Often, they have not
seen the entire event, and therefore can’t
make a call.
And sometimes they make mistakes –
everyone does. I certainly have!
Questions?????????
So What Did We Learn Today?
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The rules are your friend! They can be used
to great tactical advantage if used properly.
Umpires will be looking at specific situations.
Know what they are, and how to make the
umpires take notice of you.
Have fun – team racing is the best.