Race Officer's Guidelines

Introduction

The MRSC has no permanent Race Management but is governed by Race Management practices under the supervision of the President, Commodore, Vice Commodore, and/or the Elected Race Officer (Officer of the Day) of the MRSC.

Given that the enjoyment of racing is to a large extent dependant on the quality of race management, these guidelines have been prepared for members to use as a guide to improve the quality of the race management at the MRSC.

It is contended that a sound knowledge of the principles and practice of race management will improve your racing skills and also make your duty day more enjoyable.

These Guidelines should be read in conjunction with the ISAF's Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008, particularly Part 3 - Conduct of a Race and the MRSC Sailing Instructions.

It is hoped the guidelines will be read before your RO duty. At the end of your rostered day it is suggested you review your performance and learn from any mistakes.

Feed back to the Commodore on any aspect of these guidelines would be appreciated.

A note to all competitors

It is good form to acknowledge the RO's efforts at the end of a day's racing. If he/she has done a good job then tell them. If he/she hasn't, then constructively point out mistakes or suggested improvement. Most of us are anxious to improve and welcome the feedback.

RO's Primary Responsibility

The RO's primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of all competitors. He/she shall immediately render assistance to any boat in trouble. However that does not necessarily mean that a start, or finish, has to be delayed to provide a tow to a boat with a broken spar.

It may also make sense to tie a boat with broken gear to the committee boat or simply anchor it and take the skipper on board to enable the race to be completed.

If you observe a breach of the rules

Sailing is essentially a self regulating sport. Your job is to run a good race. It should be left to competitors to resolve a breach of the rules.

Check List Of Equipment to be Taken Afloat

Before leaving the club conduct the following checks to ensure the listed equipment is on board;
.........1. Ground tackle and anchor for boat
.........2. All course marks including the starting and finishing marks
.........3. A spare anchor and Fender/buoy for boats left abandoned (when skipper and crew are removed from a vessel. Anchor the vessel and tie a fender/buoy to the mast. This will notify others that the skipper and crew of the vessel have been removed and are safe.)
.........4. Check the fuel tanks and if necessary refill. Ensure that you add the correct amount of oil to the fuel if necessary.
.........5. Buoyancy vests (1 for each person on board [persons under 16 to be wearing one at all times])
.........6. Flags:
............o Start Flags, (Numeral Pennants as required)
............o Preparatory Flags: P, I, Z and Black.
............o Answering Pennant (AP)
............o 1st Substitute (General Recall)
............o Code Flag X (Individual Recall)
............o N (Abandonment)
............o A (When used with AP or N means GO HOME)
............o S (Shorten Course)
............o C (Changing next leg of course)
............o L (Come along side. I wish to communicate with you)
.........7. Race Officer's kit containing
............o Clip board and pencils
............o Recording Sheets
............o Handicap Numerals Kit
............o Horn and/or Whistle
............o Wind Indicator (Windex) and T-Mounting
............o Stop Watch - if necessary, use your racing watch
............o Tape Recorder and spare batteries (optional)
............o Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) " MRSC Sailing Instructions

Check Operation of Horn and Tape Recorder

Before competitors arrive at the starting area, check that both the horn and tape recorder work satisfactorily. Do not shake the horn. If in doubt about the horn use a whistle. If neither horn nor whistle is available then use your loud voice. Competitors should time their start from visual signals. The sound draws attention to the visual signal. Check that the recorder operates by playing back your recording of the date and race number.

Sailing Instructions

No matter how experienced you are it is strongly recommended that you read the club's Sailing Instructions before leaving to setup the course. These can be found with the Clip Board. Also read the meaning of flags as shown on the back pages of the RRS.

Laying the course

1. Give yourself plenty of time. You should aim to start the first race at the designated time.

2. If the wind is trending, or otherwise unstable, delay setting the course until it stabilises, but don't seek perfection! Sailors would rather have a race than wait for the race officer to set a perfect course.

3. Conduct the Pre-Race Briefing at least 30 minutes before the start. You should inform the competitors of the type of race, type of start, weather conditions and forecast, the course to be sailed, and any other relevant information.

4. Lay the starting line. It is recommended the length of the starting line should be about No. of Starters x 3 metres. Estimating distances over water is difficult, particularly long distances. It is often easier to view the distance and mentally halve it (or divide by 3 or even 4) and estimate that distance. Again check the mean wind bearing and drop the boat's anchor. In a very light breeze with tide against wind it may be necessary to use the outboard in reverse to hold the boat on station.

5. Lay the pin end of the line (i.e. the port/leeward end of the line). [ISAF says it is customary "to lay a starting line with approximately 5 degrees of bias favouring the port end"]. In the absence of any tidal effect the recommendation is to plan for a square line and accept up to 5 degrees of pin end bias. The best way to do this is to position the starter's boat which becomes the starboard/windward end of the line by dropping a long anchor line upwind of the line and then feed the line out until the T-mounting with wind indicator on the boat is square to the pin end or the 5 degree bias. (This means that pin end is slightly upwind.)

6. Position another start mark next to the boat in line with the T-mounting. (This forms the start line to indicate boats who break the start)

7. Whatever the conditions it is important to watch competitors in the last minute and if there is likely to be a General Recall as a result of excessive crowding at one end, then AP early and re-set the line.

8. Never feel pressured into starting at the scheduled starting time with a poor line or if the breeze is too light or unstable but, again, don't seek perfection.

9. If the start is likely to be late, hoist AP with two sound signals. Do this before going into the starting sequence. The starting sequence must commence one minute after AP is lowered with one sound signal.

10. The starting line cannot be altered after the Preparatory Signal.

11. Flags must be displayed and lowered with precision. Keep the new flag below the gunnel of the boat and display it with a quick lift. Stagger the height of the flags when hoisted so all flags can be seen from any angle.

12. Before a start, if you are uncertain about the quality of the breeze, or any other matter, use flag L to consult with senior sailors. They are usually recognisable by the amount of talking they do and they are invariably happy to provide advice!

Allocation of Tasks During Starting Sequence

From experience, the following allocation of tasks during starting appears to work best.

Race Officer

1. Displays and lowers flags. Have flags that may be required readily at hand, e.g. Warning, Preparatory, AP, X, 1st Sub.

2. During the last minute before the start, call the line by recording what is happening. See below.

3. Immediately after the start determine whether there has been a clear start, Individual Recall or General Recall.

4. Communicate your decision clearly to your deputy and for the latter two situations, display the appropriate flag as soon as possible and provide help to your deputy, e.g. "General Recall, two sound signals".

5. Before and after the start, call OCS sail numbers. If there is any doubt, check your recording.

Deputy RO

1. Write the times at which events will take place on the sheet provided. Do not rely on your memory.

2. Call times and operate horn/whistle at each flag event. Each flag raising or lowering event should be counted down over the last minute. e.g. 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, 4, 3, 2. Go or Now.

3. Write down any OCS starters the RO may call.

4. Starts stopwatch (for elapsed times) and records Local time of start.

What Preparatory Flag Should be Used?

RRS and our Sailing Instructions provide for the use of the following preparatory flags: either P (normal preparatory signal - Blue Peter), I (round the end rule), Z (20% penalty for those in the triangle between the start marks and the first mark) or Black (Instant DSQ for those in the triangle between the start marks and the first mark). We recommend the use of P for say several starts before the use of the Black flag. Don't use the Black Flag if the General Recalls have been due to a poor line.

Calling the Line at the Start

Calling the line in the last minute before the start is not obligatory but it does represent good practice. Calling the line forces the RO to observe what is happening at this critical time of the race. Apart from your call, the tape recorder will have the deputy's time countdown as a voice over.

The call may include:
...o The result of a check on the pin end bearing - using the Windex and T-mounting, e.g. "the line has no bias " or "the line has a small pin end bias"
...o An assessment of the likely impact of tide on the line. e.g. "strong tide against wind which competitors have not allowed for"
...o An assessment of the length of the line e.g. "line length OK" or " Line is too short, I may have to AP and lengthen"
...o An assessment of line bias i.e. whether either end of the line is favoured by competitors, e.g. "boat end is favoured but line is unbiased"
...o Whether competitors are 'line shy' or whether most are over the line
...o Most importantly, record the sail numbers of competitors that are over the line in the last minute - it is obviously important that you record if they return to the pre-start side of the line. For a normal start with P used as the Preparatory, it is essential to call the sail number of the boats that are OCS in the last minute and then call them again if they return to the pre-start area before the start. Don't rely on your memory. They should be written down by your assistant. For a Black Flag start, attempt to advise OCS competitors so that they can cease racing.

Bail Out Early

During the last minute before the start (or earlier), if it becomes apparent that
...o the line is too short or too biased, (in some instances the line may be perfect for the conditions but the competitors perceive that one end is favoured), or
...o there has been an error in the starting sequence, then cut your losses early and save time by displaying AP with two sounds before the start.

The new starting sequence should be started by hoisting the new warning signal one minute after AP is lowered with one sound signal.

At the Start

At the start, you have to immediately decide whether it is a clear start, General Recall or Individual Recall.

1. The line must be sighted from the boat's T-mounting to the windward side of the pin end buoy.

2. In most starts you will know your call five seconds before the start or earlier.

3. Start the tape recorder when the Prep is lowered and stop it after the start

Individual Recall (Code Flag X)

1. You don't have to identify all OCS starters. Difficult though it may be, the RO has to weigh up the pros and cons of allowing one or two OCS offenders to escape against the penalty that a General Recall may impose upon a number of competitors who made a good start. Thus every effort must be made to identify the principal OCS offenders and apply the Individual Recall procedure to them.

2. The X flag should be displayed (with one sound) no later than say 5 seconds after the start.

3. The flag should remain displayed until all OCS competitors have returned (most unlikely) to the pre-start side of the starting line or its extensions. They don't have to go around the end unless Flag I has been used as a preparatory signal.

4. If any OCS competitors don't return, X should remain displayed for four minutes or one minute before the next warning signal, which ever is shorter. No sound signal is required when it is lowered.

5. When it is apparent that OCS starters are unlikely to return, then remove X and one minute later go into the next sequence.

General Recall (1st Sub)

1. General Recalls should be avoided if at all possible as there invariably will be a number of competitors who get a good start that are subsequently penalised. It should be possible in club races to avoid a General Recall by setting a good starting line and by competitors knowing the RO will not accept early starters (Using Individual Recalls helps create that discipline). If you do have a General Recall quickly reset the line (if necessary) and re-start as soon as you can.

2. If a number of boats are over before the start in the last minute and cannot or are unlikely to return, and you cannot get their numbers, then AP before the start.

3. If a General Recall is used it should be displayed (two sound signal) within say 10-15 seconds of the start.

4. Ensure the poor start was not a result of a poor line. i.e. too short or too biased. If it was then correct it.

5. Up to the start, you may use 1st Sub for any error in the starting sequence at any time although it is more common to use AP.

6. If there is a starting stuff-up that is uncovered after the start, then use N with three sound signals. The next sequence should start one minute after N is lowered with one sound signal.

7. Restart the next starting sequence as soon as possible.

Shortened Course

1. During racing, monitor the race elapsed time and be prepared to shorten the race at any mark to ensure the race is not lost because of the time limit expiry. The time limit is 60 minutes after the first boat finishes. If it is unlikely that the first boat will finish within 2 hours (of then scratch start) then the race should be shortened.

2. When shortening course, anchor the boat so that competitors will pass through the finishing line (between boat and mark) as part of their normal mark rounding.

3. Signal shortened course by displaying Flag S with two sound signals as the first boat approaches.

4. Finish the race in the normal way as described below.

Change of Course (this is used when the mark may have drifted from its position or disappeared)

If necessary, lay a new mark (yellow inflatable sphere)

RRS (Rule 33) provides for a change to the course after the start (Flag C and a series of sounds). This may be a change to the direction of the next leg, its length or both. This change should be indicated to all competitors at the mark which commences the changed course by displaying Flag C with repetitive sounds from a support vessel. The support vessel crew have to direct sailors to the next mark.

Also, If the length of the leg is changed, the support vessel crew should display a minus sign (if the leg is shortened) or a plus sign (if the leg is lengthened)

At the Finish

Set up the finishing line to achieve a target time of about 2 hours. The length of the finishing line can be shorter than the starting line and again you should aim to set it at right angles to the local wind.

The starting line can be used as the finish line left in its original position, shortened and rechecked to make sure it is approximately at right angles to the wind. Alternatively, the finish line can be in a new position altogether.

If original position, the support boat that conducted the start, has to anchor in line with marks to record vessel finishing times. Alternatively, if in line with the T-wharf or Clex on clubhouse, the Race Officer can record times from T-wharf or Committee Room respectively.

Allocation of Task During Finishing

Race Officer

1. Call sail number of each finisher to Deputy for them to record sail numbers on timing sheet and tape recorder, if desired

2. Except for OCS and Black flag starters, give sound signal as each boat finishes.

3. Acknowledge the applause and gratitude from competitors.

Deputy RO

Using the Finishing Sheet provided, record

1. the sail numbers of all finishers including OCS and Black Flag starters in the sequence of finishing

2. the finishing time (minutes and seconds) of each competitor (which may be either elapsed time or Local Time). (The Handicapper requires the time difference between each finisher.)

Tasks after last boat finishes

1. Safety check - ensure all boats are accounted for (finished or retired) check finish list against sign-on sheet. If there are boats unaccounted for, locate them.

When all boats are accounted for:

2. Arrange collection of all course marks (including rounding marks and start/finish marks)

3. Retrieval of support vessels

4. Flush outboard motors before returning to shed (run fresh water through cooling system until fuel left in motor runs out [after disconnecting fuel tank]) Quickly hose down both hull and trailer. [be water wise]

5. Check-off all equipment and return to stowage. Report any missing equipment to Race Management or Support Vessel Organiser.

6. Check Sign-on Sheet and ensure all competitors have signed off.

7. Attach Sign-on Sheet to Finishing Sheet and, if possible, calculate the results of the day and pin to notice board within protest time limit (1 hour) if not possible, Pin to Official Notice board before the next race day.

8. Ensure all race results are passed on to the publicity officer.

Caveat

MRSC acknowledge that it may be sometime before you are able to reach the level of competence suggested in these guidelines. Indeed, if you are able to execute your duties in accordance with these guidelines you are probably good enough to be an International Race Officer. All that we ask is that you do your best. These notes will hopefully assist. This is especially prevalent if you are only doing race management occasionally. This being the case, we would hope that it gives you a better insight into Race Management and furthers your skills and knowledge for the benefit of your own racing.