2017 FLEET RACING & WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATION SERIES

Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions

Organizing Authority:  International Etchells Fleet 12

2017 Fleet Racing Dates: 

April 15,  June 10-11, July 15, August 26-27

2017 World Qualifying Dates: 

May 20-21 (Elite Keel)

June 10-11

2017 World Championship: San Francisco

1.         Rules

1.1         This regatta will be governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing and the International Etchells Class rules and safety regulations.

2.         Eligibility and Entry

2.1         This regatta is open to all skippers who are paid, active members of the International Etchells Class and have paid Fleet 12 dues.

4.         Schedule of Races

4.1        There will be four (4) races scheduled each day. The warning signal for the first race each day is scheduled for 1130 hours. After the first race, the warning signal for the following races will be made as soon as practicable.

4.2        No warning signals are scheduled after 1600 hours.

5.         Sailing Instructions

5.1        The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions will be available by 4/1/17 on the Fleet 12 website https://etchellsfleet12.com.

6.        Communications

6.1        The RC may use VHF channel 79 to communicate information about time to start or boats that are OCS or have violated RRS 30.  Neither failure of the RC to communicate the sail numbers of recalled boats in a timely manner, nor failure of a recalled boat to receive or hear transmitted information, will be grounds for redress.  This changes RRS 62.

6.2         Competitors withdrawing from racing may use VHF channel 79 to notify the Race Committee.

7.        Class Flag

7.1        The class flag will be the Etchells class insignia on a white background

8.         Racing Area

8.1        The racing area will be in the vicinity of the Berkeley Olympic Circle or alternative site to be communicated later.

9.         Courses

9.1        The course to be sailed is Course 1.

10.        Marks

10.1        Marks will be orange inflatable buoys.

11.        The Start

11.1        The start will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the Race Committee Boat and Mark 2.

12.        The Finish

12.1        The finish line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the Race Committee Boat and Mark 2.

13.        Penalty System

13.1        The first sentence of RRS 44.1 is modified as follows: ‘A boat may take a penalty when she may have broken a rule of Part 2 or rule 31 while racing.  The penalty shall be a One-Turn Penalty unless she may have broken a rule of Part 2 while racing within the zone of a rounding or finishing mark, in which case the penalty shall be a Two-Turns Penalty.  Starting marks are not rounding marks.

14.         Safety

14.1         A boat that retires from a race shall notify the Race Committee as soon as possible.

14.2        Boats leaving the racing area prior to the conclusion of racing may use VHF channel 79 to notify the RC.

15.        Time Limits

15.1        If no boat has passed Mark 1 within 45 minutes after the start, the race will be abandoned.

15.2        If no boat finishes within 2 hours after the start, the race will be abandoned.

15.3        Boats finishing more than 2 ½ hours after the start will be scored DNF.

16.        After Race Scoring Penalty

16.1        RRS A4 is changed with the addition of the following new rule A4.3:  “A boat that may have broken a rule of Part 2 or rule 31 while racing may take a penalty after she is no longer racing and prior to the start of a protest hearing involving the incident.  Her penalty shall be a Scoring Penalty of 30% calculated as described in rule 44.3(c), but not more than a DNF score.

16.2        Note that if a protested party chooses to take an ARSP, the protestor may then agree to withdraw the protest.  If the protestor does not, a protest committee must hear the protest and determine if DSQ is a more appropriate penalty.

17.         Protests

17.1        Protests shall be sent to sfetchells@gmail.com no later than the Monday following racing at 5:00 PM. The fleet captain will then set up a protest hearing. All parties must make efforts to be available in person or, if all parties are in agreement, holding the hearing by teleconference.  Protests should be heard as soon as possible. Anyone who is not available within 10 days of an incident will forfeit their right to be present at the protest hearing.

18.         Scoring

18.1        To determine the season’s results a boat’s score will be the total of her race scores.

18.2        To determine the word’s qualification results a boat’s score will be the aggregate of all races sailed on the designated qualification days excluding her two worst scores.  The total 2017 Worlds allocation for Fleet 12 will be 75% of the total number of boats registered with Fleet 12 for 2017.  The top scores from the 2017 qualification races will be awarded the qualification slots remaining after awarding the first 5 slots to those boats that pre-qualified during the 2016 North Americans, to the extent there are more than 5 spots allocated to Fleet 12.