SAILING INSTRUCTIONS – General

Weeknight Fleet Racing; The Series – June thru August & others.

RULES

  1. This series will be governed by the rules as defined in the current Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).
  2. If there is a conflict between the Notice of Race (NOR) and these Sailing Instructions, the Sailing Instructions will take precedence. The Sailing Instructions may also change other racing rules.

NOTICE TO COMPETITORS

  1. NOR will be posted on the WPSA clubhouse bulletin board located at Port of Call.
  2. No skippers meeting will take place prior to the 1st scheduled race, unless previous notice is given.

CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Changes may be made orally by the Race Committee prior to any race, while on the water.

SCHEDULED SERIES OF RACES

  1. The scheduled dates for the monthly series of Small Boat & Handicap racing at Wet Pants Sailing Association appear at the top of this page, falling in June, July and August.
  2. All race starting times are scheduled to begin at 6:15pm during the June and July series of racing, then will change to 6:00pm for the August series of races. This schedule will remain in effect, unless otherwise notified.
  3. Three minute “Dinghy Starts” will be used unless otherwise instructed.
  4. Small boats and Handicap boats will have their own starting sequence, unless otherwise instructed by the Race Committee.
  5. The Race Committee will run back-to-back races. The next start will begin immediately following the finish of the last boat.
  6. The Race Committee will hold as many races as possible prior to sundown.

RACING AREA

  1. Will be held south of Wet Pants clubhouse and Port of Call, on the Great South Bay. 

CHECK-IN and RETIREMENT

  1. All skippers are required to hail their boat identification with the Race Committee boat prior to their first race.
  2. A boat retiring from a race shall notify the Race Committee before leaving the course, or if possible to a Race Committee member upon the retiring boats return to WPSA.

COURSES

  1. The courses will be set by the Race Committee and sailed based upon their instructions to the Fleet.
  2. The Race Committee will determine the established course to be sailed and hailed prior to each race.
  3. Minimally, one (1) race is required to be completed in each series, to constitute a series.
  4. All boats must observe the current Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) regarding non-racing craft, and should not assume privileged rights simply because they are racing.

START

  1. The starting line shall be located between a designated flag on the Race Committee boat and the “X” mark.
  2. Boats failing to keep clear of the starting area prior to the “Preparatory” signal are subject to disqualification.
  3. A boat starting later than 5 minutes after her starting signal will be scored “Did Not Start” (DNS).
  4. The race starting sequence will be the 3 minute “Dinghy Start” with an audible signal from the Race Committee.

INDIVIDUAL AND GENERAL RECALLS

  1. The Race Committee will attempt to hail the recall numbers of the boat(s) that are OCS (On Course Side). Boats are not eligible for redress as follows; failure to hear a recall and the order of recall numbers, or the timeliness or promptness of the hail.

FINISH

  1. The finish will be between the designated flag on the Race Committee boat and the “X” mark.
  2. After finishing and clearing the finish line, boats are requested not to re-cross the finish line, but to round either the Race Committee boat or the “X” mark.

TIME LIMIT

  1. Boats that fail to finish within 30 minutes after the first boat finishes, or after the (1) one hour time limit, whichever is greater, will be scored “Did Not Finish” (DNF).

PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS

  1. A boat that is intending to protest about an incident within the racing area, shall notify the Race Committee as soon as the protesting boat finishes the race in which the foul or penalty occurred. They shall hail their intentions, including the sail number of the boat(s) being protested.
  2. Protest forms are available from the Race Committee.
  3. The protest time limit is 30 minutes after the Race Committee boat has returned to the WPSA dock, for a written protest to be filed.
  4. Protest will be heard as soon as practicable between all parties.

PENALTY SYSTEM

  1. When a boat has broken the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS); PART 2 “When Boats Meet” in or near the racing area, the penalized boat shall take a “one turn” penalty that includes; getting clear of other boats as soon as possible and promptly making your 360 degree penalty turn which consists of; one tack and one jibe in the same direction. However, if while taking the penalty, the penalized boat causes injury or serious damage or gained significant advantage, an additional penalty will be accessed; retirement from the race in which the penalty took place.

SCORING

  1. The Low Point Scoring System will apply.
  2. Minimally, one (1) race is required to be completed in each series to constitute a series.
  3. Handicap rating of each boat will be determined by the Portsmouth rating D-PN for the class of boat. This will not apply to the Smaller boats, if there are more than three competing boats of the same class and is therefore considered a separate Fleet.
  4. The Small boat/Handicap Fleet – Monthly Point Standings will include one (1) throw out (highest scored) race for every five (5) races scored within a Monthly series of races.
  5. Score for DNC (Did Not Start; did not come to the starting area) = The number of boats in the race with the greatest attendance during the series plus +1.
  6. Score for OCS (Did Not Start; on the course side of the starting line) = The number of boats that started to race plus +1.
  7. Score for DNS (Did Not Start) = The number of boats that started to race plus +1.
  8. Score for DNF (Did Not Finish) and RET (Retired) = The number of boats that started to race plus +1.
  9. Score for DSQ (Disqualification) = The number of boats that started to race plus +2.

SAFETY

  1. A condition of entry and participation is that all sailors must wear a US Coast Guard approved lifejacket at all times.

AWARDS

  1. The Weeknight Fleet Racing awards will be presented to the top finishers from each Fleet, for each racing series (June, July and August) at the Wet Pants Sailing Association “Annual Mess” and awards banquet. The number of awards will be determined by the Race Committee Chair or Executive Committee. In addition, season perpetual trophies will also be awarded during the “Annual Mess” and awards banquet.

DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

  1. Competitors participate in the series of races entirely at their own risk. The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after any series of races.