Royal Dart Yacht Club

Sailing Instructions 2008

Applicability

These Sailing Instructions apply to all races organised by the RDYC in the Slow Handicap, Fast Handicap, J/80 and Squib Programmes but do not include races at the Dartmouth Royal Regatta or races organised by other clubs or SDCRA, for which specific Sailing Instructions are issued.

Supplementary Sailing Instructions, which may override some sections of these instructions, are given on this website for the Short Handed Series, the Spring Regatta, the One Design Regattas, the Yealm Races, the Gallon of Rum Race, the Alderney Race and the Cawthorne Cup.

Sailing Instructions for the Medical Rally and supplementary instructions for the Pursuit Race will be available from the sailing office one week before each event.

Rules

All races will be sailed under The Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008, The Equipment Rules of Sailing, RYA prescriptions, the RDYC Notice of Race and RDYC Sailing Instructions.

Any boat belonging to a recognised class shall comply with the rules of that class.

Entry

As described in the Notice of Race.

Eligibility

As described in the Notice of Race.

Safety category of races

As described in Safety Requirements.

Responsibility

It shall be the sole responsibility of each boat to decide whether or not to start or to continue to race, as defined in the Safety Notice in the Notice of Race.

The establishment of these Sailing Instructions in no way limits or reduces the complete and unlimited responsibility of the owner/competitor for his crew, his boat and the management thereof.

Personal Buoyancy and Engines

As described in Safety Requirements. If the wind strength is expected to be Force 5 or above the Race Officer will fly Flag Y.

Restrictions on Sailing Area

While racing, boats may not pass between any of the following and the shore: Western Blackstone Rock, West Rock Buoy, Mewstone Rocks, Coombe Rocks, and Dancing Beggars Rocks. West Rock Buoy is always to be regarded as an obstruction and must always be passed to seaward whether or not it appears in the course instructions as a mark. Boats must at all times keep clear of the mussel beds in the vicinity of the Western Blackstone Rocks and pass to seawrd of the yellow marker buoys. When racing in the river, boats must not impede the Higher or Lower Ferries.

Rescue craft

A boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger. Rescue craft, if provided, are instructed to attend primarily to the rescue of personnel. Salvage of boats is secondary and rescue craft cannot be expected to tow any boats in trouble, still less to proceed into harbour while racing continues.

Communications

The official notice board shall be the RDYC Notice Board. Changes to the sailing instructions shall be posted on the official notice board two hours prior to the scheduled start time of the race. Exceptionally, changes of sailing instructions may be communicated verbally by the committee boat in accordance with Rule 89.2(c).

The following signals may be flown from RDYC and/or Race Control:
 
Flag L at RDYC at least 2 hours before start Changes to sailing instructions
Flag H at least 30 mins before start All classes to sail from Club House Line start
Flag H over Class Flag at least 30 mins before start Class to sail from Club House Line start
Flag N 3 sound signals Abandon racing
Flag N over Class Flag 3 sound signals Abandon racing for that class
Answering Pennant 3 sound signals Postpone the start
Class Flag 1 Sound Signal Warning Flag, 5 minutes to start
Flag P 1 Sound Signal Preparatory Flag, 4 minutes to start
Flag P down 1 Sound Signal 1 minute to start
Class Flag down 1 Sound Signal Start
Flag X 1 sound signal One or more boats on course side at start
Flag Y 1 sound signal Personal buoyancy must be worn
Flag S 2 sound signals All classes sail shortened course (may be at start)
Flag S over Class Flag(s) 2 sound signals Class(es) sail shortened course
Large Red Flag plus green
strobe light		 2 sound signals Squibs sail shortened course
Large Yellow Flag plus
yellow strobe light		 2 sound signals Slow Handicap sail shortened course
 
Communications and Yacht Safety Information may also be broadcast on VHF Channel M1 (CH 37) and boats should listen on this channel as well as Channel 16.

Courses

Courses will be selected from those given on the section RDYC Courses 2008.

Starts

Start times shall be in accordance with the Sailing Programme. For Wednesday Evening Races the Slow Handicap start will be at 18:30, the Squib start at 18:35 and the Fast Handicap/J80 start at 18:45.

The start line will be at Blackstone Point OR a committee boat within the vicinity of Homestone or Castle Ledge Buoys as defined in the Course Instructions. If Flag H is flown at the RDYC the start is at the Club House Line.

All times in the programme are given in British Summer Time. Any times given for high water apply to Dartmouth.

The starting procedure shall be in accordance with Rule 26.
 
Signal Flag Sound Signal Minutes before start
Warning Class Flag 1 Sound Signal 5
Preparatory Flag P 1 Sound Signal 4
One minute Preparatory Flag removed 1 Sound Signal 1
Starting Class Flag removed 1 Sound Signal 0
 
The Warning Signal for each succeeding class may be made with or after the Starting Signal of the preceding class.

Shorten Course

The Shorten Course Signal for all classes will be Flag S flown alone and for each individual class Flag S flown over the Class Flag. An alternative Shorten Course Signal for Slow Handicap will be a large plain yellow flag, flown alone, plus a yellow strobe light. For Squibs it will be a large plain red flag, flown alone, plus a green strobe light. This alters Rule 32.
All Shorten Course Signals will be accompanied by two sound signals. The additional light signals defined above may be shown.

Emergency Start Procedure

In the event of no Race Officer being present at the appropriate starting line by the time of the advertised start and no postponement or abandonment flag is flying at either Blackstone Point or RDYC, one of the yachts may act as starting boat, flying Flag P. Courses will be communicated verbally and, unless otherwise specified, all shortened at one lap.

On Wednesday evenings the Squib and Slow Handicap start will be at 18:40 and the Fast Handicap start at 18:45 or as close as can be arranged. The starting signals shall be Five Minute and Start (long) signals by hooter. There will be no Four Minute or One Minute Signals and no visual signals will be made. The starting line shall be the usual Blackstone Point Line or Club House Line as appropriate.

The starting yacht may join the race and may motor up until one minute before the start. All boats shall keep clear of the starting yacht at all times.

Boats should take their own finish times and declare them and retirements on the results sheet available at the Club Bar. The starting yacht, or another yacht by agreement, shall ensure that all boats are safely back in the river before proceeding up river herself.

Time Limits

The following prescriptions alter Rule 35.
For Wednesday Races the following time limits shall apply:
For Sunday Club Races:
If no boat has completed within the time limits the race shall be abandoned and all boats shall proceed back to the river as soon as possible. If conditions warrant it the Race Officer may abandon a race earlier.

Finishes

The Finishing Line will be as defined in the appropriate section of the Course Instructions.

Protests

Protests must be made on the forms available from the Sailing Office or in the Entrance Hall and handed to the Sailing Secretary or Race Officer in accordance with Part 5 of the Racing Rules of Sailing within two hours of finishing.
JPC 22/3/2008