Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia
Main Line Scholastic Sailing Association
2024 Spring Series
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
1. RULES
1.1. The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing for 2021-2024 (RRS) including the prescriptions of US Sailing except as modified by these Sailing Instructions.
1.2. If there is a conflict between a rule in the Notice of Race and these Sailing Instructions, the Sailing Instructions shall take precedence. This changes RRS 63.7.
1.3. All competitors shall comply with Scholastic Dinghy Class Rules.
1.4. Should a boat break one or more Class Rules, she shall not be penalized unless there is evidence that such rules were willfully broken with the intent of gaining an advantage in a race or series, in which case, she shall be considered to have broken RRS 2, Fair Sailing, and will be disqualified from all races in which such rules were broken.
2. NOTICE TO COMPETITORS
2.1. Notices concerning any changes to the Notice of Race or the Sailing Instructions will be emailed to the fleet and posted on the official notice board no later than 1300 hours on each day of racing. The official notice board will be under the outside stairs or on the porthole room door.
3. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
3.1. Signals may be displayed on the yardarm whenever practical to indicate postponement or abandonment no earlier than one (1) hour before the scheduled warning signal.
3.2. When the flag AP is displayed ashore, "1 minute" is replaced with "not less than 30 minutes" in the race signal AP.
3.3. Rule 40 applies while afloat (all participants shall wear PFDs on docks and boats beyond the pier), even when Y flag is not displayed ashore.
3.4 When combined air + water temperature is below 120°F waterproof cold weather clothing is required and the T flag will be displayed ashore.
4. SCHEDULE OF RACES
4.1. Dates of Racing for the Spring Series are April 7, 14, 21, 28; May 5, 12, 19
4.2 Sailors should arrive on-site at 1300 hours. Boat assignments will be at 1330 hours. Sailors not on site for assignments may not receive an assignment.
4.3. The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first race each day is 1400 hours.
4.4. No race may be started after 1700 hours
4.5 Awards Presentation and Dinner at 1900 hours on Sunday May 19, 2024. Final Race Day on May 19th Start at 1p and the last start will be no later than 4pm.
5. CLASS FLAGS
5.1. The FJ Class will use a white and yellow FJ Class Flag.
5.2. The 420 Class will use a white and blue 420 Class Flag.
6. COURSES AND MARKS
6.1. The diagrams in Attachment 1 show the courses.
6.2. Course designations will be displayed on a board on the race committee signal boat no later than the warning signal for each class.
6.3. The number of laps will be indicated by a number following the course designation on the display board.
6.4. All rounding marks will be left to port.
6.5 The starting mark will be an orange pin.
6.6 The windward mark will be red.
6.7 The leeward mark will be green.
6.8 The gybe mark will be white.
6.9 For downwind finishes, the yellow finish mark will be on the opposite side of the Race Committee boat from the starting mark.
7. THE START
7.1. All boats are required to check in with the Race Committee prior to the warning signal of the first race of the evening by sailing past the committee boat and hailing her sail number or bow number. There are no penalties associated with this rule, however it is important to comply for scoring and safety purposes.
7.2. The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the Race Committee signal boat and the range starting mark.
7.5. FJs and 420s will start in conformity with RRS Appendix U, according to the sequence as follows:
Warning 3 long - 3 minutes
Preparatory 2 long - 2 minutes
1 long, 3 short - 1 minute, 30 seconds
1 long - 1 minute
3 short - 30 seconds
2 short - 20 seconds
1 short - 10 seconds
1 short - 5 seconds
1 short - 4 seconds
1 short - 3 seconds
1 short - 2 seconds
1 short - 1 second
1 long - Start – 0 second
7.6. An attention signal of multiple short horn blasts may be given 1 minute before the start. This will happen approximately 1 minute prior to the warning signal for each race.
7.7. After removal of an AP flag (postponement), First Substitute flag (general recall), or N flag (abandonment), there may be approximately 1 minute until the attention signal is made in accordance with SI 7.6. This changes RRS 27.3, RRS 29.2 and RACE SIGNALS.
7.8. A boat starting later than 5 minutes after the starting signal for their class shall be scored DNS without a hearing.
7.9. The Race Committee may attempt to announce General and Individual Recalls by hail as a courtesy. Failure to hail or failure to hear a hail shall not be grounds for redress as race signals shall govern.
7.10. Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area during the starting sequence for other races.
8. THE FINISH
8.1. The finish line will be between a staff displaying a blue flag on the Race Committee signal boat and the finish mark.
9. TIME LIMIT
9.1. The time limit shall be 45 minutes after the starting signal for each class. If no boat has sailed the course and finished within the time limit, then the race shall be abandoned.
9.2. Boats that have not finished within 15 minutes after the first boat finishes will be scored DNF without a hearing. This changes RRS 35.
10. PENALTY SYSTEM
10.1. Boats that do not comply with the rules put forth in these sailing instructions will not be eligible to receive a score.
10.2 Appendix T shall be in effect.
11. PROTESTS AND REQUEST FOR REDRESS
11.1. Competitors shall inform the Race Committee boat on station immediately following finish of his/her intent to protest.
11.2. Protest and redress requests shall be submitted in writing to the Principal Race Officer (PRO) within 60 minutes from when the race committee arrives back to the dock. The PRO will transmit the protest form to the Club’s Race Committee Chairman to manage the protest.
11.3. Appendix T allowing for arbitration prior to holding a protest hearing shall be in effect. After receipt of a written protest, the Race Committee Chairwoman, or her appointee, shall notify all involved parties and convene an arbitration meeting. Competitors will be allowed to take a 30% alternate scoring penalty as provided by Appendix T.1 or retire from the race should arbitration lead to an agreement amongst all parties. All scoring changes resulting from the arbitration meeting shall be reported to the Race Committee to be noted in the daily results.
11.4. If the protest is not withdrawn as a result of arbitration, the Race Committee Chairman, or his appointee should he be an interested party or absent, will form a Protest Committee. The Protest Committee will request the protestee respond in writing, or through electronic communications, within a reasonable time.
11.5. Communication will be via email unless requested otherwise. This changes RRS 63.
11.6. If both the protestor and the protestee consent, the Protest Committee may elect to waive the requirement for a formal hearing and proceed with hearing the protest through electronic or telephonic communication. This changes RRS 63.
11.7. If the Protest Committee determines that a decision cannot be made without a formal hearing, then a time and place convenient to all involved will be scheduled (RRS 63.2).
11.8. All decisions of the Protest Committee shall be final as provided in rule 70.5
12. SAFETY
12.1. All sailors shall always wear US Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices while sailing.
12.2 When combined air + water temperature is below 120°F waterproof cold weather clothing is required.
15. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
15.1. Competitors participate in the Regatta Series entirely at their own risk (RRS 4). The Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia, the Organizing Authority and the Race Committee will not accept any liability for material damage, personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with, prior to, during or after the Regatta Series.