Racing Rules of Sailing

The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) is revised and published every four years by World Sailing. The current edition is the RRS 2025-2028.

You can download the complete document and related publications below – also available are details of World Sailing’s Policy on the Reproduction of The Racing Rules.

Changes may be made to the RRS during the four-year period, but only when essential. These changes are published as Changes and Corrections to the RRS.

Competition Rules – Boards

Specialist Edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing for Windsurfing Competition.

Additional RRS Appendices & Test Rules

World Sailing also publishes a number of appendices to Additional RRS Appendices & Test RulesTest Rules & Additions to The Racing Rules of Sailing the RRS and Test Rules that do not appear in the RRS themselves. These additional rules are updated on an ad hoc basis and available for download here.

These appendices and test rules often contain a preamble, which states the events for which they are suitable, and any conditions for their use. Most test rules will require the organising authority to notify World Sailing of their use and provide feedback to help improve these rules.

Please note that these documents, RRS 86 and the World Sailing Regulations may limit changes that are permissible. Please do not hesitate to contact World Sailing if you are in any doubt about using these rules for your event.

National Prescriptions

The following MNAs have notified their prescriptions to World Sailing (which have been approved where relevant):

The Case Book – Interpretations of the Racing Rules

The Case Book details interpretations of the Racing Rules of Sailing. It has been published by World Sailing for over 40 years and is available to download online.

The Case Book complements the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), providing details on the application of the RRS to around 140 scenarios. The principal aims of the Cases are to clarify an important meaning in a rule or to increase the understanding of a complex rule.

A revised edition of the Case Book is published every four years to coincide with the publication of The Racing Rules of Sailing. Then, in each of the following three years a supplement to the Case Book is published.

Call Book for Team Racing

The World Sailing Call Book for Team Racing provides a clear definition, for both competitors and umpires, how certain incidents will be called in match or team racing events. Through written and illustrated examples, scenarios that occur in team racing events are presented along with the rules applicable to that situation and how and when they should be applied.

World Sailing Call Book for Match Racing

The World Sailing Call Book for Match Racing provides a clear definition, for both competitors and umpires, how certain incidents will be called in match or team racing events. Through written and illustrated examples, scenarios that occur in match or team racing events are presented along with the rules applicable to that situation and how and when they should be applied.

World Sailing Call Book for Radio Sailing

Online Rules Documents

The documents as mentioned in the Racing Rules of Sailing.