Agreed at the Committee Meeting of 6th February 2019 with revisions 5th January 2022, 2nd May 2023, 1st May 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. - Notices to Competitors
2.1. Notices will be posted on the sailing notice board in the clubhouse and via
the club website.
2.2. Postponed or abandoned race details will be displayed on the sailing noticeboard.
2.3. Postponed Trophy races may be sailed as conditions permit in lieu of
subsequent races or on allocated trophy reserve fixtures. Advance notice
of the sailing of such a postponed trophy race will be made by email and
displayed on the sailing notice board. (RRS 80 is hereby amended). - Changes in Sailing Instructions
3.1. Any changes in the racing calendar will be notified to club members via
email.
3.2. The Course will be posted on the Notice Board prior to the launch of the
Patrol Boat.
3.3. 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
4.1. Signals will be displayed above the clubhouse balcony (race office).
4.2. The Signals to be used are provided in Annex 1. (RRS 26 is amended
accordingly). - Schedule of Races
5.1. 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.
5.2. 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
6.1. 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
7.1. 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.
7.2. 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. - Schedule of Races
- Marks
8.1. 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
9.1. 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.
9.2. 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.
9.3. 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
10.1. 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”.
10.2. 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”.
10.3. 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
11.1. 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).
11.2. 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.
11.3. 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.
11.4. 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.
11.5. The helmsman of any boat that has retired from a race shall inform the OOD at the first reasonable opportunity. - Time Limits
12.1. Races will normally be planned to last approximately 40 minutes with the exception of the long distance and round the island races.
12.2. 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.
12.3. 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.
12.4. 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.
12.5. 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
13.1. 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.
13.2. A protest committee will be formed, if required, in accordance with the RRS. - Eligibility
14.1. Races are open to all current Sully SC members.
14.2. A race will count as a race as long as two boats start.
14.3. 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).
14.4. 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
15.1. 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.
15.2. 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. - Prizes
16.1. Prizes will be awarded for each race series to the first second and third placed finishers in both the Fast and Slow Fleets.
16.2. 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.
16.3. 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)