RENDEZVOUS YACHT CLUB RACE RULES 2007

Draft Copy to be discussed at April 2007 meeting.

A.  COMMITTEE BOAT SCHEDULE

·         Saturday Series Schedule will be coordinated by the Race Committee and a schedule will be published

·         Wednesday Series Schedule will be assigned to active skippers from the previous year on a random basis.  A schedule will be published.

·         Skippers may either run the race on their scheduled night, trade with another skipper for their night or assign someone else to run the race in their stead. Report trades/assignments to the race committee or the webmaster.

·         The Race Committee will contact the assigned skipper prior to their assigned race.

·         If there is no crew for the Committee Boat there will be no race

B.  DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE BOAT

·         Be at the starting location 1 hour before the race start (Wednesday Series) or Skippers meeting (Saturday Series)

·         Ensure that committee boat is properly equipped

·         Set the course and communicate to the competitors via VHF or at the Skippers meeting

·         Start the Race

·         Observe any infractions of the rules and be prepared to either make a judgment on the water or report to the Race Committee

·         Finish the Race

·         Return committee boat and equipment to storage

C.  DUTIES OF COMPETITORS

·         Race according to the rules

·         Treat all other competitors and the Committee Boat Crew with respect!

D. RACE RULES

General 

1.    The Race Committee means the permanent standing committee of the club.  The Committee Boat means the people aboard the committee boat running the individual race.

2.    The current International Racing Rules of Sailing as adopted and revised by the Canadian Yachting Association, apply to all RYC events, except where amended herein. 

3.    The United States Sailing Association PHRF Handicap System will be used as applied by the Race Committee.  

4.    Race results will be calculated only for members in good standing as of the start of the race, or for a single race entry fee of $20. 

5.    The decision to race or to abandon a race is the skipper's alone.  The Committee Boat may at its sole discretion shorten, postpone, or cancel a race due to unsafe weather or lack of wind. 

6.    The Committee boat will use a VHF Radio, normally Channel 69, for communications with Competitors.  The onus is on the skipper of each boat to monitor the VHF to receive instructions from the Committee. 

Wednesday Night Fun Races

7.    Wednesday Night Fun Races will start at 6:25 pm. Sharp (start sequence) 

8.    The Wednesday Night Fun Races will generally consist of either an Olympic Triangle or Windward-Leeward course in an approximate 50/50 mix.  The Committee Boat shall advise of the course direction and number of legs to competitors by VHF radio prior or at the start line prior to the start. 

9.    The duration of Wednesday Night Fun Races will be determined by the discretion of the Committee Boat, based on the likelihood of a reasonable number of boats finishing.  A red flag will indicate a shortened course finish line. 

Saturday Races 

10.  Saturday Races will start at the time prescribed by the Committee Boat at the Skippers Meeting held prior to the race.  

11.  The Committee Boat will determine the course for Saturday Races based on predicted weather conditions and will include, if practicable, a balance between upwind and downwind sailing. Others may make suggestions for a course prior to the Skippers meeting, but the final decision on the course rests with the skipper of the Committee Boat. At the Skipper’s meeting, discussion will be normally be limited to requests for clarification of the course and requests for changes based on safety. 

12.  At the Skippers meeting the Committee Boat skipper will describe the following components:

a)      VHF Channel to monitoring

b)      Anticipated wind direction at the start of the race

c)      Start line (e.g. between the Committee Boat and a Club Marker)

d)      Direction of the first leg (a windward first leg is desirable)

e)      First marker and passing side (leave to Port or Starboard)

f)        Additional marks and passing side

g)      Location of gates and times at which gate decisions will be made

h)      Approach direction to the finish line

i)        Finish Line

j)        Call time for the race

13.  Gates are predetermined locations at which the race may be finished should weather conditions preclude using the prescribed finish line.  Additional gates may be determined during the race at the sole discretion of the Committee Boat provided that establishing such a gate will not unduly advantage or disadvantage competitors.

14.  The Committee Boat shall be at the gates at the specified times to determine if the race shall continue.  This decision will be based on the weather, location of the lead boats, the location of the remainder of the fleet and the likelihood of a reasonable number of boats finishing. If the Committee Boat determines that the race will be finished at a gate reasonable attempts (red flag, VHF. etc.) will be made to notify the competitors of their decision.

15.  The Committee Boat shall set a race completion time for each Saturday Race after which they, at their sole discretion, may conclude or cancel the race should weather conditions make it unlikely that a reasonable number of boats will finish the race.  The normal cancellation time will be no earlier than 3:00 pm and will be communicated to competitors at the Skippers Meeting. 

Starting/Finishing 

16.  The start line will be established of sufficient length to ensure a safe start (approximately 1.5 boat lengths per boat in the race).  Finish lines may be variable from short on Wednesday nights to long on Saturdays. 

17.  A 5 minute start sequence will be used in all races, as follows:

18.  In the event of a false start, the general recall signal (Blue and Red) will be given and the race will be restarted.  Participants are subject to individual recall by the Committee Boat (White Flag) 

Fouls and Protests    

19.  The Committee Boat has the authority to disqualify, without hearing, skippers who act in an unsafe or unsportsmanlike manner. 

20.  If a boat is fouled and intends to protest, it must state its intention to protest to the offending boat immediately or at the earliest opportunity, and the Committee Boat at the earliest opportunity prior to crossing the finish line (i.e. not on shore after the race).

21.  The official protest signal will be red flag flown from the backstay of the boat. 

22.  The Committee Boat has the authority to lodge protests for rule infringements, such as early starts, port-starboard right-of-way, mark rounding etc. The Committee Boat must inform the offending boat of the infraction.

23.  The Race Committee will convene a Protest Committee to hear protests normally consisting of a member of the Committee Boat, a member of the Race Committee and an Executive Committee member not involved in the incident.  The decision of the Protest Committee is final.

Calculations of Series Results

24.  Series results will be calculated for each skipper, regardless of boat used.

25.  Each skipper is allowed 2 throw out races per series unless more than one race is lost to weather or lack of Committee Boat Crew, in which case 1 throw out will be allowed.  

26.  Each member will be awarded 1 point for one race in each series in which they are the skipper of the Committee Boat. 

27.  In the calculation of the results for a series, DNF's are awarded the individual race fleet size +1, and DNS's are awarded the series maximum fleet size +1. 

Approved:  _________, 2007