- RULES
Races will be governed by the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing 2001 -
2004, the prescriptions of the Royal Yachting Association, the rules of
each class concerned and by these sailing instructions.
- ENTRIES AND DECLARATIONS
All competitors must sign on before a race. There is no longer a
requirement for all competitors to sign a declaration sheet on
finishing. However, competitors who retire from the race or who
wish to be recorded as Did Not Finish must inform the Race Officer
within 30 minutes of the last boat finishing.
- ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Any additions or changes to these sailing instructions will be posted
on the race notice board.
- SAFETY
The race organisers shall not be liable for any loss, damage, death
or personal injury howsoever caused to the owner/competitor or crew, as
a result of their taking part in the race or races. Moreover, every
owner/competitor warrants the suitability of his boat for the race or
races.
It shall be the individual responsibility of each competitor to wear
adequate personal buoyancy when conditions warrant. When Flag
'Y' is displayed before or with the warning signal, adequate
personal buoyancy shall be worn while racing by all competitors. Wet or
dry suits and buoyancy aids MUST be worn by all crew members
between 1st November and 31st March inclusive.
- CLASS WARNING FLAGS
The warning flag for each race will be stated on the race notice
board or on the signing on sheet.
- COURSE
For a club line start the course will be described on the race notice
board. For a committee boat start the course will either be described
on the race notice board or be communicated from the committee boat.
There are two sets of standard courses. Each set includes a course
for when the wind is blowing from each point of the compass (eight
courses in each set). One set is long courses and the other is short
courses to be chosen depending on wind strength.
The use of the standard courses is mandatory for all races except the
following:
- Fairway Beacon
- Horsesands Fort
- Binness Island
- Saturday Series
- L.V. See and TSB Pursuit Races
- Regattas
- Novice Day
- Cadet Evenings
- START PROCEDURE
Racing rule 26 shall not apply. Instead, the following sequence
shall be use:
| Signal | Flag | Sound | Minutes before start |
| Warning | Class Flag up | 1 sound | 5 |
| Preparatory | Flag P up | 1 sound | 4 |
| One Minute | Flag P down | 1 long sound | 1 |
| Start | Class Flag down | 1 sound | 0 |
- START LINE
Club line: the line is the extension of a line through the
centres of two orange triangles in front of the club house. There is an
outer distance mark at the Eastern end of the line. Boats must pass to
the West of this mark when starting. (Note that the outer distance mark
may not lie exactly on the line).
Committee boat line: the line will be between a mast or staff
flying the club burgee on the committee boat and an outer distance
marker. An inner distance mark may be laid in which case boats must
pass between the outer and inner distance marks when starting.
- RECALLS
Individual recalls will be signalled in accordance with racing
rule 29.2 (Flag 'X') and one sound signal.
General recalls will be signalled in accordance with racing
rule 29.3 (Flag 'First Substitute') and two sound signals; a new
five minute signal will be made one minute after First Substitute is
lowered. The start(s) for succeeding classes will be postponed
accordingly.
Racing rule 30 (starting penalties) shall not apply.
- FINISH LINE
Club Line: as described in 8 (Start Line). Boats must pass to
the West of the outer distance mark when finishing.
Committee Boat Line: the line will be between the mast or
staff flying the club burgee on the committee boat and the mark of the
course near which the committee boat is stationed.
- TIME LIMIT
Unless otherwise specified, the time limit for the leading boat in
each race is 2 1/2 hours. If one boat finishes within the time limit,
all boats that finish shall be scored accordingly to their finishing
places unless the race is abandoned. If no boat finished within the
time limit, the Race Officer shall abandon the race.
- SHORTENING COURSE OR ABANDONING A RACE
The Race Officer may abandon the race (Flag 'N', 'N' over 'H', 'N'
over 'A', with 3 sounds) or shorten the course (Flag 'S' with 2
sounds) as appropriate. When Flag 'S' is flown from the club
flag pole this indicates that the leading boat will finish when it next
crosses the finish line in the same direction as the start
Shorter course for slow classes: The Race Officer may chose to
shorten the course for all boats with Portsmouth numbers 1165 or
higher. This will be signalled by the display of Flag 'D' with
two sounds at the finish line accompanied by two sound signals.
Corrected times will be scaled upwards as appropriate. Note: the
Flag 'D' must be raised well before the first boat with a Portsmouth
number of 1165 or higher crosses the line; it is not permissible
to shorten the race for only some of the boats with Portsmouth numbers
1165 or higher.
- PROTESTS
Protests must be lodged with the Race Officer within one hour of the
last boat finishing.
- SCORING
Scoring will be in accordance with Appendix A (Low Point
System). Two races shall be completed to constitute a valid series.
In a series, each boat/helm/handicap number combination will be treated
as a separate entry for scoring. The number of races to count in a
series will be as follows:
| Races sailed: N |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
etc |
|---|
| No. to count: N/2 raised to next highest whole number |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
3 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
etc |
|---|
- PRIZES
Prizes will usually be awarded for first, second and third places in
club events. However, if there are only three entries then two prizes
will be awarded and if there are only two entries then only a first
prize will be awarded.
Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules
that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle
of sportsmanship is that when competitors break a rule they will
promptly take a penalty or retire.
