Part 3
Conduct of a Race

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25  Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions and Signals
The notice of race and sailing instructions shall be made available to each boat before a race begins. The meanings of the visual and sound signals stated in Race Signals shall not be changed except under rule 86.1(b). The meanings of any other signals that may be used shall be stated in the sailing instructions.

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26   STARTING RACES
Races shall be started by using the following signals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded.

Signal	Flag and sound	Minutes before starting signal
Warning	Class flag; 1 sound	5*
Preparatory	P, I, Z, Z with I, or black flag; 1 sound	4
One-minute	Preparatory flag removed; 1 long sound	1
Starting	Class flag removed; 1 sound	0
*or as stated in the sailing instructions

The warning signal for each succeeding class shall be made with or after the starting signal of the preceding class.

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27  Other Race Committee Actions Before the Starting Signal
27.1 No later than the warning signal, the race committee shall signal or otherwise designate the course to be sailed if the sailing instructions have not stated the course, and it may replace one course signal with another and signal that wearing personal buoyancy is required (display flag Y with one sound).
27.2 No later than the preparatory signal, the race committee may move a starting mark and may apply rule 30.
27.3 Before the starting signal, the race committee may for any reason postpone (display flag AP, AP over H, or AP over A, with two sounds) or abandon the race (display flag N over H, or N over A, with three sounds).

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28  Sailing the Course
28.1 A boat shall start, pass each mark on the required side in the correct order, and finish, so that a string representing her wake after starting and until finishing would, when drawn taut, lie on the required side of each mark and touch each rounding mark. She may correct any errors to comply with this rule. After finishing, a boat need not cross the finishing line completely.
(2001) CYA prescribes that, in the absence of the race committee, a boat shall take her own finishing time and report it to the race committee as soon as possible. If there is no longer an established finishing line, it shall be a line extending from the required side of the finishing mark at right angles to the course from the last mark and of the shortest practicable length.

28.2  A mark has a required side for a boat only when she is on a leg that the mark begins, bounds or ends, except that a starting mark begins to have a required side when she is approaching the starting line from its pre-start side to start.

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29  Starting; Recalls
29.1 Individual Recall
When at a boat's starting signal any part of a boat’s hull, crew or equipment is on the course side of the starting line, or she must comply with rule 30.1, the race committee shall promptly display flag X with one sound. The flag shall be displayed until all such boats are completely on the pre-start side of the starting line or its extensions and have complied with rule 30.1 if it applies,but not later than four minutes after the starting signal or one minute before any later starting signal, whichever is earlier.
29.2 General Recall
When at the starting signal the race committee is unable to identify boats that are on the course side of the starting line or to which rule 30 applies, or there has been an error in the starting procedure, the race committee may signal a general recall (display the First Substitute with two sounds). The warning signal for a new start for the recalled class shall be made one minute after the First Substitute is removed (one sound), and the starts for any succeeding classes shall follow the new start.

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30 Starting Penalties

30.1 Round-an-End Rule

If flag I has been displayed and any part of a boat’s hull, crew or equipment is on the course side of the starting line or its extensions during the minute before her starting signal, she shall thereafter sail from the course side across an extension to the pre-start side before starting.

30.2 20% Penalty Rule

If flag Z has been displayed, no part of a boat’shull, crew or equipment shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall receive, without a hearing, a 20% scoring penalty calculated as stated in rule 44.3(c). She shall be penalized even if the race is restarted, resailed or rescheduled, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal.

30.3 Black Flag Rule

If a black flag has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull, crew or equipment shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, even if the race is restarted, resailed or rescheduled, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal. If a general recall is signalled or the race is abandoned after the starting signal, the race committee shall display her sail number before the next warning signal for that race, and if the race is restarted or resailed she shall not sail in it. If she does so, her disqualification shall not be excluded in calculating her series score. If this rule applies rule 29.1 does not.

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31 Touching a Mark
31.1 While racing, a boat shall not touch a starting mark before starting, a mark that begins, bounds or ends the leg of the course on which she is sailing, or a finishing mark after finishing.

31.2 A boat that has broken rule 31.1 may, after getting well clear of other boats as soon as possible, take a penalty by promptly making one turn including one tack and one gybe. When a boat takes the penalty after touching a finishing mark, she shall sail completely to the course side of the line before finishing. However, if a boat has gained a significant advantage in the race or series by touching the mark her penalty shall be to retire.

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32  Shortening or Abandoning After the Start
32.1   After the starting signal, the race committee may shorten the course (display flag S with two sounds) or abandon the race (flag N or flag N over H or A), as appropriate,
(a) because of an error in the starting procedure,
(b) because of foul weather,
(c) because of insufficient wind making it unlikely that any boat will finish within the time limit,
(d) because a mark is missing or out of position, or
(e) for any other reason directly affecting the safety or fairness of the competition,
or may shorten the course so that other scheduled races can be sailed.
However, after one boat has sailed the course and finished within the time limit, if any, the race committee shall not abandon the race without considering the consequences for all boats in the race or series.

32.2 If the race committee signals a shortened course (displays flag S with two sounds), the finishing line shall be,

(a) at a rounding mark, between the mark and a staff displaying flag S;

(b) at a line boats are required to cross at the end of each lap, that line;

(c) at a gate, between the gate marks.

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33  Changing the next leg of the Course

The race committee may change a leg of the course that begins at a rounding mark by changing the position of the next mark (or the finishing line) and signalling all boats before they begin the leg. The next mark need not be in position at that time.

(a) If the direction of the leg will be changed, the signal shall be the display of flag C with repetitive sounds and either

(1) the new compass bearing or
(2) a green triangular flag or board for a change to starboard or a red rectangular flag or board for a change to port.

(b) If the length of the leg will be changed, the signal shall be the display of flag C with repetitive sounds and a "-"if the leg will be shortened or a "+" if the leg will be lengthened.

(c) Subsequent legs may be changed without further signalling to maintain the course shape.

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34  Mark Missing
If a mark is missing or out of position, the race committee shall, if possible,
(a) replace it in its correct position, or substitute a new one of similar appearance, or
(b) substitute an object displaying flag M and make repetitive sound signals.

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35  Time Limit
If one boat sails the course as required in rule 28.1 and finishes within the time limit, if any, all boats shall be scored unless the race is abandoned. If no boat finishes within the time limit, the race committee shall abandon the race.

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36 Races Restarted or Resailed
If a race is restarted or resailed, a breach of a rule, other than rule 30.3, in the original race shall not prohibit a boat from competing or, except under rule 30.2, 30.3 or 69 (Al's note: Gross Misconduct), cause her to be penalized.

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Definitions
Fundamental Rules
Part 2 - When Boats Meet
Part 2A - Right of Way
Part 2B - General Limitations
Part 2C - At Marks and Obstructions
Part 2D - Other Rules
Part 4 - Other Requirements When Racing
Part 5A - Protests
Part 5B - Hearings and Decisions
Part 5C - Gross Misconduct
Part 5D - Appeals