1. Governance
1.1 The racing will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing 2021–2024 and these sailing instructions.
1.2 All racing craft must comply with the relevant class rules that apply at the time.
1.3 Class Measurers, when present MAY check boats for compliance with the class rules at anytime before or during an event.
1.4 In order to constitute a race, a minimum of 2 boats are required to be intending to race at the start signal.
2. Schedule of Races
2.1 Will be as outlined in the relevant NOR or as outlined at the event briefing.
2.2 Warning signals and class flags will be as described in the relevant NOR or as outlined at the event briefing.
2.3 Classes racing at the event will be as outlined in the relevant NOR.
3. Entry to Events
3.1 Competitors are required to enter for the event either online or at the Registration desk on the first morning of an event. Should online entry be compulsory then this will be clearly stated in the relevant NOR.
3.2 There is no requirement to sign off after each race although retiring boats must advise the Race Officer at the earliest opportunity.
3.3 Competitors who have registered online MUST still report to the registration desk upon arrival at YDSC.
4. Gift Aid
4.1 Competitors are reminded that YDSC is a registered charity. Competitors or parents of sailors under 18 who are UK tax payers are requested to sign the Gift Aid form at registration. Thank you.
5. Course
5.1 The course board / map displayed outside on the north side of the clubhouse shows the location of the racing area. The marks of the course are orange/yellow/white buoys numbered and lettered as indicated on the course board. Courses may also be laid using large inflatable buoys.
- Orange / Yellow buoys are numbered evenly, around the edge of the reservoir 2-4-6-8-10-12.
- Red / Pink buoys are numbered uneven, around the edge of the reservoir 1-3-5-7-9-11.
- White buoys running down the centre of the reservoir are lettered A-B-C-D-E.
There is also a line of 3 white buoys demarcating the restricted non sailing area on the far northwest area of the reservoir
5.2 A large Orange pillar buoy may be used to lay a windward mark. This will be referred to as “X” mark.
5.3 Water to the Northwest of the line of white buoys is a restricted non-sailing area and this line and extension may be considered an obstruction, if one or more of the buoys do not form part of the course. In some circumstances a course may include rounding one of the white buoys, but sailing far beyond this line is prohibited.
6. Courses Instructions
6.1 Courses will be indicated by boards coloured either red or green, bearing letters or numbers. Red boards indicate a PORT rounding, and green a STARBOARD rounding. The boards will be located either at the Clubhouse and/or on the Committee Boat. If there is a course change, the course displayed on the committee boat takes precedence. Courses laid using large inflatable buoys may be displayed diagrammatically on a course board at the clubhouse.
6.2 Laps – The maximum number of laps will be shown on a black board with white digits.
6.3 Change of Course – Should the Race Officer decide to change the course or the Start Location before the STARTING SIGNAL, then flag AP will be hoisted and will remain until one minute before the WARNING signal for that race.
6.4 Approximate target length of races will be 45mins.
7. Notices to Competitors
7.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located at the Clubhouse outside first West Window).
8. Changes to Sailing Instructions
8.1 Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted on the official notice board not less than 30 minutes before the start of the race or races concerned, except that any change to the schedule of races will be posted by 20:00 hrs on the day before it will take effect.
9. Signals
9.1 Shore Based Starts – Signals will be displayed on a Flag Staff on the shore. Note: In the event of a postponement or abandonment the appropriate flags may also be displayed on a flagpole in front north west corner of the clubhouse.
9.2 Water Based Starts – Signals will be displayed on the Flag Staff on the Committee Boat displaying an Orange flag.
Note: In the event of a postponement or abandonment the appropriate flags may also be displayed on a flagpole in front northwest corner of the clubhouse. The start sequence will commence no earlier than 15 minutes from the cancellation of the postponement indicated from these shore based signals.
10. Starting races
10.1 Races will be started using RRS26. – 5- 4 – 1 – Go.
10.1 The Class Flag/s to be used will be as described in the NOR or at the briefing.
10.2 The race officer may implement Rule 30.3 U flag or Rule 30.4 (BLACK FLAG) as needed. Rule 30.4 is amended so that in the event of a start being recalled the Race Committee is not required to display sail numbers of all boats disqualified before the next warning signal for that race, but if numbers are not so displayed, then disqualified boats will be allowed to discard the disqualification in calculating their series score.
10.3 Starting will be either shore based or water based.
10.4 Shore Based start lines will be between the Mast on the shore and the outer limit of the start line which will be indicated by Buoy as specified on the course board. An inner limit mark may also be set.
10.5 The Water Based start line will be between the flag mast of the Committee boat displaying an Orange flag, and EITHER a nearby mark of the course OR a temporary mark (Yellow Pillar Type) which will usually have two red strips.
10.6 The race officer MAY lay an inner limit mark to protect the Committee Boat, this mark will be close to the starting line but not exactly on it.
10.7 Multiple class starts will normally be at 5 min intervals. The start of the previous class will be the 5 min warning signal for the subsequent class. The specific arrangements for a multi class event will be described by the race officer at the event briefing.
10.8 Classes that are recalled will go to back of the sequence.
11. Recalls
11.1 Recalls will be in accordance with ISAF Rule 29.
12. Finishing Races
12.1 The Finishing line will be indicated on the course board and will be EITHER,
- Between the Flag Mast of the Committee Boat displaying an blue flag and a nearby mark of the course, OR
- Between the Flag Mast of the Committee Boat displaying a blue flag and a nearby finishing mark, (which may not be a mark of the course except when finishing) and will usually have a blue stripe, OR
- Between the Flagpole on the shore, displaying a blue flag, and a mark of the course or temporary mark.
12.2 Shorten Course – Races may be shortened at the discretion of the Race Officer as per Rule 32.
12.3 After a shorten course signal, all the boats in that fleet will finish as they next cross the finish line.
12.4 Direction of finishing will be from the previous course mark. (As per RRS definition of finishing).
12.5 Boats having finished MUST NOT interfere with boats still racing.
13. Declarations
13.1 Boats crossing the finishing line will be assumed to have sailed the race in accordance with the Racing Rules and will NOT be required to sign a declaration.
13.2 Boats retiring or resigning MUST advise the Race Officer to that effect asap.
14. Time Limits
14.1 Any boat failing to cross the finish line within 20 minutes of the leading boat in that fleet may be deemed to have retired.
14.2 At the discretion of the race officer, in specific class racing, any boat, trailing well behind the main body of the fleet may be given a finishing position on the water. This information will be transmitted to them by a safety boat displaying a W flag.
15. Scoring
15.1 The low points scoring system of ‘APPENDIX A’ will apply.
15.2 The results of handicap races will be calculated using the Portsmouth Yardstick.
16. Discards
16.1 The following discard system will be used:-
- 7 or more race 2 discounts;
- 6 races sailed, 5 to count;
- 5 races sailed, 4 to count;
- 4 races sailed, 3 to count;
- 3 races sailed, 2 to count;
- 2 races sailed, 2 to count;
- 1 race sailed, 1 to count.
17. Dispute procedures
17.1 The Exoneration Penalty will normally comprise of two complete turns for rules 10 to 20.4
Any amendment to this rule will be in the NOR or, placed on the notice board before the start of the event and/or clarified at the briefing.
Boats that hit a course mark will be required to complete one complet turn at the earliest opportunity.
17.2 Advisory Hearing and RYA Arbitration Procedure of the RYA Disputes and Procedures will be available. See Official Notice board for details.
17.3 Protests must be lodged at the Race Office no later than 30 minutes after the finish of the last boat in the last race of the day and a £10 deposit is required (returnable if protest is judged not to be frivolous).
18. Personal Buoyancy
18.1 ISAF Rule 40 [personal buoyancy] applies at all times while afloat.
19. Boat Identification
19.1 All boats must sail under their class insignia and number. Permission to do otherwise must be sought from, and if accepted, granted by the Race Officer on behalf of the Committee PRIOR to racing or disqualification may result.
19.2 At large events the Organising Authority reserves the right to issue bow numbers to each boat to facilitate identification. These must be attached and clearly visible.
20. Rig Changes
Only one rig may be used on the entered boat throughout each event. Boats that have a badly damaged rig may only change to a substitute with the permission of the race officer. Multiple rigged boats eg. ILCA and Aero etc who decide to change their rig will need to discard all previous results within the event.