ALGOA BAY SAILING WEEK 2016

(Incorporating the

SAS IRC National Championships)

Will be sailed at

Algoa Bay Yacht Club, Port Elizabeth

From 29 April to 02 May 2016

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Organising Authority: Algoa Bay Yacht Club and IRC South Africa, under the authority of SA

Sailing.

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

1. RULES

1.1. The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in the 2013 – 2016 Racing Rules

of Sailing (RRS)

1.2. The following will apply: the Equipment Rules of Sailing (ERS), the SAS/SAMSA

Safety Regulations - minimum Category D, the South African Sailing (SAS)

requirements for National Championships, and the 2015/16 IRC Rules, parts A – C

as amended in the Notice of Race items 4.4.1, 4.4.2 & 4.5.

1.3. The Sailing Instructions shall take precedence over the Notice of Race. This changes

RRS 63.7.

2. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS

2.1. These will be posted on the Regatta Notice Board at the Algoa Bay Yacht Club

(ABYC).

3. CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

3.1. These will be posted before 09h00 on the day they will take effect, except that any

change to the schedule of races will be posted by 19h00 on the day before it will

take effect.

4. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE

4.1. These will be displayed on a flag pole in front of the Clubhouse.

4.2. When flag AP is displayed ashore, “1 minute” is replaced with “not less than thirty

minutes” in the race signal AP.

5. SCHEDULE OF RACES

5.1. Racing program

29/04/2016 Warning signal for the first race of the day at 11h00

30/04/2016 Warning signal for the first race of the day TBA

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01/05/2016 Warning signal for the first race of the day TBA

02/05/2016 Warning signal for the first race of the day TBA

5.2. There will be one Medium Distance race and a maximum of 8 Round-the-buoys

races.

5.3. On the last day of the regatta, no warning signal will be made after 15h30.

6. DIVISION FLAGS

6.1. Division Flag

IRC 1 Code Flag T

IRC 2 Code Flag W

IRC 1 & 2 combined Numeral Pennant 3.

ABYC Class 1 Numeral 1 Flag

ABYC Class 2 Numeral 2 Flag

7. RACING AREAS

7.1. Racing will take place in Algoa Bay and surrounds.

8. COURSES

8.1. Course format will predominantly be a round-the-buoys racing around large

inflatable rounding buoys (marks) laid each day or fixed Algoa Bay marks. See

Annexure 1 - Course Diagram.

8.2. No later than 9am of each day of the Races, the Race Committee will indicate the

course to be sailed on the Notice Board. Annexure 2 is illustrative of the courses.

8.3. Courses for each Fleet may be displayed on a black or white board at the stern of

the Race Committee signal boat and may be signalled over the VHF Race Channel.

8.4. The Medium Distance course will be at least 35 miles unless shortened during the

race, and if applicable IRC 1 & 2 will start together. The course for the Medium

Distance race, and the coordinates of any ABYC laid marks, will be displayed on the

Notice Board.

9. SHORTENING OF OR CHANGING THE NEXT LEG OF THE COURSE

9.1. In addition to the provisions of RRS 32, the race committee may also signal a

shortened course by displaying flag “D” with repetitive sounds from a boat stationed

close to a rounding mark. In this case boats are to leave that mark on the required

side and proceed directly to the finish line. This extends RRS 32.

9.2. To change the next leg of the course, the Race Committee will move the original

mark (or the finishing line) to a new position.

9.3. Except at a gate, boats shall pass between the Race Committee boat signalling the

change of the next leg and the nearby mark, leaving the mark to port and the Race

Committee boat to starboard. This changes RRS 28.1.

9.4. The change in direction and length of the next leg shall be indicated in accordance

with RRS 33(a) (2) and 33(b) respectively.

10. MARKS

10.1. Marks 1, 2, 3, & 4 will be large inflatable orange and/or yellow buoys.

10.2. The starting and finishing marks will be round pink buoys.

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11. THE START

11.1. Races will be started by using RRS 26.

11.2. The starting line will be between the mast/staff displaying an orange flag on the race

committee boat at the starboard end, and the course side of the nearby buoy at the

port end.

11.3. To alert boats that a race or sequence of races will begin soon, the orange starting

line flag will be displayed with one sound at least 5 minutes before a warning signal

is made.

11.4. Boats starting later than 4 minutes after their starting signal will be scored Did Not

Start without a hearing. This changes RRS A4.

11.5. Boats whose Warning Signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area during

the starting sequence for other races.

12. THE FINISH

12.1. The finishing line will be between the mast/staff displaying a blue flag on the race

committee boat at the starboard end, and the course side of the nearby buoy at the

port end.

12.2. To be given a finishing position, a boat's sail numbers must be clearly visible.

13. PENALTY SYSTEM

13.1. RRS 44.1 is changed so that the Two-Turns Penalty is replaced by the One-Turn

Penalty.

13.2. A boat that has taken a penalty or retired under RRS 31 or RRS 44.1 shall complete

an acknowledgement form at the Race Office within the protest time limit.

14. TIME LIMITS

14.1. The Round-the-buoy race time limit for IRC boats will be 130/TCC minutes for boats

in Division 1 and 110/TCC for boats in Division 2, where TCC is the boat’s IRC Time

Corrector.

14.2. ABYC Class 1 & 2 boats failing to finish within 30 minutes (on corrected time) after

the first boat sails the course and finishes will be scored Did Not Finish without a

hearing. This changes RRS 35, A4 and A5.

14.3. There is no time limit for the Medium Distance race. However, the Race Officer may

shorten the course to enable the last boat to finish by 17h00. This changes RRS

32.1.

15. PROTESTS

15.1. A boat protesting shall notify the Race Officer on channel 6 as soon as possible after

the incident. This is in addition to the requirements of RRS 61.1.

15.2. Arbitration: For protests involving an alleged breach of the rules of RRS Part 2, the

parties may elect to have an arbitration hearing with the chairman of the Protest

Committee. See Annexure 2.

15.3. Protests shall be lodged with the Race Secretary on the forms provided at the IRC

Race Pavilion.

15.4. For each boat protesting, the protest time limit is 60 minutes after that boat finishes

or retires from the last race of the day, or the race committee signals no more racing

today.

15.5. Notices will be posted no later than 30 minutes after the relevant protest time limit

to inform competitors of the time and venue of hearings in which they are parties or

named as witnesses.

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15.6. For the purpose of rule 64.3(b) the 'authority responsible' is a measurer appointed

by the Organising Authority or Protest Committee.

16. SCORING

16.1. Positions will be allocated based on corrected times.

16.2. Four races are required to be completed to constitute a series.

16.3. When fewer than five races have been completed, a boat's series score will be the

total of her race scores.

16.4. When from five to eight races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the

total of her race scores excluding one worst score.

17. RETIREMENT

17.1. Any yacht retiring from a race shall report the fact and its destination directly to the

Race Officer as soon as possible.

18. REPLACEMENT OF CREW OR EQUIPMENT

18.1. Substitution of competitors included in a crew in terms of item 3.5 of the Notice of

Race will be allowed.

18.2. Substitution of other competitors will be allowed by notification in writing to the Race

Committee.

18.3. Substitution of damaged or lost equipment will not be allowed unless approved by

the Race Committee.

19. EQUIPMENT AND MEASUREMENT CHECKS

19.1. A boat or equipment may be inspected at any time before or during the regatta for

compliance with the 2015 IRC Class Rules (as amended) and Sailing Instructions.

The skipper and/or appointed crew member will be notified and must be present

during the inspection of the yacht.

19.2. On the water, a boat can be instructed by an authorized measurer to proceed

immediately after the completion of a race to a designated area for inspection.

20. EVENT ADVERTISING

20.1. Refer to item 2 of the Notice of Race.

21. TRASH DISPOSAL

21.1. In terms of RRS 55, biodegradable sail ties are not trash, but elastic bands are.

21.2. Boats shall not discard any solid nor non-biodegradable liquid waste into the water.

22. RADIO COMMUNICATION

22.1. Each boat shall carry a VHF radio capable of receiving and transmitting on channels

06, 12, 14, 16 & 71.

22.2. Except in an emergency, a boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing

nor receive radio communications not available to all boats. This restriction also

applies to mobile telephones.

22.3. The Race Officer, call sign "Bridge”, will use Channel VHF 71 or designated

alternative.

22.4. Channel VHF 17 (or alternative) and Channel VHF 16 shall be dual monitored at all

times while boats are proceeding outside of the PE harbour during the event.

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22.5. All ships wishing to enter or leave the Port of Port Elizabeth must gain prior approval

from the Harbour Master calling on Channel VHF 12, unless fleet blanket entry or

exit has been obtained. Channel VHF 12 (or alternative) and Channel VHF 16 shall

be dual monitored at all times while boats are proceeding inside the PE harbour.

23. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

23.1. Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See RRS 4, Decision

to Race. Neither the Organising Authority nor its officials or other persons associated

with the organization of the event will accept any liability for material damage or

personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with, or prior to, during, or after

the regatta.

23.2. With respect to starting and continuing to race: The Race Committee will make

starting signals unless in their opinion it is manifestly unsafe for any of the boats

entered to remain in the vicinity of the starting line. Each boat shall exercise her

responsibility under RRS Fundamental Rule 4 and decide whether or not to start or

to continue to race.

24. PRIZES

Class Prizes will be awarded as follows:

ABYC Fleet 1 Trophy (ABYC TCF >= .90)

ABYC Fleet 2 Trophy (ABYC TCF < .90)

IRC Trophy (IRC rated, depending on spread of handicaps this Class may be split)

Other prizes may be awarded at the discretion of the Organizing Committee.

25. EVENT ADVERTISING

Refer to item 2 of the Notice of Race.

26. FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information please contact:

Morgan Griffiths, ABYC Race Organiser, 072 4175793, morgan_griffiths@yahoo.co.uk

Hylton Hale, IRCSA Chairman, 083 2508070, hylton.hale@afrimat.co.za

Ronnie Baer, Race Officer

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ANNEXURE 1: ILLUSTRATIVE COURSES

(FOR INFORMATION ONLY)

COURSE A –

A Windward-Leeward Course

Start – 1 – 2 – 1 – 2 – Finish

Options for this course include

(1) increasing or decreasing the number of laps,

(2) using a gate instead of a leeward mark,

(3) using an offset mark at the windward mark, and

FINISH

START

1

2

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1

3

90°

2

45°

45°

START

FINISH

COURSE B

A Triangle-Windward-Leeward-Triangle Course

Start – 1 – 2 - 3 –1 – 3 – Finish

Options for this course include

(1) increasing or decreasing the number of laps,

(2) varying the interior angles of the triangle (45°–90°–45° and 60°–60°–60° are

common),

(3) using a gate instead of a leeward mark for downwind legs (but not reaches),

(4) using an offset mark at the beginning of downwind legs (but not reaches), and

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ANNEXURE 2: IRC Class Association

Arbitration Procedure

1. Introduction

1.1 This annexure applies when an arbitration procedure is used as an alternative to a

protest hearing.

1.2 Arbitration is a quicker procedure providing lower penalties for any breach of the

rules eligible for arbitration.

2. Declining Arbitration

2.1 When a party to the protest does not agree to arbitration the protest will be heard by

a full panel.

3. Accepting Arbitration

3.1 When both parties to the protest agree to arbitration they each agree;

(a) that the protest is valid; and

(b to accept the arbitration decision as binding; and

(c) that no witnesses will be heard during the arbitration; and

(d) questions by parties will be limited to those necessary to establish the basic

facts found.

3.2 When a party to the protest informs the jury that they do not wish to attend a

hearing that party will be deemed to have agreed to arbitration.

4. Arbitration Hearing

4.1 The arbitrators will be two members of the jury.

4.2 The arbitrators will hear the testimony of the parties and then give one of the

following decisions:

(a) There was no breach of a rule by either boat; or

(b) One or both boats broke a rule of Part 2 and the Arbitration Penalty will be

applied, or

(c) The case will be referred to a protest hearing.

5. Arbitration Penalty

5.1 An Arbitration Penalty (ARB) will be a scoring penalty of 30% (rounded up to the next

whole number) of the number of entries.

5.2 If a points scoring penalty under the arbitration procedure would result in a score

worse than DSQ, the penalty will be that corresponding to DSQ.

5.3 The scores of other boats will not be changed.

5.4 For the purposes of Appendix A4.2 “Scoring” when a qualifying/final series is sailed

the number of boats entered into a qualifying series race will be the number of boats

assigned to the largest qualifying fleet.

6. Protest Hearings

6.1 If the arbitrators have referred the case to a protest hearing, or if the jury initiates a

reopening, any penalty given for a breach of a rule of Part 2 will be the Arbitration

Penalty.

6.2 If the hearing is reopened at the request of a party to the protest under rule 66

(Reopening a hearing) any penalty given may be an Arbitration Penalty or

disqualification at the discretion of the jury.

6.3 The panel for protest hearings held under 6.1 & 6.2 of this addendum may include

one or both of the arbitrators.