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The Racing Rules of SAILING

For 2017-2020 Rules? There are RULES in this sport?

Arrggh, ye cod-headed couch sailors! Thar be rules. Even th’ brethren try, when we are on a friendly execution run, savvy? The whole scurvy lot of ye miscreants probably savvy the most simple:

1. Them that’s got the main boom on ‘t port side have right o’ way or’er them that’s got the main boom on t’ starboard side.

2. Them that’s t’ leeward and can smell the foul stench o’ t’other boat got right o’ way over the stinkin’ windward boat.

3. Them that’s closer to a turning point gots rights on them that’s further away. 4. ‘taint fitting t’ turn on the iron forejib ‘unless ye be fur enough ‘way that t’other vessel can’t see

the smoke. 5. Cutlass be better than guns t’ regain yer pride.

All be fine and dandy, and nicely printed up in pretty English in them so-called cruisin’ rags. But damn yer eyes t’ Davey Jones, they won’t even get yer pretty little boateys t’ th’ startin’ line ‘gainst a real sailor. I had my liver-bellied sea-lawyer, Commodore Todd, put down pretty some of the situations he’s been party to seeing over the last 11 seasons ‘aft o the mast. The Commodore’s been thinkin ye ken all handle all 14 situations, includin’ citin’ the correct rules that governs the situation between 7 bells and 8 bells. Captain Jack and I have a friendly wager that ye’ll be lucky t’ even unnerstand six o the best in a week damn yer bones! So we’ll split it even with the commodore. Arrgh, of yea liver-bellied, blaggards git 10 right, with th’ book open, in a week well, then, damn my eyes, I’ll hire ye as my sea lawyer

Captain Barbosa On board the Elder Black Pearl

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The way to work this test is to read the description and look at the diagram and be sure you understand who is doing what. Then pick out the RRS fundamental rules that are applicable. Then look for any restrictions on the right of way boat, being careful to read preambles and the definitions of any word in italic in the rules. Don’t get hung up on the Flying Dutchman’s little trick of surfacing. Boats appear from everywhere when you least expect them.

Dave Perry has a great saying. He is always thinking 30 seconds ahead of the boat. Live that. Know the rules well enough that you don’t slow down to argue them on the course, where an infraction might have happened. Rather, be 30 seconds ahead of where your boat is. Leave the arguing to someone else.

The situations you are being tested on actually happened at least once in the past 11 years. And, my answers will also include comments on tactically, what would have been a better thing to try to do.

The answers can be found in the RRS. I didn’t even use the ONE rule in part 2 that changed this year, so if all you have is your 2013-2016 book, it is still valid for this test, but you should get your FREE copy of the 2017 rules. David Perry’s book has many of these situations spelled out, with much more professional looking diagrams. Many of the situations can also be found in part in the North U book.

Good Luck Todd Field, RRO On board the LIRR

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Rules Test

1. 10 seconds before the start Captain Jack Sparrow, sailing Interceptor, establishes an overlap by sailing to weather of Captain Barbosa, sailing Black Pearl. How fast does Captain Jack have to respond if Barbosa heads up? How FAR can Barbosa push Captain Jack up?

2. Next race, same situation except Interceptor

establishes an overlap by sailing to leeward of Barbosa. How fast can Captain Jack head Barbosa up? Does Barbosa have to assume Jack will head up? How FAR can Captain Jack push Barbosa up?

3. Commodore Todd is freaked out.

It’s 10 seconds before the start, Barbosa, to leeward, is head to wind and looks to be coming alongside SYC IV to fire a broadside. Captain Jack is close hauled heading for the port quarter of SYC IV and may or may not be able to turn away and miss either Black Pearl or SYC IV. Who has the right to fire a broadside?

4. It’s now 10 seconds after the starting signal. How high can Barbosa sail? Can Captain Jack ask for room at the committee boat? If there is going to be a collision, what should Barbosa do? What would it have been better for Captain Jack do?

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5. It’s still 10 seconds after the starting

signal. Davey Jones has just surfaced the Flying Dutchman on a beam reach, sailing fast and free, about 3 boat lengths to starboard of SYC IV’s starboard quarter. Can Davey Jones ask for room? Who from? What is Davey Jones best tactic at this point? Besides the difficulties with surfacing, why should this situation happen at Sagamore very, very rarely? One minute EARLIER, what would have Davey Jones best tactic been?

6. Going upwind, Black Pearl and Interceptor are sailing upwind on port, close enough that they would collide if Interceptor tacks. Suddenly, the Flying Dutchman surfaces on starboard, about 4 boat lengths away and is on an intercept course with both Black Pearl and Interceptor. Barbosa, to windward, hails “Argh, yea weevil eating blaggard! Room t’ duck or I’ll cut off yer ears and feed ‘em to the sharks!”. Captain Jack cuts him off with “Sticks and stones matey! Room t’ tack!” Who gets to fire the first broadside!

7. Jack Bernstein on Luff Story started at 1a, Greg Bradley on Waterfront started at 1. They got closer. Suddenly Jack realizes it is low tide and asks for room to tack. How long does Greg have to tack? Does it matter that Waterfront’s shrimp cocktail and the wine will tip over?

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8. Barbosa and Captain Jack are once

again mired in mortal combat as they approach the weather mark on starboard tack, overlapped at the zone. Barbosa is to leeward. How high can he sail to round the mark? Can he force Captain Jack to tack?

9. Slightly different from the above, Barbosa is on Port approaching the zone and Captain Jack is on starboard. Barbosa reaches the zone first, and then tacks (within the zone) on Captain Jack’s lee bow. How high can Barbosa sail to round the mark? Can he force Captain Jack to head up? Tactically, what should have Barbosa done to gain an advantage?

10. The Flying Dutchman and Orion are approaching a leeward mark, overlap established before the zone, Orion on port. How much room does the inside boat get? Room to jibe? How close does the inside boat have to sail to the mark? What if Joe was slow on the Spinnaker drop? Why would this be very, very bad?

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11. Barbosa and Captain Jack are approaching a leeward mark on the same tack. Rounding is to port. Interceptor is a bit to weather. Just before the zone, Captain Jack establishes an overlap. One or both captains are going to give the other the Black Spot and the red Jolly Roger. Which skipper better hope Calypso saw them and can serve as witness? Assuming Captain Jack can prove he did establish an overlap, how much room does Barbosa have to give him? Captain Jack’s mutinous, slovenly landlubber, kraken-bait crew is slow dropping then Spinnaker. Can Barbosa fire another broadside?

12. Tactically in both of the above two situations – what should outside do?

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13. Elisabeth Swan has taken command of the Black Pearl. Anamaria has command of the Interceptor. Both are bound for the Sagamore YC bar, and the only thing that stands in their way is the finish line, which both have overstood. Anamaria, as the more experienced sailor, has the leeward and slightly ahead position as they bear down on Starboard tack, overlapped toward SYC IV. Within the Zone, Anamaria heads up to close the gate on Elisabeth. Elisabeth throws a bottle of rum at Anamaria and calls for room. Anamaria throws Elisabeth a bottle of grog and Todd a bottle of Pinot Grigio, and politely (HA) informs Elisabeth about her intentions not to give Elisabeth any room. What should the instantaneous response be from the Black Pearl?

14. Next week: Barbosa has re-taken command of the Black Pearl and Captain Jack is once again at the helm of the Interceptor. Course 1 2x has been shortened to finish downwind at the 1-1A gate and both are approaching the pin from the SE, with the Interceptor overlapped and to leeward of the Black Pearl. Captain Jack indicates, by running out the fore- guns, his intent to request room. Barbosa replies with a snarl and an oath, closes the door and fires a broadside. What are Captain Jack’s options? Who deserves the Black Spot? Tactically, what could Barbosa have done 4 boat lengths earlier to attempt change the situation?