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¡@ The Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008 was
in force with effect from 1.1.2005. Actually
the changes are not substantial. However,
for windsurfing competition, it has covered all types of disciplines, including
the followings: Racing:
Course racing, Slalom, Expression:
Wave Performance, Freestyle Speed In the new rules book, reasonably
significant changes are highlighted by a sideline but there are no marks on the
minor changes. Those reasonably
significant changes which affect windsurfing especially for course racing are
now extracted and explained simply in the following paragraphs: Injury
or damage: All references to ¡§damage¡¨ have been
changed to ¡§injury or damage¡¨. This
only clarifies what has already been decided in cases in recent years.
Rule 13.1 After a board passes head to wind, she shall keep
clear of other boards until she is on a close-hauled course. During that
time rules 10, 11 and 12 do not apply. If two boards are subject to this rule at
the same time, the one on the other¡¦s port side or the one astern shall
keep clear. The phrase ¡§or the one astern¡¨ is
added to the rule. It means that
when 2 boards are tacking at the same time, the one astern shall keep clear. Rule This is a new rule added. Its significance
is same as Rule 13.1. Rule 13.1 is
the restriction when tacking while Rule 13.2 when gybing.
The difference between the two rules is that Rule 13.1 applies when the
board passes head to wind until she is on a close-hauled course while Rule 13.2
applies during the whole course of gybing action.
However, what is gybing or the whole course of gybing action?
There is no definition or formal interpretation
on this term by ISAF yet. Rule The application of this rule is now
restricted to when after the starting signal a port-tack board is keeping clear
by sailing to pass astern of a starboard-tack board, the latter shall not In
windsurfing competition, Rule 17 is deleted. In other words, there is no more ¡§On the
Same Tack; Proper Course¡¨. From
now on, an overlapped leeward board can luff up to head to wind, if she chooses,
and the overlapped windward board must keep clear.
Of course, when she changes course, she should comply with Rule16. Rule 18.1(b) while the boards are on opposite tacks,
either on a beat to windward or when the proper course for one of
them, but not both, to round or pass the mark or obstruction is
to tack. Previously,
rules 18 is turned off when boards are on opposite tacks on a beat to windward,
and also when the proper course for ¡§one
or both of them¡¨ is to tack.
It is now changed to ¡§one of
them, but not both¡¨. Actually
this is the version prior to 2001. In
practice, it makes little or no difference. In
windsurfing competition, Rule 18.2(b) [OVERLAPPED AT THE ZONE] and Rule 18.2(c)
[NOT OVERLAPPED AT THE ZONE] are deleted. For windsurfing there is no more
two-length zone concept when boards are about to round a mark. Rule
18.2(d) CHANGING COURSE TO ROUND OR PASS When
after the starting signal rule 18 applies between two boards and the
right-of-way board is changing course to round or pass a mark, rule 16
does not apply between her and the other board. Rule 16 was turned off for a right-of-way
board changing course to round or pass a mark when rule 18 applies, because the
change of course is predictable. This
is not the case before the start. Therefore,
the phrase ¡§after the starting signal¡¨ is added so that Rule 16 turns off
when Rule 18 applies after the starting signal.
At starting marks surrounded by navigable
water, Rule 18 does not apply while boards are approaching the starting line to
start until they have passed them (Rule 18.1(a)), so rule 16 continues to apply
during this time regardless of the starting signal. In
windsurfing competition, Rule 18.3 [Tacking at a Mark] is deleted. In other words the board tacking near the
mark is same as tacking as if no mark there. Rule 19.1 When approaching an obstruction, a board sailing close-hauled or above may hail for room to tack and avoid another board on the same tack. However, she shall not hail unless safety requires her to make a substantial course change to avoid the obstruction. Before
tacking she shall give the hailed board time to respond. The hailed board shall
respond by either (a)
tacking as soon as possible, in which case the hailing board shall also tack as
soon as possible, or (b)
immediately reply ¡¥You tack¡¦, in which case the hailing board shall tack as
soon as possible and the hailed board shall give room, and rules 10 and
13 do not apply. The rule has not changed other than
Rule Previously this rule only forbids a board from
changing course if her only purpose is to interfere with a board making a
penalty turn. It is now also forbids
a board from changing course to interfere with a board on another leg or lap of
the course. Rule
28.1 Sailing the Course A board shall start, leave each mark on the required side in the correct order, and finish, so that a string
representing her wake after starting and until finishing would when drawn taut pass each mark on the required side and touch each rounding mark. She may correct any errors to comply with this rule
¡eprovided
she has not already finished¡f. After finishing she need not cross the
finishing line completely. The clause ¡§provided she has not already
finished¡¨ was deleted. In other
words, a board can now correct any error in sailing the course even after she
finishes ¡V for example if she realizes that she had not round an earlier mark. 360o
Penalty Turn Rule
44.2 is amended by Rule B2.1(c) as follows: Rule
44.2 is changed so that two turns are replaced by one 360o turn with
no requirement for tacks or gybes. Now
the penalty for windsurfing is only to turn the board 360o. A new Cyber
Learning of Racing Rules 2005-2008 has been uploaded.
You may visit the site to study the rules and the relevant changes. The content of this article is partly extracted from an article by Graeme Owens and interpretation by Judge Team of WAHK. |
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