The Rules Book [Paperback]

Eric Twiname (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rules Book | Publication Date: April 2005

This bestselling pocket-sized racing rules book has been fully revised for this edition. The entire 2005-2008 racing rules are included. In revising The Rules Book to take account of the rule changes, Bryan Willis has maintained Eric Twiname's unique method of presentation, which has proved popular with racers over many editions.

The Rules Book is unique in that it assumes a race situation and then looks at the rules that apply, instead of examining the rules in turn and discussing which situations govern. The reader works his way around the course from the Start, to the Windward Mark, Downwind Legs, to the Finish, studying all the situations that might arise. USSA and ISAF appeal case numbers are given for further reference.

The information is graded on 3 levels: ¥ Club: rules which everyone who races should know (no symbol) ¥ National: rules for top club racing (1 hull symbol) ¥ International: rules for top national and international competition (2 hull symbols)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bryan Willis has been a member of the ISAF Racing Rules Committee for over 25 years. He has been appointed to 5 Olympic Juries and chaired the International Jury at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. He has been involved in 6 America's Cup regattas as Rules Advisor, Chief Umpire and Jury Chairman, and is Jury Chairman and Chief Umpire for the America's Cup in Valencia, Spain, in 2007.

Product Details

• Paperback: 218 pages
• Publisher: Sheridan House; SH ed edition (April 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574092057
• ISBN-13: 978-1574092059
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,464,203 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great sailboat racing rules book, with practical examples, January 31, 2006

By 

Frank Edema "photo moto" (intransit, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Rules Book (Paperback)

I liked the way the book is organized exactly how a race is organized - rules related to the pre-start and start are presented first, then rules related to upwind sailing and tacking, followed by rules related to rounding the windward mark. Next, there are rules about off-wind sailing and gybing, and rounding the offwind mark, followed by rules related to finishing.

In each instance, the book shows easy-to-understand diagrams of real racing situations, and shows which rules apply. You don't have to read the entire book or even entire passages to get a useful chunk of rules information- each situation illustrated can be understood in a few minutes max. I find myself picking up the book for a quick look when I have a question about a specific race situation, and it delivers the info I need quickly and clearly.

My complaint about the book is that it does not seem especially durable, since a few pages of my copy became unglued at the binding within days of my starting to use the book - not a great start for a book that is likely to find it's way into the duffle bag of a racing sailors.

Other that that minor quibble I found this book to be an excellent, complete, easy-to-understand reference for the racing rules of sailing through 2008.