EWCC SAILING INSTRUCTIONS 2009

1 RULES

1.1 Except where amended by these Sailing Instructions (SIs), all races will be governed by the rules as defined in the current Racing Rules of Sailing

1.2 When sailing in the deep water channel boats are required to give way to large vessels proceeding either to and from the ports of Portsmouth and Southampton or the anchorage at St Helen’s Roads.

1.3 Each boat sailing in a Class or under the Handicap for that Class shall comply with its Class Rules, which will take precedence.

1.4 In races for Handicap Cruisers the handicap will be as set out in the Entry Requirements. In races for handicap dinghies, the Portsmouth Yardstick of the boat, as amended by the organising Club(s) will be used.

2 CONDITIONS OF ENTRY & NOTICES TO COMPETITORS

2.1 The safety responsibility of competitors is covered in the Disclaimer of Liability and reflected in each Notice of Race

2.2 Upon demand the owner/competitor shall present a valid measurement or rating certificate where applicable, or shall sign an undertaking to present one within a prescribed time, to the appropriate Race Committee.

2.3 Boats may be measured and/or equipment inspections undertaken before or after the race at the discretion of the Race Committee.

2.4 All boats must carry the minimum buoyancy required under their Class Rules (or as built, in the absence of any specific class rule).

2.5 Adequate personal flotation devices for crew members shall be carried in the boat at all times and shall be worn if ordered either by the Race Committee under RRS 40 (Code Flag Y) or by the organising authority.

2.6 All crew members of a dinghy and all competitors under 18 shall wear EN393/ISO 12402-5 (or EC 50N) compliant personal flotation devices when afloat, except briefly while changing or adjusting clothing or personal equipment.

2.7 The responsibility for allowing crews under 18 to race rests with parents or guardians who must ensure that they can swim at least 50 metres and row or paddle the boat.

2.8 Parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring that dinghies, where crews are under 18, can be righted after capsizing, and that they contain sufficient buoyancy to remain afloat for at least 30 minutes.

2.9 Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located at the organising Club(s).

3 CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

3.1 Changes to the SIs made prior to 3 hours before the scheduled starting time of a race will be posted in accordance with SI 2.9 except that any change in the schedule of the races will be posted by 18:00 on the day before it will take place. Changes made less than 3 hours before the scheduled starting time of a race will be signalled from the Committee Boat and may be written on a board displayed on the Committee Boat or given orally.

4 SIGNALS MADE FROM ASHORE

4.1 Signals made from ashore will be flown from the flagstaff of the organising Club(s).

4.2 Code Flag AP flown from the flagstaff of the organising Club(s) with two sound signals means the race is postponed. The Warning Signal for any subsequent Committee Boat starts will be made not less than one hour after the AP is lowered with one sound signal (Amends Flag AP RRS 27.3)).

5 SCHEDULE OF RACES

5.1 The schedule of races is as given in the Notice of Race.

6 CLASS FLAGS

6.1 Class Flags will be as in the Notice of Race.

7 RACING AREA

7.1 Unless varied by the Notice of Race, the racing area will be within either 3 nautical miles of the shore off Bembridge and Seaview (see Appendix 3.1 of the printed programme) or off Wootton Creek (see RVYC buoy chart available from the Club).

8 THE COURSE

8.1 The Course to be sailed will be displayed by letters, numbers or symbols listed with these SI no later than the Preparatory Signal. This is an amendment to RRS 27.1.

8.2 A RED or ORANGE Background to the letter, number or symbol indicates that the buoy shall be rounded to PORT. A GREEN background to the letter, number or symbol indicates that the buoy shall be rounded to STARBOARD. If a blackboard and chalk is used then all marks shall be left to STARBOARD unless UNDERLINED when they shall be left to PORT.

8.3 If two DIAMONDS are displayed on the Course Board, the sequence before the diamonds shall be sailed twice before continuing to the marks displayed after the diamonds. If three DIAMONDS are displayed on the Course Board, the sequence before the diamonds shall be sailed thrice before continuing to the marks displayed after the diamonds.

8.4 When a BLACK AND ORANGE CHEQUERED board is displayed in the Course, the mark(s) preceding this board will be rounded once before rounding the marks displayed after the chequered board for the number of times indicated.

8.5 Boats with a fixed keel must not pass between St Helens Fort and Nodes Point.

8.6 After starting no boat shall pass through the Starting line on any leg. No boat shall pass through the Finishing line except when finishing. After starting and until the finish the Starting and Finishing Lines will rank as obstructions under RRS 19 and 20 (NB. The starting line exists for so long as the committee boat is on station and flying an orange flag. The finishing line will exist when the committee boat is on station and flying orange and blue flags).

8.7 SPECIAL COURSES ... for diagrams of the special courses, click here

8.7.1 Special Course 1 will be a windward/leeward course with a wing mark as described in Appendix 1.1. - for diagrams of the special courses, click here - This will be signalled from the committee boat by displaying a course board with a 1 on it followed by the marks to be rounded in accordance with Appendix 3.2.

8.7.2 Special Courses 2 & 3 will be a trapezoid course as shown in Appendix 1.2. - for diagrams of the special courses, click here - These will be signalled from the committee boat by displaying a course board with a 2 or 3 on it. Inflatable marks will be used.

8.7.3 Special Course 4 will be a windward/leeward course with a leeward finish as shown in Appendix 1.3.- for diagrams of the special courses, click here - This will be signalled from the committee boat by displaying a course board with a 4 on it. The number of rounds to be sailed will be indicated by the number of diamonds displayed on a course board. If a windward spreader, a leeward spreader and/or a leeward gate is to be used, this will be signalled from the Committee boat in accordance with Appendix 3.2. Inflatable marks will be used.

8.7.4 Special Course 5 will be a windward/leeward course with a windward finish as shown in Appendix 1.3.- for diagrams of the special courses, click here - This will be signalled from the committee boat by displaying a course board with a 5 on it. The number of rounds to be sailed will be indicated by the number of diamonds displayed on a course board. If a windward spreader, a leeward spreader and/or a leeward gate is to be used, this will be signalled from the Committee boat in accordance with Appendix 3.2. Inflatable marks will be used.

8.7.5 For Special Courses 1 & 5, the start and finish lines may be placed at any point on the dotted lines shown in the diagrams in Appendices 1.1 & 1.3.- for diagrams of the special courses, click here

9 MARKS

9.1 Marks of the Course will be either inflatable moveable buoys, or navigation buoys or marks permanently laid as shown on the chart of the area; click here for the racing marks table. The Finishing Mark is described in SI 13.

10 THE START

10.1 Races will be started in accordance with RRS 26 (unless varied in the Notice of Race).

10.2 An attention signal (Flag F with one sound) may be made five minutes before the warning signal for the first class to start. Flag F will be removed with one sound one minute before the warning signal.

10.3 Boats whose Warning Signal has not been made shall keep clear of the starting area during the starting sequence for other races.

10.4. A boat starting later than 4 minutes after her starting signal where there is a 5 minute interval before the next scheduled race start, or 9 minutes for a 10 minute or longer interval, will be scored Did Not Start without a hearing. This changes RRS A4 & A5.

COMMITTEE BOAT STARTING LINE

10.5 Unless otherwise indicated in the Notice of Race a Committee Boat Starting Line will be used.

10.6 The Committee Boat Starting Line will be between a staff displaying an Orange Flag on the Committee Boat at the starboard end, and the Course side of the Outer Limit Mark at the port end.

10.7 The starting mark will be the Committee Boat together with a RIB or inflatable buoy if attached to the Committee Boat.

10.8 The Committee Boat may hold position by using engines.

11 MARK BOATS

11.1 A Mark Boat may be stationed beyond the mark to signify the position of the mark. When on station, each Mark boat will fly a Blue Flag. Failure of a Mark boat to be on station or display her signal will not be grounds for redress; this changes RRS 62.1(a).

12 CHANGES OF COURSE AFTER THE START

12.1 A change of Course after the start will be signaled before the leading boat has begun the leg, although the new mark may not then be in position. Code Flag C will be flown and either the new Course to be sailed from mark displayed or the approximate compass bearing to the new mark (or a red rectangular flag or board for a change to port or a green triangular flag or board for a change to starboard) and a + or - sign to indicate the lengthening or shortening of a leg. This amends RRS 33. A periodic Sound Signal will be made. Any mark to be rounded after rounding the new mark may be relocated to maintain the original Course configuration without further signals. When in a subsequent change of Course a new mark is replaced, it will be replaced with the original mark.

12.2 Rule 33 is varied in that the Race Committee may signal a change of Course from ashore before the leading boats finishes a round. It is also varied in that a new Course may be given to all competitors verbally from a Committee Boat.

13 FINISH

13.1 Unless otherwise indicated in the Course instructions, the Finishing Line will be between the mast or staff flying an ORANGE flag on the Finishing Committee Boat (which shall fly a BLUE Flag to signify it is in position) and the Course side of the Finishing Mark. Except in the case of Special Courses 1, 2 & 3 the Finishing Mark is the last mark of the Course shown, or for a shortened Course the adjacent rounding mark. The S Flag may be substituted for the ORANGE Flag if the Course is shortened.

13.2 The Finishing Committee Boat may be held position by using engines.

14 PENALTY SYSTEM

14.1 Unless otherwise indicated in the Notice of Race or disallowed under Class Rules, RRS 31 (touching a mark - a one-turn penalty to include one tack & one gybe) and 44.1 (breaking a Part 2 Rule - a two-turn penalty to include two tacks & two gybes) apply.

15 TIME LIMIT

15.1 The time limit for any Class will be 3 hours after the actual start of that Class. Boats failing to finish within 30 minutes after the first boat finishes or within the time limit, whichever is the later, will be scored “Did Not Finish”. For handicap classes, the 30 minutes refers to corrected time. This is an amendment to RRS 35.

16 PROTESTS

16.1 RRS 61.1 applies; however, boats under 6m which are not required to display a Red Protest Flag shall inform the Race Officer immediately after finishing that they wish to bring a protest. Protests must be submitted in writing within the time limits set out in RRS 61.3. Advisory Hearings and/or the RYA Arbitration Procedure will be available in accordance with the protocol available at the organising Club(s).

16.2 The Jury will hear protests in approximately the order of receipt as soon as possible.

16.3 Protest notices will be posted within 30 minutes of the protest time limit to inform competitors where and when there is a hearing in which they are parties to a hearing or named as witnesses.

16.4 RRS 66 is changed by adding the following sentence - “On the last day of racing, a party to the hearing may ask for a reopening no later than 1 hour after being informed of the decision.”

17 SCORING

17.1 The low point scoring system, RRS Appendix A, as shown in the Notice of Race will apply or otherwise the Class scoring system, in the Class Rules, will be used.

18 SAFETY REGULATIONS

18.1 See SI 2.4 to 2.8.

19 REPLACEMENT OF CREW OR EQUIPMENT

19.1 In accordance with Class Rules or as specified in the Notice of Race.

20 EQUIPMENT AND MEASUREMENT CHECKS

20.1 See SI 2.2.

21 OFFICIAL BOATS

21.1 Craft owned by the organising clubs will normally be used; if private craft are used they will identify themselves to competitors.

22 SUPPORT BOATS

22.1 Team leaders, coaches and other support personnel shall not be in the racing area from the time of the Preparatory Signal for the first Class to start until all boats have finished or the Race Committee signals a postponement, general recall or abandonment. The penalty for failing to comply with this requirement will be the disqualification of all boats associated with the support personnel involved.

23 HAUL-OUT RESTRICTIONS

23.1 In accordance with Class Rules or as specified in the Notice of Race.

24 DIVING EQUIPMENT

24.1 May not be used around keelboats between the preparatory signal of the first race and the end of a Regatta.

25 RADIOS AND MOBILE PHONES

25.1 Except in an emergency, a boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats in that Class. This includes the use of mobile telephones to gain information that may assist the boat to improve its position.

26 DECLARATIONS, RETIREMENTS, RESULTS & PRIZES

26.1 Any boat, which crosses the Finishing Line and does NOT signify EITHER that she has retired OR that she is protesting in accordance with RRS 61.1(a) shall be deemed to have completed the race in accordance with the Sailing Instructions and declarations will NOT be required.

26.2 Boats retiring shall report their retirement to the organising Club at the earliest opportunity: BSC (01983 872237) - SVYC (07919 830027 or 01983 613268) – BHYC (01983 872289) – RVYC (01983 882325)

26.3 Results will be posted on the official Notice Board of the organising Club(s).

26.4 Prize details are given in the Notice of Race

27 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

27.1 See the disclaimer page

28 INSURANCE

28.1 Boats are required to be adequately insured and in particular to hold insurance against third party claims of at least £2m.