Race Management for Club Racing�or�How to Run Race and have FUN

Preparation

• Allow time to have course set and start on time
• Give racers
1. Safe starting line (upwind)
2. Upwind legs
3. Downwind legs
4. Sometimes reaching legs

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Don’t over think the problem

Race Day – On Dock

• Communicate beforehand (x days)
• Race Committee Crew
• Fleet Captain
• Race Equipment
• Meet at dock
• Assign roles
• Check and load equipment (use checklist)

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Race Equipment Check

• Auto-Start Horn (box)
• Handheld Air Horns
• Marks: 3 orange, 1 yellow
• Handheld VHF
• Time of Day Watches
• Course Board and Placards
• Water
• Scoring Sheets, Pencils, Clipboard
• GPS
• Flags

Lists Saves Butts

Flags

• Delay Flag:
• red / white vertical bars (answering pennant)
• Starting Sequence Flags
• Class (division) Flags
• Preparatory Flags: white square on blue shield
• Orange Flag (to mark line)
• Recall Flags
• Individual: blue cross on white shield
• One or more boats over early
• General: yellow triangle on blue triangle
• Everybody start over

Flags – cont.

• Shorten Course Flag: blue square on white field
• Abandon Race Flag: blue and white checkerboard
• Life Jackets Required: red and yellow diagonal bars

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Delay (answering pennant)

“Race Committee’s Friend”

Race Day – On Water

• Proceed to race area
• Stop boat: assess wind
• Set marks: evaluate
• Advice from fleet captain or representative
• Set lima flag
• Set course board
• Commense start sequence

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Don’t start race until you’re ready

The postponement flag is your friend

Setting the Course

• Initial “Poke Out”
• Stop Boat: assess wind direction and strength
• Decide where to set course
• Proceed to course area
• Head upwind
• Drop leeward mark
• Proceed upwind
• Drop start pin

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Setting the Course – cont.

• Anchor setting start line
• 90˚ to wind
• 1.5X total length of boats
• Set weather mark
• Jibe mark 135˚ left of upwind compass course

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Perfection is the enemy of more races

Everyone sails the same cource in the same wind

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Start

• Review roles
• Review flag procedures
• Course posted??
• Hit starter button
• Class flag (5 min.) flag-up: Record time of day / min. / sec.
• Prep flag (4 min.) flag-up
• Prep flag down (1 min.)
• Class flag down (start, 0 min.)
• Pro sight start line
• Recalls or “all clear”

Start – cont.

• Individual recall(s)
• One of more over early
• Flag X: blue cross on white field
• Hoist flag with 1 sound

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• General recall
• Start over again
• 1^st sub: blue and yellow triangle
• Hoist flag with 2 sounds

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While Racers on Course

• Check and clean up scoring sheets
• Review finishing procedures / roles
• Stay in communications with mark boats
• Photo opportunities
• Monitor weather

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Don’t loose track of racers

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Finish

• Assign roles
• Sighter
• Recorder (use finish sheets)
• Timer
• Get sail #’s before finish
• Sighter: 1 blast
• Record time

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Get stuff set up ahead of time

I’d Rather Go Fishing