2006-07 Sailing Season

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Conducted by the Organising Authority: Manning River Sailing Club Inc.

Saturday 4th November 2006 To April 2007

www.mrsc.org.au

secretary@mrsc.org.au

 

RISK WARNING

This RISK WARNING is issued jointly by the Manning River Sailing Club and the NSW Maritime Authority, pursuant to the Civil Liability Act 2002 to all persons wishing to participate in the sailing activities conducted by Manning River Sailing Club.

Participants are warned that, regardless of the precautions, which might be taken by reasonable and experienced persons, sailing can be a dangerous pursuit and participants are exposed to significant risk of property damage, physical harm and possibly death.

As an indication, these risks may include, but are not limited to:
- The extremes of weather and sea conditions.
- The potential that control of vessels may be lost, resulting in collision with objects and other vessels.
- The sudden movement of the vessel at any time and the possibility that participants may fall or be thrown overboard, resulting in drowning.
- The possibility that participants may be injured by equipment on the vessel.
- The absence of immediate medical care and the likelihood that significant delays may occur before medical care is available.
- Exposure to the elements for extended periods.

The Manning River Sailing Club Inc. and the NSW Maritime Authority also warn participants that regardless of their best intentions, they may be unable to render assistance to participants who are in distress. Participants are warned to consider the above risks and all other risks before deciding to participate in any sailing event with the Manning River Sailing Club.

Participants are also advised that although the Manning River Sailing Club Inc. is covered by third party liability insurance, this cover DOES NOT extend to participants. Any participant who considers they have a need for insurance must make their own private arrangements with an insurer. A personal accident insurance policy is available with subscription to membership of Yachting NSW.

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

1. RULES
1.1.
Racing will be governed by the ISAF's 2005-2008 Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).
1.2. All prescriptions of Yachting Australia shall apply.
1.3. YA Special Regulations Part 2 (Off the Beach Boats) shall apply.
1.4. The appropriate class rules shall also apply.
1.5. Class rules permitting pumping of the sails shall not apply (Sailboards exempt)

2. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
2.1. Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board of the MRSC.

3. CHANGES TO THE SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
3.1. Any change to the Sailing instructions will be posted before 0900 hours on the day it will take effect, except that any change to the schedule of races will be posted by 2000 hours on the day before it will take effect.

4. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
4.1.
Signals made ashore will be displayed on one of the two flagpoles at the Southern End of the Clubhouse, outside the Committee Room.
4.2. When flag AP is displayed ashore, '1 minute' is replaced with 'not less that 5 minutes' in the race signal AP

5. SCHEDULE OF RACES
5.1.
Refer to Attachment A (Sailing Program) for the schedule of races.
5.2. The 2006-07 Season will consist of approximately 23 races.
5.3. A briefing will be held no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the first race of the day.
5.4. The first warning signal for each MRSC club race day will not be before 1230 hours. It is the intention of the Race Management that races will start at approximately 1300 hours, weather and conditions permitting.
5.5. If no warning signal has been made before 1530 hours, races for that day will be abandoned and re-scheduled, where possible.

6. CLASS FLAGS
6.1. Class flag will be:
....6.1.a. Numeral Pennant 1.
....6.1.b. If more than one start is required, Numeral Pennant 2 will be used for the second start;
....6.1.c. Numeral Pennant 3 for the third start;
....6.1.d. and so on for all consecutive starts.

7. THE COURSES
7.1. The diagrams in Attachment B show the courses, including the order in which marks are to be passed and the side on which each mark is to be left.
7.2. When there is a gate, boats shall sail between the gate marks from the direction of the previous mark and round either gate mark.
7.3. Course Flags will be:
............Course 1: Square flag bearing the numeral '1'
............Course 2: Square flag bearing the numeral '2'
............Course 3: Square flag bearing the numeral '3'
............Course 4: Square flag bearing the numeral '4'
............Course 5: Square flag bearing the numeral '5'

8. MARKS
8.1. All Marks will be yellow buoys displaying a yellow flag..__S to be left to Starboard and.__P to be left to Port.
8.2. New marks as provided for in instruction 10.1 will be yellow inflatable spheres.
8.3. Start and Finish marks will be black and white buoys displaying a black and white checked flag.
8.4. A Race Management boat signalling a change of a leg of the course is a mark as provided in instruction 10.2.

9. THE START
9.1. Races will be started using RRS Rule 26, with the warning signal being 5 minutes before the starting signal.
9.2. The starting line will be between staffs displaying black and white checked flags on the starting marks.
9.3. Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area.
9.4. A boat starting later than 10 minutes after her starting signal shall be scored Did Not Start (DNS). This changes RRS Rule A4.

10. CHANGE OF THE NEXT LEG OF THE COURSE
10.1.
To change the next leg of the course, the Race Management will lay a new mark (or move the finishing line) and remove the original mark as soon as practicable. When in a subsequent change a new mark is replaced it will be replaced by an original mark.
10.2. Except at a gate, boats shall pass between the Race Management boat signalling the change of the next leg and the nearby mark. This changes RRS Rule 28.1.

11. THE FINISH
11.1.
The finishing line will be between staffs displaying black and white checked flags on the finishing marks.

12. PENALTY SYSTEM
12.1. RRS Rule 44.1 and 44.2 will apply.
12.2. As provided in RRS Rule 67, the Protest Committee may, without a hearing, penalize a boat that has broken RRS Rule 42.

13. TIME LIMITS
13.1.
Time limits are as follows:
............Mark 1 Time Limit: 40 minutes If no boat has passed Mark 1 within the Mark 1 time limit, the race will be abandoned
13.2. Boats failing to finish within 1 hour after the first boat sails the course and finishes will be scored Did Not Finish (DNF). This changes RRS Rules 35 and A4.
13.3. The first boat must finish within 2 hours of the scratch start.

14. PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS
14.1.
The Protest Committee will be nominated by Race Management.
14.2. For events held at MRSC, Protest forms will be available from the Sign-on/Sign-off table. For events sailed elsewhere, Protest forms will be available from the Commodore and/or Race Officer.
14.3. The protest time limit will be 1 hour from the time of the last boat to finish. (The same time limit applies to protests by the Race Management and Protest Committee about incidents they observe in the racing area and to requests for redress. This changes RRS Rules 61.3 and 62.2.)
14.4. A nominal fee of $10 shall be lodged with each protest form. Forms are to be lodged with the Race Officer in accordance with instruction 14.3
14.5. Notices will be posted on the official notice board within 30 minutes of the protest time limit to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. Hearings will be held in the Manning River Sailing Club Hall, at a time deemed suitable by the Protest Committee (as soon as practicable after the incident).
14.6. A list of boats that, under instruction 12.2, have acknowledged breaking RRS Rule 42, or have been disqualified by the Protest Committee, will be posted within the protest time limit.
14.7. Breaches of instruction 9.3 will not be grounds for protest by a boat. Penalties for these breaches may be less than disqualification if the Protest Committee so decides.

15. SCORING
15.1.
The Bonus point scoring system of Appendix A will apply to the Club Championship series.
15.2. A High point scoring system will apply to the Pointscore Series.
....15.2.a. The first place boat on handicap will receive points according to the number of starters, plus 1. Each boat after will receive one less point. A boat scored DNF will receive 1 point.
......For example; if there are 20 Starters,
....................1st Place ...................21 points
....................2nd Place...................20 points
....................3rd Place ...................19 points
....................4th Place ...................18 points
....................…DNF ........................1 point
15.3. 6 races are scheduled for the Club Championship series.
....15.3.a. When 5 or fewer races have been completed, a boat's series score will be the total of her race scores.
....15.3.b. When 6 races have been completed, a boat's series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score.

16. HANDICAPS
16.1.
Vessel handicaps at the start of the season to be determined by Race Management.
16.2. Time penalties (deficits) for first three place-getters (on handicap) will be:
............First Place - 3 minutes
............Second Place - 2 minutes
............Third Place - 1 minute
............When a boat with handicap 0 minutes (scratch boat) gains a place stated above, all other boats in that race will receive a blow-out (will gain the respective number of minutes)
16.3. The handicap limit will be 30 minutes. A blow-out will not increase this limit.

17. SAFETY REGULATIONS
17.1.
Each skipper must sign-on before going afloat and sign-off within the protest time limit.
....17.1.a. Failure to sign-on will result in the boat being scored Did Not Contest (DNC)
....17.1.b. Failure to sign-off will result in the boat being scored Disqualified (DSQ)
17.2. Rules 17.1.a. and 17.1.b. will be implemented without a hearing.
17.3. A boat that retires from a race shall notify the Race Management as soon as possible.

18. EQUIPMENT AND MEASUREMENT CHECKS
18.1.
A boat or equipment may be inspected at any time for compliance with; the class rules; sailing instructions and YA Special Regulations Part 2 (Off the Beach Boats). If two or more members of the Race Management deem that the boat does not meet minimum safety standards, that boat will be prohibited from competing until such time that it satisfies all safety requirements. On the water a boat can be instructed by a Race Management measurer to proceed immediately to a designated area for inspection.

19. OFFICIAL/RESPONSE BOATS
19.1.
Response boats will fly the Manning River Sailing Club flag. The Driver and Crew of these vessels will be distinguished by the wearing of fluoro apparel.

20. RADIO COMMUNICATION
20.1.
A boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats. This restriction also applies to mobile telephones.

21. PRIZES
21.1.
Prizes will be awarded at the End of Season Presentation.
21.2. The MRSC Committee will determine what constitutes a class and what prizes will be awarded.

22. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
22.1.
Competitors participate in the races or regatta entirely at their own risk. See RRS Rule 4, Decision to Race. The organising authority will not accept any liability for material damage, personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta.

23. INSURANCE
23.1.
It is strongly recommended that each yacht have a risk cover of no less than $10,000,000 by way of a certificate of currency or policy document copy. If not produced, they will not be given entry approval to any event other than club events.

 

Page Last Updated, Monday November 27, 2006
 
For general enquiries, please email the club: secretary@mrsc.org.au