How do the rules get changed?

Every four years ISAF revises the rulebook and publishes a new version. The process to change the rules starts when the various National Authorities submit to ISAF the text of proposed rule changes. At ISAF, the submissions from the NAs are sent to the ISAF Racing Rules Committee, which then reviews the numerous submissions and forwards its recommended changes to the ISAF Council for final approval. Fewer than a third of the proposed changes are ever adopted. Typically, some changes are approved each year with implementation delayed until the new version of the rulebook is finalized.

In the United States, the US SAILING Racing Rules Committee is responsible for developing US SAILING's proposed submissions to ISAF. The proposed submissions generated by the US SAILING Racing Rules Committee then go to the US SAILING Executive Committee and, if approved by the Executive Committee, are transmitted to ISAF for consideration by the ISAF Racing Rules Committee. One member of the US SAILING Racing Rules Committee, Dick Rose, is also a member of the ISAF Racing Rules Committee.

The final set of changes for the 2009-2012 rulebook will be approved by the ISAF Council in 2008. Lists of the various submissions for each November ISAF annual meeting are typically available on the ISAF Website 60-90 days before the date of the meetings (usually, the first or second weekend in November).

Most rule changes result from comments or proposals from competitors or race officials. The US SAILING Racing Rules Committee welcomes your suggestions for improving the racing rules. Please e-mail comments and suggestions to [email protected] or mail them to US SAILING Racing Rules Committee, P. O. Box 1260, Portsmouth, RI 02871-0907.