Royal Dart Yacht Club
Racing Courses 2008
These courses are for use in most Club events. The Sailing Instructions for special events may specify
alternative courses. Words in intalics are advisory and do not constitute part of the Course Instructions
Signalling the course: Normal Course
The course will be displayed at the start by boards showing the class(es) followed by course letter and number.
More than one class and course may be shown and the course may be changed between successive starts.
Alternative courses
An alternative course may be indicated at the Club or on the Committee Boat using boards indicating the
individual marks to round in order. A red board indicates leave to port; a green board indicates leave to starboard.
Repeat the sequence until the shorten course signal is flown and complete the lap to finish.
Start and Finish Lines
The Start Line will be one of the following. When the Club Start Line is to be
substituted for a Committee Boat or Blackstone Point Line, flag H with the appropriate class flag(s) will be
flown from the club flagpole 30 minutes prior to the first start. The Finish Line is alays crossed from the direction of the last mark.
- Blackstone Point:
- Prolongation of the line joining the two white flag staffs at Blackstone Point, with
Castle Ledge Buoy as the Outer Distance Mark. If the Castle Ledge
buoy is upriver from the line the Finish Line is between the upper flagpole and the
Castle Ledge buoy.
- Committee Boat:
- When a Committee Boat is used the Start and/or Finish Line is from the main mast of the
Committee Boat to the ODM, which is the nearest adjacent mark (and may be Castle
Ledge, Mew Stone Buoy, Homestone, an RDYC mark, a DHNA 6 knot marker, or a specially laid ODM). A
Committee Boat start may be used with a Blackstone Point or Club finish. When a
mark forms part of the Start or Finish Line, it is omitted as a rounding mark on that leg.
- Club Line:
- The transit of the RDYC Flagpole and the weathervane on the octagonal
clubhouse roof. A red triangular ODM may be laid.
Prohibited Areas
While racing, boats may not pass between any of the following and the shore: Western Blackstone Rock,
West Rock Buoy, Mew Stone Rocks, Coombe Rocks, Dancing Beggars Rocks. Boats must at all times keep clear of the
mussel beds in the vicinity of the Western Blackstone Rocks and pass to seaward of the yellow marker buoys.
When racing in the river, boats must not impede the Upper or Lower Ferries.
Shorten Course
When the Shorten Course flag is flying, courses of Groups A, B and D will be shortened to
OMIT the marks in brackets. On courses of Groups C, W and Alternative Courses, the marks in brackets should
be REPEATED until the Shorten Course flag is flown, when the leading boat should complete the lap it is on
and finish from the direction of the last mark. This changes Rule 32. The Committee Boat may alternatively take up
station at any mark of the course flying a Shorten Course signal to finish.
Marks Used and Approximate Positions
| H |
Homestone, red can buoy |
50o 19.58'N, 3o 33.50'W |
| L |
Castle Ledge Buoy, green conical buoy |
50o 19.95'N, 3o 33.05'W |
| S |
Skerries, red can buoy |
50o 16.30'N, 3o 33.78'W |
| E |
Eastern Blackstone Rock, large lump of grey rock |
50o 20.20'N, 3o 31.10'W |
| C |
Checkstone, red can buoy |
50o 20.45'N, 3o 33.78'W |
| Y |
Yellow 6 knot buoy (seaward yellow 6knot buoy on West side of river)
(0.3NM West of Castle Ledge, 0.35NM North of Homestone) |
50o 19.93'N, 3o 33.47'W |
| R |
West Rock Buoy, south cardinal (an obstruction which must always be passed to seaward) |
50o 19.86'N, 3o 32.47'W |
| M |
Mew Stone Buoy, a south cardinal buoy |
50o 19.92'N, 3o 31.89'W |
| 1 |
RDYC 1, yellow spherical buoy with orange flag |
50o 19.07'N, 3o 34.38'W |
| 2 |
RDYC 2, yellow spherical buoy with orange flag |
50o 18.70'N, 3o 33.40'W |
| 3 |
RDYC 3, yellow spherical buoy with orange flag |
50o 19.14'N, 3o 32.47'W |
| ODM |
The nearest mark to the Committee Boat (which may be H, L, C, 1, 2, 3 or T) |
| T |
Temporary red tetrahedral buoy (which may be used as the ODM or laid as a rounding mark) |
| Maypool |
Blue Mooring Buoy at Maypool (the first of a row of six) |
50o 22.60'N, 3o 34.87'W |
Key: '
s' means leave mark to starboard. '
p' means leave mark to port.
A: Short Triangle & Sausage Light Weather Courses
Windward start and 2 beats, fairly short courses (3.5-5.7 miles).
When the Shorten Course flag is flown, omit the marks in brackets.
| A1 |
Start 1p 2p (Hp 1p) Finish |
Start at L or H |
Wind SW |
4.3 (3.3)miles |
| A2 |
Start 2p 3p (Hp 2p) Finish |
Start at L or H. |
Wind S |
5.3 (3) miles. |
| A3 |
Start 3s 2s (Hs 3s) Finish |
Start and finish at H. |
Wind SE |
4.1 (2.5) miles. |
| A4 |
Start Ms 3s (Hs Ms) Finish |
Start at H or L. |
Wind E |
4.9 (2.8) miles. |
| A5 |
Start Ls 2s 1s (Hs 1s) Finish |
Start at H only. |
Wind NE |
5 (3.5) miles. |
| A6 |
Start Yp 1p 2p (Hp 2p) Finish |
Start at H only |
N |
4.5 (2.9) miles |
| A7 |
Start Tp 2p 3p (Hp 3p) Finish |
Start at H only. |
Wind NW |
4.6 (3) miles. |
| A8 |
Start Yp 3s 1s (Lp Yp) Finish |
Start at L only. |
Wind W |
4.6 (4) miles. |
| A9 |
Start 1p 3p Lp (1p Lp) Finish |
|
Wind SW, 3 beats |
6 (3.4) miles. |
B: Longer Moderate Wind Courses
Windward start and 2 or 3 beats. Moderate length (5-6 miles) course for F3-4 and above.
T is laid between Western Blackstone and Combe Point. Start with preferred position first.
When the Shorten Course flag is flown, omit the marks in brackets
| B1 |
Start Hp 3p Mp Hs (1p Hs) Finish |
Start at L. |
Wind SW |
5.5 (3.9) miles |
| B2 |
Start 2p 3p Lp (2p Lp) Finish |
Start at L or H.
| Wind S |
5.5 (2.9) miles |
| B3 |
Start 3p Mp (Hp 3p) Finish |
Start at H or L.
| Wind SE |
4.4 (2.8) miles |
| B4 |
Start Ms 3s (Hs Ms) Finish |
Start at H or L. |
Wind E |
5 (2.8) miles |
| B5 |
Start Ls 3s 1s (Ls 1s) Finish |
Start at H only.
| Wind NE |
6.1 (3.5) miles |
| B6 |
Start Cs Ls 2s (Ls 2s) Finish |
Start at H for N wind, L for NW wind. |
Wind N or NW |
6.3 (3.8) miles |
| B7 |
Start Tp 2s 1s 3p (Hp 3p) Finish |
Start at H only.
| Wind NW |
5.7 (4.1) miles |
| B8 |
Start Yp 3s 1s (Hs Mp Hs) Finish |
Start at L only. |
Wind W |
5.8 (3.6) miles |
| B9 |
Start 1p 3p Hs (Ms Hs) Finish |
Start at H or L.
| Alternative for Wind SW |
5 (2.8) miles |
C: Multilap Courses
Repeat the lap in brackets until the Shorten Course flag is flown. Cross the finish line
from the direction of the last mark.
| C1 |
Start (Hp Lp Cp) Finish |
Start at Checkstone |
2.2 miles per lap |
| C2 |
Start (Hs Cs Ls) Finish |
Start at Castle Ledge |
2.2 miles per lap |
| C3 |
Start (2p 3p Lp) Finish |
Start at Castle Ledge or Homestone |
2.8 miles per lap |
| C4 |
Start (1p 3p Mp Lp) Finish |
Start at Castle Ledge or Homestone |
4.3 miles per lap |
D: Eastern Blackstone, Skerries and Castle Ledge Courses
The longer races to Skerries Buoy (D1-3) are not suitable for evening races.
All except D1 and D7 may be used when no club buoys are laid.
When the Shorten Course flag is flown, omit the marks in brackets.
| D1 |
Start Hs 1p Sp Finish |
Long course |
8 miles |
| D2 |
Start Sp Finish |
Long course, if no club marks |
7.5 miles |
| D3 |
Start Hp Ms Ss Finish |
Long course |
7.7 miles |
| D4 |
Start Hp Mp Rs Lp Hp (Mp Hs) Finish |
If no club marks or Wind WSW or ENE |
5.7 (3.5) miles |
| D5 |
Start Hp Ep (Hp Mp) Hs Finish |
If no club marks, W to SW Wind |
6.2 (4) miles |
| D6 |
Start Hp Ls Rp Ms Hs (Ls Rp Ms Hs) Finish |
If no club marks |
6 (3.5) miles |
| D7 |
Start 1p Ms Ss Mp Hs (1p Mp Hs) Finish |
Wind S to SW, long course |
16.5 (12) miles |
W: Windward-Leeward Courses from a Committee Boat start
| W |
Followed by a number or letter indicating windward mark,
Leeward mark is nearest adjacent mark to Committee boat.
Leave all marks to port. Repeat lap until shorten course flag (S) is flown.(
Finish from direction of last mark. |
W1, W2, WC, WL, WM, WMaypool |
JPC 22/3/2008