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Sailing Instructions 2008

1. Racing at Locks SC

Shall be governed by the “rules” as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing and by the Rules and Bye Laws of the Locks SC.

2. Notices to Competitors

Notices to competitors will be posted on the official Notice Board located inside the main entrance to the Locks SC.

3.Changes to Sailing Instructions

Any change to the sailing Instructions will be posted before 0900 on the day it will take effect, except that any change to the schedule of races will be posted by 2000 on the day before it will take effect.

4. Signals Made Ashore

4.1 Signals Made ashore will be displayed at:

4.1a High water race – Locks SC Club Mast

4.1b Low Water race – ECA club mast.

4.2 Juniors & Cadets are required to wear a lifejacket at all times during races and when flag Y is displayed rule 40 applies at all times when afloat to all members. This changes the Part 4 preamble.

4.5 Committee Boat starts may be arranged as noted on the course posted.

5. Schedule of Races

5.1 Racing is as scheduled in the Locks SC Fixture Card 2008

5.2 When more than one race will be held on the same day, the warning signal for the succeeding race will be made five minutes after the last finisher or as soon as practical.

6. The Courses and Marks

6.1 Course(s) to be sailed will be indicated on the Club Notice board half an hour before the scheduled start time.

6.2 Where Windy Corner is the first mark of a course it will be rounded as indicated. In all further requirements to round Windy Corner, Line Buoy is to be substituted.

6.3 All boats must pass between the outer distance mark and the inner distance post at the start of a race and when entering or leaving the Eastney Lake on any leg of a round with the exception of having rounded Windy Corner Buoy.

7. The Start Line

7.1 The starting marks will be:

7.1a The High Water Start Line is an extension of the transit of the two fixed day-glow orange triangles on Mercer Bridge and the Front of the Sailing Club. All boats must start between the orange inner distance pole and the orange outer distance mark.

7.1b Low Water start line isfrom the ECA club start line


8. The Start

8.1 Two boats per fleet must be signed-on and start to constitute a valid race.

8.2 Races will be started using the following signals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded.

8.2a Warning will be with a class flag or flags and sound signal at 5 minutes before the start gun.

Flag P will be flown with a warning sound signal at 4 minutes before the start.

Flag P will be removed with a sound warning at 1 minute before the start.

8.2b Starting will be by sound signal and the removal of the Warning/Class Flag.

9. The Finish Line

9.1a High Water finish line is an extension of the transit of the two fixed day-glow orange triangles on Mercer Bridge and the Front of the Sailing Club. All boats must finish between the orange inner distance pole and the orange outer distance mark.

9.1b Low water finish line is the ECA club mast line.

10. Shortened Courses

10.1 If Flag “S” is hoisted the course will end at the next crossing of the finishing line by the leading boat. Two sound signals may be made to draw attention to shortened course signals.

10.2 The race may also be finished at any time by a Committee Boat or other vessel flying Flag “S” at the course mark nearest to it or any Committee Boat Line.

11. Recalls

Individual recalls will be in accordance with Rule 29.2. The Race Committee may also hail the sail numbers of any premature starters.

12. Penalty System

12.1 Rule 44.2 is changed so that 720 deg turns is replaced by a 360 deg turn.

12.2 No race finish declaration is required.

12.3 Boats retiring must inform the Race Officer immediately on coming ashore.

13. Time Limits

13.1 Time Limit will be three hours for the leading boat and one hour after the leading boat’s finishing time for the remainder of the competitors. If no boat has passed mark one within one hour of the start signal the race will be abandoned.

13.1a Where two races or more are sailed on the same day then the time limit will be one hour for the leading boat and twenty minutes after the leading boat’s finishing time for the remainder of the competitors. Unless amended by the Officer of the Day.

14. Protests and Requests for Redress

14.1 Protest forms are available at the LSC clubhouse and shall be delivered there for attention of the Sailing Secretary within one hour of the last competitor finishing the last race of the day.style="mso-spacerun:yes"> The same time limit applies to requests for redress.

15. Scoring

Place Points will be awarded according to the Low Point scoring system given in Appendix A, Section A2.2.style="mso-spacerun:yes"> Boats that retire or fail to finish within the time limit will be awarded point’s equal to the number of starters in the race plus one.style="mso-spacerun:yes"> Disqualified or non- starting boats will be awarded points equal to the total number of entries for the series plus one.

Ties will be broken in accordance with Appendix A, Section A8.

15.1 The scoring system is as Appendix A of the Racing Rules using the Low Points System.

15.2 One race is required to be completed to constitute a series.

15.3 The number of races comprising a series is as indicated in the published fixture card.

15.4 The number to discard shall be as follows for all Club Races Series;

1 to 2 races completed no discard

3 to 4 races completed 1 discard

5 to 7 races completed 2 discard

8 to 9 races completed 3 discard

10 to 12 races completed 4 discard

15.5 Top Gun Series:

All High Water & Low Water Races as marked in the Calendar 2008 are eligible races for the Top Gun Series,so long as there are five boats signed on for the Fast Fleet and Seven for the Medium Fleet. Half of all races sailed, rounded up, will count for the overall Fleet Winner. The Biggest Fleet winner will receive the Brickwood Cup and the smaller Fleet Winner the Jordan Trophy.

16. Handicap System

16.1 Races will be on Locks Personal Handicap system, which is based on the Portsmouth Tables.

16.2 Personal handicaps will be allocated and amended by the appointed Handicapper every three races or at his and the Sailing Secretaries discretion.

16.3 Personal Handicaps may be carried over to subsequent seasons.

17. Safety Regulations

17.1 Registration – Boats must sign-on at the LSC Club House, completing the official Sign-on Sheet, before the first warning signal.

17.2 The safety Boat must be afloat and in the area of the start before the start sequence can commence complete with a driver and crew.

18. Replacement of Crew or Equipment

18.1 Substitution of helm will not be allowed within a series. Change of helm within a series must be clearly indicated on sign-on and will be scored as a separate entry in that series.

18.2 Substitution of boat will not be allowed within a series, with the exception of the Top Gun Series for the Fast & Medium Fleets.style="mso-spacerun:yes"> Change of boat within a series must be clearly indicated on sign-on and will be scored as a separate entry in that series, with the exception of the Top Gun Series.

18.3 Competitors wishing to use a sail number other than that under which their boat is allocated a handicap must indicate this on the sign-on sheet and seek the approval of the Race Officer at sign-on before racing.

18.4 Any change of rig resulting in a change from one PY rating to another will be considered a new class entry in the series and must be clearly indicated on the sign-on sheet – scores under each rig will be totalled independently.

19. Equipment and Measurement Checks

19.1 All boats must comply with their class rule measurement unless the handicapper has been informed before racing.

19.2 All boats must comply with their class buoyancy rules and test procedures and may be inspected by the Race Officer or a Club Officer at any time.

20. Disclaimer of liability

Competitors participate in the races entirely at their own risk. See rule 4 Decision to Race. The organising authority will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the races.

21. Insurance

Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance for the crew sailing with a minimum cover of £1,000,000 per event.

This last item is a Club Bye law. We never check it, but, by signing on, you are confirming that your boat and insurance are in compliance with the Sailing Instructions and Race Notices.

Jack Miller - Sailing Secretary – Amended March 2007

Reviewed March 2008