p. 40
RULES
OFF-COURSE Peter Valentino delves into the racing rules and the importance of owning up and retiring out of your own will. Coincidentally a few sailors recently asked me
for this is to ensure that decisions taken are not
a few questions tied to sportsmanship and
subject to appeal; and that the results remain
conduct, or rather misconduct, and I’ll start this
unchanged.
article off by quoting a fundamental principle from the World Sailing Rules Book.
An International Jury is formed by at least five people; the majority must hold International
‘Competitors are governed by a body of rules
Judge Status, and not more than two can
that they are expected to follow and enforce.
be from the same nation. During the more
A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is
important events, the jury members are
that when competitors break a rule, they will
generally afloat, and they follow the race. In
promptly take a penalty, which may be to retire’.
the case of dinghy events, besides simple observation, the Jury is active in the direct
The above sums up the character of the sport.
judging of Rule 42, which is propulsion whereby
Both while racing and indeed even ashore
a boat can illegally gain an advantage by body
during an event. Intrinsically, ours is a self-
or sheet pumping. Boats compete by using the
policing sport where in most cases, when a
wind and the waves to increase, maintain or
competitor breaks a rule, it is expected that a
decrease their speed. Crew members are of
penalty is taken or that the boat retires from the
course allowed to trim the sails and alter the
race. Luckily, our standard penalty is two turns
direction and of course, always ensure good
taken in the same direction. It’s not much. At
seamanship; but they can’t move their bodies
times the sailing instructions dictate a different
to propel the boat. It takes a sailor to know if or
penalty or indeed offer an option like, for
not this rule is being broken, and I can tell you
instance, the offending boat would show the
that whistling and giving a boat a penalty is not
flag, and that would mean the acceptance of a
fun; at least it wasn’t for me. I did it, and I was
time penalty; but this goes beyond the scope of
strict with it to ensure a level playing field.
this article. During some events, the Jury is out doing a bit So, in most clubs around the world, boats go
more. Armed with a couple of flags, they can
out racing; and when boats get close and one
become active or proactive. The latter is much
or more of them break a rule, they will promptly
better. As a boat protests, another usually
take a two-turn penalty (R.44.2). During what
by hailing and by showing a red flag, the Jury
I call high-level races like World, Continental
quickly decides and they can either uphold the
Championships or International Regattas of
protest and give the offending boat a penalty,
sorts; it is typical for the Organising Authority
or they could dismiss the protest by showing
to invite an International Jury. The main reason
a green flag. In a rare happening, the Jury may
Photo by Rolex / Kurt Arrigo
