How the rulebook is organised
The book has two halves. Parts 1–7 apply to everyone; the appendices hold detailed procedures, rules for particular kinds of racing (windsurfing, match, team, radio and kite racing) and rules that affect only officials. When an appendix applies, it overrides any conflicting rule in Parts 1–7.
- Introduction. Terminology (what "boat", "competitor" and "race committee" mean), the [DP] notation for discretionary penalties, and how appendices are lettered.
- Definitions. Two dozen terms printed in italics wherever they are used. Most rules arguments are really arguments about one of them.
- Basic Principles. Sportsmanship and environmental responsibility.
- Parts 1–7. The rules themselves, numbered 1 to 92 with gaps.
- Race Signals. The flags and sounds, printed inside the cover and part of the rules.
- Appendices. A to T, skipping I, K, L, O and Q.
The rules you race under also include your national authority's prescriptions, your class rules or rating rules, the notice of race and the sailing instructions (Rule). Those documents may change many racing rules, but not Part 2 or the Definitions (rule 86). Always read the sailing instructions before you check a rule here.
Basic Principles
Sportsmanship and the rules. Sailing is largely self-policed. The expectation is that when you break a rule and are not exonerated you take your penalty straight away, which may mean retiring, without waiting to be protested. The Basic Principles are not themselves rules and cannot be changed by event documents, but a boat that knowingly ignores a breach can be penalized under rule 2.
Environmental responsibility. Participants are encouraged to keep the sport's effect on the environment as small as they can. The enforceable part is rule 47: no trash in the water.
Part 1: Fundamental Rules
- 1 Safety
- 2 Fair Sailing
- 3 Decision to Race
- 4 Acceptance of the Rules
- 5 Rules Governing Organizing Authorities and Officials
- 6 World Sailing Regulations
Part 2: When Boats Meet
Section A: Right of Way
- 10 On Opposite Tacks
- 11 On the Same Tack, Overlapped
- 12 On the Same Tack, Not Overlapped
- 13 While Tacking
Section B: General Limitations
Section C: At Marks and Obstructions
Section D: Other Rules
- 21 Starting Errors; Taking Penalties; Backing a Sail
- 22 Capsized, Anchored or Aground; Rescuing
- 23 Interfering with Another Boat
Part 3: Conduct of a Race
- 25 Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions and Signals
- 26 Starting Races
- 27 Other Race Committee Actions Before the Starting Signal
- 28 Sailing the Course
- 29 Recalls
- 30 Starting Penalties
- 31 Touching a Mark
- 32 Shortening or Abandoning After the Start
- 33 Changing the Next Leg of the Course
- 34 Mark Missing
- 35 Race Time Limit and Scores
- 36 Races Restarted or Resailed
- 37 Search and Rescue Instructions
Part 4: Other Requirements When Racing
Section A: General Requirements
- 40 Personal Flotation Devices
- 41 Outside Help
- 42 Propulsion
- 43 Exoneration
- 44 Penalties at the Time of an Incident
- 45 Hauling Out; Making Fast; Anchoring
- 46 Person in Charge
- 47 Trash Disposal
Section B: Equipment-Related Requirements
- 48 Limitations on Equipment and Crew
- 49 Crew Position; Lifelines
- 50 Competitor Clothing and Equipment
- 51 Movable Ballast
- 52 Manual Power
- 53 Skin Friction
- 54 Forestays and Headsail Tacks
- 55 Setting and Sheeting Sails
- 56 Fog Signals and Lights; Traffic Separation Schemes; Tracking Systems
Part 5: Protests, Redress, Hearings, Misconduct and Appeals
Section A: Protests; Redress; Support Persons
Section B: Hearings and Making Decisions
Section C: Misconduct
Section D: Appeals
Part 6: Entry and Qualification
- 75 Entering an Event
- 76 Exclusion of Boats or Competitors
- 77 Identification on Sails
- 78 Compliance with Class Rules; Certificates
- 79 Categorization
- 80 Rescheduled Event
Part 7: Event Organization
- 85 Changes to Rules
- 86 Changes to the Racing Rules
- 87 Changes to Class Rules
- 88 National Prescriptions
- 89 Organizing Authority; Notice of Race; Appointment of Race Officials
- 90 Race Committee; Sailing Instructions; Scoring
- 91 Protest Committee
- 92 Technical Committee
Appendices
- A Scoring
- B Windsurfing Fleet Racing Rules
- C Match Racing Rules
- D Team Racing Rules
- E Radio Sailing Racing Rules
- F Kiteboarding Racing Rules
- G Identification on Sails
- H Weighing Clothing and Equipment
- J Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions
- K Notice of Race Guide (online)
- L Sailing Instructions Guide (online)
- M Recommendations for Protest Committees
- N International Juries
- P Special Procedures for Rule 42
- R Procedures for Appeals and Requests
- S Standard Sailing Instructions
- T Arbitration
Documents that live online
Several documents the rulebook refers to are published separately by World Sailing at sailing.org/racingrules, because they change more often than every four years:
- The Case Book and the Call Books (match, team, radio, umpired fleet racing): World Sailing's authoritative interpretations. Protest committees follow them.
- The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions Guides, formerly Appendices K and L. See Appendix J.
- World Sailing Regulations with the status of a rule (rule 6), the Equipment Rules of Sailing, and Appendix TS on traffic separation schemes (rule 56.2).
- Development rules, such as Appendix UF for umpired fleet racing, used only when a notice of race adopts them.
National authorities add prescriptions. In the United States, US Sailing's prescriptions and its Appendix U (audible-sound starting system) are in the US Sailing edition.
How to use this reference
- Search by number (
18.2,A5.3) or by word (mark-room,time limit). Sub-rules have their own anchors, so a link to /rules/18#r18-2 opens at rule 18.2. - Each rule page explains what the rule requires and when it applies, then the situations that generate protests and the misreadings that lose them.
- For a protest, start with the guide to protests and hearings. For results, Appendix A works through scoring with examples.
- Coming from the 2021–2024 book? What changed in 2025 lists the differences, including the renumbered Part 5.