...RRS 42 can be changed by Class Rules. So, if the sailors in the class determine that some amount of kinetics are an acceptable price to pay to enable more foiling, the class can take the necessary steps to make it legal.
Class Rules may change RRS 42, although I am not aware of any that do. Sailing instructions may NOT change RRS 42. See RRS 86.1 (a-c).
Several of us steer the boat to some degree with body weight and it makes a difference.
The Propulsion Basic Rule (RRS 42.1) says (in part), "Her crew may adjust the trim of sails and hull, and perform other acts of seamanship, but shall not otherwise move their bodies to propel the boat". Moving your body weight to adjust boat balance (weather/lee helm) and thereby steer the boat is an act of seamanship that does not propel the boat and therefore is not prohibited by RRS 42.1.
For instance:
* pushing the bow down in a lull as you are doing AzCat rather than move the rudder
* stepping aft to help the bow turn up in a puff when going upwind
* using your back foot in the foot strap to steer the boat when trapezing downwind. This is super effective when foiling and virtually eliminates the need for the rudder.
Moving your weight forward or aft to steer without the rudder is allowed - as long as it does not propel the boat.
* standing back in the wire and yanking the mast on top of you to help the boat tack quickly and roll without using as much rudder
RRS 42.3 "Exceptions" (a) and (b) state "A boat may be rolled to facilitate steering" and "A boat's crew may move their bodies to exaggerate the rolling that facilitates steering the boat through a tack or gybe...". Therefore, you may pull on the trapeze wire to help roll-tack (or gybe) a boat.
I don't think any of these are illegal if they are done as part of steering but I am not a judge. I have never seen it protested in a number of years of sailing in the class
Moving your body to steer is generally ok. Using your body to propel the boat in ANY direction (including keeping it from drifting) is not. How many times have you seen a sailor stick his leg in the water to keep a boat in place on the starting line? Technically, that is illegal.
I've never seen a boat protest another under Rule 42, but I
have done on-the-water enforcement (see RRS Appendix P). I've never penalized (nor seen another judge penalize) a boat for anything that wasn't a blatant violation. In my opinion, kinetics don't generally work for catamarans like they do for other boats (such as Lasers), and a lot of things that are technically illegal would never be called even under Appendix P.
I hope that helps,
Eric Rasmussen
US SAILING Certified Judge,
Area D Appeals Committee
