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William H. Seward Yacht Club

Racing Guidelines

 1.     RULES

The Regattas will be governed by the International Racing Federation (ISAF) 2005-2008 Racing Rules of Sailing, its supplements and interpretations, the Prescriptions of the United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet System, and by these Sailing Instructions.

 2.     ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY

Members of the Club may enter a yacht in a Club event by completing the registration and paying the entry fee.

 3.     NOTICE OF RACE

Notices to competitors will be in the form of a Notice of Race containing Sailing Instructions for the Racing Event.  The Notice of Race, published by the Race Committee, will be distributed to the membership prior to each event in the Club E-Newsletter, on the WHSYC Website, and/or posted at the Clubhouse bulletin board.

 4.     CHANGES IN SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Changes in the Sailing Instructions contained in the Notice of Race will be announced at the Skippers’ Meeting for that day’s event.

 5.     SIGNALS

5.1   Code Flag Signals made ashore will be displayed on the Clubhouse Flagpole for the purpose of Postponement.  The Code Flag will be designated at the Skippers’ Meeting.

5.2 Signals made at sea will by made by the Committee Boat.  The Blue Flag, with two sound signals means the race is postponed.  The Warning Signal, (White Flag), for race resumption will be made not less than one (1) minute after the Blue Flag is lowered.

 6.     THE COURSE

The Racing Area and Course will be determined for each race day at the Skipper’s Meeting.

 7.     MARKS

Race Marks will be floating buoys set by the Race Committee and described at the Skipper’s Meeting.

 8.     THE START and FINISH

8.1   Races will be started in accordance with the following Visual & Audible Signals displayed from the Committee Boat:

8.2   The Starting and Finish Line will be between a Mark and the Committee Boat, or between two Marks with the Race Committee displaying signals from a spectator boat or race boat participant, or as specifically described by the Race Committee at the Skipper’s Meeting.

 9.     RECALLS

Recalls will be signaled in accordance with Rule 29.  For Individual Recalls, the Race Committee will attempt to hail each infringing yacht; however it is the skipper’s responsibility to make a proper start.

 10.  ABONDONMENT AND CANCELLATION

The Race Committee may abandon or cancel a race in progress when a change in weather conditions has, in its judgment, made the race an unsatisfactory test of skill.

 11.  CHANGE OF COURSE AFTER THE START

When shortening the course after the start, the Race Committee will signal in accordance with instructions given at the Skipper’s Meeting.

 12.  TIME LIMIT

The Time Limit for each race will be one and one half (1 ½) hours for short courses, (less than 3 miles), and three (3) hours for long courses.  The race will not be cancelled if at least one (1) racing yacht finishes before the time limit. Yachts finishing more than one (1) hour after the first yacht finishes or after the time limit, whichever is later, will be scored “Did Not Finish”, (DNF).

 13.  PROTESTS

Protests shall be written on forms available from the Race Committee and lodged with the Race Committee, within three (3) hours after the finish of the last race of the day

 14.  SCORING

The low point scoring system as described in Appendix A shall be used as modified below:

1^st Place                                       ¾ Points

2^nd Place                                       2  Points

3^rd Place                                       3  Points

4^th Place                                       4  Points

…etc.

 Did Not Start:  Total number of starters in that yacht’s class, Plus 2 points

Did Not Finish:  Total number of starters in that race, Plus 1 point

Disqualified:  Total number of boats in that race and class, Plus 2 points

 For Series or Regattas, boats will qualify to be scored and will have throw out races in accordance with the following schedule:

Ties will be broken in accordance with Appendix A7 and A8.

 15.  PENALTIES

The Two Turns Penalty, Rules 44.1 and 44.2 of the ISAF Racing Rules, will be used.

 16.  RADIO COMMUNICATION

While racing, a yacht shall not receive advantageous radio communication not available to all yachts.

 17.  COMMITTEE BOAT

Committee Boat duty will be shared equitably among race participants.

 18.  SKIPPER’S MEETINGS

Skipper’s Meetings will be held at a time determined by the Race Committee before each race at the Clubhouse in Seward.

Web links for racing rules:

http://home.ussailing.org/ This creates and maintains the rules and regulations of sailboat racing.

  Please e-mail our webmaster with any site questions.

Copyright 2002 - William H. Seward Yacht Club