These General Sailing Instructions shall be applied together with the Specific Event Sailing Instructions for the Puget Sound Large Boat Racing Program. In case of conflict, the Specific Event Sailing Instructions govern.
REGISTRATION
To enter an event, submit a completed registration form and pay the appropriate fee. Registration forms can be hand-delivered to the CYC yacht club at Shilshole or submitted via mail, fax (206) 789-5896, or through the web site at www.cycseattle.org/reg_form.html.
RULES
Races will be governed by the 2005-2008 Racing Rules of Sailing (‘RRS’), the prescriptions of US SAILING, these sailing instructions, and the specific event sailing instructions for each event. In case of conflict between these sailing instructions and the specific event sailing instructions for an event, the specific event sailing instructions will govern. Also, as appropriate, the rules of PHRF Northwest or the rules adopted by local one-design fleets apply.
NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
Notices will be posted at the CYC Shilshole Clubhouse on the window next to the entrance door on the upper level. Any change in the sailing instructions will be posted at least 2 hours before the first race in which it will take effect. Code flag "L" may be flown from the clubhouse flag staff when such changes are made.
RESPONSIBILITY
4.1 The skipper of each boat is responsible for any unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of his or her crew. If punitive action is taken under RRS rule 69, Allegations of Gross Misconduct, it may result in a competitor being excluded from further participation in the CYC racing program.
4.2 Occasionally, sailboat racing has resulted in injury or loss of life. All competitors in CYC events participate at their own risk. It shall be the responsibility of the skipper to inform the crew of the risks of sailboat racing, to make sure they understand and accept those risks, to decide whether the crew is competent and adequate for the event, and to decide whether to start or continue in a race.
4.3 When a boat is notified that she has been selected for an inspection of required safety equipment, she shall report for and submit to the inspection.
SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
Signals made ashore will be displayed from the CYC clubhouse. When flag "AP" - Postponement Signal is lowered after having been displayed ashore, all contestants shall proceed promptly to the starting area.
SAFETY
6.1 All boats shall comply with the PIYA Category III equipment requirements. A PIYA form listing these requirements is available from the PIYA website.
6.2 Boats with outboard auxiliary engines shall have their engine attached to its permanent mounting and ready for immediate immersion.
6.3 The Special Sailboat Safety Regulations apply. These can be found at the end of these Sailing Instructions.
6.4 A boat that breaks sailing instruction 6.1, 6.2, or 6.3 could receive a warning, be disqualified or not accepted in future competition, depending on the severity of her offense. This changes RRS rule 64.1(a).
6.5 A boat that leaves the racing area before finishing or before the last race of a day should notify the race committee via VHF ch. 67.
CHANGES IN RATING
A change in a PHRF rating takes effect on the day it is recorded by the local handicapper. If a change in a boat's rating occurs during a series, then, for that series only, the boat shall continue to sail in the fleet in which she was sailing before her rating was changed, and she will be eligible for awards in that fleet. After the date on which the rating change takes effect, the boat's corrected time will be calculated using her new rating.
STARTING ORDER
Classes will start in the order in which class placards are displayed, reading from left to right and from the top line to the bottom line on the race committee boat readerboard. When a plus sign ("+") is displayed between two class placards, those two classes will start together at the same time.
COURSES
9.1 Each course will be signaled by a row of letters following the placards of the classes that are to sail that course. Each letter designates a mark. The first letter displayed is the starting buoy, the last is the finishing buoy, and those in between are the rounding marks.
9.2 Course configurations, mark descriptions and locations are printed inside the back cover of this book. NOTE: The leeward marks may be either to windward and/or leeward of the committee boat.
9.3 Start between the starting buoy and the orange flag on the race committee boat. Pass each rounding mark in the order displayed and on the same side as the starting buoy. Finish between the finishing buoy and the orange flag on the race committee boat. When a number, such as "2" or "3", follows the designation of a course, it signals a multiple-lap course. Sail the course as many times as is indicated by that number, crossing the finishing line at the completion of each lap.
9.4 Gate mark: If flag "G" is displayed at the preparatory and the starting signals for a class, there will be a gate (two marks) instead of a single mark for that class, and boats shall pass between the two gate marks and then round either the port gate mark to port or the starboard gate mark to starboard.
9.5 Warning: The race committee may use its engine to hold position, and it may do so even when apparently anchored.
9.6 When boats are finishing after dark, the race committee boat may display a yellow/green beacon.
9.7 IMPORTANT RESTRICTION: After completing the first leg of the course, a boat shall not cross the line between mark F and the committee boat unless she is:
(a) finishing,
(b) completing a lap of a multiple-lap course (as indicated by a number following a designated course), or
(c) rounding the buoy end of the finishing line when such a rounding is required by the course for her class.
A boat that fails to observe this restriction may exonerate herself by making a 720° turn, just as she would to take a 720° penalty. This changes RRS rule 28.1. The finishing line is an obstruction for boats that are subject to this restriction. A boat that fails to exonerate herself will be scored DNF without a hearing. This changes RRS 63.1 and appendix A5.
9.8 Individual classes may be abandoned or shortened by displaying their class flag along with the appropriate race signal flag.
SHIP CANAL RESTRICTED AREA
Boats shall not enter the area defined by the following three lines:
From the south end of the Shilshole breakwater northwestward to buoy C "1"
From buoy C "1" southwestward to buoy N "2"
From buoy N "2" southeastward to buoy N "4"
A boat that enters this area may not correct her error. This changes RRS rule 28.1. This area is considered to be an obstruction.
THE START
Races will be started using RRS rule 26 except a blue shape will replace flag P. [Note for web version of racebook: This link to RRS rule 26 is to the 2001 rules. Rule 26 is unchanged in the 2005 rules, but US Sailing does not have the 2005 rules available individually.] The race committee may give a hail to the next class whose warning signal is about to be made. For Wednesday Evenings only, the interval between the warning signal and the start will be THREE minutes.
INDIVIDUAL RECALLS
The race committee may attempt to hail the sail numbers of the recalled boats. Failure to do so or failure to hear the hail will not constitute grounds for redress.
PROTESTS
13.1 Weekend regattas: Protests shall be delivered to the race committee no later than one hour after the race committee boat docks. The schedule of protest hearings will be posted on the board along the west wall of the lower level of the CYC Shilshole Clubhouse shortly after the protest time limit. Posting is considered notice given as required by RRS rule 63.2 and satisfies the notice requirement of RRS rule 61.1(b). Hearings will proceed whether or not all boats are represented. Protesting parties may be offered the opportunity to participate in voluntary protest mediation. For PSSR and PSSC, protests will include arbitration.
13.1.1 An arbitration meeting will be scheduled for each protest involving a rule of Part 2 unless the arbitrator deems the protest inappropriate for arbitration. One representative of each party, who was on board at the time of the incident, will meet with the arbitrator. No witnesses will be permitted. After taking testimony from each representative, the arbitrator will render his opinion.
13.1.1.1 The protest is invalid or no boat broke a rule. If the protestor agrees, the arbitrator will allow the protest to be withdrawn and it shall not be reopened or appealed. If the protestor disagrees, the protest committee will schedule a protest hearing.
13.1.1.2 One or both boats broke a rule. The boat(s) breaking the rule may accept a 20% Scoring Penalty and the protest may be withdrawn. If not, the protest committee will schedule a protest hearing. If the penalty is accepted the matter is closed and cannot be resubmitted to a hearing, be reopened, appealed or submitted for redress.
13.1.1.3 The arbitrator decides a protest hearing is required. The protest committee will schedule a protest hearing.
13.1.2 Rule 63.1 is changed by adding, "The arbitrator may allow a protest to be withdrawn without the approval of the protest committee".
13.2 All other events and series: Protests shall be sent to the CYC office by mail with a U.S. Postal Service postmark date no later than the first weekday following the race in which the incident occurred or hand delivered before the end of office hours on that day. Parties to a hearing will be notified of the date, location and time of their hearing.
13.3 A protested boat may elect to acknowledge breaking a rule and to accept the appropriate penalty. In such a case, she should notify the protest committee chairman to that effect and the hearing may be waived. This changes RRS rule 63.1.
SCORING
14.1 The Low Point scoring system of Appendix A will apply. Boats that do not finish, retire, or are disqualified will score points equal to the number of boats that finish in their class in that race plus one. Boats that do not start will score points equal to the number of boats that finish in their class in that race plus two. This changes RRS Appendix A4.2. and A9.
14.2 PHRF corrected times will be calculated using the time-on-distance method.
14.3 A boat’s series score is the sum of her race scores. However, if five or more races are completed, her poorest score will be excluded when determining her series score. This changes RRS Appendix A2.
14.4 One completed race constitutes a series.
AWARDS
Corinthian awards will be presented for all events as indicated in the specific sailing instructions. The results of each event will be posted on the CYC web site.
MOVABLE BALLAST
A boat designed to use and constructed with equipment to pump on board, discharge and move water ballast may use that equipment, provided her PHRF rating assumes its use. This changes RRS rule 51.
SPECIAL SAILBOAT SAFETY REGULATIONS
Introduction: We must share Puget Sound with its commercial traffic, including many deep-water vessels and long tows. It is sobering to note that, if your boat is one mile dead ahead of a freighter coming down the Sound at normal speed, and the freighter's helm is put hard over to avoid you, the freighter's bow will miss you, but her stern will not! Obviously this implies that early and decisive action is required to keep your boat out of the path of a large oncoming vessel or tow.
Yachts must not sail across a tow line, too close ahead, or too close alongside of commercial traffic. Deep water vessels have limited ability to change course and speed. Barges under tow can yaw unexpectedly well out to the side at speeds essentially the same as they are being towed. Yachts should not pass less than ONE mile ahead and 1/4 mile to the side of large vessels.
Rule 10 of the International and Inland Rules to Prevent Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) requires that no power driven vessel less than 20 meters (66 feet) in length, and no sailing vessel (of any size) may impede the safe passage of a power driven vessel following a Vessel Traffic System (VTS) Lane Rule 9 of the COLREGS requires that no power vessel of less than 20 meters (66feet) in length and no sailing vessel (any length) shall impede the safe passage of any vessel which can navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway. Puget Sound can be considered a "narrow channel" for most large commercial traffic. "Impede" means cause to alter speed or course or to take evasive action.
A yacht in position where it may impede commercial traffic must exit from the "danger area" immediately, under auxiliary power if necessary. If power is used, it must be reported to the Race Committee at the finish line. Also, a written report must be made on a protest form, showing the location, time, duration of power use, speed, direction of exit, and that the competitive position of the yacht was not improved. If the last item cannot be demonstrated adequately, a time penalty may be imposed.
Radar reflectors must be flown at all times when racing. A radar reflector, all metal, of the triplaner corner reflector type, each plane at least 12" square or 12 1/2 inches diameter to be carried at least 13 feet (4 meters) above the waterline. Other types of reflectors may be used provided that it has been demonstrated that they are effective under all conditions. See PIYA Special Regulations paragraph 3.8.
Navigation lights must be shown between sunset and sunrise as required by the International Rules of the Road.
Observed and/or reported violations of the safety regulations may be protested. The Race Committee shall have the option of issuing a "warning" when deemed appropriate. Warnings are recorded and may be considered when judging any future reports.