RACING




SWSC Sailing Instructions - 2013

1. Rules

SWSC racing will be governed by the International Sailing Federation Race Rules of Sailing (RRS), the prescriptions of US Sailing, and the SWSC Sailing Instructions as stated below.

2. Entries

Eligible boats may be entered by completing the registration with the organizing authority, typically the Race Committee, at the skippers meeting.

Eligible competitors shall be members in good standing of the South Winds Sailing Club. Guest or non-members may participate with their boat in one race day. Such boats shall be excluded from the official scoring.

Regatta fees will be $5.00 per boat per race day.

3. Schedule of Regattas

Races are scheduled as shown on the Racing Schedule. This serves as the official Notice of Race.

Each multi-race day will consist of 3 races for points, weather and participation permitting. A minimum of 2 participating skippers is required to start an official race. Any additional races conducted are for practice only and will not be officially scored.

If a Saturday multi-race day is canceled due to severe weather, the makeup race will be the next day, Sunday, with the skippers meeting at 1300.

4. The Course

The course will be set at the discretion of the RC based primarily on wind direction and will be explained during the skippers meeting. The RC will attempt set a course facilitating races with duration of 45-60 minutes for around the buoy races and 3-4 hours for long distance races.

5. The Start

Starting signals will be audible signals only. The RC will sound a single horn blast at the following intervals:

6. Recalls

Individual recalls will be signaled with 1 horn blast followed immediately by a voice and/or radio hail of the offending yacht(s). General recall will be signaled by 3 horn blasts following the single starting horn

7. Changes to Course after the Start

At the skippers meeting prior to any Regatta, a procedure for changing the course will be discussed and decided. In general, the procedure will include 1 horn blast and an announcement of change on VHF channel 72.

8. Time Limits

The race time limit will be 1.5 hours per race on multi-race days and up to 4 hours for long distance races. On multi-race days, if no boat reaches the first mark within 30 minutes of the start, the race shall be abandoned.

The Race will be official if any 2 boats finish prior to the time limit.

Boats failing to finish before the time limit will be scored based upon their position in the fleet without regard to their handicap rating. In the case of no finishers, the race may be rescheduled.

"Late Finishers" are defined as up to two boats which have not yet passed the first turning mark on any lap and remain the only boats still on the race course.

In this situation the RC shall announce the end of the race with 3 long horn blasts. The final position for the late finisher(s) will be their position in the fleet without regard to their handicap rating.

9. Scoring

SWSC will use the Portsmouth Handicap System.

Values will be taken from the most recent Portsmouth Tables, adjusted for wind speed, roller furler, fixed propeller and oversized sails.

If a boat is non-standard or does not have a Portsmouth rating a 3 member committee under the leadership of the VC will assign a provisional rating. This rating can be appealed to or reviewed by the committee when the boat has completed a minimum of 12 races.

It is the responsibility of each skipper with a non-standard boat to provide the required information to the Vice Commodore 30 days prior to a race for it to be counted.

For any SWSC racing series, each skipper must sail a minimum of 50% plus 1 race of scheduled races and must fulfill the race committee requirements in order to qualify for a trophy.

The Cox Spraque System of scoring will apply. Skippers having more than the required minimum races will have their worst 2 scores dropped, provided that "drop" does not take them below the minimum required number of completed races. The winner is the skipper with the Highest Point Average.

A skipper can count at most 3 points towards the SOTY standings in one season by serving RC.

If a competitor renders aid under Fundamental Rule 1.1, the time interval for this action should be noted for adjustment to elapsed time (declaring such action via VHF is recommended as soon as the situation allows). Competitor must continue regatta from approximately same position before aid was rendered.

10. Radio Communication

Race communications will occur on VHF channel 72 or as designated by the race committee.

11. Race Committee Responsibilities

Every attempt should be made for RC to be available after the race for a de-brief at the bath house and to announce preliminary results

It is the RC's decision to abandon a race by signaling with 1long horn blast and informing all racers over VHF channel 72 of the abandonment.

Races may be abandoned due to severe weather (lightning or storms in the area) or any other safety related reason deemed appropriate by the RC.

No races will take place when winds are expected to exceed 30 knots or temperatures are below 35 degree.

Prior to the starting signal the RC may postpone a race for any reason.

12. Race Committee (RC) Requirement

To be eligible for any SWSC racing trophy or award, each skipper must serve a minimum of one RC for one race day event.

A "good faith effort" to run a complete race day event as scheduled, or its backup race, is required to receive credit for the RC requirement. A no fault cancellation occurs when racing is cancelled or abandoned due to winds above 30 knots, temperature below 35 degrees or lightening in the area.

A skipper's first required RC does not earn any points. The second RC served voluntarily will earn the skipper a point award equal to a first place finish for each race completed that day. No more than three "RC first place points" will be counted in a skipper's season point total.

Skippers and volunteers are encouraged to sign up in advance on-line, by notifying the Fleet Captain or by volunteering at any time up to the close of the pre-race Skipper's Meeting.

Any skipper who, at the end of the season, has made multiple good faith attempts to fulfill the RC requirement but failed, may protest their circumstances to the Vice Commodore for review.

All race days spent acting as RC will count towards a skippers minimum race participation requirement specified in Para 9 - Scoring.

13. Propulsion

Any boat that finds itself in danger or aground may use her engine.

In doing so, she must avoid gaining any significant advantage of course position or windward advantage. Once clear of danger, she must execute a one-turn penalty under sail and report the situation to the RC at the earliest opportunity.

A boat arriving late to the course may use its engine up to the area three boat lengths behind and extending along the start line.

14. Ties

When there is a tie on total points between two or more yachts, the tie will be decided in favor of the yacht with the most first place finishes, and, when the tie remains, the most second finishes, and so on.

15. Protests

Protests should be brought up verbally at the end of the regatta day. Efforts should be made to reach a decision immediately by those present. If no resolution can be found, protests may be forwarded in writing to the RC.

16. Changes to SWSC Sailing Instructions

In order to change SWSC Sailing Instructions, including setting up of fleet handicaps, scoring system, and race committee duties, a majority vote shall be required from the regatta committee. The committee must consist of VC, Fleet Captain, and a minimum of 3 other regatta committee members.