What’s new in the new rules for 2025-28

Dave Perry is a welcomed authority on the racing rules. Long time chair of the US Sailing Appeals Committee, he is also an entertaining presenter on the rules and is available for in-person and on-line presentations in 2025. In this report, Dave helps us learn about rule changes for the new year:

The next edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing goes into effect on January 1, 2025, and will remain in effect through 2028. As usual, the rules writers have done a good job not making many significant changes to the rules, particularly the rules of Part 2 (When Boats Meet). But all sailors and race officials will want to know the new rules going into 2025.

Here’s what’s new in rule 14 (Avoiding Contact) and rule 17 (On the Same Tack; Proper Course):

Rule 14 (Avoiding Contact)
“If reasonably possible, a boat shall (a) avoid contact with another boat, (b) not cause contact between boats, and (c) not cause contact between a boat and an object that should be avoided. However, a right-of-way boat, or one sailing within the room or mark-room to which she is entitled, need not act to avoid contact until it is clear that the other boat is not keeping clear or giving room or mark-room.”

The change to rule 14 is the addition of the concept of “causing” other boats to have contact. Now, not only are all boats required to avoid hitting other boats, they are also required to not cause other boats to hit each other or to hit objects that should be avoided (like race committee boats). The rule writers want even fewer collisions at sea!

Rule 17 (On the Same Tack; Proper Course)
The change to rule 17 is that the last sentence has been deleted. It read: “This rule does not apply if the overlap begins while the windward boat is required by rule 13 [While Tacking] to keep clear.” This will change the game in the Slam Dunk maneuver where a starboard-tack boat (S) tacks just as a port-tack boat (P) is ducking her. Now, if P becomes overlapped with S any time after S has passed head to wind, P cannot sail above her proper course (usually close-hauled when beating to windward). This will make it harder for P to defend against the Slam Dunk, but should also result in fewer collisions.

For more on the 2025-28 rules from Dave, click here.

Contact Dave to arrange a presentation at davperry@optonline.net.

US Sailing has a webpage dedicated to the new 2025-28 Racing Rules: click here

Dave is also the author of two highly respected books on the rules, Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing through 2028 and Dave Perry’s 100 Best Racing Rules Quizzes, which he has updated for the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing. You can purchase Dave’s books at www.ussailing.store.