NSC SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

These Sailing Instructions rank as rules, and alter Rules to which specific reference is made.
If a protest under SI 3, 10 or 15 is upheld, the offending dinghy is likely to be disqualified.


1


RULES. 

Races will be sailed under the current International Sailing Federation Racing Rules of Sailing ( RRS ), the prescriptions of the RYA, the rules of the Nottingham Sailing Club, the measurement rules of the appropriate Class and these Sailing Instructions.

2


CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

2.1
General. The safety of a dinghy and her entire management including insurance shall be the sole responsibility of the owner / competitor racing the dinghy who must ensure that the dinghy and crew are adequate to face the conditions that may arise in the course of the race. Neither the establishment of these Sailing Instructions nor the inspection of the dinghy in these conditions in any way limits or reduces the absolute responsibility of the owner / competitor for his crew, his dinghy and the management thereof. The race organisers shall not be responsible for any loss, damage, death or personal injury howsoever caused by the owner / competitor, or his crew as a result of their taking part in the race or races. Moreover, any owner / competitor warrants the suitability of his dinghy for the race or races.



2.2
Sail Numbers. Under exceptional circumstances the Sailing Committee may permit a dinghy to use sails carrying a number other than that required by RRS 77.



2.3
Entries. All helms shall be Members of the Nottingham Sailing Club. Entry for each Event or Race should be made on the Race Sheets in the Race Box. Races with less than 3 Entries shall be abandoned.



2.4
Series. In any series, entry refers to a particular helm in a particular Class of boat.



2.5
Club Trophies & One Day Events. Entry refers to a particular helm and crew in a particular Class of boat.

3


SAFETY



Buoyancy. Adequate personal buoyancy must be worn at all times while on the river. This alters RRS 40.

4


CLASS SIGNALS

4.1
These will be in accordance with the rules of Classes except as varied below :-
Laser. The Laser Class Signal will be IC flag B.
General Handicap Races - starts. When the number of dinghies exceeds 15 the Race Officer must divide them into two starts at five minute intervals. The split will be indicated by the Race Officer hoisting a blue broad pennant to the yardarm accompanied by two sound signals. In series races, Flight A (warning signal flag A), comprising boats with odd registered numbers, will start first on odd dates and Flight B (warning signal flag B), comprising boats with even registered numbers, will start first on even dates. In Club 3-race events, Flight A will start first in Races 1 & 3 and Flight B in Race 2.



4.2
Notices to Competitors. The Club Racing Programme and these Sailing Instructions may be varied by order of the Sailing Committee, provided that notice is displayed in the Clubhouse at least thirteen days before the change takes effect.

5


COURSE INSTRUCTIONS

5.1
Course. This shall be taken from the indicator boards on the front of the Race Box, which shows from left to right


(a) The diamond transit mark.


(b) The colour of the posts marking the start line.


(c) An arrow indicating the direction of the START.


(d) The number of rounds to be sailed shown by a white number on a black board.


(e) The remaining boards and their sequence in which buoys must be passed, and their hand. The first board indicates the number of the first mark and its colour indicates the hand ( green to starboard, red to port ) and so on.




5.2
Course marks are orange spherical buoys.

7


STARTS

7.1
Start Line. This is defined as the line between the coloured posts or discs on each bank whose colour corresponds to the coloured disc on the Course Signals. The red and white discs will be used when Starts are remote from the Race Box.



7.2
Starting Procedure. Signals as follows shall be made at 5 minute intervals :
Warning Signal Class Flag 1 Sound Signal
Preparatory Signal Flag P 1 Sound Signal
Starting Signal Flags down 1 Sound Signal
When classes are started at 5 minute intervals, Flag P shall be left displayed until the last class starts and the Warning Signal for each succeeding class shall be displayed at the same time as the Preparatory Signal for the preceding class. This varies RRS26.



7.3
Individual Recall. RRS 29.2 is varied in that display of flag "X" is replaced by the class warning signal displayed at the dip. The Race Officer may hail the Sail Number(s) of the offending dinghy(s).



7.4
General Recall. Rule 29.3 is varied as follows. Where there are other classes still to Start, the offending Class will start five minutes after the previously scheduled last start. Otherwise, the next signal will be the Flight's Preparatory Signal.



7.5
Starting Penalties. RRS 30.3 may be applied only after a General Recall. RRS 30.1 and 30.2 will not apply.

9


FINISHING

9.1
Finish Line. This is defined as the line between the YELLOW posts on each bank, except in pursuit races.



9.2
Time Limit. No dinghy may finish more than one hour after the first dinghy in her race Finishes. Except for Long Distance Races, any race where no dinghy finishes within two hours, or where no dinghy rounds the first Mark of the Course within 30 minutes of the Starting Signal, will be abandoned. This varies RRS 35.



9.3
Shorten Course. Code flag S flown and two sound signals indicate the course will be completed when the leading dinghy in each race crosses the finish line from either direction. Every other dinghy will complete the course sailed by the leading dinghy in her race.



9.4
Finishing of Lapped Boats. After the leading dinghy in any race has finished, every other dinghy in the race shall finish the next time they cross the finishing line in the same direction as the leading dinghy.  Times must be recorded in GH races.  Boats which have been lapped will be allocated points in sequence behind those which have completed the full course sailed by the leading dinghy.

10


TOUCHING A MARK



Re-rounding. RRS 31.2 is varied as follows. A dinghy touching a mark shall re-round the said mark and when exonerating herself shall keep clear of all other dinghies until she has rounded it completely and has cleared it and is on a proper course to the next mark. A dinghy touching a mark, while continuing to sail the course and until it is obvious that she is returning to round it completely shall be accorded the rights under the Rules of Part 2.

11


PURSUIT RACES

11.1
Duration. The duration of pursuit races is approximately 1 hour (1½ hours). Each boat sails for a time in minutes equal to half (three-quarters) its Starting Number (SN). The SN is calculated by dividing the Class Portsmouth Number by 10 and rounding to the nearest whole number.



11.2
Starting Procedure.Flag C will be hoisted with one Sound Signal approximately 10 minutes before the start of the first Class. Thereafter, Sound Signals will govern. A single Sound Signal will be made 3 minutes before the Start of the first Class, and then every 30 seconds (45 seconds) until all Classes have started. At each Sound Signal the count on the numerical indicator will be reduced by 1. A boat shall start at the Sound Signal at which her SN appears on the numerical indicator.



11.3
Premature Starters.Premature starters will be notified only by megaphone. This modifies RRS 29.1.



11.4
Finishing. At the designated finishing time Flag P may be hoisted. The Timer will show “End” and one long Sound Signal will be made. Each helm should note the identity of the boats next in front of and behind. Helms must record the identity of the boats in front of and behind them on the Declaration Sheet.



11.5
Disputes. If two or more boats in contention at the finish disagree with their positions recorded by the Race Officer, the Race Officer may take advice from other boats that were racing and decide the positions on the basis of this information. If this procedure fails to resolve the dispute, the boats involved shall all be scored the average of the positions that they would have occupied. If the race officer has followed this procedure his decision shall not be subject to protest.

12


PROTESTS



Protests. These must be submitted in writing on the official form which is obtainable from the Race Box, and must be handed to a Race Officer within 30 minutes of the Race finishing. Protests will normally be heard on the day of the Event affected. If it proves impossible to hear the Protest on the day, the Hearing will be held on the next Thursday after Racing, or at 20:00 if there is no Racing.

13


DECLARATIONS



Declarations. Within 20 minutes of the Race finishing, each helm shall ensure that the Race Sheet is either clearly marked to indicate Retirement or signed to confirm that the Rules were observed in that Race. Any helm not complying with this procedure shall be scored as DISQUALIFIED without a hearing.

14


SCORING SYSTEMS

14.1
Club Series Racing and Single-Race Events.
Series and Races shall be scored as provided in Appendix Aof the Racing Rules using the Low Points system, except that DNS, OCS, DNF and RAF shall score Number of boats that came to the starting area for that race (B) plus 1 and DSQ and DNE shall score B plus 2. DNC shall not score. The number of Races scheduled in a Series and the number required to be sailed by any Boat to Qualify (Q) shall be as shown in the Race Programme. Each Boat's Series Score shall be the total of its best Q Race Scores  and any other scores shall be excluded. This modifies A4.2 and A9. A8.2 is modified such that the boats shall be ranked in order of their scores in the last race in which they all competed, and other such races working backwards through the series until the tie is broken.



14.2
Three-Race Events.
Scoring shall be as provided in Appendix A of the Racing Rules using the Low Points System, except that DNS, OCS, DNF and RAF shall score Number of Boats in the Event (B) plus 1, DSQ and DNE shall score B plus 2 and DNC shall score B plus 3. Three Races shall be scheduled. Each Boat's score shall be the total of its race scores, excluding its worst only if three races are sailed. This modifies A4.2 and A9.



14.3
Handicap Racing. The RYA Portsmouth Yardstick Scheme as described in the current YR2 will be used.



14.4
Portsmouth Numbers used will be those published in the current Club Handbook. Any class not shown in that list will use the Portsmouth Number shown in the current booklet YR2.

15


LOCAL VARIATIONS



Anglers. Dinghies must not sail within 21 feet of the bank near anglers, who rank as obstruction.



  



Additional Sailing Instructions for Pursuit Races