Bluenose Regatta

HARBOR ISLAND YACHT CLUB

Old Hickory Lake, Nashville, Tennessee

November 2-4, 2007

 

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

1.             RULES - This regatta will be governed by the Rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).

 

2.             ENTRIES - The regatta will be open to all Lightnings as defined by the ILCA. Skippers must meet all class membership requirements and their boats must meet all measurement requirements. Participants must enter by completing registration at the table in the HIYC clubhouse before the skippers' meeting.

 

3.             NOTICES TO COMPETITORS

3.1.        Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located on the south window of the clubhouse.

3.2.        There will be a competitors' meeting at 0900 Saturday in the clubhouse.

 

4.             CHANGES IN SAILING INSTRUCTIONS - Any change in the sailing instructions will be posted by 0900 each day, except that any change in the schedule of races for Sunday will be posted by 1600 on Saturday.

 

5.             SIGNALS MADE ASHORE

5.1.        Signals made ashore will be displayed from the committee boat at the dock.

5.2.        Code flag "AP", the Answering Pennant, with two cannons, means "The race is postponed".  The warning signal will be made not less than 30 minutes after "AP" is lowered (accompanied by one cannon when lowered).

5.3.        Code flag "L" means that a change in sailing instructions has been posted on the official notice board.

 

6.             SCHEDULE OF RACES

6.1.        The warning signal for the first race Saturday will be at 1025 with more races to follow if conditions permit.

6.2.        The warning signal for the first race Sunday will be at 0955 with other races to follow if conditions permit. 

6.3.        There will be no warning signals after 1225 Sunday.

6.4.        The official time will be kept by the Race Committee Clock above the coffee maker in the clubhouse ashore and by the PRO's watch (synchronized to the RC Clock) on the race committee boat on the water.

 

7.             RACING AREA

7.1.        Race courses will be set outside the harbor on Old Hickory Lake and may intersect the navigational channel.  Commercial traffic (barges) and deep-draft craft in the channel have right-of-way over sailboats and must be treated with utmost respect.  When a boat sailing under these rules meets a vessel that is not, the rules of Part 2 (When Boats Meet) are replaced by the Inland Navigational Rules.  Any boat impeding the passage of a right-of-way vessel is subject to protest and disqualification by the race committee or protest committee.

7.2.        The location of the course will depend on the wind direction and velocity.  The "Upper Course" is upstream of the harbor entrance (northeast, or to the right as you sail out of the harbor, avoiding the shoal near Duck Island).  The "Lower Course" is west of the harbor entrance (to the left as you leave the harbor, staying in the channel marked by red nuns and green buoys).

 

8.             THE COURSE

8.1.        The diagram below illustrates the “I” course, the order in which the marks are to be rounded and the side on which each mark is to be left.  This will be the course for each race.

8.2.        On the "I" course there will be a windward mark and an offset mark approximately 5-10 boat lengths away, both to be rounded to port.  At the leeward end of the course there will be a "gate" between two marks  approximately 6-8 boat lengths apart.  Boats must first pass between these marks (through the "gate") from the direction of the windward marks and can round either mark to go upwind.

8.3.        Marks 3 and 3A may not be in the positions illustrated at the start.  The starting mark may be moved to position 3 or 3A after the start to achieve the course configuration illustrated.

8.4.        Mark 1 may serve as the finishing mark for windward finishes.

8.5.        The course will not be shortened to fewer than three legs.

 

COURSE I Start,1,1A,3(A),1,1A,3(A),Finish

 

9.             MARKS - Marks of the course will be orange spheres.

 

10.         THE START

10.1.    Races will be started in accordance with RRS 26.

10.2.    The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the race committee boat at the starboard end and the course side of the port end starting mark.

10.3.    A boat starting later than five minutes after her starting signal will be scored DNS.  This changes RRS A4.1.

10.4.    The I Flag Rule (aka "Round the Ends Rule" ) (RRS 30.1) will be in effect for every start. 

 

11.         RECALLS - Individual recalls will be signaled in accordance with RRS 29.1.  The race committee will also make every effort to hail the sail number(s) of any boat(s) starting prematurely.  Failure of the race committee to hail or failure of a boat to hear her hail shall not be grounds for redress.  This changes RRS 29 and 62.1(a).

 

12.         CHANGE OF COURSE

12.1.    If the moved mark (or the moved finish line) is repositioned more than 20 degrees, the change shall be signaled in accordance with RRS 33.

12.2.    If the moved mark (or the moved finish line) is repositioned less than 20 degrees, the change shall not be signaled.  This changes RRS 33.

 

13.         THE FINISH - The finishing line will be between the staff displaying an orange flag on the committee boat and the course side of the finishing mark.

 

14.         TIME LIMIT - If the first boat does not round the first mark within forty minutes or complete the race in two hours, the race shall be abandoned.

 

15.         SCORING

15.1.    Each boat finishing in a race and not thereafter retiring or being disqualified will be scored points equal to her finishing place.  DNC, DNS, DNF and RAF score point equal to one more than the number of boats entered in the series.  OCS, DNE, DGM and DSQ score points equal to two more than the number of boats entered in the series.  RDG scores the number of points equal to the finishing position awarded her after a hearing of request for redress.

15.2.    Each boat's series score will be the sum of her scores for all races, excluding her worst score if six races are completed. 

15.3.    Boats which tie in a single race shall score points equal to the best position involved.  The position(s) immediately following that shall remain vacant.  (This modifies RRS A7).

15.4.    When there is a tie on total points between two or more boats at the end of a series, the tie will be broken in favor of the boat or boats with the most first places...and when a tie remains, the most second places...and so on.  When a tie still remains, it shall be broken in favor of the boat which beats the other(s) in the last untied race of the series.  (All races, including those excluded in calculating total scores in accordance with 15.2 above, will be considered for the purpose of breaking ties).  (This modifies RRS A8).

 

16.         PROTESTS

16.1.    Protests shall be filed in accordance with RRS 61.

16.2.    “Protest Filing Time” will begin when the committee boat docks and will end one hour later.  These times will be posted on the official notice board.

16.3.    Protests shall be written on forms found in the "Protest Box" on the bookshelf and delivered to the Protest Committee Chairperson before the end of "Protest Filing Time."

16.4.    Protest notices will be posted within 30 minutes of the end of "Protest Filing Time" to inform competitors where and when there will be a hearing to which they are parties or in which they are named as witnesses.

16.5.    Protests will be heard in approximately the order of receipt, as soon as possible.

16.6.    A Race Committee or Protest Committee taking action under RRS 60.2 or 60.3 must do so within one half hour (rather than the time allowed by RRS 61.3) after any other protests are heard.

16.7.    Decisions of the Protest Committee may be appealed to the ILCA Executive Committee.

 

17.         ALTERNATIVE PENALTIES - A boat that may have broken a rule of Part 2 while racing under spinnaker may exonerate herself by sailing well clear of other boats promptly, dousing her spinnaker (head below gooseneck), making one turn including a tack and a gybe, and then resetting her spinnaker.  This changes RRS 44.2.

 

18.         SAFETY

18.1.    We encourage competitors to wear PFDs at all times.  However, the decision to wear or not to wear a PFD is solely the responsibility of each competitor.

18.2.    A boat which retires from a race shall make all reasonable effort to notify the race committee of her retirement on the water.  If that is not possible, she should notify the race committee immediately upon its return to shore.

 

19.         PROPULSION - The following modifies RRS 42.3(c):  On a free leg of the course, when surfing or planing is possible, the boat's crew may, in order to initiate surfing or planing, pump the sheet, but not the guy, controlling any sail, but only once for each wave or gust of wind.  When the mainsail is pumped, only that part of the sheet between the crew member handling the sheet and the first block on the boom shall be used.

 

20.         CONDITIONS - The ILCA Executive Committee, the ILCA Measurement Committee or their designated representatives (in that order) shall rule on a boat's eligibility in all instances.

 

21.         PRIZES - Prizes will be awarded to the top ten boats in the overall standings.