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Redress and Appeals
Not every regatta dispute ends with a classic protest against another boat. Sometimes a crew suffers from errors by the race committee, faulty course decisions, or events beyond their own control – and yet the scoring remains unchanged. This is exactly where Redress (compensation) and Appeals (remedies) come into play under the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), Part 5.
Understanding redress and appeals complements your knowledge of the protest procedure with the most important tools when fairness has been impaired by third parties or when a jury decision is to be challenged.
Redress and Protest: The Decisive Difference
A protest is typically directed against another boat for a rule violation on the water. Redress, on the other hand, is a request for compensation when a boat has been unfairly disadvantaged by an improper action or omission and no other rule already covers this.
Important: Redress does not replace a protest when another boat has clearly violated the basic rules and right-of-way rules. Both procedures can be relevant in parallel in rare cases – then each request must be submitted separately and within the deadline.
Rule 62: When Redress Is Possible
Rule 62.1 defines four central grounds on which a boat may request redress. The jury always examines whether the disadvantage was significant and whether an adjustment to the scoring restores fairness.
Rule 62.1(a) – Error or omission by the race committee
Typical situations:
- Incorrect or missing mark positioning
- Faulty signalling at the start (e.g. recall not carried out correctly)
- Incorrect course management or delayed course change without adequate information
- Scoring error in the results
Rule 62.1(b) – Boat or crew member impaired
This concerns damage or hindrance that did not result from rule violations by other boats – for example collision with a vessel not participating in the race, serious equipment damage from external impact, or medical emergencies on board.
Rule 62.1(c) – Serious error by the jury or protest committee
When a previous jury decision was seriously flawed and the boat was unfairly disadvantaged as a result, redress may be requested – though only under strict conditions and often in connection with an appeal.
Rule 62.1(d) – Another boat or its crew
A boat may receive redress when it has been disadvantaged by actions or omissions of another boat or its crew outside normal sailing operations – for example deliberate obstruction at the dock or impermissible interference with preparation.
Redress grounds Rule 62.1 at a glance
Incorrect mark position, faulty start signalling, scoring error in the results
Collision with vessel not participating in the race, equipment damage from external impact
Seriously flawed previous jury decision, often in connection with an appeal
Deliberate obstruction at the dock or impermissible interference with preparation
Filing a Redress Request: Procedure and Deadlines
A redress request follows the same formal framework as a protest: it must be submitted in writing to the protest committee within the protest time limit specified in the Sailing Instructions – unless the SIs provide otherwise.
Mandatory steps for a redress request
- Written submission to the protest committee clearly labelled as "Request for Redress"
- Description of the incident with race, time and parties involved
- Presentation of the disadvantage: What placing or result would realistically have been achieved without the incident?
- Identification of the violated Rule 62.1 category (a, b, c or d)
- Evidence: witnesses, photos, GPS tracks, radio logs – depending on the situation
- Participation in the hearing with helmsperson or authorized crew member
Redress procedure: process flow
What the jury examines in redress cases
The protest jury applies Rule 64.4 and asks three core questions:
- Was there an improper action or omission that satisfies Rule 62.1?
- Was the boat disadvantaged by this action or omission?
- Is the requested compensation appropriate and does it restore fairness?
Possible decisions range from denial of the request to recalculation of placing, assignment of the average of the other races (avocado score / adjusted score), or in rare cases rescoring of the entire race.
Warning: Claims such as "we would certainly have won" are not sufficient. The jury needs convincing evidence and a realistic assessment of the placing without the incident – not mere speculation.
Practical Examples from Regatta Life
Example 1: General recall not carried out correctly
The race committee signals general recall, but part of the fleet continues in the subsequent scoring with the old score. Affected boats may request redress because the improper omission by the RC disadvantaged them in the scoring.
Example 2: Collision with a support boat
A mark boat touches a competing boat and damages the hull. Since the damage did not result from a rule violation by a competitor, Rule 62.1(b) is the appropriate route – not a protest against the mark boat as "another boat", unless it is considered a competitor.
Example 3: Incorrect OCS list
The RC scores a boat incorrectly as OCS, although video and GPS prove the opposite. After an unsuccessful attempt to correct this by the RC, redress may be requested; often supported by material from the results service and protest time window.
Tip: Document redress-relevant incidents immediately after the race: screenshots of the results list, photos of the course, witness names and times. The more structured your request, the more efficient the hearing before the jury and protest committee.
Appeals: When the Jury Decision Is Challenged
Appeals (Rules 70 and 71) are remedies against decisions of the protest jury – not against the racing rules on the water itself. An appeal may be filed when the jury has applied Rule 62 or Rule 69 incorrectly, committed procedural errors, or when a decision was clearly improper.
Who may file an appeal?
- A party to the protest or redress procedure (protesting or protested boat)
- The race committee, if affected by a decision
- In Rule 69 cases, possibly World Sailing or the national authority
Appeal procedure
- Submit Notice of Appeal within the deadline specified in the SIs or by the national authority
- Grounds: Which decision is being challenged and what error is alleged?
- No new evidence as a rule – the appeal reviews the jury decision, not the race anew
- National body (e.g. DSV at German regattas) decides or refers to World Sailing
- Possible outcomes: confirmation, reversal, remand to a new protest committee
Appeal chain: from the jury to World Sailing
Details on national bodies and international appeals can be found in the World Sailing Case Book – Appeals and National Authorities.
Limits of appeals
Not every unwelcome jury decision is appealable. The appellate body reviews application of the law and procedure, not whether the jury followed "your version". Rule 70.1 lists the appealable decisions; these include decisions on protests, redress and certain Rule 69 measures.
Frequently asked questions about redress and appeals
Do I need a protest hail for redress? Usually no, a written request is sufficient.
Can I combine protest and redress? Yes, as separate requests with clear separation.
Who bears the costs of an appeal? Observe the rules of the national authority and SIs.
Does an appeal change the scoring immediately? Only after the appellate body's decision is confirmed.
Does video help with redress? Yes, if it objectively documents the incident and is admissible.
Checklist: Preparing redress or appeal
- Record incident in writing immediately after the race (time, race, parties involved)
- Appropriate Rule 62 category (a–d) identified
- Written request submitted within protest time
- Evidence collected (witnesses, photos, tracks, radio)
- Realistic presentation of disadvantage without speculation
- Helmsperson or authorized representative scheduled for hearing
- If appeal planned: deadline for Notice of Appeal checked in SIs/national authority
- Jury decision requested in writing and archived
Redress, appeals and regatta strategy
At top level, knowledge of Rule 62 is part of scoring tactics. A discarded race due to RC error can become a discardable result through redress; a successful appeal corrects a championship score days or weeks later. Crews who after the race only discuss protest and results should plan for redress and appeals equally.
Statistics: Redress requests typically account for less than 5% of all hearings at major regattas – yet their impact on overall scores at championships is disproportionately high. Relevance increases with event level.
Professional teams maintain protest logs with separate columns for protest, redress and possible appeal. This reduces stress during protest time and prevents valid requests from expiring.
Summary
Redress under Rule 62 restores fair scoring when boats have been disadvantaged by errors of the race committee, external events or serious procedural flaws. Appeals under Rules 70 and 71 review jury decisions for legal and procedural errors – from the national body to World Sailing. Both instruments complement the classic protest system and are as important for every ambitious regatta sailor as the Racing Rules of Sailing on the water itself.