Sailing is the technical skill of managing a ship or a boat to determine the course that is to be followed to reach a given point. The racing rules of sailing do govern the sports of sailing in water. Competitors who participate in the sport of sailing are governed and guided by rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. In most of the cases if a competitor breaks the rules they face a penalty which may lead to retirement. The competitors and the participants are prompted to minimize any adverse impact on the environment which comes with the sport of sailing. The racing rules are published every four years, mostly at the beginning of the year after world sailing summer Olympics. These sailing rules include;

1. Helping those in danger

The competitor or the boat participant shall give all the possible help to any vessel or person in danger. Each and every boat should carry enough and adequate life-saving equipment and personal floatation devices for all the persons on that particular board. Every competitor has the responsibility to wearing personal floatation device which should be adequate for different conditions.

2. Fair sailing

Every bat and the owner shall or should compete in compliance with recognized principles of sailing sports and play fairly. If the principles have been violated in any way, the boat may be penalized. The penalty may include either disqualification or disqualification that is not excludable.

3. Accepting the rules

If one intends to participate in the race conducted under the rules, each and every competitor or the participant agrees to accept the rules. The competitor or the participant agrees to be governed by the rules, accepts the penalties, and they make sure that their support persons or team are all aware of the rules, the person in charge of the boat ensures that all the competitors are in the boat know and aware of their responsibilities under the rules.

4. Anti-doping

A competitor or participant shall comply with the world anti-doping agency and sailing regulation. If a competitor breaches this rule, it shall be dealt under regulation 21.other grounds of protest shall not apply.

5. Right of way

A boat has a right of way over another boat while the other boat is required to keep clear of her. If boats are on the opposite tracks, the other boat shall keep clear. If boats are overlapped, and on the same track, a windward side boat shall keep clear of a leeward side boat. After a boat passes ahead to the wind, the boat shall keep clear of other boats.