The Case Book complements the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), providing details on the application of the RRS to around 140 scenarios. The principal aims of the Cases are to clarify an important meaning in a rule or to increase the understanding of a complex rule.

A revised edition of the Case Book is published every four years to coincide with the publication of The Racing Rules of Sailing. Then, in each of the following three years a supplement to the Case Book is published.