2012 SERIES SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
1. RULES
1.1 The series will be governed by the International Sailing Federation racing rules of Sailing for 2009-2012 as adopted and amended and prescriptions by the US Sailing Association ,except as any of these are altered by these sailing instructions .
2. SKIPPERS MEETING:
2.The skippers meeting will be held at 8.45AM at the Myrtle Beach Yacht club
3. RACING AREA
3.1. Off Little River inlet
4. RACE COURSE
4.1. See page 3 for diagrams .Leave all marks to port: Course will be Triangle or Windward-Leeward
4.2. The compass bearing and distance to the first mark will be displayed off the side of the RC boat if possible.
5. Y FLAG RULE
5.1. Before the start of the race if the Y Flag is displayed off the stern of the RC boat, then the Y Flag Rule will be in effect.
6. THE START
6.1 Races will be started in accordance with racing rule 26. The one minute warning signal will be at 11:09am for an 11:15 start for the first race. The second race will start as soon as possible after the finish of the first race.
7.2. The starting line will be between the pin (red buoy) and a signal flag on the RC boat.
7.3. RC can decide to have a combined or separate start between the 2 fleets.
7.3. Before the warning signal, each yacht shall sail past the stern of the RC boat on starboard tack and hail her sail number which will be acknowledged by the race committee. A yacht failing to do so will be warned once, subsequent violations will result in being scored “Did Not Start” for that violation.
7.5. The class flag and a horn will be used for the warning signal.
7.6. Racing class flag: Blue, Cruising class flag: Orange.
8 RECALLS
8.1 Individual recalls will be signaled by the “X” flag in accordance with racing rule 29.1 ( one sound) or call on the radio.
8.2. When a general recall has been signaled, a new preparatory signal will be made one minute after the lowering of code flag “First Substitute” with one horn sound.
8.3. Recalled yachts may be identified by broadcasting their sail number over the designated VHF channel. Failure of a yacht to see or hear her recall notification shall not relieve her of her obligation to start correctly.
9. ABANDONMENT OR SHORTENED COURSE
9.1. Rule 32 is modified to provide that the race committee may abandon or shorten a race in progress when a change in weather conditions has, in its judgment, made the race an unsatisfactory test of skill.
10. THE FINISH
10.1. The finish line for the course will be between the same marks as the start.
10.2. Finish is always a down wind finish except instructed so by the RC.
11. TIME LIMIT
11.1. The time limit for each fleet will be 45 minutes after the first yacht in that fleet has crossed the finish line
11.2. In the event of light air, the race may be shortened at the leeward mark. Race Committee will fly Code flay “S”.
12. PROTESTS
12.1. Protests shall be written on forms available at the Official Notice Board and lodged there within Protest Time, which will begin when the RC boat docks and end sixty (60) minutes later. Protests shall be posted at the post race party.
12.2. Protest notices will be posted to inform competitors when there is a hearing in which they are interested parties or witnesses. Said notice will state the time and place of hearing and will be posted within one and one half hours after the committee boat docks. The jury will hear protests in approximately the order of receipt.
12.3. Protests to be lodged at the point of arrival of the Race Committee, at the post race party.
13. SCORING
13.1. The Low Point Scoring System, Appendix A, will be used to determine class winners.
13.2. The overall winner of the series will be based on lowest corrected time per mile (Governor’s Cup only).
13.3.
DNF will be scored last place for the boats racing that race.
DNS will be scored last place for the number of boats in the series.
DSQ will be scored last place for the number of boats in the series, plus one.
14. ALTERNATIVE PENALTIES
14.1. The 720 turn penalty, Appendix 44.1 of the racing rules will be used for the entire series. Or1 turn penalty when she has broken rule 31 (touching a mark)
15. RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
15.1. There shall be no communications with the RC except for emergencies and notification of a yacht retiring from the race. The race committee will monitor channel 72.
16. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
16.1. All yachts must conform to class four safety regulations of the US Sailing Recommendations for Offshore Sailing including the Offshore Racing Council (OCR) Special Regulations for Category 4 as amended, with the following amendment. Life jackets will be worn at the start and finish of the race except when the Captain of the boat directs that flotation devices may be set aside.
16.2. A yacht which retires from a race shall notify the race committee either before leaving the course, or if that is impossible, immediately after arriving ashore.
16.3. This series shall be classified as a Category 4 event.
16.4. All yachts shall sail with their propellers locked.
16.5. Classes are defined as:
Class A Racing = Any boat flying the spinnaker. Blue flag
Cruising = Non-Spinnaker. Orange flag
17. IDENTIFICATION
17.1. Each yacht must display appropriate identification numbers on the mainsail and any headsail larger than 140%. Yachts having conflicting or erroneous sail numbers shall notify the race committee. Yachts failing to do so will not be scored.
18. END OF SERIES THROW-OUT RACES
19.1. The number of throw-out races will be 15% of the total number of races sailed rounded up or down to the nearest whole number, with .5 and above being rounded up and everything else rounded down.
