TEAM RACING RULES CLINIC

1. TEAM RACING RULES CLINIC January 8, 2006

2. INTRODUCTIONS I’m Steve Shepstone. Who are you, and why are you here?

3. What we plan on covering today • 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

4. Rule Differences for Team Racing • READ APPENDIX D!! • Read the book “Team Racing for Sailboats” by Steve Tylecote • Download Umpire Calls from www.sailing.org

5. Right of Way Rules • 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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?

9. 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

10. Right of Way Rule D1.1(e) You can’t change course to go after a boat in another race.

11. 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

12. Right of Way Rule D1.2(b) You can communicate with your teammates as long as you don’t use electronic communications.

13. Right of Way Rule D1.2(c) You can’t get redress for damage caused by your teammate.

14. Right of Way Rules Any final questions?

15. Protest Information • 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?

16. 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?

17. 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?

18. 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?

19. 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?

20. Protest Information D2.2(d) Question - What infractions can umpires penalize a boat for?

21. 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

22. Protest Information D2.2(d) Who flies a black flag in team racing, and what does it mean??

23. Additional Protest Information • 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.

24. 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.

25. 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.

26. 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, ??

27. Additional Protest Information – When Can An Umpire Add Points? • 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.

28. 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).

29. 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

30. Additional Items That Can Be Added To The Sailing Instructions • 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.

31. What Umpires Look For • Right of way • Proper Course • Contact between Boats • Interfering with a boat on a different leg • Touching marks • Propulsion • 2 boat length zone • Overlaps

32. 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

33. 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?

34. 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.

35. What Umpires Look For – Interference With A Boat On Another Leg Question – how can you “legally” interfere with a boat on another leg?

36. What Umpires Look For – Touching Marks Question – what do you do if you touch a mark, and what rights do you have & not have?

37. What Umpires Look For – Propulsion Rules When is it OK to: • Scull • Pump • Rock • Do 2 tacks or jibes in immediate succession

38. 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

39. What Umpires Look For - Overlaps • 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?

40. Umpiring Concepts You Should Know About • “Last Point of Certainty” • Giving Room • How to get the call from the umpire

41. 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?

42. 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?

43. Umpiring Concepts – How To Get The Calls • Yell loud! • Use hand signals – know skipper & umpire signals • Use correct protest language • Use proper flag procedure

44. Select Umpire Calls See handouts of select calls

45. Using The Rules To Your Advantage • 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

46. 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.

47. 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.

48. 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.

49. 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.

50. 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!