Low Tide Yacht Club
New Bedford, MA
2012 Sailing Instructions
Regular Race Series
1. RULES
The races will be governed byThe Racing Rules of Sailing, the current prescriptions of the United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), and by these sailing instructions.
2. ENTRIES
Eligible Yachts may be entered by filing a completed Race Entry Form with its accompanying fee and, except for one-design events, a copy of the Yacht's 2011 PHRF-NE rating certificate with the Race Committee no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled start of the race. Deadline for receipt of entry fees may be extended solely for good cause and at the discretion of the Race Committee.
3. NOTICE TO COMPETITORS
Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board(s) located at the Low Tide Yacht Club and / or distributed to all registered competitors.
4. CHANGES IN SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Any change in the sailing instructions will be posted on the day before it will take effect, except that any change in the schedule of races will be posted no later than 24 hours prior to the originally scheduled start of that race.
5. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
Signals made ashore will be displayed by the Race Committee, at the end of the former Schamochi pier located behind Billy Woods Warf. This located is on the West bank of the Acushnet River North of the Butler Flats Lighthouse. Signals may also be made from the LTYC flag pole located on the east side of the clubhouse in Fort Tabor Park.
6. SCHEDULE OF RACES
6.1 The date(s) and time(s) of all races will be stated in the 2011 Low Tide Yacht Club Schedule of Races and Regattas or in the Notice of Race for special events.
6.2 Regular series races postponed to a later day will be re-scheduled to be held on the following Tuesday at the scheduled time or when designated by the Race Committee.
6.3 All races for a given regular series will be held before the start of the next series. All individual series will be scheduled to start as stated in the 2011 Low Tide Yacht Club Schedule of Races and Regattas as posted on the Club-Race Results Bulletin Board.
7. CLASSES
Except as stated in a separate Notice of Race, the standard classes are as follows:
| CLASS | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
I |
PHRF-NE 2012 Low Rating Numbers |
II |
PHRF-NE 2012 Medium Rating Numbers |
III |
PHRF-NE 2012 High Rating Numbers |
The ratings ranges are for all classes except Class I will be determined by the Race Committee based on the registrations to create the most equitable and competitive classes for racing.
8. RACING AREA
The Racing Area will be shown in Illustration "A" attached to this document.
9. THE COURSE
9.1 Except as stated in a separate Notice of Race, the course to be sailed will be displayed on the Race Committee boat course board or on the course board at the location of the Race Committee, if there is no committee boat, before or with the warning class signal for Class I. Classes will be designated by Roman Numerals.
LTYC designated courses will be posted in red numerals. A number will be assigned to each LTYC designated course. Designated courses will be described in the sailing instructions in Exhibit #1 pages 1 & 2. Courses may be shortened, abandoned or changes in accordance with the RRS32.
9.2 Rounding marks will be rounded directly in the order shown on the LTYC designated course sheets. Marks printed in green are to be left to Starboard. Marks printed in red are to be left to Port.
9.3 Alternate Course Designators
Classes will be designated by Roman Numerals and Courses will be designated by black letters or red or black symbols representing a corresponding mark.
Designators using black letters will represent the rounding marks{s} and the final designator will represent the finishing mark. Course designators will follow the Class Designators on the course board.
Rounding marks are to be rounded directly in the order in which they appear on the course board. When more than one rounding mark is designated, round each mark on the side farthest from the next mark.
If a straight-line course to a mark requires a 180 degree turn leave the mark to port. Marks C-E-F-X-D are to be considered as being in a "straight-line" for the purpose of mark rounding's.
10. LTYC Marks & Obstructions
10.1 Starting Marks. The following Marks are considered for all purposes to be official LTYC marks designated for the start & finish of a race. These marks can also be designated as turning marks for use in creating a race course.
| Mark | Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| R | Yellow LTYC Mark | 41-36-068N 070-53-033W |
| W | Yellow LTYC Mark | 41-35-351N 070-53-592W |
| DELTA | White LTYC Drop Mark | 41-36-057N 070-53-689W |
10.2 The following aids to navigation will rank as obstructions and, therefore, must be left to their proper side (East) unless designated as a rounding mark in the course to be sailed. These obstructions shall be considered as rounding marks in determining the length of the courses.
| USCG DESIGNATION | NAME |
|---|---|
| CG "13" | OLD BARTLEMY |
| CG "1" | HUSSEY ROCK |
| CG "3" | KEEL ROCK |
| LIGHT "7" | DUMPLING ROCKS |
| GONG "5" | SOUTH OF DUMPLING ROCKS |
10.3 The sunken vessel "Rehoboth" is located approximately SSW of the LTYC Racing Mark "E" as designated on the chart included as part of the LTCY Sailing Instructions. The Rehoboth has a private mark attached to its stern. The Rehoboth is considered an obstruction as defined by the Racing Rules of Sailing. This obstruction may be left to port or starboard but it is considered to be an OBSTRUCTION for a RADIUS of sixty feet from the above mentioned private mark.
11. THE START
11.1 Races shall be started using the following signals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absense of a sound shall be disregarded.
| SIGNAL | FLAG & SOUND |
MINUTES BEFORE STARTING SIGNAL |
|---|---|---|
| Warning | Class Flag(s); One Sound | 5 |
| Preparatory | "P" Flag; One Sound | 4 |
| One Minute | "P" Flag Removed; One Long Sound | 1 |
| Starting | Class Flag(s) Lowered; One Sound | 0 |
The warning signal for each succeeding class shall be made with or after the Starting of the preceding class.
Numeral pennants shall be used to designate classes as follows:
| Class I | Pennant #1 | PHRF-NE 2012 Low Rating Numbers |
| Class II | Pennant #2 | PHRF-NE 2012 Low Tide One Design |
| Class III | Pennant #3 | PHRF-NE 2012 High Rating Numbers |
The Race Committee shall attempt to make five sounds signals one minute before the FIRST warning signal for Class I only.
Two classes or more may be started at one time even if different courses are designated for each class. (WARNING: WATCH FOR YOUR CLASS PENNANT ex: Class II - III may start together even if they are sailing different courses).
11.2 The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the Race Committee boat or at the position of the Race Committee if there is no committee boat and the nearest LTYC mark as described in 10.1 STARTING MARKS of these Sailing Instructions. A "Stand Off" buoy shall be considered as part of the Race Committee Boat.
11.3 A boat whose preparatory signal has not been made shall keep clear of the starting area and of all Yachts who preparatory signal has been made.
11.4 A boat shall not start later than ten minutes after her starting signal.
12. RECALLS
12.1 Individual recalls will be signaled in accordance with racing rule 29.1 . As a courtesy, the Race Committee may attempt to call premature starters on marine channel 73.
12.2 When a general recall has been signaled, the start(s) for the succeeding class(es) will be postponed accordingly.
13. CHANGING COURSE AFTER START
A change of course will be signaled in accordance with RS 32 and 33.
14. THE FINISH
The finishing line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the Race Committee boat or at the position of the Race Committee if there is no committee boat and the designated mark.
15. TAKING OWN TIME
If necessary, boats will take their own finishing time in accordance with racing rule 34. In such cases, a boat shall report her actual finishing time to the Race Committee.
16. PROTESTS
16.1 Protests shall be written on forms available from the Race Committee and lodged by placing the completed form in the mail slot at the Low Tide Yacht Club by 18:00 hours (6:00pm) the day following the race.
16.2 The Protest Committee will attempt to hear protests in approximately the order of receipt beginning at 20:00 hours (8:00pm) on the Monday following the race.
16.3 All parties to the hearing will be notified in accordance with rule 63.2
17. SCORING
17.1 The series score for each boat will be the sum of her scores. If a series consists of four or more races, one race will be discarded for scoring purposes except as may be prohibited by Rule 88.3 of the RRS and section 17.4 of these instructions.
17.2 Low Point System to be used (RSS-A 4.1) and (A9) except as modified herein.
17.3 Boats are to be scored as follows:
DNC - Did Not Compete: Did not come to starting area. Scored points equal to the number of boats registered for the series in her class plus one.
DNS - Came to starting area but did not start. Scored points equal to the number of boats that came to the starting area in her class.
OCS - On Course Side of the starting line at her start and broke Rule 29.1 or 30.1. Scored points equal to the number of boats which came to the starting area of her class.
DSQ - Disqualified. Scored points equal to the number of boats which came to the starting area of her class plus one.
DNF - Did Not Finish. Withdrew from race. Scored points equal to the number of boats which came to the starting area in her class.
RAF - Retired After Finishing. Scored points equal to number of boats which came to the starting area in her class.
17.4 Series Ties.
1. When boats have equal series scores at the end of a series the tie will be broken in favor of the boat with the most first-place finishes; when a tie still remains then the boat with the most second-places is favored and so on.
2. If a tie still remains then the series will be rescored with the throw out race if one is present.
3. If the tie still remains unbroken the boat with the best total corrected time for all races in the series sailed by both boats shall be declared the winner.
18. ALTERNATIVE PENALTIES
Rule 44.1 and 44.2 shall apply. Rule 44.3 shall not apply.
19. RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
19.1 A boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive special radio communications not available to all Yachts. Boats shall monitor VHF Marine Channel 73.
19.2 In order to be considered as an entry in any given race a boat shall contact the Race Committee using VHF Marine Channel 73 stating its intentions to race under its PHRF-NE Racing or Cruising Handicap for that race. The Race Committee must acknowledge said contact before a boat is considered an official entry. This rule may be annulled only at the discretion of the Race Committee for good cause.
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