106 UNDE R S TANDING THE RAC ING RUL E S OF SAI L ING THROUGH 2 0 2 4
The Zone is an imaginary area with the mark at its center, and extending out a distance equal to three hull lengths of the boat that is nearest the mark (unless team or match racing in which case the zone is two lengths, radio sailing racing in which case it is four lengths or kiteboard racing in which case it is 30 meters).
The zone is essentially a circle with the mark at its center whose radius is
three hull lengths of the boat that is nearest to it. Therefore, if a 24-foot boat and a 30-foot boat are approaching a mark and the 24-foot boat is nearer the mark, the zone is 72 feet (3 feet x 24 feet) from the mark. Obviously, if the mark were a boat, then the shape of the zone would be more oblong. Note, a boat is in the zone based on her hull and not her spinnaker or bow -
sprit. The “hull” is the boat’s main body or shell. Things attached to the hull like racks, or things protruding from the hull like bowsprits or prods for the spinnaker, are not part of the “hull” (see the discussion of the definition Finish - ing). Furthermore, the use of the term “hull length” is intended to clarify that the zone is based solely on the length of the hull, and not the additional length of bowsprits, etc.
