With effect from 1 January 2010,

The RYA Prescribes

Rule

5 Anti-Doping
The national authority procedural rules required by ISAF regulation 21.14 to implement the World Anti-Doping Code through ISAF Regulation 21 are the RYA Rules and Procedures for Anti-Doping, as published on the RYA website.

40 Personal Flotation Devices
When a rule requires a personal flotation device to be worn, the device shall comply with the specifications for the personal flotation devices that the boat is required to carry. If more than one specification applies, the personal flotation device worn shall comply with the highest of them.

50.4 Headsails
Rule 50.4 shall not apply. A spinnaker is defined as a sail set forward of the foremost mast with half width (measured as a spinnaker) greater than 75% of foot. Any other sail tacked down forward of the foremost mast is a headsail. The terms and definitions used by this prescription shall be as in the Equipment Rules of Sailing.

68 Damages
1. Any claim for damages arising from an incident while a boat is bound by The Racing Rules of Sailing shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts and not considered by a protest committee.
2. A boat that takes a penalty or retires does not thereby admit liability for damages or that she has broken a rule.

70.5 Right of Appeal
1. RYA approval is not required to deny the right of appeal under rule 70.5(a).
2. The RYA will approve the denial of the right of appeal under rule 70.5(b) when
(a) The event is open only to boats entered by an organization affiliated to the RYA, a member of such an organization or a personal member of the RYA;
(b) The RYA decides there is good reason to approve;
(c) The protest committee is approved by the RYA; and
(d) Application to the RYA is made no later than one month before the notice of race is to be issued. In exceptional circumstances, the RYA may consider a later application.

A copy of the RYA letter of approval shall be displayed on the official notice board.

However, the denial of appeal shall not apply to a party to a hearing under rule 69.1, Allegations of Gross Misconduct, but the decision of the protest committee shall determine the results of the event.

76.1 Exclusion of Boats or Competitors
An organizing authority or race committee shall not reject or cancel the entry of a boat or exclude a competitor on unreasonable grounds. When asked to do so, the organizing authority or race committee shall promptly provide its reasons in writing. The boat may request redress if she considers the action improper.

78 Compliance with Class Rules; Certificates
The race committee may inspect or measure any boat, as defined in the Equipment Rules of Sailing C.6.1, or personal equipment, as defined in the Equipment Rules of Sailing C.5.3, at any time.

86.3 Rule Changes
An organizing authority wishing to develop and test a rule change shall obtain prior approval from the RYA. The organizing authority shall promptly report the results of the test to the RYA.

88.2 Changes To National Authority Prescriptions
Notices of race and sailing instructions shall not change a prescription of the RYA. However, when an international jury has been appointed for an event, only the prescriptions to rules 5, 68, 86.3 and 88.2 shall apply.

APPENDIX F PROCEDURES FOR APPEALS AND REQUESTS

F2.1 Submission of Appeal
(a) No later than 15 days after being informed of a protest committee's decision, the appellant shall notify RYA Racing stating an intention to appeal. No details are needed at this stage.
(b) The appellant shall obtain an appeal form from www.rya.org.uk/racingrules or by request to RYA Racing. The form shall be completed as far as possible and returned to the RYA within 15 days with, if reasonably possible, a copy of the protest committee's decision and other documents required by rule F2.2. Unless the appellant is a personal member of the RYA, an appeal fee, stated on the appeal form, is payable to the RYA and shall be sent with the appeal form.
(c) The appeal shall state why the appellant believes the protest committee's decision or its procedures were incorrect.

F2.4 Failure to Comply with Procedures for Appeal or Request
If the appellant fails to comply with rule F2.1 as prescribed or the protest committee fails to comply with rule F2.3, the RYA will refuse to hear the appeal unless there are exceptional circumstances. If other parties to the protest or the protest committee fail to meet the requirements of the procedure, the RYA may decide the appeal as it thinks fit.

F4 Comments
The national authority may additionally invite comments from boats and other organizations that are not parties to the hearing.

APPENDIX G IDENTIFICATION ON SAILS

G1 Identification Specifications, Positioning

The requirements of rules G1.1, G1.2 and G1.3 apply to all British owned boats except that:
(a) under rule G1.1(a), class insignia need not be carried when the boat carries a sail number from one of the series specified in G2(a), (b), (c) or (d) below.
(b) under rule G1.1(c), a sail number of more than four digits may be carried.
(c) under rule G1.1(c), for boats other than ISAF classes, one of the authorities specified in G2 below shall allot an appropriate sail number.
(d) under rule G1.2(b), the height of a letter included as part of a sail number shall be the same as any numerals included in the sail number.
(e) under rule G1.3(c), the national letters may be placed in front of or above the sail numbers.

G2 Series of sail numbers and issuing authorities approved by the RYA

(a) Y,M,N,T,A and L series issued by the RYA.
(b) R series issued by the Royal Ocean Racing Club.
(c) C series issued by the Clyde Yacht Clubs Association.
(d) National class series issued by the RYA.
(e) Series issued by RYA affiliated class associations and approved by the RYA.
(f) Series issued by a builder of a new class and approved by the RYA.

NOTES
The previous prescription to regulation 20, Advertising Code, has been deleted. It is replaced by a RYA Guidance Note, available at www.rya.org.uk/racingrules

The RYA Prescription to rule 88.2 was approved by ISAF on 22 July 2008.

The RYA Prescription to rule F2 was changed on 1 January 2010.

Photograph: Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi