Rules & Regulations

Version 2023-03-19

1. General

The game settings to be used is "Fleet Race - Complete (Auto)" which enables the in-game umpire to give penalties to the boats.

2. Exceptions and Amendments

The game uses an older version of ISAF RRS addressing in-game penalties. The penalties given by the VSK umpire is only an indication that a boat may have broken a rule, but not necessarily the right boat or the right rule. World Sailing's RRS 2021-2024 applies for the event, with some exceptions and amendments due to the fact that the races are run in a simulator.

2.1 Part of the boat is hull, mast and fixed bowsprit only.

2.2 The mark zone is 2 hull lengths.

2.3 Information derived from the VSK umpire shall be regarded as correct with regards to

- what tack a boat is on,

- lack of luffing rights, and

- overlap status at zone entry, except when two boats are overlapped indirectly through a third boat.

2.4 Each boat will be judged based on their own replays, if available. In addition, if VSK gives a penalty for a

rule that requires contact (11, 12, 15, 16 and 18), then it will be considered as contact even if a replay shows that there was no contact, except if there was extraordinary lag involved.

2.5   Changes to RRS 20.

2.5.1 The hail in RRS 20.1 shall be replaced by "RTT" or "Room to tack" written in the game chat.

2.5.2 Add to RRS 20.1. She shall not hail if the obstruction is a boat racing.

2.5.3 RRS 20.2(c) is changed as follows: If the conditions in RRS 20.1 are met, the hailed boat shall respond           either by tacking as soon as possible or write "You tack" / "YT" in the chat, or if she is able to, wait               until the hailing boat begins her tacking manoeuvre, and then giving the hailing boat room to tack and           avoid her.

2.6 A boat cannot be penalized under rule 14 if she has right of way or is entitled to room when contact              occurs.

2.7 The Protest Committee (PC) members themselves, as well as their team mates may be racing. (Change          of RRS 63.4).

2.8 Sails must have adequate transparency. Nadeo skins will not be accepted.

2.9 A boat with lag problems may be excluded from a race.

2.10 The host is allowed to restart a race before 1 min to start.

2.11 Addition to rule 42:

"Cheating" A boat must compete using only standard settings of the game. All software and/or hardware tricks and devices that changes the speed and/or manoeuvering of the boat are considered and sanctioned as not allowed propulsion devices.

E.g. To use "AutoHotkey" or other tool to make scripts that enhance the boat's performance is considered cheating and therefore a violation of rule 2.

2.17 Addition to rule 41:

(e) help from another member of her team.

3. Penalty system

3.1 RRS 44.1 is changed so that the Two Turns Penalty is replaced by the One Turn Penalty.

3.2 Penalties assigned by VSK may be requested to be cancelled. Penalties that are requested to be                    cancelled MUST be cancelled (approved) by the other competitor.

3.3 A competitor who does not approve a cancellation after being requested, will be scored DSQ by the Race        Committee (RC) without a hearing, except when not being able to cancel. This changes RRS A5.1.

4. Hearing Requests

4.1 Hearing request shall be submitted by filling out the protest form available on

      https://vsksailing.rocks/protests.html

4.2 The protest time limit is 20:00 CEST/CET the day after the race day.

4.3 A list of all Penalty Cancel Requests, Manual Protests and Redress Requests will be published. Protests            and hearing requests will be listed in a separate table on the same page. Decisions from the PC will be          posted in those lists without any detailed explanation given.

4.4 For situations which:

      - included a VSK penalty, and

      - there was contact between two boats, and

      - none of the involved boats took a penalty.

      it is NOT necessary to submit a protest. Such situations will be considered as a protest by the PC by              default and will be processed accordingly. This changes RRS 60.3, 61.1(b) and 61.2.

4.5 If the PC decides to protest a boat under RRS 60.3(a)(2), it does not need to inform her. The hearing will        proceed as if the boat was originally included in the protest. This changes RRS 61.1(c).

4.6 Each boat will be judged based on their own replays, if available. It's the responsibility of each                      competitor involved in a situation to submit their own replay. The replay can be uploaded at the                    dedicated Discord channel. If a boat does not submit her replay, the host replay or any other submitted          replay will be used.

4.7 If request for redress is received, or the PC in a hearing, finds that a rule has been broken, redress can          be given in the following situations, in addition to those listed in RRS 62.1:

      - If a cancel request is refused or not answered.

      - If a boat is affected by another boat's "ghost". I.e. a boat that has already disconnected.

      - If a boat is compelled to touch a mark and receives a penalty from the VSK umpire for breaking

        RRS 31, which cannot be cancelled.

      - If a boat is disconnected from the race due to connection problems or similar, redress shall be given as          the worst result a boat under normal conditions could have scored. If a boat disconnects before 1^st                           mark, her redress will be points as if she finished at the place behind all remaining boats in the race.

      - If a boat may have broken a rule just before or after finishing and is not able to take a penalty turn                because VSK has ckassified her as finished, she is entitled to redress if she admits breaking a rule. This          announcement must be made before 20:00 CEST/CET the day after the race. The redress will be an              adjustment of the boat's finishing time as if she promptly took a penalty turn.

4.8 If a boat is significally slowed down, stopped, or starts to sail backwards due to:

      - a collision with another boat obliged to keep clear or give room, or

      - being luffed to a broach while the other boat was breaking a rule.

        it is considered that the boat is physically damaged as described in RRS 62.1(b).

5. Rule 2

5.1 At any time during a race or after the race, a boat participating in the same race or the PC can protest            another boat under Rule 2. This changes RRS 61.1 (a).

RRS:

"... BASIC PRINCIPLES

SPORTSMANSHIP AND THE RULES

Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that when competitors break a rule they will promptly take a penalty, which may be to retire.

...

RULE 2

FAIR SAILING

A boat and her owner shall compete in compliance with recognized principles of sportsmanship and fair play. A boat may be penalized under this rule only if it is clearly established that these principles have been violated. The penalty shall be either disqualification or disqualification that is not excludable..."

This rule regulates fair, honest and sportive sailing, which can basically be divided into 3 parts:

- You should not deliberately break a rule.

- If you know you have broken a rule (or should have known...) you should voluntarily take a penalty.

- Choose your words carefully when using the chat. Foul language is not accepted. Insults directed at a particular skipper are shown to everybody racing or watching the race...

Thus: If you have deliberately broken a rule, not volunteered to take a penalty when you clearly should have or have abused the race chat, then you may have broken Rule 2.

6. Protest Decisions

6.1 A PC member will NOT take part in cases or decisions involving him-/herself or a team member.

6.2 There are no appeal options.