01 Sailing Intstructions

Clear Lake Yacht Club

Sailing Instructions

PLEASE NOTE: THE 2005-2008 RACING RULES ARE NOW IN EFFECT. BE FAMILIAR WITH THE CHANGES, PARTICULARLY: RULE 16.2, CHANGING COURSE; 19.1, ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION; 31.2, TOUCHING A MARK AND 44.2, PENALITIES FOR BREAKING RULES OF PART 2; 42, PROPULSION (SCULLING); AND 61.1(a)(3), PROTEST REQUIREMENTS. A COPY OF DAVE PERRY’S “UNDERSTANDING THE RACING RULES OF SAILING THROUGH 2008” WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR REFERENCE USE AT THE CLUB HEADQUARTERS.

Races will be sailed under the jurisdiction of the Race Officer (R.O.) on each course and the Head Race Officer (H.R.O.). All races will be governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008, the prescriptions of the United States Sailing Association, the International Hobie Class Association, the Rules and By-laws of The ILYA, and by these sailing instructions.

Any conduct deemed detrimental to the spirit of sailing in a Clear Lake Yacht Club sponsored event, either on or off the racecourse, may result in expulsion from that event and/or future events. The R.O. or H.R.O. will bring recommendations to the Board Officers for a final ruling. The subject Sailor will be notified in writing of the ruling and no appeals are allowed. Examples of such conduct include harassment of another competitor or official, improper language, unsportsman like conduct, and violating safety requirements.

Entries must be completed and all fees paid before any boat is to be scored in a series.

Notices to competitors may be made through the CLYC newsletter, through a calling tree of the fleets or on the racecourse with the use of Code Flag "L" [Come Within Hail]. The limited use of VHS Radio’s by the on water P.R.O. and the sailors is appropriate. Sailors contacting the R.O. should identify themselves. Asking if there will be a race prior to the normal starting time is not appropriate. The Race Officers will use channel 72 and spectators are encouraged to monitor Channel 72 but should not broadcast on it except to respond to the R.O.’s request for assistance. Those who can help during any particular race are encouraged to let the R.O. know they are available to help prior to the beginning of the starting sequence.

While Racing, all competitors in the X Class shall wear life jackets. This obligation extends from the preparatory signal until the boat has finished and fulfilled all obligations under the rules after finishing.

The final decision to race, during postponement, will be made no later then 10:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. If the R.O. is committed to a race and mark setting or a starting line shift causes the warning signal to be fired after the designated times, the race may be continued at the discretion of the Race Officer.

A course diagram is included in these sailing instructions. It is strongly recommended that all sailors familiarize themselves with the courses. Courses will be displayed on the course board at the stern of the Race Committee Boat in the starting order. The course letter designator will be followed by a number, which indicates the number of times to sail the course.

Round orange buoys will be used to mark the course, and a smaller orange buoy will generally be used as the offset at the windward mark. The offset must be rounded with every windward mark rounding. On Saturday p.m. and Sunday a.m. the smaller orange mark used as part of the starting line will also be used as the leeward mark for the X and MC fleets. The remaining fleets will use the large orange mark and shall not cross the starting line, in either direction, until all remaining fleets have properly started and the starting line flag is lowered.

Classes will start in the order listed on the course board, at three (3) minute intervals with one (1) minute between fleets.
All fleets will have a red class flag.

The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the race committee boat and an orange buoy. Signals will be made from the race committee boat stationed at the starboard end of the line.

Rule 30.1 -The One Minute "Round the Ends" Rule will be in effect on all starts even when the flag ‘I’ is not displayed.

Boats Starting have the right away over boats not starting one minute prior to each start. (i.e. Boats on starboard tack, but not starting, must stay clear of boats on port tack that are in the last minute before their start.)

The Saturday morning races will begin at 9:30 and afternoon races at 1:30. The Sunday morning races will begin at 10:00 and the afternoon races at 2:00.

10. Individual Recalls

When at her starting signal a boat must comply with rule 29.1 or rule 30.1, the race committee shall promptly display flag X. The signal shall be displayed until all such boats are completely on the pre-start side of the starting line or its extensions and have complied with rule 30.l, but not later than four minutes after the starting signal or one minute before any later starting signal, whichever is earlier.

A recall announcement is a courtesy and failure to hear it shall not constitute grounds for redress.

After the starting signal, the race committee may abandon the race (flag N or flag N over H or A) or shorten the course (flag S), as appropriate. However, after one boat has sailed the course and finished within the time limit, if any, the race committee shall not abandon the race without considering the consequences for all boats in the race or series.

Every effort will be made to complete a race as scheduled. Postponed or abandoned [make up] races shall be resailed, normally back-to-back, at the discretion of the R.O. Back to back makeup races, as a guideline, should not be sailed in winds less than 5 or more than 18 MPH.

Rule 32 is expanded to provide that the Race Committee may abandon or cancel a race when the first yacht, each fleet, that has started correctly, fails to reach the windward mark in the time allowed as follows:

Any starting sequence, which follows the use of code flag “N”, shall begin with a warning signal as soon as possible.

When the flag "H" is displayed alone with three sound signals, all yachts are to discontinue racing and find safe harbor.

At any rounding mark the race committee may signal a change of the direction on the next leg of the course by displaying flag C and the compass bearing of that leg before any boat begins it.

The time limit for all courses and all classes, except X Class, shall be two and one half hours. The X Class shall be two hours.

The finishing line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on a race committee boat and the port end finishing mark. It is, with a one boat RC system, the responsibility of a sailor to wait windward of the finish area until the race committee taking finishes can take information about a protest.

A white flag displayed by the RC in the finishing area indicates that competitors should prepare for another race, to be started as soon as possible. Hailing is a courtesy only.

A boat intending to protest because of an incident occurring in the racing area that she is aware of shall hail ‘Protest’ and conspicuously display a red flag at the first reasonable opportunity for each. She shall display the flag either until she finishes or retires, or if the incident occurs near the finishing line, until the race committee acknowledges seeing her flag. In all other cases she shall inform the other boat as soon as reasonably possible.

Any yacht in class C, MC, and X, that acknowledges a foul may complete two tacks and two gybes in any order. Any yacht in class E, Cougar and Hobie may acknowledge a foul by completing one tack and one gybe in any order. These penalty turns must be completed at the first safe, reasonable opportunity after the foul, regardless of the tactical situation. Yachts completing tacks and gybes to fulfill penalties are advised to report these turns at the finish, in the event of a dispute over completion of penalty with a protesting yacht.

The intent to protest must be lodged with the Race Officer at the finish of the race. It is the duty of the protestor to remain in the finish line area until a Race Officer has the opportunity to acknowledge the protestors intent to protest.

Written protests shall be submitted to the Race Officer or mailed to Charlie MacNider at 441 N. Shore Dr., Clear Lake, Ia. 50428. Mailed protests must be postmarked by midnight of the first working day after the race that the incident occurred. E-mailing Charlie MacNider at charlie@netins.net may also help explain the protest situation.

Protests shall be heard at the first reasonable opportunity after the filing of the protests. Parties to the protest will be notified by the Protest Committee Chairman or Head Judge as to the time and location of the protest hearing. The protest chairman will attempt to include one representative from each fleet with the Head Judge presiding ex officio [non-voting] except to break ties. However, the Protest Committee must include at least three registered CLYC sailors, before the hearing can be opened. It is recommended that the fleet involved in the protest not be included as part of the protest committee. It is the responsibility of the Fleet Chairman to provide a list to Protest Chairman Bill Nicholas, in writing, of sailors selected to serve.

1. Each boat starting and finishing and not thereafter retiring, being penalized, or given redress shall be scored points as follows. The low point scoring system will be used, One point for first, two for second, three for third, etc.

For your boat to be officially scored, the scorer must be contacted in each race that the number on your sail is not your official registered sail number. Scorer Mark Tesar can be contacted at 641-357-8642 or Email mark.tesar@kingland.com

Trophies will be awarded to the best-ranked yacht for each series, each regatta, the seamanship award, and the fleet championship. Additional trophies will be awarded based on the following calculations. For each series there shall be one additional trophy awarded for every three yachts registered. For each regatta there shall be one additional trophy awarded for every three yachts participating in the regatta.

It is important that all members of the Clear Lake Yacht Club remember that our sailing program is only one of many programs or groups of people who count on Clear Lake as a great resource of recreational pleasure. We share the lake with fishermen, water skiers, powerboats, other sailors, and a host of others. If we are to expect others to respect our rights and needs during our races, we must return the respect to those who are also using the lake.