Agreed at the Committee Meeting of 6th February 2019 with revisions 5th January 2022, 2nd May 2023, 1st May 2024, and 1st June 2024
- General Rules
1.1. Racing will take place under the current World Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), the prescriptions of the RYA, these sailing instructions, and the appropriate class rules. The General Rules and Constitution of Sully SC shall also apply.
1.2. THE OFFICER OF THE DAY (OOD) SHALL HAVE THE SOLE DISCRETION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT ANY SCHEDULED RACING SHALL TAKE PLACE and shall have given due regard to the club risk assessments, the weather conditions, sea state, and whether the Patrol Boat can be launched and recovered without damage. No scheduled races will take place if the Patrol Boat cannot be launched.
1.3. THE OOD’s DECISION IS FINAL AND SHALL NOT BE CHALLENGED BY ANY OTHER MEMBER. - Changes in Sailing Instructions
2.1. Any changes in the racing calendar will be notified to club members via email.
2.2. The Course will be posted on the Notice Board prior to the launch of the Patrol Boat.
2.3. Any changes to the course made after the launch of the patrol boat will be notified verbally to all competitors prior to the sounding of the advance notice. - Signals made ashore
3.1. Signals will be displayed above the clubhouse balcony (race office).
3.2. The Signals to be used are provided in Annex 1. (RRS 26 is amended accordingly). - Schedule of Races
4.1. Races will be conducted in accordance with the current SSC Programme, which may be amended by the committee from time to time. Competitors should check the Club website and sailing notice board.
4.2. Races will be run for Fast and Slow fleet competitors in the same race and results will be displayed for boats in both fleets in the same table. The Fast fleet consists of boat of PY handicap 1102 and below. Slow Fleet consists of boats of PY handicap 1103 and above. Prizes will be awarded as described in section 16. - Racing Area
5.1. All scheduled races will be held in Sully Bay except for the Long Distance Races and Round the Island Races (Commodore’s Cup). Buoys will not be laid beyond a line between Sully Island and Hayes Point in order to avoid racing in the stronger tide. - Courses
6.1. Courses will be set by the OOD and displayed on the sailing notice board before the launch of the Patrol Boat prior to the day’s racing. The marks (as described below) will be shown diagrammatically as will the route and direction of the course. The planned duration of the race will also be indicated. Long distance races will be set by the OOD on the day of the race and described appropriately on the sailing notice board.
6.2. Changes to the course may be made after the launch of the Patrol Boat but, if so, every effort will be made by the OOD or Patrol Boat crew to inform all competitors of such change of course in accordance with Rule 3 above. - Marks
7.1. The marks to be used will be the permanent yellow start buoy and temporary red and orange club buoys. A flag buoy will occasionally be used as a start mark but will not be a mark of the course after the start. - The Start
8.1. The normal club starting line is the projection of an imaginary line formed by the apex of the Club House and the permanent yellow start buoy. A flag buoy may be used to make the start perpendicular to the first leg of the course in certain wind directions. In this case the line will be between the flag buoy and the yellow start buoy. The flag buoy will not be a mark of the course after the start and where possible will be removed after all boats have started.
8.2. Where a race is delayed beyond its scheduled start time the lack of any start signal shall be accepted as a postponement signal. In the case of a protracted delay the OOD, through the Patrol Boat, shall attempt to inform competitors verbally.
8.3. Race start times will be delayed only to allow those who are on the slipway or in a queue to launch ten minutes before the start time of the race, to launch before the warning signal. - Recalls
9.1. If a small number of boats are over the line (and it is clear to the race office which boats are over) an Individual Recall will be notified by means of one light and one sound signal. RRS 29.1 is amended by the substitution of “one light” for “Flag X”.
9.2. If more boats are over the line, and it is not possible for the race office to ascertain who is over the line, a General Recall will be indicated (2 lights and 2 sound signals). RRS 29.2 is amended by the substitution of “two lights” for “First Substitute”.
9.3. Where the start is between the flag buoy and yellow start mark the Patrol Boat will attempt (if not otherwise engaged in safety duties) to be in a position to see who is over the line and maintain radio contact with the race office. - Finishing
10.1. The Club Finishing Line will be the same as the normal club starting line (i.e. a projection of an imaginary line formed by the apex of the Club House and the permanent yellow start buoy).
10.2. The race finish will be indicated by showing an S flag, sounding two horn signals and displaying two lights as soon as possible after the first boat to be finished starts the finishing leg (the lights will remain on and flag displayed until all boats have finished). The Race Officer should chose an appropriate gap between boats such that boats in the same fleet are not split between laps and consider the appropriate time to finish so all boats (except the slowest) finish within 40 to 55 minutes of the start. It is not a requirement to finish the leading boat first, but the leading fastest boats should not be split if they are close.
10.3. In the case where conditions dictate that slow boats are finished before the rest, a slow boat finish flag (yellow banner with square shape divided diagonally yellow and white) will be displayed along with the 2 lights and 2 sound signals indicating that only slow boats will be finished until such a time that the S flag replaces the slow boat finish flag along with a further 2 sound signals.
10.4. After the appropriate flag is shown all boats of the relevant fleet/fleets will be finished regardless of the number of laps sailed and the results will be worked out on an average lap basis.
10.5. The helmsman of any boat that has retired from a race shall inform the OOD at the first reasonable opportunity. - Time Limits
11.1. Races will normally be planned to last approximately 40 minutes with the exception of the long distance and round the island races.
11.2. Where the first boat has not completed a lap in one hour the race will be terminated and all boat which sailed who started the race will be awarded a DNF. Those which did not start but intended to race will be awarded a DNS.
11.3. If the wind drops and/or tidal current increases after the first boat has completed a lap, and the race is likely to run over one hour the race should be shortened and the results calculated on the last lap completed.
11.4. Where a boat fails to finish within 30 minutes of the first boat they will normally be deemed to have retired. If they have already completed one lap they may be allowed (at the discretion of the OOD) to count the last recorded time and number of laps if that doesn’t give them an unfair advantage over boats which finished.
11.5. If the wind drops and/or tidal current increases following the sounding of the shortened course and boats are unable to complete their lap, the race may (at the discretion of the OOD) be calculated based on the penultimate lap of those boats who have finished and the last recorded lap of boats that have not finished. - Protests
12.1. Competitors intending to protest must inform the OOD in person at the first reasonable opportunity. The protest in writing must be lodged no later than one hour after the completion of sailing on that day.
12.2. A protest committee will be formed, if required, in accordance with the RRS. - Eligibility
13.1. Races are open to all current Sully SC members.
13.2. A race will count as a race as long as two boats start.
13.3. Guests or other visitors may take part in races at the discretion of the OOD, provided they have the insurance as required by the club general rules (and on payment of a fee where applicable) but their results will not be counted unless the races are advertised as Open (e.g. the Regatta).
13.4. Club Trophies, unless specifically designated otherwise, may only be held by club members.
14.5. Club Trophies will not be awarded if fewer than 3 club members’ boats start the race. - Series Scoring
14.1. The number of races to count on any series will be half the number of races sailed minus 1, rounded down to the next whole number.
14.2. If a person on duty is permitted by the OOD to race because there are more than enough other race team members available, it should be on the understanding that the Sailing Secretary may call on them to make themselves available should a volunteer be required at a future date.
14.3. If a competitor is not able to sail their normal boat that they are planning to complete the series in, for example because the conditions are to much for them, they may sail a slower boat and have the results calculated and recorded as their normal boat. - Prizes
15.1. Prizes will be awarded for each race series to the first, second and third placed finishers in both the Fast and Slow Fleets.
15.2. Prizes will only be awarded to competitors as in 16.1 if they have completed enough races in the series so as not to count any DNCs in their final results net of discards, or if they finish ahead of another competitor in their fleet who does not count any DNCs in their final results net of discards. If there are not enough eligible competitors for 3 prizes in either fleet, three overall position prizes will be awarded instead of fleet prizes.
15.3. Prizes will be of a value decided by the Committee and awarded at the annual dinner.
Annex 1 – Signals
Advance Notice Two lights flashing and repeated horn Approx 1 minute before warning signal (short duration)
Warning One light and single horn and flag 5 minutes before start
Preparatory Two Lights, single horn 4 minutes before start
One Minute One light, single horn 1 minute before start
Start No lights, single horn At start
Individual Recall One light, single horn Just after start if applicable
General Recall Two lights, double horn Just after start if applicable
Notice of Finish Two lights, double horn and flag As soon as practicable after the first boat to be finished starts the finishing leg
Finish No lights, single horn As each boat finishes
Race Terminated One light flashing and repeated horn
Sailing Terminated Two lights flashing and repeated horn All boats to come ashore (long duration)