Awards Stand-Up

All racing skippers and their crew are invited to join club members at a Stand-Up Awards Gathering in the Clubhouse, following the races (approximately at 5:00p.m.) or on another specified date. This is a great opportunity to meet your fellow sailors to discuss the race, and cheer for the winners as the awards are presented.  Please bring your own choice of beverage. 

Volunteers

To hold the races we need volunteers with outboards to assist the Race Committee as Mark Boats. Their duties shall be to place and move racing marks and act as needed to assist younger racers. To volunteer for this essential service, and enjoy a day on the water, please contact the Race Committee Chairman  .

Get Ready to Race

1.0 Racing Rules

Races are conducted according to The Racing Rules of Sailing as modified below.

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS FOR SMALL BOAT & DINGHY RACING (rev. January 2024)

·       1.0 Rules - Races will be governed by the Rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) and the Prescriptions of US Sailing, except where changed by these Sailing Instructions.2.0 Eligibility  

·       The Race Committee may declare any boat ineligible at its sole discretion.

·       3.0 Handicaps  

·       Handicaps may be applied on the basis of waterline to boats racing in the Abaco Dinghy Fleet.

·       4.0 Class Flags 

·       For all participating classes the class flag will be a red rectangle flag.

·       5.0 Registration   

·       Skippers must register on the course, prior to the start of the race, by sailing past the transom of the Committee Boat, and giving their name and sail number.  Sailing Instructions or verbal Sailing Instructions will be available on request from the Committee Boat.

·       6.0 Course 

·       The course will be announced by the Race Committee using a megaphone prior to the sounding and hoisting of the Warning Signal. Courses will be windward/leeward or triangle, or a combination of the two.  All marks will be left to Port.

·       6.1 Questions 

·       Questions may be asked and answered by the Race Committee at all times except during the start sequence during which time only general announcements will be made.

·       7.0 Marks 

·       Turning marks of the course will normally be inflatable tetrahedrons. The starting mark (outer limit buoy or Pin) normally is a round inflated ball. The "inner limit buoy" (barging buoy) is normally a round inflated ball.  Race participants shall not pass between the inner limit buoy and the Committee Boat.  If a boat fails to observe this instruction or is forced between this mark and the Committee Boat by a boat that did not break a rule, then said boat must retire.

·       8.0 START  

·       The first race will start at 1:00pm.  The starting sequence will be conducted under Rule 26.  An Alert signal will be given six minutes before the start.  Flag and sound signals using the red flag and "I" (yellow with a black ball) flag are as follows:

SIGNAL TO START	FLAG	SOUND	MINUTES
Alert	No Flag	6 Blast	6 Mins.
Warning	Red Flag Hoisted	1 Blast	5 Mins.
Preparatory	"P" Flag Hoisted	1 Blast	4 Mins.
One-Minute	"P" Flag Removed	1 Blast	1 Min.
START	Red Flag Removed	1 Blast	0 Mins.

     

·       Races Races will not be held or will be cancelled at the discretion of the Race Committee or when wind conditions average 18 mph or higher over a one-minute interval.

·       8.1 Separate Class Starts

·       When more than one Class is participating, the warning signal for each subsequent class will be one minute after the previous start.  The order of starts for each race will be Sunfish, followed by Abaco Dinghies, then Optimists and finally the 420's.  Skippers should stay out of the starting area except during their class start sequence.

·       8.2 Number of Races 

·       If possible, three races will be conducted for each class.  The starting sequence for Races 2 and 3 will begin with a Warning signal approximately five minutes after the last place finishes in the previous race.

·       8.3 Starting Line   

·       The Start line will be between the Flagstaff from which the signals are flown, and a round mark for the pin end of the line.

·       8.4 One Minute Rule

·       Any boat over the starting line during the one minute before its start must go around one or the other end of the starting line in order to start correctly.

·       8.5 Penalties

·       Any boat which has broken any of the racing rules shall do a One Turn Penalty (360 degrees) as soon as possible after the infringement, to exonerate themselves from a protest or disqualification.  If the Race Committee observes an infringement of the rules, and the offending boat does not execute the One Turn Penalty, the Race Committee may disqualify the offending boat (changes Rule 44.1).

·       9.0 Individual Recalls

·       Individual recalls will be signaled by the signal flag "X" (blue cross on white) with one sound signal.  The Race Committee will attempt to notify premature starters verbally.

·       9.1 General Recall

·       A general recall will be signaled by the "First Substitute Pennant" (blue triangle with a yellow center), and two sound signals.  The Warning Signal for a fresh start will be made one minute after the "First Substitute Pennant" is removed, with one sound signal.

·       10.0 The Finish

·       Boats will finish between the Flag Staff on the Race Committee Boat and the finish mark, normally an inflated round ball (usually the same mark as used as the starting mark).

·       11.0 Postponement

·       A Postponement is signaled by the "Answering Pennant"(vertical red and white stripes) with two sound signals.  The Answering Pennant will be removed one minute before a new Warning Signal, together with one sound signal.

·       11.1 Abandonment

·       A cancellation or abandonment is signaled by the Code Flag "N" (checkered blue and white) plus three sound signals.

·       12.0 Safety

·       Life Jackets (personal flotation devices) shall be worn by all competitor in any dinghy race.  Failure to follow this rule will lead to the automatic disqualification of the offending skipper by the Race Committee.

·       13.0 Disclaimer of Liability

·       Competitors participate in these races entirely at their own risk.  The Race Organizers will not accept any liability for damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the race(s).  By participating in this event, each competitor agrees to release the Race Organizers (Race Committee, Protest Committee, Host Club, Sponsors, or any other organization or official) from any and all liability associated with the competitor's participation in this event.  Rule 82 shall not apply to this event.

 2023-24 HTSC RACE COMMITTEE

Scott Collinson, Chairman