Racing Rules of Sailing
The Racing Rules of Sailing (often abbreviated to RRS) govern the conduct of yacht racing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, model boat racing, dinghy racing and virtually any other form of racing around a course with more than one vessel while powered by the wind. A new revision is published every four years (after the Olympic Games) by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the sport's world governing body. The current edition (2013–2016) can be downloaded at the International Sailing Federation.
1997 saw the most dramatic simplification to the Racing Rules of Sailing since the 1940s. They are based on
four main right of way rules: [Part 2, Section A]
Boats on a port tack shall keep clear of boats on starboard tack (Rule 10).
When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, the boat to windward (the boat closest to the wind) shall keep clear of a leeward boat (Rule 11).
When boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, the boat that is astern shall keep clear of the boat ahead. (Rule 12).
