Welcome to the initial posting of my racing rules of sailing blog. I’ve been spurred to writing in this public forum because of the numerous and substantial changes to the rules of the game as of January 1st,2009.
As you will see, the new rules change the nature of the game in many ways as they deal with the most complicated parts of the rules, SECTION C… AT MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS.
To help you understand the changes, I will from time to time, post the old rule or definition as well as the new one so you can compare one to the other.
Let's look at one of the new definitions:
ZONE "The area around a mark within a distance of three hull lengths of the boat nearer to it. A boat is in the zone when any part of her hull is in the zone."
The existing definition is entitled the TWO-LENGTH ZONE and it will no longer exist after January 1st. It is defined as:
"The area around a mark or obstruction within adistance of two hull lengths of the boat nearer to it."
Note the changes:
1. The size of the zone has increased from two hull lengths to three hull lengths.
2. There is no zone around an obstruction.
3. A boat is NOT in the zone unless her hull is in the zone.
#3 above is a “first” in that the criteria for being in zone is just your hull. In all other instances that I can think of in the rules (starting, finishing, overlap) the criteria is not just your hull but it also includes equipment and in some cases your crew. Now it’s just your hull! So if you are sailing a sprit boat, a boat with a bowsprit or a boat with a spinnaker pole extension, you have to remember that these appendages don’t count when it comes to being in the zone.
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