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The Racing Rules of Sailing

Rule 60.4 (a) 2 Can a competitor protest another competitor for "touching a mark"

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Justin Scott
Certifications:
  • Club Judge
As we draft an NOR for an event,  we have noticed that Rule 60.4 (a) 2 states that  :

A protest is invalid
(2) if it is from a boat that alleges a breach of .... rule 31, but she was not involved in it "or" did not see the incident, 

If Boat A hits a mark and Boat C  was not in any way involved in causing Boat A to touch the mark , nor hindered by Boat A touching the mark, but clearly sees the incident. If Boat C protests Boat A, is that protest valid or invalid?  
Created: Today 15:22

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Angelo Guarino
Forum Moderator
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Regional Judge
Yup .. US Sailing recommends the following NOR ...

NOR 1.# Rule 60.4 (a) (2) is changed as follows: “(2) if it alleges a breach of a rule of Part 2 or rule 31 and is from
a boat that was not involved in, and did not see, the incident, or”
Created: Today 15:23
Loic Durand Raucher
Certifications:
  • National Judge
  • National Umpire
Basic principles: Sportsmanship and the rules
(...) rules that they are expected to follow and enforce.

The way of enforcing for a boat is to protest a boat that breaks a rule and does not take the appropriate penalty.
I understand it, in your case, not as an opportunity but an obligation.

Even if I know that most breaches at not protested nor a penalty is taken. 
Loïc

Created: Today 15:39
Justin Scott
Certifications:
  • Club Judge
The previous rules stated:
"A boat may
(a) protest another boat, but not for an alleged breach of a rule of Part 2 or rule 31 unless she was involved in or saw the incident;"

The Draft rules for 2029 state:
A protest is invalid
(2) if it alleges a breach of a rule of Part 2 or rule 31 and is from a boat that was neither involved in nor saw the incident,

According to Angelo, US Sailing recommends including an NOR:

NOR 1.# Rule 60.4 (a) (2) is changed as follows: “(2) if it alleges a breach of a rule of Part 2 or rule 31 and is from
a boat that was not involved in, and did not see, the incident,
or”

The outcome of all three is the same. A boat may only protest another boat if it was involved in the incident or saw the incident.  But the current rules (without the amendment in the NOR) require that a boat is involved in the incident. So I guess my question now is "Why has World Sailing not published a correction to the 2024-2028 Rules?" 
The last set of corrections were effective from 20 April 2026, and this error must have been known about for some time....as it is fundamental to finding whether a protest is valid or not. We cannot rely on OAs spotting this.  I recently sailed in a Championship and looking at the NOR, it did not have this amendment in the NOR. 


Created: Today 15:47
P
Angelo Guarino
Forum Moderator
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • Regional Judge
Justin re: ""Why has World Sailing not published a correction to the 2024-2028 Rules?" 

That is a mystery and extremely frustrating. This problem was ID'd and communicated BEFORE the final rules were published for the current quad (still with time to correct) .. and reiterated in time for a correction in 2026.  

I wish someone would give us an idea why it wasn't corrected. 
Created: Today 16:07
John Mooney
Nationality: United States
Certifications:
  • International Judge
  • National Judge
  • Regional Race Officer
Justin, it's a good question, to which I don't have a good answer. I have heard it was considered by the WS rules committee at the beginning of this year, but they elected not to fix it, and I don't know why...
Created: Today 16:07
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