Colin’s CRIB SHEET   (of OOD Duties)                             ISSUE: First Issue 22.2.04

You must see the current official ‘OOD Guidelines for DSC’ for the full story.

 

Before the Race

1)     13 Days before: Start contacting AODs,                   keep at it!

2)     Prepare yourself; Own Clothing, Timing Watch, Pens, Scrap paper, Calculator, Whistle, Milk!!

3)     Open up the club, fly the Club Flag (top of mast)           and Red Ensign (on the ‘Jack Stay’)

4)     Decide if weather conditions are reasonable for sailing. If in doubt delay the start and discuss with Sailing Committee members. Do not be pressured by sailors, take your time.

5)     Prepare DSC Equipment:    Radios, Race forms, Handicap Tables, Air Horns, Loud Hailer.

6)     Deploy AODs to duties, if necessary recruit extra AODs from bystanders. No racing until adequate AOD cover.

7)     Launch Rescue Boats, Check Fuel, Fully Brief Crews!!! (See official notes),

Instruct rescue crews to be friendly to any non-racing sailors and to rescue them if necessary.

When Juniors are racing (or in strong winds) have a second boat on the water, if possible three.

No racing if adequate safety cover cannot be provided.

8)       Set the Course; if in doubt ask any regular racing helm to assist. Indicate Start time, Type of Race and Number of Laps. (A race can be shortened but not lengthened so set a large number of laps).

9)     Organise Flags on mast. You need: -

AP      P         X                   1st Sub                 N   (only if very windy)

 

Class Flag for each race being sailed.  Gen H/C= No. 2 (See official sheet for others)

      Later, to end the race you will need: -   S        for shorten course.

 

Starting

 This is the ‘Answering Pennant’   (or AP) it is used to postpone a start. It may be used at any time and for any reason up to the moment they go. Sometimes used when the OOD loses the time!

It is hoisted with 2 blasts of sound.                     

Lower any other flags that may be flying. If possible inform the fleet of the reason.

If fleet is ashore; inform them of intended new start time so they can set out at the appropriate time.

 

When ready to re-commence lower AP with 1 blast.

Exactly 1 minute later commence the starting procedure. Make a note of actual Start Times for Result Sheet

 

Starting Procedure

·        Exactly 5 minutes before start time                   Hoist ‘Class’ Flag     1 Blast of sound

·        Exactly 4 minutes before                                    Hoist ‘P’ Flag 1 Blast

·        Exactly 1 minute before                                      Lower ‘P’ Flag           1 Blast

·        Exactly on starting time                          Lower ‘Class’ Flag   1 Blast

 

If a second race is to be started 5 minutes after the first race then hoist the Class Flag for the second race as the first one is lowered and continue the above procedure.

 

Recall  (to call a few boats back)
If any boats are over the start line and you can identify all of them  !!!!

 Hoist the ‘X’ Flag      with   1 Blast (It may sound like 2 blasts as the start has just been sounded)

 

If possible advise the offenders to re-start. If for any reason they do not re-start properly they are to be disqualified. No mercy!   (It is up to them to start correctly, not up to you to tell them)

You may advise returning boats when they have cleared the line.

Silently lower ‘X’ Flag after all are correctly away, or disqualified.

If there is another race to be started try to keep that start procedure going, but do postpone if necessary (let correct starters get well clear before postponing next race or it will cause confusion).

General Recall  (to call all the boats back)
If any boats are over the line that cannot be identified (this may take 10 to 30 seconds to decide)
or if the start has been badly mis-timed (with complaints coming from the fleet).

Hoist the ‘ 1st Substitute’ Flag        2 Blasts (it may sound like 3 as the start has just been sounded)

 

When ready to re-commence lower ‘1st Substitute’ with 1 Blast.

Exactly 1 minute later commence starting procedure.

 

Later starts are automatically delayed until the earlier race is correctly away (no need for AP).

Make a note of actual start times you will need to put them on the results sheet.

Abandon a race at any time in severe conditions by hoisting Flag ‘N’           with 3 blasts

Lower all other signals.

Sailors sail at there own risk, however if the OOD should feel it’s unsafe to sail or not be able to provide adequate safety cover then abandon the race,           and rescue people!   not boats!

 

During the Race

·  As each boat comes past the OOD Box enter its Sail No. and Class on the Results Sheet and its position in the Lap column. Use the Signing-on sheet to add details of Helmsman’s name and boat Handicap.

·  Count the number of boats racing and compare with those on the Signing-on sheet try to reconcile differences. If a boat has not signed on, treat it as if it did sign on.

·  Keep strict note in the laps column of the position of each boat on each lap. This becomes difficult later as slower boats are ‘lapped’ by faster boats. Be certain how many laps each boat has done!!!

·  If the Finish Line is not the same as the Start, take a quiet moment to think what portion of a lap needs to be added to the number of laps. This is only important if you are going to be kind and allow slower boats to sail fewer laps than fast boats. Allow a bit more for it being upwind. Your judgement is beyond question!

·  Prepare a piece of scrap paper with 3 columns headed           ‘Sail No.’         ‘Time’              ‘No of laps.’

 

Ending the race In normal conditions allow the lead boat about one hour racing. Think of how long it is going to take to go round again, particularly for the slower boats. Take warning the finish is usually hectic.

·  As the lead boat approaches the last mark before the Finish Line hoist Flag ‘S’    with 2 Blasts

·  As each boat crosses the Finish Line give 1 Blast and on the scrap paper enter   Sail No. and  Time  (to the nearest second). Add the number of laps in a quiet moment; be certain of the number of laps.

·  When things quieten down a bit transfer the finish times to the Result Sheet carefully and make sure the final lap is entered in the Laps column.

 

THE CONTROVERSIAL BIT

·  Finish every boat that approaches the line after the lead boat regardless of the number of laps it has done.

·  The only exception is; if two or more slower boats are fighting a battle and one has passed the line a little before the lead boat and the others shortly after, do not finish them, let that battle continue.

 

The Results        (Try and work out the results on the day!  It is not the same having them served cold later)

If the slower boats did fewer laps and the Start Line was not the Finish Line The Results Officer needs to know your judgement of the portion of a lap difference. So write a note on Results Sheet saying something like: “Fast boats did 5.3 laps, slower boats 4.3 and 3.3 as indicated by the Laps column”.

 

To work the results try the formula at home a few times and you will probably not want to use the Tables.

 

·  Take away ‘Start Time’ from ‘Finish Time’ to determine the Elapsed Time (ET)   (convert to seconds)

 

·  If a boat did not do the full number of laps:  Divide the ET by laps it did and multiply by laps it should have done to give a proper ET.  (eg:    divide  ET by 3.3laps    and multiply by 5.3laps      to give proper ET)

 

·  Multiply       ET by 1,000    Divide by PYR           to give Corrected Time          Enter this on result sheet.

 

PUT THE CLUB TO BED: Recover rescue boats, put flags away, tidy OOD box, Thank AODs, Lock up.

Finally The OOD is always RIGHT! Possibly misguided, misinformed, bloody-minded, or stupid but NEVER wrong.