Online Resources - Sailing Instructions

POETS 2006 SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Rules:

This series will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing for 2005-2008, the prescriptions of US Sailing, the regulations of PHRF-NR, Class rules for One Designs, and these sailing instructions.

Fleets: Fleets wil be organized as follows:

A Fleet: displacement boats with PHRF 140 and lower

B Fleet: displacement boats with PHRF 141 thru 180

C Fleet: displacement boats with PHRF 181 thru 223

D Fleet: displacement boats with PHRF 224 and higher

Thistles and any other type of boat declaring a one-design fleet before the start of the first race will each be considered One Design Fleets for the season, and will race level in their respective fleets.

Starting Order:

Fleets will start in the following order:

1st start: C and D fleets (yellow flag with the letter C in the center)

2nd start: B, and One-Design fleets (red flag with the letter B in the center)

3rd start: A fleet (blue flag with the letter A in the center)

The start sequence will be:

Class flag 5 min. before start

Preparatory flag 4 min.

Preparatory flag removed 1 min.

Class flag removed START.

For those fleets starting immediately after another fleet, fleets A, B and one design, their class flag will go up at the same time the previous fleet flag goes down which begins their 5 min. warning.

If there is a general recall at the start that fleet will begin a new start immediately after the A-fleet start. Other potential general recalls will follow in consecutive order.

Starting Times:

7:30 p.m. – June and July

7:00 p.m. - August

Course:

The course shall be windward/leeward (see course diagram), with all fleets sailing two times around the course.

Starting line will be between a staff on the committee boat flying an orange flag and an orange buoy at the port end. Starting area is restricted to only the class within its preparatory signal. All other boats shall stay clear of the starting area, or may be subject to protest from affected boats or the race committee.

The windward mark will include a mark and an offset mark. Boats must round both to port (see diagram). At the leeward end marks will be set up in a gate pattern with a 5 boat length separation. Boats must enter between them and either round the starboard mark to starboard or the port mark to port.

The offset windward mark will be set as soon as the start sequence for fleets C and D has begun. The two leeward gate marks will be set immediately after the offset windward mark is set. The mark boat will be ready to set these marks as soon as the race steward is comfortable with the wind direction. This way the race steward could start and cancel the race and only have to move two buoys (the weather buoy and the starting line buoy) before the next start sequence could be started.

Finish line will be a shortened start line and will be closed both directions during the race. Upon finishing, boats are required to sail well clear of the finish area, and of other boats still racing, subject to protest by the race committee or affected yachts.

Shortened Course:

The race may be shortened due to lack of wind per discretion of the race steward. If the short course flag is flying (White flag with blue square) at the windward mark, the race will finish at the start/finish line downwind. If the short course flag is flying at the leeward mark(s), the race will finish at the start/finish line upwind.

Scoring: Boats with current PHRF ratings with adjustments made for equipment and sail modifications will be eligible to participate. Sail measurements must be submitted to the vice commodore or fleet captain before start of series.

Proof of Insurance must be submitted before start of series. Boats without insurance will not be scored.

The time-on-time method will be used with the best 6 scores for each boat counted toward the series.

Race Cancellation and Restart:

The decision to cancel a race due to bad weather will be a joint decision made by a consensus of the fleet captains prior to setting the course. The race steward will make the decision to cancel the race after the start of the race due to lack of wind or the on set of bad weather.

The decision to restart the race will be made by the race steward if there is a major and permanent wind shift that occurs during the early stage of the race.

Protesting and Sportsmanship:

All boats wishing to file a protest must first inform the other boat at the time of the incident that they were fouled and are intending on filing a protest. They must immediately fly a red protest flag. The boat committing the foul can complete a 720 spin (tack/gibes twice completed consecutively) to compensate for the foul and eliminate the need for a protest meeting. This must be done as soon as possible when clear of other boat traffic. If the boat accused of making the foul does not agree and/or does not complete a 720 spin then the protesting boat must continue to fly the red protest flag and inform the race steward at the finish line that they are going to file a protest form.

The protesting boat will have 1 hour after finishing the race to file their protest form with their Fleet Captain, Vice Commodore or other member of the race committee. Protest forms are available on the bulletin boards, in the top drawer of the file cabinet in the upstairs club room, or from your fleet captain. The protest committee will be composed of 1 fleet captain or other knowledgeable person acting as judge and 2 other members participating in that particular race. The protest committee will review the filed protest form and schedule a protest hearing at their discretion. All safety and/or sportsmanship violations should be reported to the fleet captain and/or the vice commodore (not the race steward).

Changes to sailing instructions: these sailing instructions may be amended by posting amendments on the bulletin board(s) of the yacht club no less than 4 hours prior to the next start.