Lympstone Sailing Club
Sixteenth River Exe Regatta 2016
Under the burgee of Lympstone Sailing Club
Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th July 2016
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Sponsored by
Exe Regatta Sailing Instructions
Page No: 1
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SAILING INSTRUCTIONS – SATURDAY 16TH JULY 2016
High Water Exmouth:
16:54 hrs BST, height 3.2m
First Warning Signal: 15:24hrs BST
OVERVIEW – DINGHY AND MULTIHULL RACING
Racing on the Saturday will be held in the estuary with three Race Areas set up between
the Royal Marine Commando Training Camp and Exmouth.
All racing on the Saturday will be started using a Committee Boat line.
Fleets will be as follows:
Race Area A
Asymmetric and monohull dinghies with a PY number of 1046 or below, plus Lasers
taking part in the Starcross Yacht Club Laser Open Meeting, will sail on the downriver
course within Race Area A. Depending on conditions on the day, the course will be set
in the general area between Nos. 15 and 21 buoys (channel navigation marks).
There will be four separate starts in the following order:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Asymmetric spinnaker
Conventional spinnaker dinghies (to include those with no spinnaker)
Hornets (Open Meeting as part of the Regatta)
Lasers (SW Grand Prix Open Meeting as part of the Regatta)
3 races are planned for each start, although it may be necessary to cancel the third race
if tidal conditions dictate.
Race Area B
Slower monohull dinghies with a PY between 1047 and 1435 will sail on the Lympstone
course within Race Area B. Depending on the conditions on the day, the course will be
set in the general area off Lympstone harbour, extending both upstream and
downstream as required.
There will be three separate starts in the following order:
1. Slow handicap – Asymmetric and conventional spinnaker dinghies (to include
those with no spinnaker). This fleet will specifically include the RS200 and Comet
Trio classes.
2. Day boats and Devon Yawls.
3. Juniors (Under 18 on 16th July 2016)
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There will be a separate start and course for juniors laid within Race Area B, although
they will use the same start line as the other classes.
Special Notes:


Any Laser helm who does not wish to compete in the Starcross Yacht Club Open
Meeting may enter the B Fleet Slow Handicap class. If they do so, they will also
compete in this class on the Sunday.
A separate Day Boat/Yawl start will be provided if the fleet is 6 boats or more.
Otherwise the Day Boats/Yawls will join the Slow Handicap fleet.
3 races are planned for each start, although it may be necessary to cancel the third race
if tidal conditions dictate.
Race Area C
All multihull catamarans including Dart 18 (single handed or 2-handed) will sail on the
up-river course within Race Area C. Depending on the conditions on the day, the
course will be set in the general area between Nos 23 and 20 buoys (channel navigation
marks).
There will be a single start for all multihull catamarans.
3 races are planned, although it may be necessary to cancel the third race if tidal
conditions dictate.
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS – SUNDAY 17TH JULY
High Water Exmouth:
17:50 hrs BST, height 3.4m
First Warning signal (dinghies): 15:54hrs BST
First Warning signal (Multihull catamarans): 15:24 hrs BST
Racing on the Sunday will be held in the estuary with two Race Areas set up between
the Royal Marine Commando Training Camp and Exmouth. All multihull catamarans will
sail a separate Long Distance Race within the estuary with the start and finish being on
the Starcross Yacht Club line (see Long Distance race). Note that their start is intended
to be 30 minutes before the A Fleet, to limit conflict between the Fleets.
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Fleets will be as follows:
Race Area A
Asymmetric and monohull dinghies with a PY number of 1046 or below, plus the Lasers
who entered the Starcross Yacht Club Open Meeting on the Saturday, will sail on the
downriver course within Race Area A. Depending on conditions on the day, the course
will be set in the general area between Nos. 15 and 21 buoys (channel navigation
marks).
There will be four separate starts in the following order:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Asymmetric spinnaker
Conventional spinnaker dinghies (to include those with no spinnaker)
Hornets (Open Meeting as part of the Regatta)
Lasers (see Special Note under Race Area B)
2 races are planned for each start.
Race Area B
Slower monohull dinghies with a PY between 1047 and 1435, including the Lasers who
entered this fleet on the Saturday, will sail on the Lympstone course within Race Area
B. Depending on the conditions on the day, the course will be set in the general area off
Lympstone harbour, extending both upstream and downstream as required.
There will be three separate starts in the following order:
1. Slow handicap – Asymmetric and conventional spinnaker dinghies (to include
those with no spinnaker) and Lasers (but see Special Note). This fleet will
specifically include the RS200 and Comet Trio classes.
2. Day boats and Devon Yawls.
3. Juniors (Under 18 on 16th July 2016)
There will be a separate start and course for juniors laid within Race Area B, although
they will use the same start line as the other classes.
Special Notes:


Laser helms will be asked to enter either the A Fleet (which includes the
Starcross Yacht Club Open Meeting on the Saturday) or the B Fleet Slow
Handicap. They will then sail in their chosen Fleet on both days of the Regatta.
A separate Day Boat/Yawl start will be provided if the fleet is 6 boats or more.
Otherwise the Day Boats/Yawls will join the Slow Handicap fleet.
2 races are planned for each start.
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Long Distance Race (Sunday)
All multihull catamarans including Dart 18 (single handed or 2-handed) will sail a Long
Distance Race towards Exmouth sea front and return. This race will start and finish on
the Starcross Yacht Club line and will follow the channel navigation marks in both
directions i.e. port hand marks (RED) to be left to STARBOARD on the way down river
and to PORT on the return up river. This shall be reversed for starboard hand (GREEN)
marks.
The intention is that the multihulls shall follow all channel navigation marks as far as
the Exmouth Fairway Buoy if conditions are suitable. This buoy shall be left to PORT
before returning up river.
Depending on the conditions, the Principal Race Officer may shorten this course by
arranging for a rescue boat to drop a turning mark part way along the course. This
turning mark shall be a cylindrical orange buoy with a black band and shall be left to
PORT. The rescue boat will remain in the vicinity of this turning mark and will signal the
shortened course by flying a blue flag.
The first warning signal is planned for 15:24hrs BST. There will be a single start for all
multihull catamarans.
To assist competitors to sail the correct course, and in the event of any changes being
required to the course, the Principal Race Officer shall hold a briefing ashore at
Starcross Yacht Club at 14:30hrs BST.
1
Rules – All Classes and Starts
1.1
The Regatta will be governed by the Rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing, 2013
-2016.
1.2
The RYA Portsmouth Yardstick Scheme as set out on the current RYA website will be used
1.3
Portsmouth Yardstick Numbers will be those currently published on the RYA website.
1.4
Boats with no published PY number will be allocated a PY Number by the race committee taking
account of recently published numbers and local club handicap numbers.
1.5
PY Numbers will not be adjusted during the series.
1.6
Racing Rules will be changed as follows:
1.6.1
Rule 26 - Starting Races – all starts except Long Distance race for multihull catamarans on the
Sunday. The starting sequence specified shall be changed to:
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Minutes before
starting signal
6
3
1
0
1.6.2
Visual signal
Sound signal
Meaning
Class flag
Flag P
Flag P removed
Class flag removed
Flag P re-hoisted for next start
One
One
One long
One
Warning signal
Preparatory signal
One minute to start
Starting signal
On the Sunday, the Long Distance Race for multihull catamarans will use the normal Starcross
Yacht Club starting sequence using the SYC light signals:
Minutes before
starting signal
6
3
0
Visual signal
Sound signal
Meaning
Steady red light
Flashing red light
All lights extinguished
One
One
One
Warning signal
Preparatory signal
Starting signal
1.6.3
Rule 29.2 - Recalls, General Recall - The fleet concerned will start after the last scheduled fleet
start or any previously recalled fleet.
1.6.4
Rule 40.1. (Personal Floatation Devices) All competing crew shall wear adequate personal
buoyancy while afloat. Dry and wet suits do not constitute adequate personal buoyancy. Flag
‘Y’ will not necessarily be flown.
1.6.5
Rule A4 (Scoring, Low Points System) A boat starting more than 5 minutes after her starting
signal will be scored Did Not Start.
2
Notices to Competitors
2.1
Notices to competitors will be posted on the official River Exe Regatta website www.river-exeregatta.org.uk up to 09:00 on Friday 15th July.
2.2
After the above date and time there may not be enough advance warning to post new notices
on the website. New notices will then be posted on the official River Exe Regatta notice board
at all participating Sailing Clubs.
2.3
It shall be the responsibility of competitors to ensure they have read and understood any notices
posted on the website and notice boards.
3
Changes to the Sailing Instructions:
3.1
Any change to the Sailing Instructions (SIs) will be posted before 09:00 on the day that it will
take effect. Flag H will be flown from all the Sailing Club flag poles to indicate that a change to
the SIs has been made.
3.2
Any change to the planned schedule of races will be posted on the official notice boards by
20:00 on the day before it will take effect.
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4
Signals Made Ashore
4.1
Signals made ashore will be displayed on the flag poles of all participating Clubs.
5
Schedule of Races
5.1
The first warning signal is scheduled for 15:24 BST (Saturday) and 15:54 BST (Sunday) except
for multihull catamarans where the warning signal on the Sunday is scheduled for 15:24 BST.
5.2
Three races are scheduled for each fleet on the Saturday and two on the Sunday, except for
multihull catamarans as indicated above.
6
Class Flags and Order of Starts
Race Area A:
Asymmetric spinnaker monohulls
Conventional or no spinnaker monohulls
Hornets (Open Meeting)
Lasers (SYC Open Meeting)
Pennant 2 - white circle on blue background
Pennant 3 - red, white, blue vertical stripes
3rd Substitute – black stripe on white pennant
Laser class flag (Laser sail insignia on white background)
Race Area B:
Slow Handicap
Dayboats/Yawls
Juniors
Flag J horizontal blue / white blue stripes
Flag C horizontal blue / white / red / white / blue stripes
Flag Y diagonal yellow and red stripes
Race Area C (Saturday only)
All multihulls
Flag M
7
Racing Areas
7.1
The course for Race Area A will be laid out between channel marks 15 and 21. The Committee
boat is planned to be the Exe SC launch ‘Up Spirits’
7.2
The course for Race Area B will be laid out off Lympstone Harbour, extending up and down
river. The Committee boat is planned to be the Lympstone Sailing Club Day Boat ‘Deep Blue’.
7.3
The course for Race Area C (Saturday only) will be laid out between channel marks 23 and 20.
The committee boat is planned to be Yacht ‘White Lady’ (Westerly Centaur).
8
Marks
8.1
Marks for the course within Race Area A will be large inflatable orange buoys. A separate
windward mark will be laid for the Lasers only, to give a shorter beat. This will be a large
inflatable orange buoy with a dark blue band.
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8.2
Similar marks but with black bands will be used for the multihull fleet course within Race Area C
(Saturday only).
8.3
For the Long Distance Race on the Sunday for multihulls, channel marks and a turning mark will
be used as set out in ‘Long Distance Race’ above.
8.4
Marks for the courses within Race Area B will be selected from the fixed marks in the vicinity of
Lympstone Sailing Club (as shown in Annex A), supplemented by inflatable yellow ‘pencil’
buoys. See 9.3 for the actual course to be sailed.
8.5
The Junior fleet will sail a shorter course set within the limits of Race Area B, although they will
use the same start line. The marks for the Juniors only will be small cylindrical yellow buoys.
8.6
The outer distance mark (ODM) for all courses will be an orange spherical buoy.
9
Race Areas and Courses
9.1
When on station the committee boats will fly a LSC burgee.
9.2
Race Area A
Three turning marks will be laid for the course within Race Area A to provide windward, leeward
and wing marks. A separate windward mark will be laid for the Laser Class, to give a shorter
beat for this class only.
The start line will be set up about one third of the way up the windward leg. The normal finish
line will in the same place as the start line. Courses will be set as follows, and signalled by the
flying of the appropriate flag. Note, the course may be varied between starts:
Course T – Triangular Course
Flag T: Red / white / blue vertical stripes
Mark 1
Mark 2
Mark 3
Windward mark
Wing (gybe) mark
Leeward mark
Round 1 from start; Mark 1; Mark 2; Mark 3; start / finish line
Course W – Windward / Leeward Course
Flag W: Red square within a white square within a blue background
Mark 1
Mark 2
Mark 3
Windward mark
Spreader mark (near Windward mark)
Leeward mark
Round 1 from start; Mark1; Mark 2; Mark 3; start / finish line.
Course O – Triangle / Sausage Course
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Flag O: Red & yellow triangles split along the diagonal
Mark 1
Mark 2
Mark 3
Windward mark
Wing (gybe) mark
Leeward mark
Round 1 from start; Mark 1; Mark 2; Mark 3; start / finish line; then round 2; Mark 1; Mark 3; start
/ finish line and so on.
9.3
Race Area B
The courses for Race Area B will use a combination of the fixed LSC marks (see 8.4) and
inflatable marks. The actual course to be sailed, the directions of mark roundings and the
maximum number of laps will be displayed on a board at the stern of the Committee Boat.
There will be a separate course laid within Race Area B for the Juniors, with the marks as
described in 8.2. This course will also be displayed on the Committee Boat.
9.4
Race Area C (Multihulls, Saturday only)
The options will be a windward/leeward course (Course W) or a triangle/sausage course
(Course O) depending on the conditions. For Course W, a spreader mark will also be laid near
the windward mark. This spreader mark shall be rounded in the same direction as the windward
mark. Courses shall be signalled as set out in 9.2 above.
9.5
Courses within Race Areas A and C will be sailed leaving all turning marks to port unless the
committee boat is displaying a green flag during the start sequence, in which case all marks will
be left to starboard.
9.6
The courses and the number of rounds to be sailed within Race Areas A and C will be displayed
on a board on the relevant committee boat. For Course O, the completion of a triangle counts as
a lap and the subsequent completion of a sausage leg counts as another lap.
9.7
If sailing within Race Area A, Laser 4.7’s will sail ONE less lap than the other Laser types.
9.8
On the Saturday, Dart 18’s sailing within Race Area C will sail ONE less lap than the
Hurricanes.
9.9
All Fleets: Boats MUST pass through the start/finish line on each upwind leg of the race until
they finish and MUST NOT pass through the start / finish line on any other leg of the course.
Any boat that fails to comply with either of these requirements will be disqualified
without a hearing – this changes rule 63.1.
10
The Start
10.1
Races will be started using Rule 26, as amended by Sailing Instruction 1.6.1, with the warning
signal for each class six (6) minutes before the starting signal.
10.2
Classes will start at three (3) minute intervals. Flag P (Preparatory) will be hoisted 3 minutes
before each start and lowered at the one-minute signal for each class.
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10.3
Except for the multihull Long Distance Race, the starting line will be between the main mast of
the committee boat and the ODM.
10.4
For the multihull Long Distance Race on the Sunday, the start will be signalled using the normal
Starcross Yacht Club light signals on the Race Box as set out in 1.6.2. Premature starts for
individual boats shall be signalled by a second sound signal and a flashing orange beacon. A
general recall shall be signalled by two additional sound signals and a flashing orange beacon.
In the event of the latter, the new starting sequence will be commenced after a minimum period
of one minute.
11
The Finish
11.1
The finishing line will be between the main mast of the committee boat carrying a Blue Flag and the
ODM.
11.2
The course for any class may be shortened to finish at the end of the round being sailed. The
committee boat will signal a shortened course by displaying flag ‘S’ together with the appropriate
class flag(s) and making two sound signals as the leading boat approaches the finish line.
11.3
For Race Area C (Saturday) the race may be shortened either at the start/finish line or at any mark of
the course.
11.4
The Long Distance Race for multihull catamarans on the Sunday may be shortened by positioning a
turning mark at a suitable point, as set out in ‘Long Distance Race’. The finish line will be the
Starcross Yacht Club line between the flag pole and the ODM.
12
Time Limits
12.1
The time limit for the first boat in each race will be 90 minutes. The time limit for all boats to
finish will be 25 minutes after the first boat
13
Protests and Requests for Redress
13.1
Protest forms are available at the race office at Lympstone Sailing Club.
13.2
The protest time limit is two hours after the last boat has finished the last race of the day.
13.3
Notices will be posted no later than 15 minutes after the protest time limit to inform competitors
of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. Hearings will be held in the protest
room at Lympstone Sailing Club as soon as possible after notices are displayed.
14
Scoring
14.1
The Low Points System of Appendix A of the RRS will be used.
14.2
A total of five (5) PY races are scheduled for each fleet over the 2 days. If a minimum of 4 races
are sailed there will be one discard. If 3 or less races are sailed, there will be no discard.
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14.3
Hornets’ results will be extracted from the series results and the number of discards specified in
SI 14.2 shall apply.
14.4
Lasers’ results for the Saturday (Starcross Yacht Club Open Meeting) will count as a series of 3
races. If all 3 races are sailed there will be one discard. If less than 3 races are sailed there will
be no discards.
14.5
The Laser results for the Sunday will count as a series of 2 races with no discards and will be
separate from the Saturday Open Meeting.
15
Safety Regulations
15.1
It is the sole responsibility of competitors to decide if they shall start or continue in any race
(Rule 4, Decision to Race).
15.2
No declaration need be made but competitors retiring should inform the Race Officer at the
earliest opportunity either directly or via a patrol boat.
15.3
Patrol boats will fly an orange flag with “Patrol” written on it.
16
Prizes
16.1
Prizes will be awarded to the first boat in each fleet.
16.2
The race committee may award further prizes at its discretion.
17
Disclaimer of Liability
17.1
Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See Rule 4, Decision to Race.
The organising authority will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or
death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during or after the Regatta.
18
Insurance
18.1
Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third party liability insurance with a minimum
cover of £2,000,000 per event or the equivalent.
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