Rule 60.3: Delivering a Protest

60.3

Delivering a Protest

(a) When delivered, a protest shall be in writing and identify the protestor, the protestee, and the incident.
(b) A protest shall be delivered to the race office (or by such other method as stated in the sailing instructions) within the protest time limit unless the protest committee decides there is good reason to extend the time. The protest time limit is
- (1) for protests about an incident observed in the racing area, two hours after the last boat in the race finishes, or
- (2) for other protests, two hours after the relevant information is available to the protestor.
However, if the sailing instructions state a different protest time limit, then that time limit applies instead.

Related Cases & Q&A

A written protest does not need to identify a rule that the protestor believes was broken. If it does identify such a rule , it is not relevant to the validity of the protest that the protest committee decides that a different rule had been broken.

Q&A 2026.005

Protest Validity: Identifying the Incident

Preferred Wordings

Invalid – Protest Did Not Identify Required Elements (60.3(a))
The protest did not identify the [protestor] [and] [protestee] [and] [incident] as required by RRS 60.3(a). Therefore the protest is invalid under RRS 60.4(1)(a).
Invalid – Protest Not in Writing (60.3(a))
The protest was not in writing, as required by RRS 60.3(a). Therefore the protest is invalid under 60.4(a)(1).
Invalid Protest (Definition)
The hearing request does not comply with [the definition Protest][RRS 60.2][RRS 60.3]. Therefore, the protest is invalid under RRS 60.4(a)(1).
Validity – Failed to Deliver Other Protests Within Time Limit (60.3(b)(2))
[Y] [The race committee] [The technical committee] [The protest committee] failed to deliver the protest within [two hours] [xx hours] after receiving the relevant information, as required by RRS [60.3(b)(2)][60.3(b) and SI(xx)]. [There was no good reason for the PC to extend the time limit.] [However, there was good reason for the PC to extend the time limit.] Therefore the protest is [valid] [invalid] under RRS 60.4(a)(1).
Validity – Failed to Deliver Within Time Limit (60.3(b)(1))
[Y] [The race committee] [The technical committee] [The protest committee] failed to deliver the protest within the protest time limit, as required by RRS [60.3(b)(1)] [60.3(b) and SI(xx)]. [There was no good reason for the PC to extend the time limit.] [However, there was good reason for the PC to extend the time limit.] Therefore the protest is [valid] [invalid] under RRS 60.4(a)(1).

Section A — Protests; Redress; Support Persons

Delivering a Protest