These rules are effective as of the first Spring Series race day, 4/21/2012.
These rules shall govern Racing Series of the Catawba Yacht Club. These rules supplement the US Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing and the class rules of each participating boat. These rules will be published on the club website prior to the series start and explained at the first skippers’ meeting in a series. Thereafter, skippers are responsible for being knowledgeable of the rules.
Scoring
The series will be scored according to one of the following scoring systems. The scoring system to be used by each fleet will be announced and explained at the first skippers meeting in a series, but additional communication may be provided ahead of time.
There shall be two fleets: Dinghy and Portsmouth. Trophies will be presented for each fleet as shown later in this document. The Dinghy class is set up for monohull, trailerable sailboats under 20 feet, with a handicap rating of 83.0 or higher. Examples include MC Scow, Wayfarer, and Flying Scot. The Portsmouth fleet is intended for handicap racing and includes all other monohull boats.
Boats not sailing in the dinghy fleet are scored based on the Portsmouth Handicap System. Handicaps are assigned to each make and class of boat with specific sail combinations as declared by the skipper prior to the beginning of the series. Once a sail combination is declared for a series, no additions or changes can be made for the series. While the Portsmouth class is not intended for dinghies, dinghies are eligible for the class if they desire to race under a handicap.
Skippers must declare their participation class at the beginning of the series and remain in that class until the series is over.
Low Point Scoring System
Fleets using the Low Point Scoring System will be scored according to the procedures listed in Appendix A of the US Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing as modified per the following. We use the low-point system defined therein. We also discard 25 percent of all races sailed in a series. The discards allow a skipper to miss one fourth of races without penalty. They also allow a skipper to miss races while attending a class regatta.
If the Principal Race Officer (PRO/OOD) for a race is a racing skipper, he or she shall receive the average of his/her on-water scores for the series for the races missed while serving as PRO/OOD. The intent is to give the PRO the score closest to what s/he would have earned on the water. All race scores earned on the water throughout the series are averaged together; the score changes from week to week as more races are sailed. DNS and DNC scores do not count.
If a boat drops out of a race to render assistance to another sailor or other emergency situation, that boat shall receive the average for that race of his or her on-water finishes from the entire series (as with PRO scoring).
Boats scored DNS, DNF, DSQ in any given race shall receive a score equal to the total number of boats sailing on that day plus 1. This changes US Sailing rule A5.2.
In the event of a tie for any place in the series, the schedule in Appendix A shall be used. If a tie still remains, the sailor who sails the most races shall be declared winner.
In the event that the High Point Percentage Scoring System is used for a CYC club series, the process is published separately by the fleet captains.
Course Selection
All CYC series, unless otherwise stated at the skipper’s meeting, will be Windward/Leeward courses and will be either one or two laps. In all CYC races, regardless of course, all course marks are left to PORT.
Prestart
The PRO will hold a Skippers Meeting on the day of each race to review the race course and any rule changes. Spring Series: Skippers Meeting 12:30, Racing 13:00. Summer Series: Racing 18:00 (no skipper’s meeting). Fall Series: Skippers Meeting 12:30, Racing 13:00. Winter Series: Skipper’s Meeting 12:30, Racing 13:00.
The goal on all race days except summer evenings is approximately 2 hours of racing. No race will start more than 2 hours after the first gun. The PRO will run a minimum of three races if time allows (2 races in the summer series).
A skipper establishes an intent to race by attending the day’s skipper’s meeting or showing up at the starting line.
Race Starts
The starting line shall consist of two orange buoys, or one buoy/mark and the port flag stanchion on the committee boat. The committee boat may disengage from the starting line for purposes of race supervision as long as an orange buoy is attached to the original anchor line and left in place. The committee boat must return to the line to record the finish.
Races for all fleets will be started under the 3-minute Start Sequence on the club automated starting machine: 3 minutes – three long blasts; 2.5 minutes – 2 long & 3 short; 2 minutes – 2 long; 1.5 minutes – 1 long & 3 short; 1 minute – 1 long; 30 seconds – 3 short; Start – one long blast. Optional flags: class flag up at 3 minutes, prep flag up at 2, prep flag down at 1, class flag down at the start.
In all series, there shall be two starts. Start one shall be for all dinghies. Start two shall be for all Portsmouth boats/Ensigns. In the event that there is one entrant in any class, the OD may combine the two fleets; the two fleets will still be scored separately.
The starting line shall be closed for all multi-start racing and open for single start races. When the line is closed, after completing the first leg of the course a boat shall not cross the start/finish line until she is completing the last leg of the course and finishes. A boat that breaks this rule shall not correct her error but will be exonerated if she takes a Two-Turns Penalty (rule 44.2). This changes rule 28.1. On legs from W to L or L to W, boats may leave the start/finish line to port or starboard; for safety the start/finish line, the starting buoys and race committee boat are together one obstruction, and rules 19 and 20 may apply.
Rule 30.1 (I-Flag) shall be in effect for all CYC races. In the event of a violation in the minute preceding the start, the individual recall signals are not made until after the start.
Recalls, Cancellation & Time Limit
Individual Recall: the PRO/OOD must comply with Rule 29.2 for boats over the starting line within 1 minute of that fleet’s start — prompt display of the X flag and a single sound. Boats over early must re-round either starting buoy to restart. PROs will not always have staff to run flags and horns; skippers should comply in good sportsmanship with any obvious attempt by the race committee to call a boat over early.
General Recall: the PRO shall signal a general recall per Rule 29.3 by raising the 1st Substitute flag and making two long blasts. All boats return to the pre-start side of the line and the sequence restarts.
Race Cancellation: if a race is canceled, the PRO shall lower all flags and sound three blasts. Races shall be canceled in accordance with Rule 32.
Time Limit: the time limit for rounding each mark shall be 30 minutes or as modified by the PRO/OOD on race day. A race shall be declared over fifteen minutes after the lead boat crosses the finish line; remaining boats are scored with on-the-water finishes. There is no time limit for mark roundings in the winter series unless declared by the PRO/OOD.
Course Changes: the PRO shall make every attempt NOT to change the course during a race. If absolutely necessary, a shortened course is signalled by flying the red flag and the black flag after the lead boat has rounded a mark, shortened to the next mark. Races shall not be lengthened.
Contact & Penalties
Boats shall avoid contact if reasonably possible in accordance with rule 14.
Rule 31.2 shall be in effect for any boat touching a mark (360 penalty turn – not necessary to re-round). Rule 44.2 shall be in effect for any violation of rules in Part 2 (720 penalty turn). Exception: a boat under spinnaker may perform a single 360 penalty turn provided the spinnaker is doused prior to the turn and reset at the end of the turn. Penalty turns must be taken as soon as possible after getting well clear of other boats.
Awards, Guests & Multiple Skippers
Awards will be provided for first, second, and third place for all fleets racing in a given series.
Occasional non-member guest sailors must sail 3 race dates per series to have their scores included. At the point that they sail three races, they should pay the race fee for that series.
In the case of a multi-crewed boat, multiple skippers are allowed provided that a primary skipper is designated for the series. Additional skippers must be part of the regular crew (a participant on the boat for 50 percent or more of scheduled races). This lets a skipper who cannot attend a race day have the crew sail the boat and avoid a DNC, and lets skipper and crew switch positions during a race. In the dinghy class, series scores reside with the skipper: a skipper may sail multiple boats in a series as long as each boat meets the dinghy requirements.
Protests & Rules Issues
All protests must be filed with the fleet captain, in writing, immediately after the conclusion of racing on the day the alleged infraction occurs or via e-mail within 24 hours. The fleet captain shall form a committee and hear the protest prior to racing on the following race day, or as soon as possible. Protest forms are available at the clubhouse. The protest committee shall consist of all members of the CYC race committee not involved in the protest; three members constitute a committee.
The CYC Fleet Captains shall be empowered to resolve any issues not directly addressed in these sailing instructions.
Cancellation of a Race Day
The Chair of the Sailing Committee, in consultation with the Sailing Committee, may postpone or cancel sailing on any race date if conditions are not appropriate. Sailing shall not be postponed or canceled more than 24 hours before the race date. Within 24 hours, the fleet captains may cancel or postpone a race day by e-mail. One postponement is permitted per series, to the next weekend with no racing scheduled, but not past the first race date of the following series.
CYC will not sanction, start, or complete dinghy or Portsmouth/cruiser races in winds (steady or gusting) over 20 mph or temperatures under 45 degrees, read on the club Pavilion weather station thirty minutes prior to a start or any time until racing is concluded. If the station is not working, the Sailing Captain or OD may use a hand-held wind meter, or local forecasts combined with good judgement.
Other grounds for cancellation: unsafe road conditions, a named weather system, abnormally high water or air contamination, broken or unsafe launching and docking facilities, or loss of bathroom facilities.
Pursuit Races & Retiree Series
CYC sanctions a variety of Pursuit Races during the sailing year. These races are governed by separate sailing instructions posted online.
CYC hosts a regular retiree series using a pursuit format. These races are informal and the sailing instructions are agreed upon by the fleet captain and the participants.