SCSC 2022 Sailing Instructions | South Cork Sailing Club

SCSC 2022 Sailing Instructions – Please also read the Racing Rules of Sailing 2021 – 2024

Notes

1. Notice of Race & Entry Form – all helmsmen shall complete a NOR/Entry Form for the season’s racing PRIOR to taking part in their first race of the season. Parents or guardians must counter-sign Entry Forms for Cadets. Forms are available from the Commodore or Committee and on this website. Failure to do so will result in the boat being scored DNS.

2. Committee. SCSC’s committee for 2021 includes:

Commodore: Seán Cochrane

Hon Sec: Richard Salter-Townshend

Treasurer: Emma Bunting

Racing Secretary: Michael Toogood

Safety Boat Officer: Jerome Mayhew

Class Captains: to be appointed by the committee if required

3. Wearing of Lifejackets. The law stipulates the mandatory wearing of Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) and should be worn afloat at all times

4. Penalties. Penalties can be taken as per ISAF rules 2021 – 24 at any time by immediately sailing clear AND taking 2 tacks and 2 gybes. Protests must be advised to the party that you are protesting in compliance with ISAF rules and advised to the race officers at the earliest opportunity. Protests will be heard informally by an ad hoc committee chaired by disinterested members of a committee comprising the Racing Secretariy and their Assistants. Final decision may be made by a vote of participating helmsmen.

5. Use of VHF Radios – VHF radios may be carried but not used to communicate non-safety information. Race officers to use CH 11

6. IRPCS. When entering or leaving the harbour, IRPCS (Rules of the Road) apply when encountering boats not racing, including power/motor boats needing to navigate in the channel.

7.Course. Courses will be decided at a Pre-Race meeting daily (see NoR). Racing marks are situated approximately as per appendix

RISK STATEMENT

RRS 4 states: “The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.” Sailing is by its nature an unpredictable sport and therefore involves an element of risk. By taking part in the event, each competitor agrees and acknowledges that:

They are aware of the inherent element of risk involved in the sport and accept responsibility for the exposure of themselves, their crew and their boat to such inherent risk whilst taking part in the event;

They are responsible for the safety of themselves, their crew, their boat and their other property whether afloat or ashore;

They accept responsibility for any injury, damage or loss to the extent caused by their own actions or omissions;

Their boat is in good order, equipped to sail in the event and they are fit to participate;

The provision of a race management team, patrol boats, umpires and other officials and volunteers by the organiser does not relieve them of their own responsibilities;

The provision of patrol boat cover is limited to such assistance, particularly in extreme weather conditions, as can be practically provided in the circumstances;

Their boat is adequately insured, with cover of at least Euro2 million against third party claims.

1 – GENERAL RULES

1.1 Except where amended by these Sailing Instructions (SIs), all races will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 2021 – 24

1.2 The programme of racing is as published in the minutes of the previous year’s AGM and NOR.

1.3 When sailing in the harbour all Helmsmen are required to keep clear of commercial and fishing boats.

2 – CONDITIONS OF ENTRY & NOTICE TO COMPETITORS

2.1 All helmsmen shall complete a Notice of Race/Entry Form for the season’s racing PRIOR to taking part in their first race of the season. The Notice of Race provides detailed guidance on the responsibilities of the helmsman for the crew, the boat and her management. Cadet entries shall be counter-signed by a parent or guardian. Helms failing to complete the form prior to racing will be scored DNS.

2.2 Upon demand the owner/competitor shall present a valid measurement, rating certificate or proof of insurance, or shall sign an undertaking to present one within a prescribed time, to the appropriate Race Officer.

2.3 Notices to competitors will be posted on the Sailing Notice Board opposite Mall House.

Safety Afloat & Equipment.

2.4 The sea is a potentially hostile environment; by the very act of going afloat, competitors must accept that the safety of the boat they are in is the sole responsibility of the helmsman. It follows therefore that by participating in a race or activity afloat, competitors shall accept full responsibility for:-

(a) The boat’s safe navigation and the competence of the crew.

(b) The decision as to whether to start, continue in or retire from a race in the light of existing or forecast weather conditions or any gear failure on the boat.

2.5 Adequate personal floatation devices EN393/ISO 12402-5 (or EC 50N) compliant for all crew members shall be worn at all times afloat. Wet suits or dry suits do not constitute adequate personal buoyancy.

2.6 The responsibility of allowing a Cadet to race rests with the Parent or Guardian, who must ensure that they can swim at least 50 metres and can row or paddle a boat.

2.7 Parents and Guardians are responsible for ensuring that dinghies where crews are under 18 can be righted after capsizing, and that they contain sufficient buoyancy to remain afloat for at least half an hour. They should consider using mast head buoyancy if considered necessary to prevent inversion and ensure appropriate retention is fitted to the centre board and rudder to prevent displacement of foils in the event of inversion.

3 – CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

3.1 Changes to the SIs made prior to 1 hour before the starting time of the race will be advised at the Pre-Race meeting and thereafter posted on the Club website or communicated to helms via the Whatsapp group.

4 – SIGNALS MADE FROM ASHORE

4.1 Signals made from ashore will be flown from or adjacent to the flagpole at Rocket House.

5 – SCHEDULE OF RACES

5.1 Please see Notice of Race

6 – CLASS FLAGS

6.1 There are no Class flags in use

7 – RACING AREA

7.1 The racing area is shown on Page 4.

8 – THE COURSE

8.1 The course to be decided upon at the Pre-Race meeting and posted thereafter on the Club Website and the WhatsApp group

8.2 Should wind direction change prior to starting with a prevailing South Westerly at the discretion of the Race Officer the course could be changed prior the warning signal to a default course of Flea – Castlehaven – Harbour, all to Starboard, Twice round.

9 – MARKS

9.1 Marks of the course will be either Navigational buoys or Racing Marks, as shown on the chart of the area, or Inflatable moveable buoys.

10 – Safety boat

10.1 Appropriate safety boat cover will be provided for the conditions.

10.2 If in a championship race for whatever reason adequate safety boat cover is not available the helms competent to provide safety cover will draw lots as to who will do so and that helm will score ‘average points’ for that race taking into account all their other championship races in that series.

11 – THE START

11.1 Races will be started in accordance with RRS 26 (or as shown in the NoR):

11.2 Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall keep clear of the starting area.

11.3 A boat starting later than 15 minutes after her starting signal will be scored DNS without a hearing. This changes RRS A4 and A5.

11.4 Championship and Sunday all-comers races and Mahony cup race will be started by the Race Officers situated on the wall of Rocket House Garden. The races are started on a line extending between the flagpole and the south distance/outer limit marker. A North Distance/inner distance marker is laid but will not be on the line – all boats must pass between the two marks to start.

11.5 Cadet races may be started either using the start line above (as in 11.4) or by a race officer situated in a committee boat on the water where the line will be between the Flag on the committee boat and the south distance/outer limit marker or suitable pin end buoy. Cadets will be informed about this at the pre-race meeting.

12 – CHANGES OF COURSE AFTER THE START

12.1 A change of course after the start will be signalled at the flagpole before the leading boat has begun the altered leg. A periodic sound signal will be made and Flag C will be raised.

13 – THE FINISH

13.1 The Finishing Line is a line extending between the flagpole and the south distance/outer limit marker. Boats must cross the line such that they are between the North and South distance marks. If the course has been shortened boats may finish anywhere on the line or its extensions outside the limit markers

13.2 Cadets may be finished on the line as in 13.1 above or between the committee boat and a suitable finishing mark

14 – PENALTY SYSTEM

14.1 Penalty – the penalty shall be to sail clear immediately and undertake two tacks and a two gybes

15 – TIME LIMIT

15.1 A dead time will be decided on at the Pre-Race meeting and boats failing to finish within the allowed time will be scored “Did Not Finish”

16 – PROTESTS & REQUESTS FOR REDRESS

16.1 RRS 61.1 applies; however boats under 6m not required to display a Red Protest Flag shall inform the Race Committee immediately after finishing that they wish to bring a protest. This shall be before they return to their mooring or the slipway.

16.2 Protest notices will be posted within 30 minutes of the protest time limit to inform competitors where and when there is a hearing in which they are parties to a hearing or named as witnesses.

17 – SCORING – ¾ for first, 2 for second etc

Rule A5.3 will apply. A boat that came to the starting area but did not start, did not sail the course, did not finish, retired or was disqualified shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats that came to the starting area, and a boat that did not come to the starting area shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats entered in the series

18 – SAFETY REGULATIONS – see SI 2.4 to SI 2.7.

19 – REPLACEMENT OF CREW OR EQUIPMENT – no restriction on changes – the boat is entered for a race and unless advised helmsmen may be changed at will.

20 – EQUIPMENT AND MEASUREMENT CHECKS – see SI 2.2.

21 – OFFICIAL BOATS – Club owned craft will normally be used; if private craft are used they will identify themselves to competitors.

22 – SUPPORT BOATS – unless declared as a training race, no outside assistance shall be given after the Preparatory Signal of the class starting.

23 – TRASH – trash may be placed aboard support or official boats. The penalty for breaking rule 55, Trash Disposal, is at the discretion of the protest committee (DPI) and may be less than disqualification.

24 – RADIOS AND MOBILE PHONES

24.1 Use of VHF radio or mobile phones to gain information that may assist a boat to improve its position is not allowed. VHF may be carried and tuned to Channel 11 so that safety & race management information may be passed.

25 – DECLARATIONS, RETIREMENTS, RESULTS & PRIZES

25.1 Any boat which crosses the Finishing Line and does NOT signify EITHER that she has retired OR that she is protesting in accordance with RRS 61.1(a) shall be deemed to have completed the race in accordance with the Sailing Instructions and declarations will NOT be required. Boats retiring from a race shall inform the Race Officer or Club Secretary as soon as possible.

25.2 Results will be posted on the Club Notice Board and on the Club Website.

25.3 Prizes as detailed in the Club programme or NoR.

26 – RISK STATEMENT – see the Risk Statement on page 1 of these Instructions.

27 – INSURANCE – each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance with a minimum cover of Euro 2m.

FLAGS AND SIGNALS (refer to RRS for full list)

Before the start
Warning Signal Recall letter on wall Start – 5 mins	Preparatory Signal P flag to half flag pole Start – 4 mins	One minute P flag to top of flag pole Start – 1 mins	Start Flag removed Start
NB – timing is as per flags not accompanying sound signals
At the start (only where recalls are being made)
Over the Line Boat’s individual recall letter displayed and hailed where possible	General Recall X Flag Or First Substitute
One additional (to start gun) sound signal	Two additional (to start gun) sound signals
Shorten Course (S Flag)	Change of Course (C Flag)	Protest (Z Flag)	Race Abandoned (N Flag)