WELSH HARP SAILING ASSOCIATION
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS 2005
1. RULES
Racing will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-8, the Notice of Race, and these Sailing Intructions.
2. CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
a) All boats shall be insured against a third party claim, for a minimum of £1,000,000, at all times when on Welsh Harp premises; a declaration to this effect is a pre-condition of entry.
b) The race Committee may permit a boat to use a sail carrying a number other than the registered boat number. This varies RRS 77.
c) A substitute boat may be permitted at the Race Committee’s discretion provided it has a valid Class certificate and authorisation is obtained before going afloat.
d) Variations granted under b or c will be posted on an official notice board.
3.SAFETY
a) The safety of a boat and her entire management including insurance shall be the sole and inescapable responsibility of the person designated in charge on the Entry Form. The race organisers shall not be responsible for any loss, damage, death, or personal injury howsoever caused by anybody as a result of taking part in this event.
b) It is recommended, but not compulsory that adequate personal buoyancy be worn by all competitors when afloat. This amends RRS 40.
c) The Blue Buoys mark underwater hazards protruding from the shore and rank as obstructions to sea room.
d) Boats shall not pass between the Yellow Boom and the Dam, nor through the line of White Buoys at the east end of the lake. These rank as obstructions to sea room, and boats entering without good cause may be disqualified.
e) A capsized boat, whose mast is stuck in the mud may receive assistance from the safety boat only to bring her mast up to the surface of the water, without having to retire. This alters RRS 41.
4. CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Changes to these Sailing Instructions may be made at a briefing, or by a Notice posted at least 30 minutes before the first race.
5. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
Notices will be posted on the board at the Signing-on Box and/or on Club Notice Boards.
6. SCHEDULE OF RACES
The scheduled number of races is shown in the Notice of Race
7.COURSE INSTRUCTIONS
Courses will be displayed on the Committee Boat. The marks and the sides to which they must be left will be indicated by numbered plates on a red (Port) or a green (Starboard) background. The number of laps will be shown on a white background.
Changes to an advertised course will be prefaced by the hoisting of Int. Code Flag C, accompanied by two sound signals.
8. STARTING TIMES
The time of the first race is listed in the Notice of Race. Times of subsequent starts will be shown on the Notice Board.
9. THE START
Races will be started in accordance with RRS 26. Class Flags will be used.
The Start Line will be an imaginary line between the mast of the Committee boat and an Outer Limit Mark.
An Inner Limit Mark may be laid and, if so, any boat passing between this and the Committee Boat will be disqualified from that and subsequent starts, if any, in that race unless she successfully protests another boat who caused the infringement. (or for causing the infringement?)
The imaginary line between the IDM and committee boat is not an obstruction within the meaning of the rules
10. RECALLS
a) Individual Recalls for Committee Boat starts will be signalled in accordance with RRS 29.2 by hoisting Int. Code Flag X, accompanied by one extra sound signal. Individual recalls for shore based starts will be signalled by the display of an orange board.
Such signals will be displayed for x minutes or until the last boat returns, whichever is sooner
b) General Recalls will be signalled in accordance with RRS 29.3. In each case, RRS 30.1 (Round the Ends) or 30.3 (Black Flag) may be applied on second or subsequent starts, but sail numbers of premature starters will not be displayed. This amends RRS 30.3.
RRS 30.2 (Z flag) will not apply.
11. THE FINISH
The Finish Line will be an imaginary line between the mast of a Committee Boat flying a Blue Flag and a nearby white mark, OR the nearby mark of the course.
12. SHORTENED COURSE
will be indicated by flying Int. Code Flag S, accompanied by 2 sound signals. This signal will be made from the Committee Boat as the lead boat rounds the last mark of the course prior to the Finish Line
Boats shall continue to round marks of the course in the required order until the Finish Line is reached.
13. PENALTIES
Penalties will be in accordance with RRS 31.2 and 44.2.
14. TIME LIMIT
The Time Limit for each race will be 90 minutes. If the first boat finishes within the last 20 minutes of that time, the Time Limit will be extended for 20 minutes after the Finishing Time of the first boat. Boats not finishing within that time will be scored DNF
15. PROTESTS
Protests must be lodged at the Race Office within 20 minutes of the last boat finishing that race, or pair of races if competitors are requested to stay afloat.
16. SCORING
a) The Low Point Scoring System in RRS Appendix A (Low Points System) shall be used.
17. DECLARATIONS
Unless otherwise stated at a Briefing or in the Notice of Race, helmsmen must sign a declaration for each race that the rules were observed in that race, or retire within 20 minutes of the last boat finishing that race (or pair of races as in 13 above). Any helm not complying with this procedure may be scored as retired without a hearing.