SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

The McDougal

Open Class Regatta - 2008

1.      RULES

1.1.        The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined by The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).

1.2.        Changes have been made by these Sailing Instructions to the following RRS sections: 29.1 (Individual Recall), 33(a) (Changing the Next Leg of the Course), 35 (Time Limit and Scores), 44.2 (Two-Turns Penalty), 62.1(a) (Redress), Race Signal AP (Postponement).

2.      SAFETY REGULATIONS

2.1.        All competitors must watch for and keep out of the way of commercial and other deep draft vessels, which have the right of way.

2.2.        A boat that retires from a race shall notify the race committee as soon as possible.

3.      NOTICES TO COMPETITORS – Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located on the clubhouse bulletin board of Harbor Island Yacht Club behind the bookcase.

4.      CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

4.1.        Any change to these Sailing Instructions will be posted on the official notice board.

4.2.        The schedule of races for the first day’s races will not be changed.

4.3.        Any change to the schedule of races for the second or subsequent day’s racing will be posted by 1800 hours (6:00 pm) on the day before it will take effect.

4.4.        Any other change to the Sailing Instructions will be posted at least 45 minutes before the scheduled start of the first race on the day the change will take effect.

5.      SIGNALS MADE ASHORE

5.1.        Signals made ashore will be displayed from the race committee boat at the dock.

5.2.        When flag “AP” is displayed ashore, ‘1 minute’ is replaced with ‘not less than 30 minutes’ in the Race Signal “AP”. This changes the meaning of Race Signal “AP”

6.      SCHEDULE OF RACES

6.1.        The race schedule will be as stated in the Notice of Race and will be posted on the official notice board.

6.2.        It is the intention of the Race Committee to run a maximum of five races on any given day.

6.3.        The Race Committee will signal its intent to run another race that day by displaying flag “R” (yellow cross on a red background) from the finish line race committee boat at the finish of the previous race.

6.4.        When more than one race will be held on the same day, the warning signal for each succeeding race will be made as soon as practicable. To alert boats that another race will begin soon, flag “AP” may be displayed before a warning signal is displayed.

7.      CLASS FLAGS

7.1.        Classes will be as defined in the Notice of Race.

7.2.        A class flag will be a unique color, pattern, shape or class logo. A description of each class flag will be posted on the official notice board

7.3.        Reminder; as stated in the preamble to Race Signals: “When a visual signal is displayed over a class flag, the signal applies only to that class”.

8.      MARKS

8.1.        Marks of the course, including the start and the finish, will be orange (fender type) buoys.

8.2.        The optional mark in Sailing Instruction 10.3 may be any shape or color.

9.      COURSES

9.1.        All courses will be windward/leeward in configuration.

9.2.        All courses may utilize an optional windward offset mark “O”. If a course uses a windward offset mark, there will be two windward marks. Each boat must pass both marks by leaving them to port.

9.3.        All courses may utilize an optional leeward gate “G”. If a course uses a leeward gate, there will be two leeward marks comprising the gate. Each boat must pass between the two leeward marks (through the gate) from the direction of the previous mark and round either of the marks.

9.4.        When sailing the finish leg, marks of the course are not obstructions and do not have a required side.

9.5.        Two courses are available: “COURSE A” and COURSE B”

9.5.1.             COURSE A is windward/leeward/windward course (once around, finish to windward).

9.5.2.             COURSE B is windward/leeward/windward/leeward/windward course (twice around, finish to windward).

9.5.3.             See the attached diagram for example.

 

9.6.        The courses will be displayed by a flag on the race committee boat before the warning signal of each class. Courses may be different for each class and each race.

9.6.1.             Course A: Rectangular Flag with solid Red background and a White letter “A”

9.6.2.             Course B: Rectangular Flag with solid Blue background and a White letter “B”

 

Course

Course Flag

Course Flag Description

Course A

A

Rectangular with solid Red background and a White letter “A”

Course B

B

Rectangular with solid Blue background and a White letter “B”

 

10.  THE START

10.1.     The starting order for the classes will be posted on the official notice board

10.2.     The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the race committee boat at the starboard end and the port-end starting mark.

10.3.     The race committee may, no later than the warning signal, trail a mark from the stern of the race committee boat stationed at the starboard end of the starting line. The trailing mark will be considered to be an extension of the race committee boat. No boat may pass between the trailing mark and the race committee boat.

10.4.     Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area after the first warning signal of a race and shall not interfere with boats that are in their starting sequence.

11.  RECALLS – When individual recalls are signaled, the race committee may (at its discretion) attempt to hail the sail numbers of the recalled boats. Failure of the race committee to hail or failure of a boat to hear the hail of its sail number shall not relieve the boat of its obligation to start correctly. This changes RRS 29.1 and 62.1(a).

12.  CHANGE OF THE NEXT LEG OF THE COURSE

12.1.     If the moved mark (or the moved finishing line) is not visible from the previous mark of the course or if the change of position is more than 20°, the change will be signaled in accordance with RRS 33.

12.2.     If the moved mark (or the moved finishing line) is visible from the previous mark of the course and the change of position is 20° or less, the change may not be signaled. This changes RRS 33(a).

13.  THE FINISH – The finishing line will be between a staff displaying a blue flag on a race committee boat and the nearby mark.

14.  TIME LIMIT

14.1.     The time limit for a race is two hours for the first boat in a class to finish.

14.2.     If a boat in a class sails the course and finishes within the time limit, only those boats in the same class finishing within 20 minutes of the first finisher will be counted as finishing. All other boats will be scored in accordance with the RRS or as changed in the Notice of Race. This changes RRS 35.

14.3.     If the time limit in Sailing Instruction 14.2 has expired for a class, the race committee may notify the boats that have not finished. If a boat has been notified that the time limit has expired, she shall immediately return to the starting area to prepare for the start of the next race. If no more races will be sailed for the day, she shall immediately clear the course.

15.  PROTESTS

15.1.     Protests will be written and delivered to the Protest Committee Chairperson before the end of "Protest Filing Time," which will begin when the committee boat docks and end 45 minutes later. These times will be posted on the notice board.

15.2.     Protest notices will be posted within 30 minutes of the end of "Protest Filing Time" to inform competitors of the place and time of hearings.

15.3.     Protests will then be heard as soon as possible, in approximately the order of receipt.