RENDEZVOUS YACHT CLUB

RACE RULES 2009

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 and there is an approved PFD for each member of the race committee aboard.

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

·        Start the Race using ISAF five minute countdown sequences.

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

·        Finish the Race, taking times for all competitors to finish.

·        Return committee boat and equipment to proper storage.

C.        DUTIES OF COMPETITORS

·        Race according to the Racing Rules of Sailing. US Sailing 2009-2012 rules apply.

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

·        Carry a VHF radio for communications onboard. (This may be a hand held unit) Competitors must monitor the appropriate channel for the entire duration of the race.

·        A protest flag (small red flag) is deemed essential equipment, and must be flown from the backstay if a protest is lodged from your boat. 

·        All RYC racing sailboats must carry at least the minimum safety gear aboard as listed by either the US or Canadian Coast Guard for your appropriate sized vessel. All safety equipment for your boat must be in good working order, and there must be an approved PFD for every person carried on board at all times.

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. A skipper that is abandoning the race must contact the committee boat of their intentions by VHF radio or hailing.

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

7.      Three Boat Rule: There must be three boats starting a RYC race for the race to be considered officially scored. (Three boats do not have to finish the race; only have started across the line)

Wednesday Night Fun Races

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

9.      RYC Wednesday Night Fun Series there will be two fleets. If only one boat is present from a fleet they are to be scored one (1) series point if they complete the course in the time allotted.

10. 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.

11. 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 60 to 90 minute period of racing is the general target. A red flag will indicate a shortened course finish line.

Saturday Races

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

13. RYC Saturday Series will consist of only one race fleet. All boats participating will be scored together for the overall series.

14. 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.   Other participants may make suggestions for an appropriate course prior to the Skippers meeting, but the final decision on the race course selected 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 course changes based on safety concerns.

15. 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

16. Gates are predetermined locations at which the race may be finished early 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.

17. 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 in the time allowed. If the Committee Boat determines that the race will be finished early at a gate; reasonable attempts (red flag, VHF. etc.) will be made to notify all the competitors of their decision. 

18. 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

19. The start line to all races 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.

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

21. 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  

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

23. If a boat is fouled and intends to protest,

A) It must hail its intention to protest to the offending boat immediately, or at the earliest opportunity.

B) Fly their red pennant from their backstay.

C) Notify the Committee Boat at the earliest opportunity by VHF radio, prior to crossing the finish line. (i.e. not start a protest on shore after the race is finished).  

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

25. The Committee Boat has the authority to lodge protests for rule infringements, such as early starts, port-starboard right-of-way, mark rounding etc.

 26. The Committee Boat must inform the offending boat of the infraction prior to end of the race when ever practical. (This allows the skipper to complete his penalty turns and exonerate the foul)

27. 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

28. Series results will be calculated for each RYC racing skipper, regardless of boat or boats used during the season.

29. Each skipper is allowed 2 throw out race results per each series (Wednesday’s Spring, Fall Series and Saturday Series) unless races are lost to weather or lack of Committee Boat crew. In which case lost races will displace the throw outs for each skipper in the series. If two or more races are lost in a series no throw outs will be allowed in calculating final results.  

30. Series points are awarded to the skippers as .75 points for a first place finish, 2 for second place, 3 for third place etc.

31. Each RYC racing skipper will be awarded 1 point for one race in each series in which they are the RC skipper of the Committee Boat.

32. In the calculation of the final 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.

Updated RYC Race Committee March 7, 2009; posted March 18, 2009