Following on from our article in the last issue of this newsletter, we’re now diving into what you should do if you’re penalised under rule 42. 

When judges are on the water observing for rule 42 breaches, they do so under Appendix P. That appendix includes a “sliding scale” of penalties which become more severe the more penalties a boat has received in the event. 

First penalty 
Under rule P2.1, the first time you’re penalised in an event the penalty is a Two-Turns Penalty. The judges who penalised you will watch you closely, and if you don’t take the penalty correctly you will be disqualified. So, make sure you complete your penalty properly by getting well clear of other boats as soon as possible, then making two turns in the same direction, each turn including one tack and one gybe.

Second penalty 
If you didn’t get the message the first time, and you infringe for a second time in the event, the penalty becomes more serious. For a second penalty, rule P2.2 says that your penalty is to “promptly retire” from the race. Again, the judges will be watching you closely, so make sure you are clearly retiring – slow down, head away from the course area, etc. If you do not promptly retire, you will be scored DNE (that is, a disqualification you can't drop from your series score).

Third and subsequent penalties 
In the unlikely event you receive a third penalty during an event, you again must promptly retire (rule P2.3). If you do so you will be disqualified and not able to exclude that score. If you do not promptly retire, you will be disqualified from every race in the event, with no score excluded, and the protest committee will consider calling a misconduct hearing under rule 69.2. That’s obviously an extremely severe penalty, so make sure you avoid it! 

Things to be aware of 
However, as with all things sailing rules it’s not that simple. The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions often change the penalties in Appendix P, most commonly by deleting rule P2.3 and making P2.2 apply to any penalty after the first. 

Another change you might see is to replace the Two-Turns Penalty with a One-Turn Penalty. However, be careful when you see this because the commonly used wording only changes rule 44.1, not P2.1. So, it’ll be a One-Turn Penalty for most infringements, but still be a Two-Turns Penalty when a judge waves their flag at you.

Rule 42 interpretations are on the World Sailing website here. 
For the Racing Rules of Sailing, click here. 
If you’re interested in being trained and accredited as a judge, read this page. 

By Michael Arnold