PART 3 Rule 33 CHANGING THE NEXT LEG OF THE COURSE
The race committee may change a leg of the course that begins at a rounding mark or at a gate by changing the position of the next mark (or the finishing line) and signalling all boats before they begin the leg. The next mark need not be in position at that time.
(a) If the direction of the leg will be changed, the signal shall be the display of flag C with repetitive sounds and one or both of
(1) the new compass bearing or
(2) a green triangle for a change to starboard or a red rectangle for a change to port.
(b) If the length of the leg will be changed, the signal shall be the display of flag C with repetitive sounds and a ‘–’ if the length will be decreased or a ‘+’ if it will be increased.
(c) Subsequent legs may be changed without further signalling to maintain the course shape.
Over the years, this rule has been augmented to include matters such as rule 33(c) that previously required a sailing instruction. Particularly now that the rule is ‘gate-compliant’, all that should be needed in sailing instructions is suggested in L12 – yet sailing instructions persist in either repeating some or all of the rule, or (which is worse) needlessly changing rule 33. The rule now permits one or both of a bearing and a shape to be displayed.
This book is not a race management manual, but my experience is that: • for the C, a board or striped cylinder is more visible than a flag (as allowed by rule 25), and • the rarely-used ‘+’ and ‘-’ are not always understood, and unless the change in length is considerable, the information is not useful – so race committees should not rush to signal minor leg length changes.
Note the different shapes for the green and red signals, to assist the those less able to distinguish between those colours.
SC 87 shows that when there is a mistake made in the procedure for signalling a change of the next leg (or, indeed, in making any race signal), there must be a causal link between that mistake and a boat’s worsened score in order for redress to be granted. Boats of two classes were approaching the leeward mark, and the race committee wanted to signal that all boat should sail to a replacement windward mark on a new bearing. It made the sound signals, displayed the new course, but omitted to display flag C. Iris sailed to the old mark and rounded it. There was a protest, and she was disqualified under rule 28.1. Dismissing her appeal, Sail Canada noted that the protest committee had found that she realised that the course was being changed despite the defective signalling, and she had admitted that the reason why she had not sailed to the replacement mark was because of a misunderstanding by her of the sailing instructions that led her to believe that the signal applied only to the other class and not to hers.
Rule 34
MARK MISSING If a mark is missing or out of position, the race committee shall, if possible, (a) replace it in its correct position or substitute a new one of similar appearance, or (b) substitute an object displaying flag M and make repetitive sound signals.
Again, a board is preferable to a flag, if only to try to make it clearer that it is this rarely used signal that is being made, and not the much more common rule 33 course change.
148 RYA The Racing Rules Explained
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256
