WEST SOUND CORINTHIAN YACHT CLUB
Standard Sailing Instructions for Sinclair Inlet Races
Effective 1/1/2025, Revised 11/20/2025
1. RULES
1.1. The race/regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024 (RRS).
1.2. All yachts shall comply with US Sailing Safety Equipment Requirements (SER), category “Nearshore”. These requirements are available at: https://www.ussailing.org/competition/offshore/safety-information/ser-world-sailing-special-regulations/
1.3. The Racing Rules of Sailing rule A5.2 and 35, will be changed. The change appears under paragraph 11, Time limit, and paragraph 15, Scoring, in this Sailing Instruction. Additional rules may be changed by the Notice of Race.
1.4. Pacific Handicap Racing Fleet - Northwest (PHRF-NW) handicapping rules shall apply. For handicap information, see web site www.phrf-nw.org. Regularly participating vessels should have a valid PHRF rating certificate. Those who are new or infrequent to sail boat racing should contact the race committee or vice commodore to determine an appropriate way to ensure participation..
1.5. The following Standard Rules and Racing Instructions shall apply to all races except as may be amended by individual Notice of Race.
1.6 Interference with non-racing traffic except Navy:
1.6.1 Interference with a stand-on vessel is strictly forbidden (see introduction to Part 2 of the RRS). When encountering such traffic, make any course alterations necessary to avoid the vessel early and significant. If appropriate, contact the vessel to make your intentions known as allowed in SI 13.1.
1.6.2 [NP] In addition, interference with give-way non-racing traffic is discouraged. As a courtesy, make any course alterations necessary to avoid the traffic early and significant. If appropriate, contact the vessel as allowed in SI 13.1.
1.6.3 [NP] Interference of any kind with commercial traffic is highly discouraged and communication with commercial traffic Via VHF 13 or Vessel Traffic Service on 14, to understand intentions is encouraged. Competitors shall take appropriate care when near commercial traffic, Vessel traffic lanes, or anchorage areas. The future of sailboat racing in Puget Sound depends our ability to co-exist and to ensure safe navigation of all vessels.
1.7. Yachts shall not approach within 100 yards of any US naval vessel. If you need to pass within 100 yards of a U.S. naval vessel in order to ensure a safe passage, you must contact the U.S. naval vessel or escort vessel on VHF channel 16. The WSCYC is not responsible for damages or injuries caused to racing vessels by military vessels, weapons, and personnel and redress will not be granted to competitors who are detained or delayed by military vessels or traffic..
- ENTRIES
2.1. See Notice of Race. Late entries may be accepted at the discretion of the Race Committee.
- NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
3.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located near the Race Committee 30 minutes prior to the first warning signal. Such notices or changes to the SI may be given orally as allowed by RRS 90.2(c) either by hail or via VHF channel identified in SI 13.2. If changes are given orally, all boats must acknowledge receipt of the changes to the Race Committee prior to the first warning. Racing may be postponed until all have acknowledged the changes.
- SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
4.1. No signals will be made ashore. All signals will be from the Committee Boat or Marina breakwater.
5. SCHEDULE and CLASS FLAG(S)
5.1. The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first race will be given in the Notice of Race.
5.2. The class (division) flags are:
Class | PHRF-NW Rating | Division Flag |
1 | 140 and under | signal pennant 1 (white with a red dot) |
2 | 141 and over | signal pennant 2 (blue with a white dot) |
3 | No Flying Sails (NFS) | signal pennant 3 (vertical red, white, and blue) |
5.3. The order of starts is given in the Notice of Race.
5.4. Number of races is given in the Notice of Race.
5.5 The Race Committee always retains the discretion to consolidate starts to one start, which will by signaled by flying the #1 pennant.
6. RACING AREA
6.1. The racing area will be Sinclair Inlet and Port Orchard
7. COURSE[S] and MARKS
7.1. The courses:
Course | Marks (“N” start order, reverse order for “S” start) | Distance (nm) |
A | 1-4-1-2-1 | 2.88 |
B | 1-4-1-3-1 | 3.88 |
C | 1-5-1-2-1 | 4.10 |
D | 1-6-1-2-1 | 4.80 |
E | 1-5-6-1-2-1 | 5.36 |
F | 1-6-1-3-1 | 5.80 |
G | 1-7-1-2-1 | 7.74 |
J | GET COURSE FROM RC | Determined by RC |
HA | 1-4-1-8-1 | 2.84 |
HC | 1-5-1-8-1 | 4.06 |
HD | 1-6-1-8-1 | 4.76 |
HE | 1-5-6-1-8-1 | 5.32 |
HG | 1-7-1-8-1 | 7.70 |
7.2. Description of marks:
Mark | Description |
1 | Club buoy (start line) set off the Port Orchard Marina breakwater |
2 | Navy mooring buoy west of the Shipyard, white with black stripe. Approximate Lat/Long: 47-32.783’ N, 122-39.55’ W |
3 | Cylindrical mooring buoy, Northeast of Suldan’s Marina, near 47-34.2458’ N / 122- 40.1747’W. Best described as Old water tank with barge possibly attached. |
4 | Club Buoy near location “L-2”, 47-33’ N / 122-37.55’ W |
5 | Radar target (RA) “3” |
6 | Point Herron Light |
7 | Radar target (RA) “5” |
8 | Club Buoy near Ross Point, approx Lat/Long 47-32.5’ N / 122-39.4 W |
7.3. Approximate bearings and distances between marks are given in section 16 Chartlet.
7.4. The Race Committee will display the course, number of laps and the start direction. The Race Committee may select multiple courses. The crossing of the finish line for the first lap is considered to be the start of the second lap. For example:
G 1 S | course G, 1 lap, southwest start | (1s-3s-1p-6s-1s) |
G A 2 S | course G, 1 lap, course A, 2 laps, southwest start | (1s-3s-1p-6s-1s-2s-1p-4s-1s-2s-1p-4s-1s) |
G 2 A N | course G, 2 laps, course A, 1 lap, northeast start | (1p-6p-1s-3p-1p-6p-1s-3p-1p-4p-1s-2p-1p) |
H C 2 N | Course HC, 1 lap - Course C Use #8 instead of #2 | (1p, 4p, 1s, 8s, 1p) |
7.5. N = northeast start and leave all rounding marks, except mark 1, to PORT. Leave mark 1 by sailing between the committee and mark 1 as in a start or finish.
7.6. S = Southwest start and leave all rounding marks, except mark 1, to STARBOARD. Leave mark 1 by sailing between the committee and mark 1 as in a start or finish.
7.4 Thanks to a volunteer effort, new placards have been fabricated to denote mark order vice course letter. If these placards are used, the course will be displayed as the marks in rounding order as noted in column 2 of table 7.2. (i.e. 1-4-1-2-1)
8. AREAS THAT ARE OBSTRUCTIONS
8.1. Naval Ships and shipyard piers, 100 yards off of.
9. THE START
9.1. The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag at the committee and an orange club buoy at the other end.
10. THE FINISH
10.1. The finish line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag at the committee and an orange club buoy at the other end. This changes RRS “Race Signals”.
11. TIME LIMIT
11.1 See NOR for the applicable time limit. Rule 35 will be changed by the NOR for each race.
11.2 Racers who withdraw before finishing shall notify the Race Committee at the earliest opportunity. In a multiple race regatta, racers who finish a race and decide to retire from racing shall notify the Race Committee at the earliest opportunity.
12. USE OF ENGINE
12.1
Engines shall not be used. A boat which uses it’s engine, as necessary to avoid non-racing traffic, to aid in the rescue of a boat or crew, or to escape imminent harm shall not advance it’s position relative to other boats. The yacht’s skipper shall report (in writing) all details to the protest committee (see 14), which may then grant redress as appropriate. Note: starting the engine in advance of a possible danger but not placing it in gear, does not relieve the yacht for the reporting requirements. This states the circumstances where propulsion is permitted as required in RRS Rule 42.3.
13. ALLOWED RADIO COMMUNICATION
13.1 A BOAT MAY CONTACT Navy, commercial or private traffic to confirm that they are not going to interfere with that traffic in the foreseeable future. Such communications may only be used to ascertain what action the traffic would like the boat to accomplish. Use channels 13, 14 and 16 as appropriate.
13.2 Boats may Monitor and use Channel 72 for communications to and from Race Committee and among competitors to determine race status, commercial traffic intentions, or to ensure vessel safety.
14. PROTESTS
14.1 The Race Committee shall be notified as soon as possible of the intent to protest. Protests shall be delivered to race committee within one hour after the last boat finishes.
15. SCORING
15.1. Scoring system and number of excluded races are given in the Notice of Race unless the RRS provides the correct information.
15.2 For each race, a boat that did not finish (DNF) shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats that finished. A boat that was disqualified (DSQ) or did not start (DNS) shall be scored points for finishing place one more than the number of starters for that race. A boat that did not compete (DNC) shall be scored points for finishing place one more than the number of series starters. If a race is abandoned, all boats participating in that race will be scored as (DNF). This rule changes Rule A5.2.
16. SOUTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALE NOTIFICATION
16.1 Vessels may not approach within 500 yards of a southern resident killer whale.
16.2 Boaters may not position a vessel to be in the path of a southern resident killer whale at any point located within 500 yards of the whale. This includes positioning a vessel so that the prevailing wind or water current carries the vessel into the path of the whale at any point located within 500 yards of the whale.
16.3 Boaters are obligated to disengage the transmission of a vessel that is within 500 yards of a southern resident killer whale.
16.4 Boaters may not feed a southern resident killer whale.
16. Chartlet:
