Rules/Officiating

Judges

US Sailing recognizes that the cancellation of sailing events and courses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult or impossible for some officials to meet the requirements for reappointment.

The Race Administration Committee has adopted a temporary policy to accommodate officials whose renewals are due in 2020 and who may not be able to meet the requirements for reappointment.

Main points:

  • If you can meet the requirements this year, please apply for renewal as usual. If necessary, you may count events and education from the past five years (2016-2020).
  • If you cannot meet the events and training requirements this year, on request you will receive an automatic extension until December 31, 2021, during which time you will remain certified and insured.

READ THE FULL POLICY HERE

Advisory on Judge Training Seminars

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, US Sailing has postponed  all in-person Race Management, Judge and Umpire Seminars until it is safe to reschedule them. For further information, please contact the seminar organizer or the Race Administration Office - email raceadmin@ussailing.org or call (401) 342-7948.

Judges conduct protest and redress hearings when there may have been a breach of the rules. They also conduct arbitration hearings, enforce Rule 42 (Propulsion) on the water at fleet racing events and consult with organizers and race officers ahead of events to review race documents and procedures.

A complete description of the responsibilities and functions of the Judges Committee and the Regional Administrative Judges (RAJ), as well as qualifications for US Sailing Club Judges, Judges, National Judges and International Judges, is available in both the Continuing Education and Judges Program documentation using links provided at the bottom of this page.

Judge Programs

FIND A SEMINAR

Program History

Before the US Sailing Judges Program was created in 1977, a set of criteria was established for certification as a US Sailing Judge, which included experience in racing and race management, service on protest committees and a high standard of personal integrity. Application was by resume and supported by personal references. RAJs handled applications in their geographic area.

In 1995, the US Sailing Board of Directors asked the Judge Committee to improve the quality of the Judges Program, to review the procedures used in appointing and reappointing judges and to consider training and testing. In 1998 the Judge Committee introduced a new set of standards for the US Sailing Judges Program. These standards require experience in racing, race management, and protest committee work as well as attending a workshop and passing a written open-book test.   The seminar and test must be taken every four years.

Standards of personal behavior are more explicit than they have been in the past. Those seeking initial certification or renewal as a US Sailing Judge must meet the high standards of integrity, fairness and judicial temperament found in The Judges Manual. Certified or not, all judges serving on protest committees should meet these standards.

When a protest committee is on duty afloat or ashore and the chair is a US Sailing Judge, they may display the US Sailing Judges Flag.

The standards also recognized that individuals might engage in different judging paths based on their experience and abilities. The Judges Program established qualifications and standards for Club Judges, Judges, National Judges, and the US Sailing procedure for nominating ISAF International Judges. The qualifications required for certification for each of these different paths are described in the US Sailing Judge Certification Program Requirements.

useful links

Judges Committee & Regional Administrative Judges

The Judges Committee develops supports and certifies judges within the US.

The Judges Committee also maintains the training and testing programs for certification; assists sailing organizations in obtaining qualified judges for events; provides support and advice on the roles and conduct of judges at US Sailing events; investigates complaints against judges; and submits candidates for approval by the Board as nominees for World Sailing International Judges.

Regional Administrative Judges (RAJs) are the judge administrators in each of US Sailing’s Areas.

The RAJ is responsible for recruiting, encouraging and guiding members who wish to take a judge course, become certified, recertified or upgrade their certification level. RAJs also help organizers recruit judges for their events, place judges at events, schedule training seminars and answer judging and protest-related questions from members.

For more information about judges and judging, please contact your RAJ, who is identified by his or her Area in the table below.

Judges Committee Meeting Minutes

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020
Jan 21, 2015 Jan 20, 2016 Jan 18, 2017 Feb 24, 2018 Feb 16, 2019 Feb 15, 2020
Mar 11, 2015 Feb 27, 2016 Feb 25, 2017 Apr 4, 2018 Mar 18, 2019 Apr 16, 2020
June 1, 2015 May 3, 2016 Dec 9, 2017 June 4, 2018 Apr 22, 2019 June 10, 2020
Aug 4, 2015 Sep 29, 2016 Aug 6, 2018 June 10, 2019
Oct 21, 2015 Oct 15, 2018 Aug 4, 2019
Dec 16, 2015 Dec 3, 2018 Oct 21, 2019
Dec 16, 2019

 

guidelines

Useful Event Checklists

The Judges Committee and the Judges Education, Training and Testing Subcommittee (JETTS) provide the following checklists for members of a Protest Committee. These correspond to and, in some cases supplement, the checklists found in The Judges' Manual for 2017-2020. Additionally, these are utilized for certain exercises during Judge Seminars. Appendix M of The Racing Rules of Sailing is an additional resource for Judges looking for such type of tools. JETTS will periodically collect and add additional checklists, as appropriate.

Useful Protest Committee Documents