Safety Notice
The responsibility for deciding whether to start a race or whether to continue racing lies solely with the individual yacht, keelboat or dinghy skipper in accordance with RRS Fundamental Rule 4. No responsibility for the craft and crew entered in these and other RDYC organised races is implied or accepted by any officer of the RDYC or the DYC, regardless of the conditions prevailing. By launching or going to sea the skipper of the boat confirms that it is fit for those conditions in which it will find itself and that its crew is competent to sail and compete in them.
The safety of a boat and its crew is the sole and inescapable responsibility of the owner, or owner's representative, who must ensure that the yacht is fully found, seaworthy and manned by an experienced crew who have undergone appropriate training and are physically fit to face bad weather. He must be satisfied as to the soundness of hull, spars, rigging, sails and all gear. He must ensure that all safety equipment is properly maintained and stowed and that the crew know where it is kept and how it is to be used.
The boat is required to hold adequate insurance for racing purposes.
Nothing done by the organisers can reduce the complete and unlimited responsibility of the owner or owner's representative, nor will it make the organisers responsible for any loss, damage, death or personal injury, however it may have occurred, as a result of the boat taking part in racing. The organisers encompass everyone helping to run the races and the events, and include the organising authority, the race committee, the race officers. Patrol boats are not provided.
Race Categories
- All Yacht Races in Start Bay are designated RYA Category 5 as defined in the RYA publication Racing Yacht Safety YR9/2001.
- All Keel Boat and Small Cruiser Races in Start Bay are designated RYA Category 6 as defined in RYA publication Racing Yacht Safety YR9/2001.
- Club Coastal Races are designated ORC Category 4.
- The Alderney Race is designated ORC Category 3 and competitors must submit by midday on the day before the race takes place an Alderney Race Entry Form (from RDYC General Office or website), signed by all crew members confirming that they accept it is the responsibility of the vessel's skipper to decide the suitability of passage making and weather conditions before setting off.
Life Jackets and Engines
- Life jackets or a personal buoyancy aid MUST be worn at all times by Keel Boat crews and dinghy crews. If the wind strength is expected to be Force 5 or above the Race Officer will fly Flag Y. When Flag Y is flown all crews must wear a lifejacket.
- All Yachts and Keel Boats MUST have either a working engine and fuel sufficient to get them back into the river against a foul tide and in absence of wind, or their own support team.
RYA Category 5: Minimum Requirements for Yacht Safety Equipment
- A suitable means for bailing or pumping and a stout bucket of at least 9 litres capacity attached to a lanyard.
- At least two red hand flares and two orange smoke flares suitably waterproofed.
- A fire extinguisher capable of extinguishing a petrol, diesel or cooker gas fire.
- One life jacket per crewmember aboard to EN 150 Newton standard ready for immediate use.
- A rescue quoit or throw bag with at least 15m of floating line.
- At least one lifebuoy or life sling.
- A waterproof first aid pack with instructions.
- At least one suitable anchor and sufficient cable to hold in the depth of water and likely weather conditions.
- A waterproof VHF radio transceiver.
- A marine type steering compass of a minimum card diameter 60mm properly installed and adjusted.
- All heavy equipment and fittings, including outboard engines, shall be securely fastened.
RYA Category 6: Minimum Requirements for Keelboat/ Small Cruiser Safety Equipment
- A bucket and a hand pump.
- An anchor of not less than 6kg in weight together with at least 2m of 3/16ins linked chain and an anchor warp of not less than 20m in length not less than 10mm in diameter. Squibs should carry anchor according to their Class Association rules.
- A marine type steering compass of a minimum card diameter 60mm properly installed and adjusted.
- One life jacket carried for each crewmember on board to EN 150 Newton standard.
- At least one orange smoke flare suitably waterproofed.
- Squibs shall also carry buoyancy bags detailed in the class rules and these shall be securely attached.
- Boats should also comply with any further buoyancy requirements in force at the time of the race.