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Sailing Instructions for Hickling Broad Sailing Club

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01. Rules
02. Conditions of entry
03. Safety
04. Communications with competitors
05. Course instructions
06. Starting times
07. Fixed line starts: Clubhouse line
08. Fixed line starts: Committee boat
09. Gate starts
10. Recalls
11. Finishing line: Clubhouse line
12. Finishing line: Committee boat
13. Finishing: Average lap method
14. Touching a mark
15. Alternative penalties for an infringement of a rule of part 2
16. Shortening the course after the start
17. Protests
18. Scoring system
19. Handicaps
20. Map of marks


1. RULES

Racing will take place under the current racing rules of sailing 2001-2004(RRS), the prescriptions of the RYA, these sailing instructions, and, when relevant, the appropriate class rules.

For further information on the RYA rules see: www.rya.org.uk
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2. CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

(a) The safety of a boat and her entire management including insurance shall be the sole responsibility of the owner/ competitor racing the boat who must ensure that the boat and crew are adequate to face the conditions that may arise in the course of the race. Neither the establishment of these sailing instructions nor the inspection of the boat under these conditions in any way limits or reduces the absolute responsibility of the owner/competitor for his crew, his boat and the management thereof. The race organisers shall not be responsible for any loss, damage, death, or personal injury howsoever caused to the owner/competitor, his skipper 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.

(b) For Open Class meetings, valid certificates must be available for inspection. Boats may also be subject to examination.

(c) Boats must be entered at the clubhouse before the warning signal for their race is made.
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3. SAFETY

Personal buoyancy - Junior members and children under the age of 12 shall wear adequate personal buoyancy whilst afloat. Each competitor is individually responsible for wearing personal buoyancy adequate for the conditions. Wet suits or dry suits do not constitute adequate personal buoyancy.

Rescue Facilities - A powered rescue craft shall be on stand-by during all official club activities.
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4. COMMUNICATIONS WITH COMPETITORS

Flag signals in accordance with RRS will be used for warning, preparatory, and starting signals and attention will be drawn to them by audible signals from the clubhouse or committee boat.
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5. COURSE INSTRUCTIONS

Numbered or lettered buoys mark the course. All other stakes etc., are not part of the course. Buoys numbered 1 to 5 are laid in established positions on the Broad as shown on the map in the clubhouse. Additional buoys may be laid to ensure that courses with windward legs may be set, or for other reasons. These buoys will be selected from W or 6. The approximate position of these marks, when in use, will also be shown on the map in the clubhouse. The direction of start, the number of rounds to be sailed and the order in which buoys are to be rounded,[reading from left to right] will be displayed on the clubhouse. The colour of the board on which the buoy number is painted indicates the side on which that buoy is to be rounded.
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6. STARTING TIMES

Starting times of races will be displayed on a notice board in the clubhouse. All starting times after the start of the first race or series of races will be approximate. Races will be started using rule 26 system 1 with classes starting at 3 minute intervals.
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7. FIXED LINE STARTS: CLUBHOUSE LINE

The starting line will be taken as the transit formed by the red and white staff surmounted by a triangle at the waters-edge of the club site, and the white staff surmounted by a disc on the balcony in front of the Clubhouse. All starts shall be made between the Inner and Outer distance markers which are white buoys with yellow flags.
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8. FIXED LINE STARTS: COMMITTEE BOAT

An orange flag flown at the clubhouse will signify that a committee boat starting line will be used for the next series of starts. Two sound signals will be made when this flag is broken out. The starting line will be a line between the mast of the committee boat and an orange buoy with a yellow flag. An extra buoy ( orange with a yellow flag ) may be laid as a limit mark adjacent to the committee boat. No boat shall pass between this limit mark and the committee boat after the preparatory signal. The course details and number of rounds will be displayed on the clubhouse as in S.I.5. An X on the course board denotes the position of the starting line in relation to the rest of the course. The buoy number to the right of the X will be the first mark of the course following the start, after which the course sailed will be as displayed, ignoring the X on subsequent rounds. The position of the starting line will also be indicated on the map in the clubhouse. A bell may be used at the clubhouse as a sound signal approximately 10 minutes before the start of the next series.
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9. GATE STARTS

Special sailing instructions will be issued when gate starts are used.
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10. RECALLS

Individual recalls - When at her starting signal any part of a boat's hull, crew or equipment is on the course side of the starting line, the boat shall sail completely to the pre-start side of the line before starting. In the event of a boat or boats being over the line at the start, an audible signal will be made once and the flag X will be displayed until all such boats are completely on the pre-start side of the starting line, or after 2 minutes, whichever is the earlier.

General recall - If there are a number of unidentified boats failing to start correctly or there is an error in starting procedure, a general recall may be signalled by displaying the First Substitute flag and by making two audible signals. The class flag of the class being recalled will remain flying and the preparatory signal (Code flag P) together with the warning signals (class flags) for any following starts will be lowered. After 2 minutes the First Substitute flag will be lowered and one sound signal made. One minute later the preparatory signal (Code flag P) for the recalled class will be made together with the warning signal (class flag) of the next class in the series if necessary. The start for the recalled class will then take place exactly 3 minutes later. Note. The above procedure means that, as a result of the general recall, the start of the recalled class and any subsequent starts in the series will be delayed by exactly 6 minutes.
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11. FINISHING LINE: CLUBHOUSE LINE

The finishing line is as defined in SI 7, between the inner and outer distance marks. A round is completed each time a boat crosses the transit for the finishing line in the direction indicated by the arrow on the course board.
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12. FINISH LINE: COMMITTEE BOAT

If a committee boat finish is to be used, this will be indicated on the courseboard. The finishing line will be between the mast of the Committee boat and the orange buoy with a yellow flag. Boats must finish in the same direction as the start. When a committee boat finish is used then a round is completed each time a boat crosses the extension of the finishing line, in the direction to finish, on the leg containing X.
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13. FINISHING: AVERAGE LAP METHOD

When Flag 'U' is displayed and two audible signals are made, complete the lap and finish in the direction of the arrow from the last mark of the course, at the end of a complete lap.
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14. TOUCHING A MARK

RRS rule 31.shall apply ( After getting well clear of other boats as soon as possible, take a penalty by promptly making one complete 360 degree turn including one tack and one gybe.)
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15. ALTERNATIVE PENALTIES FOR AN INFRINGEMENT OF A RULE OF PART 2

RRS rule 44 shall apply (After getting well clear of the other boats as soon after the incident as possible, a boat takes a 720 degree turns penalty by promptly making two complete 360 degree turns in the same direction, including two tacks and two gybes.) The scoring penalty rule 44.3 will not apply.
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16. SHORTENING THE COURSE AFTER THE START

Rule 32 is changed. The race committee may shorten the course at any time it sees fit. The meaning of flag S is changed. It means the course is shortened. This will be signalled at any mark rounding, before the lead boat has begun the next leg, by displaying flag S and two sound signals made. The next mark for the lead boat is the last mark of the course. Pass it on the required side and sail straight to the finishing line and finish.
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17. PROTESTS

Protests shall be made in accordance with RRS rules and handed in within 30 minutes after the last boat in the race finishes. The protest will be heard as soon as possible. The quorum of the protest committee shall be three persons. Protest forms may be obtained from the starting box.
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18. SCORING SYSTEM

The low point scoring system, rule A2 will apply. (The winning helmsman in each race of a points series will score 1 point, the second 2 points, and the others finishing the same number of points as their position. A starter who does not finish, who retires through an infringement of the rules, or who is disqualified will receive points that are one more than the number of starters in that race. For Regattas and Open Events, a helmsmen who has entered a race but does not start or rank as a starter, will receive points for that race equal to one point more than the number of entries for that race. In the event of a tie in a points series the tie shall be broken in favour of the boat with the most first places, or, if the tie remains, the most second places, or lower places if necessary, using only the scores for each boat that count for her series, followed if necessary by the last race procedure.) Special instructions for Club Spring and Summer points series days.

(a) For races fewer than three starters the following points will be awarded for finishing the race; one starter- 3 points; 2 starters- first 2 points, second 3 points. No points will be awarded for retirement or disqualification.

(b) Where a class race has only one entry, the boat may race in the appropriate All-Comers race, for which a corrected time will be given, and three points will be awarded to the class race as in (a) above.
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19. HANDICAPS

Boats will be handicapped on the R.Y.A. system using the Portsmouth Numbers Scheme as a basis. The Sailing Sub-committee will adjust numbers as necessary and their decision shall be final. All-Comers A are defined as boats with numbers of 1078 and under, All-Comers B as boats with numbers of 1079 to 1287, and All-comers C as boats with numbers of 1288 and over. Class dinghies which do not comply with the rules of their class relating to the number of crew to be carried shall have a penalty of 2% added to their elapsed times in open events but no penalty in club events.
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Copyright © Hickling Broad Sailing Club, Norfolk, UK 2007. Email us