Available in the UK-Halsey online store
As the date for the new rules to go in effect creeps closer and closer, serious sailors are going to be looking out for new sources of "rules intelligence". Here's one worth knowing about.
I recently came across a new racing rules book written by Bryan Willis that I highly recommend. The name of the book is "2009-2012 The Rules in Practice". My rules bible has always been Dave Perry's book and while that allegiance will not change, I suspect that I'll be referring to this book regularly, particularly before sailing in major regattas.
A short CV of Bryan Willis appears later in this blog posting and as I'm sure you'll agree, he's well qualified on the subject. What I have found unique about this book is that his emphasis is not on the rules themselves but rather on explaining what your options are in a given tactical situation.
The book is replete with the typical boat-to-boat encounters we see in every race. Willis puts you in each boat and then explains what you can (and cannot) do and what you should (and should not) do. At the close of each explanation, he cites the rule numbers that pertain but that's it.
This is a different and great perspective and everyone who reads this book will find themselves saying, "I remember doing that…what was I thinking?"
The illustrations in the book are well done and the writing is clear and easily understood. A copy belongs on every sailor's bookshelf. To get yours from the UK-Halsey online store just click here:
BRYAN WILLIS chairs international juries at major events throughout the world. He was Chairman of the Jury for the Sydney Olympics and Chairman of the Jury and Chief Umpire for the last three editions of the America's Cup. He is vice-chairman of the ISAF Rules Committee on which he has served for over 25 years. He has chaired the ISAF Race Management Committee and the ISAF Race Officials Committee and was instrumental in the development of umpiring.
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