I was fouled at the start and won my protest — so why was I scored DNS?
Because you still have to sail the course. Rule 28.1 — the string rule — imagines a string tied to your boat along your track: pulled tight, it must touch every mark on the required side. Being fouled, or a starting mark drifting out of position, does not excuse you from a single rounding. Win the protest, miss the proper start, and you still score DNS. (A mark shifting in wind or current is a normal risk of racing under Rule 32.1 — no grounds to abandon.) World Sailing Case 28.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/97YxpZ3mI3U" title="Sailing Kiwi" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://sailing.kiwi.nz/v/97YxpZ3mI3U/">Source: Sailing Kiwi</a></p>Recommended reading
- The Rules in Practice 2025–2028 by Bryan Willis — The clearest guide to the racing rules around the racecourse — updated for the current 2025–2028 rulebook.
- Advanced Racing Tactics by Stuart H. Walker — The classic deep-dive on racing tactics — starting, beating, reaching and mark rounding.
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