SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

RULES

The races will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing, the prescriptions of U.S. Sailing, the rules of the Bullseye Class (except as any of these are altered by these sailing instructions) and by these sailing instructions.

ENTRIES

Skippers must be members of the Card Sound Sailing Club and the Bullseye Sailing Association. New members must have a signed Welcome Letter from the Commodore or Vice Commodore. Boats must compete with a skipper and a crew of one or two. Skippers must sign a release agreement. The agreement must be filed with the CSSC Secretary to be eligible to race.

NOTICES TO COMPETITORS

Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board at Baker Harbor.

CHANGES IN SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Any change in the sailing instructions will be posted before 0800 hours on the day before it will take effect, including any change in the schedule of races. Changes will also be e-mailed to members.

SCHEDULE OF RACES

Two or three races a day are scheduled for all series with the exception of the Pumpkin Key Race.

RACING AREA

All courses will be set in Card Sound in the vicinity of Pumpkin Key Island.

COURSES

All marks will be left to Port unless a gate is used, in which case each boat must pass between the gates from the direction of the previous mark and round the inside of either gate mark before heading in the direction of the next mark. Race courses will be displayed from the Committee Boat. The panel display will show course marks in the order of rounding – example: 1-3-1-3-F. The course will be announced on VHF 72 along with the compass heading to the windward mark. When the course for the second (or subsequent) race is changed, the Race Committee will display Code Flag “C” (red-white-blue horizontal stripes) accompanied by (1) one long sound signal one minute before the warning signal and announced on VHF 72. When a course is designated 1-3-1-3-F or 1-3-F, the Race Committee may at it’s discretion move the finish line from the middle of the leg to No. 1 (windward mark). If the finish line is moved to No. 1, the pin of the starting line will be removed after all boats have made their start. The starting area for the Pumpkin Key Race will be either directly downwind from the Island or directly upwind from the Island. The race will be twice around the island and finish in the vicinity of the starting area. Boats may go around the island in either direction.

MARKS

Marks 1 and 3 will be inflated tetrahedrons. Mark 1 may have an offset. The starting and finishing marks are described in instruction 11. THE START and 14. THE FINISH.

CHECKING IN

Before the warning signal of the first race of the day, each yacht shall sail past the stern of the Race Committee Signal Boat and hail her sail number and skipper and crew names on VHF 72 until acknowledged by the Race Committee.

SAFETY

The following safety gear is required during races:

1. A 5 lb. anchor, 6 feet of ¼” chain and at least 100 feet of ⅜” nylon
anchor rode.
2. One U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket of suitable size for
each person on board.
3. A paddle or an oar at least 4 feet in length.
4. A horn in working order.
5. A bucket suitable for bailing. A manual bilge pump may also be
carried.
6. A navigational compass in working order.
7. A VHF radio capable of receiving channel 72.

When the Race Committee displays code flag Y (rectangular diagonally stripped red and yellow flag) or prominently displays a life jacked in the rigging, life jackets shall be worn while racing by all competitors.

THE START

The Race Committee will attempt to be on station 15 minutes prior to the warning signal. Competitors should stand clear of the starting area and picket boats that are setting marks.

Racing rule 26 Starting Races is modified as follows:

SIGNAL	FLAG AND SOUND	MINUTES TO START
Attention	Short blasts of horn	6
Warning	White Bullseye Class Flag - 1 sound	5
Preparatory	P Flag - 1 sound	4
One-minute	Preparatory Flag removed - 1 long sound	1
Starting Signal	White Bullseye Class Flag removed - 1 sound	START

The starting line will be between a staff displaying a yellow flag or shape on the Committee Boat at the starboard end and a small inflated yellow tetrahedron at the port end.

RECALLS

Individual recalls will be signaled in accordance with Racing Rule 29.2. The Race Committee will hail the sail number of the yacht or yachts starting prematurely on Channel 72 VHF and also hoist the X flag with 1 short sound signal for each boat over the starting line. If a General Recall is necessary, the Race Committee will announce on VHF 72 and hoist the First Substitute with 2 short sound signals. Thereafter, the regular starting procedure will be repeated, starting with the dropping of the First Substitute with 1 short sound signal, 1 minute before the Attention signal. If races are to be postponed the AP flag will be hoisted with 2 short sound signals. When it is decided that the regular starting procedure will be commenced, the AP flag will be dropped with 1 short sound signal, 1 minute before the Attention signal.

CHANGE OF COURSE

A change of course will be hailed by an Attendant Boat at the mark that begins the leg being changed. The change will be signaled before the leading yacht has begun the leg, although the new mark may not be in position at that time.

THE FINISH

The finishing line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag or shape on the Committee Boat and either a small orange inflated tetrahedron or mark 1 on the starboard end. See START/FINISH DIAGRAM.

TIME LIMIT

The time limit for each race will be one half hour (½) to the first mark in the Dingley, Connors, Magic, Mills and Metcalf Series and one and one half (1 ½) to finish in the Dingley, Connors, Magic, Mills and Metcalf Series. Yachts failing to finish one half hour (½) after the first yacht finishes will be scored ‘Did not finish’.

PROTESTS

The Race Committee shall be advised verbally of a protest at the finish of a race. Protests must be made in writing and delivered to the Chairman of the Race Committee by 1700 hours on the day of the race. If a protested skipper withdraws before the Protest Committee meets, he may use that race as one of his throwaways. If after a hearing, he is disqualified, he will be credited with a DSQ, and must use this as a race sailed.

ALTERNATIVE PENALTIES

Racing Rule 44.2 is modified to require a 360° turn rather than a 720° turn.

SCORING

The low point scoring system, Appendix A4.1 of the racing rules will apply. In the Mills/Metcalf Series, the fleet will have two divisions for scoring. The completion of three races will constitute a series.

Races	Type	Throwouts
9+	Best of 6	3
8	Best of 6	2
7	Best of 5	2
6	Best of 4	2
5	Best of 4	1
4	Best of 4	0
3	Best of 3	0

 

PRIZES

Prizes will be awarded to the skipper and crew placing first, second and third in each Series.