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The Racing Rules of Sailing for 2009-2012 take effect worldwide January 1. Most of the rules changes are the result of suggestions from competitors and race officials. Some significant changes will be implemented, most applying to rules at marks and obstructions. These include new rules 18, 19 and 20 and the new definitions Mark-Room, Zone and Fetching as well as edited definitions of Clear Astern, Clear Ahead, Overlap and Obstruction.

Section C - which deals with marks and obstructions - contains the most changes. The major revisions include:

The Zone (around a mark) has been expanded from two-boat lengths and defined as "the area around a mark within a distance of three hull lengths of the boat nearer to it. A boat is in the Zone when any part of her hull is in the Zone."

Mark-Room: "Room for a boat to sail to the mark, and then room to sail her proper course while at the mark. However, mark-room does not include room to tack unless the boat is overlapped to windward and on the inside of the boat required to give mark-room."

Obstructions on the race course have been rewritten to clarify what one is and obligations to act. For example, the rules now say that a right-of way boat may choose to pass an obstruction on either side. The rules also specify that a boat is not able to call for room at an obstruction that is also a mark of the course.

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