General Sailing/Racing Instructions

 

                 1.   GENERAL:

These instructions govern all races conducted by the Friday Harbor Sailing Club and may be supplemented by additional Specific Instructions for each racing event.  Should there be a conflict between the General Instructions and the Specific Instructions, the Specific Instructions will govern.

 

2.        RULES:

The 2001-2004 Edition of the Racing Rules of Sailing as adopted by the United States Sailing Association (USSA) will apply except as modified or supplemented by the General or Specific Racing Instructions, including prescriptions.

 

3.        ENTRY:

Refer to the Race Announcement or Specific Race Instructions for eligibility requirements and registration details.

 

4.        RACE COURSES:

The Race Courses for each particular race will be announced in the Specific Race Instructions.

 

5.      RECOGNITION:

Yachts shall sail by the Race Committee Boat prior to the warning signal for the first class and shall be so recognized.  A yacht that has entered the race, but has not been recognized or Did Not Start (DNS) shall be scored as a DNS.

 

6.      STARTING SIGNALS:

Starting signals will be in accordance with USSA Rules Part 3, Paragraph Number 26.  The warning horn and starting sequence are listed as follows:

 

                    Signal                         Flag and Sound                                        Minutes before
                                                                                                                               Starting Signal

 

Warning                   Class Flag: 1 sound                                      5*

 

Preparatory               P, I, Z, Z with I, or black flag: 1 sound            4

 

One-minute              Preparatory flag removed: 1 sound                  1

 

Starting                   Class flag removed                                        0

 

*or as stated in the sailing instructions

 

The warning signal for each succeeding class shall be made with or after the starting signal of the preceding class.

Before the starting signal, the race committee may for any reason postpone (display flag AP, AP over H, or AP over A, with two (2) sounds) or abandon the race (display flag N over H, or N over A, with three (3) sounds).

 

IN THE EVENT OF A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE VISUAL AND SOUND SIGNALS, THE VISUAL SIGNAL GOVERNS.

 

THE RACE COMMITTEE WILL ANSWER NO HAILS AFTER THE WARNING SIGNAL FOR THE FIRST CLASS.

 

7.      RESTRICTED AREA:

Classes not scheduled to start on the next signal shall keep clear of the starting line area.  When not racing a yacht shall avoid interference with any other yacht on the course, which is racing; and is grounds for disqualification.

 

8.      TWICE AROUND:

When code flag “T” is displayed (sail course twice), a yacht shall complete each lap by crossing the finish line from the direction of the last mark.

 

9.      OTHER SIGNALS:

Other signals will be in accordance with USSA Racing Rules of Sailing Part 3.  The more frequently used signals are as follows:

 

A.   POSTPONEMENT:

Before the starting signal, the race committee may for any reason postpone (display flag AP, AP over H, or AP over A, with two (2) sounds) or abandon the race (display flag N over H, or N over A, with three (3) sounds).

 

B.   SHORTEN COURSE:

The shorten course signal will be the code flag “S” (blue square centered on a white field). The Race Committee or the chase boat will fly this signal. The shortened course will be described in the Supplemental Sailing Instructions or verbally from the committee boat or chase boat. The Race Committee can shorten the course without prior notification at any logical mark rounding on the race course by either the Race Committee or the chase boat raising the Shorten Course signal and sounding two (2) short sounds.

 

C.       GENERAL RECALL:

When at the starting signal the race committee is unable to identify boats that are on the course side of the starting line or to which Rule 30 applies, or there has been an error in the starting procedure, the race committee may signal a general recall (display the First Substitute, with two sounds).  The warning signal for a new start for the recalled class shall be made one minute after the First Substitute is removed (one sound), and the starts for any succeeding classes shall follow the new start.

 

D.       INDIVIDUAL RECALL:

When at a boat’s starting signal she must comply with Rule 29.1 or 30.1, the Race Committee shall promptly display flag ‘X’ with one sound.  The flag shall be displayed until all such boats are completely on the pre-start side of the starting line or its extensions and have complied with Rule 30.1 if it applies, but not later than four minutes after the starting signal or one minute before any later starting signal, whichever is earlier.  The Race Committee shall hail all sail numbers of the yachts that have prematurely started.  It is the responsibility of the individual yachts to listen for recalls and to return and restart properly.

 

10. CHASE BOATS:

Chase boats flying the FHSC burgee may be used.  Instructions issued from a chase boat shall be considered as having been issued by the Race Committee.

 

11. FINISHING:

Unless otherwise specified a yacht shall finish by crossing the finish line from the direction of the last mark and the time limit will be listed in the Specific Race Instructions.

 

12.  WITHDRAWLS:

A yacht withdrawing from any race shall notify the Race Committee as soon as possible. The yacht will be scored as a Did Not Finish (DNF). Failure to notify the Race Committee within one half hour (˝) of the time of the last yacht finishing shall result in a disqualification (DSQ) for the race.

 

13.  PROTESTS:

A yacht intending to protest shall fly the code flag “B” or similar red flag, as soon as possible after the foul occurs and continue to fly same until the Race Committee acknowledges the intent to protest.  The protesting yacht shall notify the other yacht of an intention to protest.  Yachts shall notify the Race Committee prior to leaving the race course of their intent to protest.

Protests shall be filed with the Race Committee within one (1) hour of the finish time of the last yacht to finish in the race. Protests shall be submitted to the Race Committee on a standard USSA Protest Form.  Said form shall be available from the Race Committee.  Refer to the Specific Instructions for the time and place of the Protest Hearings.

 

14.  PENALTIES:

The 720-degree rule as described in the USSA Racing Rules Part 4, Rule 44 shall apply to any and all races unless otherwise specified in the Specific Instructions.

 

15.  HANDICAPS:

Refer to the Specific Instructions for the handicap system to be used in determining the order of finish for other than one-design classes.

 

16.  SCORING:

The low point scoring system as defined in USSA Racing Rules, Appendix A shall be used wherein the yacht with the lowest total points shall rank first.

 

17.  TROPHIES:

Trophies shall be presented in accordance with the Specific Instructions. Trophies shall be awarded on the following basis:

               (1). (First Place) for three (3) starters in a class.

               (2). (First and Second Place) for four (4) starters in a class

        (3). (First, Second and Third Place) for five (5) or more starters in a class.

 

18. SAFETY:

All races shall be in conformance of PIYA Category III races per the Pacific International Yachting Association (PIYA) safety regulations unless otherwise stated in the Specific Racing Instructions.

 

The safety of the Yacht and her crew shall be the sole responsibility of the Owner/Skipper of the Yacht.  It is the exclusive responsibility of the Owner/Skipper to decide whether or not to start and/or continue the race. Nothing in these General Sailing Racing Instructions, the Race Announcement or the Specific Sailing Instructions nullifies or diminishes the Owner/Skipper’s total responsibility for his/her yacht and crew.