Sailing Instructions

1. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS

a.     Notices to competitors will be posted on the Official Notice Board located in the foyer of False Bay Yacht Club clubhouse as well as on the official INTASURE Spring Regatta WhatsApp Group.

b.     It is the responsibility of competitors to ensure that at least one of their boat’s crew members have joined the INTASURE Spring Regatta WhatsApp group at registration.

c.      Failure to receive a broadcast shall not be grounds for redress. This changes RRS62.1(a)

2. CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

a.     Any changes to the sailing instructions will be posted on the Official Notice Board not less than 2 hours before the first race of each day, except that any change to the schedule of races will be posted by 18h00 on the day before it will take effect.

3. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE

3. 1. Signals made ashore will be displayed on the mast located at the False Bay Yacht Club Bridge.
   2. When flag AP is displayed ashore, “1 minute” is replaced with “not less than 1 hour” in Race Signals AP.

4. CLASS / DIVISION FLAGS
   
   1. The fleet will be divided into classes according to ORC Club Class Division Length (CDL), to conform with the requirements of the SAS Western Cape Keelboat Championship Circuit, as follows:

Racing Division CLASS A: CDL greater than 10.150 and Cape 31’s – NUMERAL PENNANT 1

Racing Division CLASS B: CDL of 8.100 up to and including 10.150 – NUMERAL PENNANT 2

Racing Division CLASS C: CDL up to 8.100 – NUMERAL PENNANT 3

Cruising Division CLASS C: CDL greater than 9.100 – CODE FLAG “T”

Cruising Division CLASS D: CDL up to and including 9.100 – CODE FLAG “W”

5. RACING AREA
   
   1. The general racing area will be offshore off Fish Hoek/Simon’s Bay and greater False Bay.

6. SCHEDULE OF RACES:

a.     The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first race on Saturday 23^rd  September is 11h30.

b.     The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first race on Sunday 24^th & Monday 25^th  September is 10h15.

c.      On Monday 25^th September, irrespective of Courses, no warning signal will be made after 14h55.

7. SHORTENING COURSE

a.     When shortening courses RRS 32 will apply, and any shortening of course shall be broadcast on VHF Channel 06 and posted in the official Spring Regatta WhatsApp group.

8. MARKS FOR RACING DIVISION CLASS A, B & C
   
   1. The starting mark will be an orange spherical buoy flying a yellow flag.

b.     Rounding marks 1, 2 & 3 for Racing Division A,B & C will be laid inflatable buoys (yellow conical buoys) or a combination of laid inflatable buoys and fixed marks.

8. 3. Rounding mark 4 / Finish mark will be a yellow conical buoy.

d.     Medium Distance Races for Racing Division Classes A,B &C will utilise a combination of laid inflatable buoys and fixed marks.

8. 5. A Racing Division sample course card is published in Addendum A, for information purposes only. Actual courses for the day may differ substantially. 

9. MARKS FOR COASTAL / CRUISING DIVISION:

a.     Courses for Coastal / Cruising Division will utilise a combination of laid inflatable buoys and fixed marks.

10. START
    
    1. Competitors will be notified of the division to which they have been allocated by 20h00 on Friday 22^nd September 2023.
    2. When the INTASURE flag (Addendum B) is displayed it replaces the Orange flag in Race Signals.
    3. The starting line will be between the staff displaying an INTASURE flag on the race Committee Boat at the starboard end and an orange spherical buoy flying a yellow flag at the port end.
    4. Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall keep clear of the starting area [DP].
    5. A boat that does not start within 4 minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start (DNS) without a hearing. This changes RRS A5.1 and A5.2
    6. To alert boats that a race or sequence of races will begin soon, the INTASURE starting line flag will be displayed with one sound signal at least five minutes before a warning signal is made.
    7. Sequence of starts:

For the first race of the day the starting sequence shall be as follows:

First Start: Coastal / Cruising (Code Flags T & W)

Second Start: Racing Division Classes A & B (Numeral Pennants 1 & 2)

Third Start: Racing Division Class C (Numeral Pennant 3)

There will be a ten-minute time interval between The Coastal / Cruising start and the first race for Racing Classes.

h.     If more than one race per class is started, the starting order for subsequent races will be according to class flags.

i.       A Code Flag “L” displayed by the Finish Boat will indicate a subsequent race will be attempted shortly after the present race.

11. FINISH

a.      The finishing line for all Racing Divisions, will be between a staff displaying a blue flag on the race committee vessel at the port end and a yellow conical buoy (Mark # 4, the Leeward Mark) on the starboard end of the line.

b.     The finish line for the Coastal / Cruising Classes, and for all Classes doing a Medium Distance Race, will be between the FBYC club mast, flying a yellow flag and the orange spherical Emergency Buoy at position 34°31.263’S 18°25.940’E, leaving the orange buoy to Stbd.

12. TIME LIMIT
    
    1. The time limit for each race will be “N” minutes after the finish of the leading yacht in each Division where, N = E x 0.5 and where E = Elapsed time in minutes of the leading yacht in that Division / Class.

13. HEARING REQUESTS

a.    The protest time limit is 60 minutes after the last boat finishes the last race of the day or the race committee signals no more racing today, whichever is the later. The time will be posted on the official notice board.

b.    However, if racing is postponed under Race Signal AP over H, then the protest time limit for races completed so far that day is 60 minutes after the last boat finishes the last race completed, or the race committee signalled AP over H, whichever was the later.

13. 3. Hearing Request forms will be available at the Regatta Secretary’s Office in the FBYC clubhouse. Protests, request for redress or reopening shall be delivered by hand to the Race Secretary within the appropriate time limit.
    4. Notices will be posted no later than 30 minutes after the protest time limit to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. Hearings will be held in the FBYC Committee Room upstairs.

14. SAFETY
    
    1. Youth category competitors shall wear a personal buoyancy aid at all times while afloat in a yacht.
    2. Wet or dry suits do not constitute adequate buoyancy.

15. REPLACEMENT OF CREW OR EQUIPMENT
    
    1. Substitution of competitors will not be allowed without prior written approval of the Race Committee.
    2. Substitution of damaged or lost equipment will not be allowed unless authorised by the Race Committee. Requests for substitution shall be made to the Committee at the first reasonable opportunity.

16. EQUIPMENT AND MEASUREMENT CHECKS

On the water, a boat can be instructed by a race committee equipment inspector or measurer to proceed immediately to a designated area for inspection.

17. ELECTRONIC AIDS
    
    1. There is no restriction on the type and usage of electronic aids carried aboard, provided they do not contravene any of the Special Regulations or Class Rules.
    2. Any method of navigation is allowed if the information used, however transmitted to the yacht, is available to all, without cost other than for the equipment carried on board the yacht.
       

18. RADIO MONITORING

a.     In terms of the safety instructions, VHF radios must be always monitored. Race information will be communicated via VHF Channel 06 when possible. An alternative channel may be advised if necessary.