sailinginstructions page

 

This are the preliminary sailing instructions and subject to changes!

the final sailing instructions will be posted here in the next days.

Sailing Instructions 2009

1.       Rules

1.1     The regatta will be governed by the 2005-2009 Racing Rules of Sailing, the rules of each class, the Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA) rating rule and simplified rating rule., the Notice of Race, except as any of these are altered by these Sailing Instructions, and by these Sailing Instructions.

1.2     No national authority prescription will apply

1.3     In the event of conflict the English text of the rules and these Sailing Instructions as printed and distributed at registration shall apply, and not those posted on the regatta website.

2.       Advertising

2.1     The event is designated Category A.

3.       Entries and Registration

3.1     Eligible boats shall enter by completing registration which as follows:

Thursday January 22th 2009 from 10.00 until 18.00 at the Regatta Headquarters in Bobby’s Marina Great Bay Philipsburg ( Phone +599 5237671 ).

3.2     Handicaps will be applied in accordance with the following class rules. At registration all boats shall have available the forms listed next to the class designations:

a)     Classic                               Simplified CSA rating form

b)     Spirit of Tradition                 CSA rating certificate form

c)     Vintage                              Simplified CSA rating form

d)     Tall Ships    

4.       Notices to Competitors & Race Office

4.1     Notices to competitors will be posted on the Official Notice Board located at the Race Office as follows:

January 22th, and the morning of January 23th : Regatta Headquarters + The Green House

January 23th afternoon and the morning of January 24th:    
Fort Louis Marina Yacht Club Waterfront, Marigot

January 24th afternoon and the morning of January 25th:    
Taloula Mango Restaurant and at the Passangrahan Hotel, Boardwalk Philipsburg as well as at the regatta headquarters in Bobby’s Marina and at The Greenhouse Restaurant & Bar

Results will be posted at the regatta headquarters in Bobby’s Marina and at The Greenhouse Restaurant & Bar

5.       Changes to the Sailing Instructions

5.1     Any change to the Sailing Instructions will be posted on the notice board by 08.30 on the day it will take effect, except that any change to the schedule will be posted by 20.00 on the day before it will take effect.

6.       Signals Ashore

6.1     There will be no signals ashore.

7.       Signals Afloat 

7.1    Committee boats will maintain a listening watch throughout     

racing and may, in accordance with RRS 89.2(c), broadcast the following:
*Time checks 30 and 15 minutes before the first start each day
*Notification of amendments to the Sailing Instructions and, if the amendment is brief, its text
*The Abandonment or Postponement of any race
*The committee boat leaving the finish line

8.       Schedule of Races

8.1    The schedule of races and starting times for all classes will be issued at registration and will form part of these Sailing Instructions.

8.2    The scheduled time of the Warning Signal for the first race on Friday & Sunday will not be before 10:00.
The scheduled time of the Warning Signal for the first race on Saturday will not be before 9:00.

9.      The Courses 

9.1    The diagrams in Attachment 1 show the courses, the order in which marks are to be passed, the side on which each mark is to be left and the approximate length of the course in N.M. The written description prevails over the drawing. GPS coordinates are a guidance for the mark layers and may not be used as a means of redress.NM.

9.2    While racing all boats shall stay to seaward of all marks and buoys that are part of the fuelling station in Cole Bay.

10.   Marks

10.1  Marks will be described in Attachment 1.

11.   The Start

11.1  Races will be started in accordance with Rule 26 with the warning signal ten (10) minutes before the start.

11.2  The starting line will be between an orange flag on the committee boat and an orange inflatable buoy. The committee boat may be at either end of the line.

11.3  Boats whose Warning signal has not been made shall keep clear of the starting area.

11.4  Any boat or buoy attached to the Race Committee Boat shall be considered to be part of the Race Committee Boat.

11.5  If a boat starts between 2 minutes before the starting signal and the starting signal the boat will be considered started and penalized with a 2 minute penalty added to the elapsed time and a 1 place penalty. This changes rule 62.1(a) and the NOR.

11.6  A boat starting later than 10 minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start. 

12.   The Finish

12.1  The finishing line will be between an orange flag on a race committee boat and a nearby orange inflatable buoy.

13.   Retirements

13.1  Any boat retiring shall advise the Race Committee at the earliest opportunity. Failure to do so may, following a hearing, result in disqualification from the regatta or such other penalty as the Protest Committee deems equitable.

14.   Penalty System

14.1  Except for breaches of Parts 1 and 2 of the RRS, the Protest Committee may apply any penalty that they deem equitable. This changes RRS rule 64.1.

14.2  A boat that does not take a penalty in accordance with RRS 44 may accept a 30% penalty before the protest hearing provided there was no damage and the boat did not gain a significant advantage.

14.3  When a percentage penalty is imposed, it shall be calculated as the percentage of the number of entrants in the class, rounded up to the nearest point.

14.4  For all classes rules 44.1 and 44.2 are changed so that only one turn, including one tack and one gybe, is required.

15.   Time Limit                  

15.1  The time limit for all classes will be 18.00, except that on Sunday January 25th the time limit will be 17.00.
Boats failing to finish within the time limit will be scored DNF.
This changes RRS rule 35.

16.   Protests

16.1  Protest forms are available at the Race Office at each finish location.

16.2  A boat shall lodge a protest within 60 minutes after the last boat in the fleet finishes. On Sunday January 25th protests shall be lodged within 60 minutes after the last boat finishes in the fleet, or 17.15, whichever is earlier. The same time limit applies to protests by the race committee and protest committee about incidents they observe in the racing area and to requests for redress. This changes rules 61.3 and 62.2.

16.3  Notices will be posted 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 jury room, located at Race Office at each finish location.

16.4  Notices of protests by the race committee or protest committee will be posted to inform boats under rule 61.1(b).

16.5  When the official measurer of the regatta is satisfied that there is an error in a boat’s measurement certificate at any time during the regatta, he will notify the Jury which will call a hearing. If the Jury is satisfied that the measurement certificate is in error, the measurer will reissue the certificate and the score for all races in the regatta will be adjusted. This changes RRS rule 78.3.

16.6  Other than as allowed in 16.5 above, no measurement or rating protest may be lodged after the first day of racing. This request has to be done in writing. This changes RRS rule 60.1(a).

16.7  Breaches of instructions 11.3 will not be grounds for a protest by a boat. This changes rule 60.1(a). Penalties for these breaches may be less than disqualification if the protest committee so decides. 

17.   Scoring

17.1  The Low Point scoring system, RRS rule A4.1, will apply except that a boat’s score will be the total of all her races. This changes RRS rule A2.

17.2  For all classes one (1) race shall be completed to constitute a series. 

18.   Equipment & measurement checks

18.1  A boat or equipment may be inspected at any time for compliance with the class rules and sailing instructions.
On the water, a boat can be instructed by a race committee measurer to proceed immediately to a designated area for inspection.

19.   Use of Engines

19.1  Any boat, which uses her engine during a race, shall submit a written report of the incident, including the time, distance covered and reasons for using the engine, to the regatta office within protest time. The regatta office shall report the incident to the protest committee. The Jury may, following a hearing, take any action it deems appropriate.

20.   Radio Communications

20.1  Information on radio communication for all classes will be handed out with the registration package and is considered part of these Sailing Instructions.

21.   Prizes

21.1  1st 2nd and 3rd place prizes will be awarded in each class and separate trophies will be handed out for spirit & style, best dressed crew, perseverance & most photogenic

22.   Conduct and Liability

22.1  The skipper/owner shall be responsible for all actions of his or her crew and guests. In the event of any breach of good conduct or sportsmanship, destruction of property or failure to comply with any reasonable request of any race officer, committee member or agent of the St.Maarten-St.Martin Classic Yacht Regatta, the skipper/owner and his/her boat will be, following a hearing, subject to disqualification from the regatta.

22.2  Trash or garbage shall not deliberately be thrown overboard.