Situation
The ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing Appendix G states the following with regards positioning of sail numbers and national letters:
G1.3 Positioning
Class insignia, national letters and sail numbers shall be positioned as follows:
(d) The national letters and sail number shall be displayed on the front side of a spinnaker but may be placed on both sides. They shall be displayed wholly below an arc whose centre is the head point and whose radius is 40% of the foot median and, if possible, wholly above an arc whose radius is 60% of the foot median.
Question
In the case of an asymmetric spinnaker that is required by the rules to carry national letters and sail numbers; how should the numbers and letters be positioned to comply with rule G.1.3(d) when the sail does not always have a ‘front side’ and it is not mandatory to place them on both sides of the sail?
Answer
Rule G1.3(d) requires sail number and national letters to be displayed on the front side of a spinnaker. A spinnaker has two sides: a front side and a back side. No rule requires that the spinnaker is set with the front side facing forwards.