TSC Dinghy Sailing Instructions

TUDOR SAILING CLUB – SAILING INSTRUCTIONS FOR DINGHIES

From 1 st April 2008

1 RULES

Races will be governed by the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing 2005 – 2008, the prescriptions of the Royal Yachting Association, the rules of each class concerned and by these sailing instructions.

2 ENTRIES AND DECLARATIONS

All competitors must sign on before a race. Competitors who fail to sign on may be protested by the Race Officer. Two boats shall constitute a race. Finishing declarations are not required. A boat that does not finish or retires after finishing shall notify the Race Officer as soon as possible or indicate this on the Signing on sheet.

Race Duty Compensation

Helms who are doing Race Officer or Patrol Boat duty for a race in a series may claim compensation points for that race. To do this they must sign on with their boat details and must write ‘Duty’ in the ‘Finish Time/DNF/Duty’ column.

3 ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Any additions or changes to these sailing instructions will be posted on the race notice board.

4 SAFETY

• The race organisers shall not be liable for any loss, damage, death or personal injury howsoever caused to the owner/competitor or crew, as a result of their taking part in the race or races. Moreover, every owner/competitor warrants the suitability of his boat for the race or races. Helms are responsible for both their personal safety and that of their crew; they are the sole judges of whether their experience is sufficient for the prevailing conditions.

Personal Buoyancy

Buoyancy aids must always be carried for all persons on the boat and must be worn when conditions so require. Under 18s must wear buoyancy aids at all times. When Flag 'Y' is displayed before or with the warning signal, adequate personal buoyancy shall be worn while racing by all competitors. Wet or dry suits and buoyancy aids must be worn by all competitors during all races held between 1st November and 31st March inclusive.

5 CLASS WARNING FLAGS

The warning flag for each race will be stated on the race notice board or on the signing on sheet.

6 COURSE

For a club line start the course will be described on the race notice board.

• For a committee boat start the course will either be described on the race notice board or be communicated from the committee boat.

7 START PROCEDURE

Racing rule 26 shall apply. The following sequence shall be used:

Signal Flag Sound Minutes Before Start

Warning Class Flag Up 1 sound 5

Preparatory Flag P up 1 sound 4

One Minute Flag P down 1 long sound 1

Start Class Flag down 1 sound 0

8 START LINE

Club Line: The line is the extension of a line through the centres of two orange triangles in front of the clubhouse. There is an outer distance mark at the Eastern end of the line; an ‘X’ on a post. Boats must pass to the West of this mark when starting. (Note that the outer distance mark may not lie exactly on the line).

Committee Boat Line: The line will be between a mast or staff flying the club burgee on the committee boat and an outer distance mark. An inner distance mark may be laid in which case boats must pass between the outer and inner distance marks when starting.

9 RECALLS

Individual recalls will be signalled in accordance with racing rule 29.1 (Flag 'X' displayed with one sound signal).

General recalls will be signalled in accordance with racing rule 29.2 (Flag 'First Substitute' displayed with two sound signals; a new warning signal will be made one minute after First Substitute is lowered).

The start(s) for succeeding classes will be postponed accordingly.

10 FINISH LINE

Club Line: As described in 8 (Start Line). Boats must pass to the West of the outer distance mark when finishing.

Committee boat line: The line will be between the mast or staff flying the club burgee on the committee boat and an outer distance mark or the mark of the course near which the committee boat is stationed.

11 TIME LIMIT

The time limit for the leading boat in each race is 2½ hours. Boats that do not finish within 1½ hours of the first boat finishing in their race will be scored “Did Not Finish”. These times may be changed on the Signing On sheet or Race Noticeboard. This changes Rule 35.

12 SHORTENING COURSE

When Flag 'S' (with 2 sounds)is displayed this indicates that the leading boat will finish when it next crosses the finish line in the same direction as the start. The remaining boats will finish after sailing the same number of laps.

Shorter course for slow classes:

Boats with Portsmouth numbers 1156 or greater may be finished after fewer laps than the rest of a handicap fleet.

This will be signalled by the display of Flag 'D' (with 2 sounds) at the finish line which indicates that the leading boat of the slow classes will finish when it next crosses the finish line in the same direction as the start. The remaining affected boats will finish after sailing the same number of laps. Corrected times will be scaled upwards as appropriate.

13 PROTESTS

Protests must be lodged with the race officer within one hour of the last boat finishing.

14 SCORING

Scoring will be in accordance with Appendix A(Low Point System). Rule A9 will apply. Two races shall be completed to constitute a valid series. In a series, each boat / helm / handicap number combination will be treated as a separate entry for scoring.

Helms claiming Race Duty Compensation will be awarded their average points (all races to count) for the series.

• The number of races to count in a series will be as follows:

15 PRIZES

Prizes will usually be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in club events. However, if there are only three entries then two prizes will be awarded and if there are only two entries then only a first prize will be awarded. 

Important Extracts from The Racing Rules of Sailing, 2005 - 2008

SPORTSMANSHIP AND THE RULES

Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that when competitors break a rule they will promptly take the appropriate penalty.

1 SAFETY

1.1 Helping Those in Danger

A boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger.

[Note: Patrol boats may provide help to a boat or person in danger without the boat having to retire, as long as no advantage is deemed to have been accrued from the help provided.]

1.2 Personal Buoyancy

Each competitor is individually responsible for wearing personal buoyancy adequate for the conditions.

2 FAIR SAILING

A boat and her owner shall compete in compliance with recognised principles of sportsmanship and fair play.

4 DECISION TO RACE

The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.