The 2025–2028 Racing Rules of Sailing introduce several vital updates to clarify and refine the sport’s regulations. Here’s an overview of some relevant changes applicable to the social racers among us…

RULE 2 – FAIR SAILING

The changes to Rule 2 (“Fair Sailing”) for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) primarily emphasise sportsmanship and fair play, refining how penalties and protests are handled under specific circumstances.

Here are some key updates:

1. Clarification on Sportsmanship Violations: Rule 2 now focuses more on conduct that may breach the spirit of fair competition. This includes not only following the literal rules but also sailing in a way that honours the integrity of the race. Protest committees have a broader scope to penalise unsportsmanlike conduct.
2. Protests and Penalties: Changes to Part 5 (Protests, Redress, Hearings) simplify filing protests related to Rule 2 violations. The process now includes more streamlined procedures for identifying breaches of fairness and awarding penalties. These revisions help ensure fairness, even in more complex scenarios and aim to reduce ambiguity during hearings.
3. Mark-Room Conflicts: Rule 18, which deals with giving room at marks, is closely tied to fair sailing. New wording clarifies interactions between boats approaching a mark, reducing disputes and protests related to mark-room infractions. This might lead to fewer pile-ups during tight mark rounding​.

RULE 14 – AVOIDING CONTACT

The changes to Rule 14 of the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) for the 2025-2028 cycle clarify boats’ responsibilities to avoid collisions during races, ensuring fair play and safety on the water.

In line with this, Rule 14 now adds to “If reasonably possible, a boat shall avoid contact with another boat…” by introducing the additional responsibilities of “not cause contact between boats” and “not cause contact between a boat and an object that should be avoided”.

RULE 17 – ON THE SAME TACK; PROPER COURSE

For the 2025-2028 cycle, the most significant update to Rule 17 is removing the last sentence, simplifying its interpretation and application. This change aims to reduce confusion during close racing situations and make it easier to understand when sailors can alter their course without violating the rule. The last sentence was deleted in line with this: “This rule does not apply if the overlap begins while the windward boat is required by rule 13 to keep clear.” (Rule 13 – While Tacking), which was always seen as superfluous by most sailors.

SECTION C
AT MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS

Section C’s preamble was reworded without significant implications. It still concerns the fact that Part C does not apply to start marks surrounded by navigable water. It introduces a timing “from the time the boats are approaching it to start until they have left it astern.” This new timing is now used throughout Rule 18. 

RULE 18 – MARK-ROOM

Rule 18.2 GIVING MARK-ROOM

This was severely restructured and arguably the most significant change to the updated rules. The new wording for R18.2(a)(2) was a significant change.  When not overlapped, the boat that has not reached the zone must give mark-room to the boat that reached the zone first. This applies even if the outside boat is clear ahead. 

Rule 18.3 TACKING IN THE ZONE.

It has been restored to look somewhat like the 2013 rules but only applies to port rounding. As before, the test is the other boat, not the tacking boat fetching.

RULE 19 – ROOM TO PASS AN OBSTRUCTION

Clarifications in definitions: The rule now clearly states when and how boats must give room to pass obstructions. A significant clarification concerns determining when a boat is entitled to room when navigating near an obstruction. The new rules explicitly outline how boats must act when an obstruction is encountered, such as other boats or marks.

RULE 19.1 WHEN RULE 19 APPLIES

Rule 19.1 continues to apply when two boats encounter an obstruction, but with two exceptions:

1. When the obstruction is a mark: If the mark needs to be left on the same side by both boats, Rule 19 does not apply.
2. When Rule 18 applies: If the obstruction is another boat overlapped with both of the approaching boats, then Rule 18 (which governs “mark-room” situations) takes precedence over Rule 19.

RULE 19.2 GIVING ROOM AT AN OBSTRUCTION

Rule 19.2(a) Introduced a new sentence by adding: “If a right-of-way boat changes course when choosing on which side to pass the obstruction, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear.”  Not sure why they did this, as it is already covered under Rule 16.1. (Rule 16.1 – When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear.)

RULE 20 – ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION

RULE 20.1 HAILING [FOR ROOM TO TACK]

Specific words must now be used, and the hail must be “Room to tack.”

RULE 20.2 RESPONDING

This rule now requires the hailed boat to reply with “You tack”.

Definitions Changes

• Continuing Obstruction
  Definition added. Not significant.
• Finish
  Now, it appears to allow sharp-angle finishes if specified in the SI. (“The sailing instructions may change the direction in which boats are required to cross the finishing line to finish.” )
• Mark-Room
  Mark-room now stops when a boat ‘leaves the mark astern’.
• Obstruction
  Now says that an area or line specified in the SI/NOR as prohibited is an obstruction, without the words ‘this is an obstruction’.
• Proper Course
  Now defined as ‘to complete the leg she is on as soon as possible’, it no longer refers to finishing.
• Definitions Rules
  Basic Principles Sportsmanship and the Rules and Environmental Responsibility are no longer rules.
  • The expectation that boats will enforce rules [by protesting] is no longer a rule: a boat cannot be protested or penalised for not protesting.
  • A boat can still be protested and penalised under RRS 2 because when a boat breaks a rule and is not exonerated, she shall take an appropriate penalty, which is defined as a principle of sportsmanship.
• Sail the Course
  Express requirements to start and finish are now included in Sail the Course.