EWCC SAILING INSTRUCTIONS 2010

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

1.4 For all competitors an adequate personal flotation device shall be carried on board, and these shall be worn at all times while afloat, except briefly while changing or adjusting clothing or personal equipment, if
(i) they are competing in centreboard dinghies, or small multihulls or
ii) they are under 18 in any class, or
iii) class rules require it, or
iv) flag Y is displayed ashore or from the committee boat;
This changes the preamble to part 4 and RRS 40.
An adequate flotation device is a life-jacket or buoyancy aid to a minimum of 50 Newtons EN393/ISO12402-5, or 100 Newtons for weak swimmers or non-swimmers.

1.5 Racing rules will be changed as follows.
Definition of AP (displayed ashore – one hour’s notice after removal)
RRS 33 (course change for courses using specified racing marks)
RRS 35 (time limit for handicap races)
RRS 61.1 (protest notification for boats under 6 metres)
RRS 66 (re-opening hearing on last day of a regatta)

1.6 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 NOTICES TO COMPETITORS

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

3 CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

31. Changes to the SIs made prior to 3 hours before the scheduled starting time of a race will be posted in accordance with SI 2.4 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 written on a board displayed on the Committee Boat and indicated by displaying flag 2nd Substitute with two sounds.

4 SIGNALS MADE FROM ASHORE

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

4.2 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 (This changes Flag AP).

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 The racing area will be in the Eastern Solent (see Appendix 2.1 or RVYC chart).

8 THE COURSE

8.1 The Course to be sailed will be displayed by letters, numbers or symbols listed with these SIs 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 Unless varied in the Notice of Race, 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 18 and 19 (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 flag.

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 12.

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 shall not start later than 4 minutes after her starting signal for a 5 minute starting sequence or 9 minutes after her starting signal for a 10 minute starting sequence.

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 CHANGES OF COURSE AFTER THE START

11.1 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 the mark where it is 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 changes 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 FINISH

12.1 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 may 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.

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

13 PENALTY SYSTEM

13.1 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.

14 TIME LIMIT

14.1 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.

15 PROTESTS

15.1 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).

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

15.3 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.

15.4 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.”

16 SCORING

16.1 RRS Appendix A, the low point scoring system will apply unless the Class Rules state otherwise.

17 OFFICIAL BOATS

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

18 SUPPORT BOATS

18.1 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.

19 RADIOS AND MOBILE PHONES

19.1 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.

20 DECLARATIONS, RETIREMENTS, RESULTS & PRIZES

20.1 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. Declarations will NOT be required.

20.2 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)

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

20.4 Prize details are given in the Notice of Race

21 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

21.1 A boat is entirely responsible for her own safety, whether afloat or ashore, and nothing, whether in the Notice of Race or Sailing Instructions or anywhere else, reduces this responsibility.

21.2 It is for the boat to decide whether she is fit to sail in the conditions in which she will find herself. By launching or going to sea, the boat confirms that she is fit for those conditions and her crew is competent to sail and compete in them

21.3 The boat is required to hold adequate insurance and in particular to hold insurance against third party claims in the sum of at least £2 milllion.

21.4 Nothing done by the organisers will reduce the responsibility of the boat nor will it make the organisers responsible for any loss, damage, death or personal injury, however it may have occurred, as a result of the boat taking part in the racing. The organisers encompass everyone helping to run the race and the event, and include the organising authority, the race committee, the race officer, patrol boats and beachmasters.

21.5 The provision of patrol boats does not relieve the boat of her responsibilities.