Race Officer - Guidance Notes
The Race Officer is responsible for:
- Course setting and mark laying
- Safety boat requirements (depending on wind conditions & taking advice from Safety Boat Helm)
- Operating the committee boat
- Starting and managing the race
- Using the computer to enter race results
- Appointing protest committee & arbitration
Contents of this Page
TimesCourse Setting & Mark Laying
Safety Boats
Course Board
Sequence
Committee Boat
Protests
End of Racing
Computer
Times
- Summer (May to end September) - report to OOD at 09.30
- Winter (October to end April) - report to OOD at 09.00
- (n.b. Races must start at the time in the Fixture List)
Course setting and mark laying
Using a Dory lay marks to set a fair, demanding, yet safe racing course for all classes competing in accordance with the appropriate sailing instruction. Make sure:
- Course does not conflict with fishermen on the bank. Allow 50–100m separation & consider the likely course of racing boats
- No part laps to be sailed
- In strong or light winds racing should be limited to the south end of the reservoir.
- In extreme conditions abandon or postpone racing (in consultation with the Safety Boat Helm or a Flag Officer).
Safety boats
Brief safety boat crews on start line procedure and advise OOD if a 2nd safety boat is needed or should be made ready (in consultation with Safety Boat Helm).
Course Board
Draw the course you have laid on the course board, make sure that all the details are correct date, class start times, all marks, class warning flags, provide Sign On/Off sheets on clip boards for all fleets racing.
Sequence
There is a 5 minute sequence for each start.
T minus 5: class flag
T minus 4: Blue Peter
T minus 1: Blue Peter down
Start: class flag down
(Please: Read the instructions for operating the automatic timer)
Committee Boat
Make ready the committee boat: Make sure you have time sheets, pencils, clipboards, flags and a digital watch and the race officers hand book. You may need to take the fuel container afloat.
Lay a start line dead downwind of the windward mark and square to the wind, consider its length and the number of boats starting. In normal circumstances you should assume that you WILL have to move the Committee Boat./p>
Record all boats on every lap as they pass through the gate. Handicap fleet boats must be timed on every lap (record time in time of day format - not elapsed time). During the race watch for boats that retire and record. All sheets must be dated and start time recorded.
Direct safety boat to the assistance of competitors who appear to be in trouble. Give priority to persons, not boats. Safety boat helms can order anybody ashore with or without their boat.
Finish the race in accordance with the shorten course procedure in the sailing instructions. After the last boat has finished check your race sheets for errors. Rewrite the final result if necessary (always keep all sheets) come ashore and collect the sign off sheets from the boat house and go to the computer room and enter the results.
Protests
Consult with the OOD if there are any protests or arbitration. In the event of a protest the Race Officer/OOD will organise a protest jury to hear the case. Follow the procedure in the sailing instructions and alter the results as necessary.
End of Racing
When racing has finished for the day ask the safety boat crews to collect all flags from the marks and put them in the committee boat then collect all the marks, take them ashore remove the ground tackle from them and put ground tackle in the box inside the boat house. In the winter unplug timer and store in computer room. Make sure all the electrics in the committee boat are switched off.
Computer
The use of the computer is fairly intuitive, in any case there is likely to be somebody who can give you assistance. To enter the results you will need to select the series and then the race, modify the start time if you started late. You can then enter results by entering the boat number, then finish time and no. of laps. Then press the calculate results button and print.
Remember that you are in charge of all activities on the water but DO take advice from the Safety Boat Helm or a Club Officer if in doubt.