A short guide to the racing rules
Such is the complexity of the Rules governing the America’s Cup, it might be useful to run through a few points of clarification, for a better understanding of match racing and fleet racing in the Louis Vuitton Acts. What follows is an abbreviated outline of the rules and regulations governing the Trapani Louis Vuitton Acts 8 & 9.
Such is the complexity of the Rules governing the America’s Cup, it might be useful to run through a few points of clarification, for a better understanding of match racing and fleet racing in the Louis Vuitton Acts. What follows is an abbreviated outline of the rules and regulations governing the Trapani Louis Vuitton Acts 8 & 9.
When is racing held?
Throughout the Trapani Louis Vuitton Acts 8 & 9, the first warning signal will be sounded at 12:30 hours, weather permitting. No warning signal will be sounded later than 17:30 hours without consensus with all of the teams.
While there is no official upper wind limit, the Race Committee intends to run racing when the wind is blowing between 7 and 23 knots. Racing is held at the discretion of the Race Committee and it is the decision of each team whether to take part. In heavy seas, it is likely the Race Committee would not start a race even though the wind strength might be below 23 knots.
The Start
In Match Racing, the start line is set at 275 metres long.
In fleet racing Fleet Racing, the line measures 425 to 450 metres.
Match Racing and Fleet Racing: The starting sequence runs as follows...
- Attention signal at 11 minutes before the start (Flag F)
- Warning signal at 10 minutes before the start (numeral pennant)
- Preparatory signal hoisted 5 minutes for the start (Flag P)
- Preparatory signal lowered 1 minutes before the start
- Numeral pennant lowered at the start.
Contact between an America’s Cup race yacht and its support boat must cease at least a minute before the preparatory signal.
Match Racing: The two teams must enter the start box between 5 and 3 minutes before the start gun fires. Entering the start box either too soon or too late results in a penalty for the offending team.
Match Racing and Fleet Racing: No spinnakers must be hoisted during the final five minutes before the start.
Teams have 10 minutes to cross the start line after the start gun sounds. If they fail to do this, they are scored as Did Not Start (DNS). If this occurs during a match race, the remaining team does not need to complete the course to score the victory. However, if a boat retires after the start, the remaining boat must complete two laps of the course.
The Race Course
For Match Racing and Fleet Racing: The race course consists of two laps, making a distance of a minimum of 8 nautical miles and a maximum of 12.5 nautical miles.
Match Racing: The windward mark, a single buoy, must be rounded to starboard.
Fleet Racing: The windward marks consist of two buoys, both of which must be rounded to port. The purpose of the offset mark is to help keep the upwind and downwind boats separated. The teams are allowed to hoist their spinnakers once they have rounded the first mark. But a team is not allowed to take a penalty turn between these two marks.
Match Racing and Fleet Racing: The leeward gate consists of two marks, positioned approximately 6 boatlengths – or 150 metres – apart.
Match Racing and Fleet Racing: If the wind is very shifty in direction, the teams are not allowed to hoist spinnakers on what should be an upwind leg unless the Race Committee allows them to. In this instance, the Race Committee or the Umpire boats hoist a purple flag.
Penalties
A penalty cannot be taken before the start.
A penalty must be taken between the start and finish line.
Match Racing and Fleet Racing: Penalties cannot be taken on the offset leg between the two windward marks, or within three boatlengths of the leeward gate in a fleet race.
Man overboard
In the event of one or more team members falling overboard, the crew is not penalised if it recovers them from the water without outside assistance. But if a man overboard is rescued by another boat, the team is penalised. If several team members fall over board at the same time and are rescued by another boat, the team is given just one penalty for what is considered one incident. If the 18th man falls in the water, the crew is not penalised and the 18th man is now allowed to be placed back on board.
General Rules
'No Change Period': competitors are not allowed to modify their boats during the two Acts, beginning 24 hours before the first race of Act 8 and until the protest time has finished on the final day of fleet racing in Act 9. Exemptions can be made for any repairs required for the safe operation of the boat.
Teams are permitted to measure in a maximum of 26 sails during the 2005 racing season. But each team may also use a maximum of 20 sails measured before 2005.
Each team is allowed to use six support boats during the regatta (boat maintenance, weather boat, etc.)
Communication with all support boats is prohibited during racing, from the preparatory signal through to the finish.
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