MAIN FLEET MAJOR EVENT INSTRUCTIONS 2017

Transcription

1 INTERNATIONAL OPTIMIST CLASS ASSOCIATION (U.K.) Main Fleet Major Event Instructions 2017

2 MAIN FLEET MAJOR EVENT INSTRUCTIONS 2017 These Major Event Instructions are published to give information that is common to the Spring Championship, the GBR Optimist Team Selection Trials, the Inland Championship, the Late Summer Championship, the End of Season Championship, the Winter Championship and any other IOCA(UK) major event. These Major Event Instructions should be used in conjunction with the individual Notice of Race and Supplementary Sailing Instructions published for each event. They may be used for other events by referring to them in the Notice of Race. 1. RULES AND ADVERTISING 1.1 Racing will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS). 1.2 IOCA(UK) endorses the RYA Racing Charter. Competitors shall undertake to sail in accordance with the Charter. 1.3 If there is conflict the Supplementary Sailing Instructions (SSIs) take precedence over these Major Event Instructions (MEIs) and the Notice of Race (NoR). This changes RRS International Optimist Class rule only permits competitor advertising as follows: the hull in any area not already designated for event advertising. Such advertising may only be applied as a temporary adhesive sticker. 1.5 RRS 61.1 Informing the Protestee is changed as follows: Add to RRS 61.1(a): The protesting boat shall inform the Race Committee of the boat/s being protested at the finishing line immediately after finishing. 1.6 The Race Committee may require advertising space for event sponsors in accordance with RRS 80 and ISAF Regulation ENTRIES 2.1 Eligible boats may be entered by completing registration with the Organising Authority. 2.2 Registration requirements for boats are: a) measurement certificate with a current sail and buoyancy endorsement b) adequate third party insurance of at least 3,000, Each competitor shall be a member of IOCA(UK) or another National Optimist Association 2.4 The age of the competitor at the end of the year in which the event occurs shall not exceed 15 years. However entries will be only accepted from competitors born in 2008 or earlier. Younger competitors may apply to compete. However, the Organising Authority has absolute discretion to accept or refuse such an entry. 3. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board at the place specified in the SSIs. 4. CHANGES IN SAILING INSTRUCTIONS Any changes to the MEIs or SSIs will be posted not later than 30 minutes before boats are launched for the first race in which it will take effect and will be indicated by displaying flag L ashore, except that any change to the schedule of races will be posted by 1800 hours on the day before it will take effect. 5. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE 5.1 Signals made ashore will be displayed at the place specified in the SSIs. 5.2 Flag AP displayed with two sounds means "Racing is postponed. Launching will start after AP is lowered." This changes race signal AP. 5.3 Boats may only launch when their Class flag is displayed with Flag D ashore.

3 6. SAFETY 6.1 On any day that racing is scheduled boats may not go afloat without the permission of the Race Committee. 6.2 Competitors shall wear a personal flotation device at all times when afloat except briefly while changing or adjusting clothing or personal equipment. Flag Y will not be displayed. This changes RRS When the Race Committee considers that a boat, its equipment or crew are not adequate for the existing or anticipated conditions or that a boat or crew is in difficulty, it may instruct the boat and crew not to launch, or to retire or to sail ashore or to accept outside help. The boat and crew shall comply with such instructions without delay. Their decision is final. 7. TALLIES This instruction applies when the SSIs state that tallies will be used. 7.1 A tally board will be situated at the place specified in the SSIs 7.2 Before going afloat each competitor intending to race shall tally out by removing the tally band bearing their tally number from the tally board and place it securely on their wrist. 7.3 At the first reasonable opportunity after coming ashore, which is normally immediately, each competitor shall tally in by replacing their tally band on the tally board. 7.4 When the Protest Committee decides that a competitor has not complied with this procedure MEI 19.5 shall apply. 8. DIVISION OF FLEET INTO GROUPS 8.1 Allocation to Groups The Race Committee will allocate each boat to a group, yellow, blue, red or white as posted on the official notice board. The allocation of competitors into groups will be based on the latest IOCA ranking and thereafter in sail number order. 8.2 Group Identification Each boat shall display the coloured group identification ribbon provided at the peak of her sail. 8.3 Group Starts There will be two starts in each race. Each start will be for two groups, as shown in Appendix 2 to these instructions. The second start in each race will be 10 minutes after the previous start which is not recalled. 8.4 Penalty for Sailing in the incorrect Group It is each sailor s responsibility to ensure that they sail in the correct group. The penalty for sailing in the incorrect group shall be 5 points added to their finishing position for all races sailed in the incorrect group. 9. SCHEDULE OF RACES 9.1 SIX races are scheduled and timings will be detailed in the NoR and SSIs 9.2 On the last day of racing there will be no warning signal after 1500 hours except where the first start group has been able to start, the warning signal of the second start group may be made after 1500hrs as long as it is no later than 30 minutes after the warning signal for the first start. If the second start group fails to start in this time, then the race will be abandoned for both start groups 10. CLASS SIGNALS 10.1 The Class flag and warning signal will be flag O When the fleet is divided into groups, the Class flag and warning signals will be: Yellow group = YELLOW flag Blue group = BLUE flag Red group = RED flag White group = WHITE flag 11. RACE AREA The Race Area for each day's racing will be posted on the official notice board or as described in the SSIs.

4 12. THE COURSE 12.1 The course to be sailed will be as shown in the SSIs and may be selected from those shown in MEI Appendix 3. The diagrams indicate the number of legs required to complete each course. They do not indicate the length or the angle between each leg Leeward gates will be used. A gate may be replaced by a single mark to be left to port. 13. DESCRIPTION OF MARKS 13.1 The marks will be orange inflatable buoys Any change of course marks shall be orange inflatable buoys 13.3 The starting marks will be race committee boats The finishing marks will be race committee boats. 14. THE START 14.1 Races will be started using RRS 26 with the warning signal FIVE minutes before the starting signal. When there is more than one start in a sequence, starts will be at TEN minute intervals The starting line will be between staffs displaying orange flags on the starting marks (race committee starting boats) at each end of the starting line Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area and not interfere with boats whose warning signal has been made A boat starting later than 4 minutes after its starting signal will be scored Did Not Start. This changes RRS A4 and A U Flag Rule. RRS If flag U has been displayed, no part of the boat s hull, crew, or equipment shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, but not if the race is restarted or resailed. When flag U is used as the preparatory signal RRS 29.1 Individual recall does not apply. The scoring abbreviation for a flag U penalty is UFD Black Flag Rule. RRS If a black flag has been displayed, no part of a boat s hull, crew or equipment shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, even if the race is restarted or resailed, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal. If a general recall is signalled or the race abandoned after the starting signal, the race committee shall display her sail number before the next warning signal for that race, and if the race is restarted or resailed she shall not sail in it. If she does so, her disqualification shall not be excluded in calculating her series score. 15. CHANGE OF COURSE AFTER THE START A change of course after the start will be signalled before the leading boat has begun the leg, although the new mark may not then be in position. Any mark to be rounded after rounding the new mark may be relocated to maintain the original course configuration. When in a subsequent change of course a new mark is replaced it will be replaced with an original mark. 16. THE FINISH 16.1 The finishing line will be between the masts displaying orange flags on the finishing marks (race committee finishing boats) at each end of the finishing line After finishing and clearing the finishing line boats shall avoid the finishing area and all boats not yet finished Alternative Finishing Line. The race committee may give a finishing place to any boat as follows, When a race committee boat displays flag W with two sounds, boats that have not yet finished may be given a finishing place anywhere on the race course, at a nearby mark or not When a boat finishes in accordance with this instruction, she shall be awarded a finishing place matching her overall position in that race. This changes A5

5 17. TIME LIMIT The time limit for the first boat in each start shall be 1 hour 15 minutes or for subsequent finishers within 30 minutes after the first boat finishes, whichever is later. This changes RRS 35, A4 and A DECLARATIONS 18.1 Declarations are required when: A boat did not finish all races sailed A boat has taken a penalty, in which case the declaration shall include the mark or leg of the course where the incident occurred and the penalty was completed. This requirement is part of the penalty and changes RRS Declaration sheets will be available at the Race Office and shall be completed before the end of Protest Time. 19. PROTESTS 19.1 When the Organising Authority appoints a Protest Committee, the Terms of Reference of the Protest Committee are as shown in Appendix Protests will be written on forms available at the race office and delivered there within Protest Time which will end one hour after the last boat finishes the last race of the day Times and places of protest hearings will be posted within thirty minutes of the end of protest time. This will be the only notification and changes RRS No boat may protest another boat for infringements of the following: Tallies Group Identification Ribbons Declarations Support Boats Any Local Regulations This changes RRS When the Protest Committee decides that an infringement, other than an infringement of a rule of Part 2, has had no significant effect on the outcome of the race, it may impose a penalty of one or more points or make such other arrangement as it thinks fair. This may be to impose no penalty. This changes RRS SCORING SYSTEM 20.1 The Low-Points scoring system of RRS Appendix A will apply except that: 20.2 ONE race is required to be completed to constitute a series 20.3 a) When 1 or 2 races have been completed, a boat s series score will be the total of her race scores. b) When 3 or more races have been completed, a boat s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score 20.4 Boats that are racing when the time limit expires will be scored points halfway between the points scored by the last boat to finish and points equal to the number of starters. Any fractions will be rounded up to the next whole number When the fleet is divided into groups RRS A4.2 is deleted and replaced by: All other boats, including a boat that did not start, a boat that finishes and thereafter retires or is disqualified, will be scored points equal to one more than a half the number of boats entered in the series when there are two starts, fractions rounded up Ties on total points shall be broken in accordance with RRS A8 only for the purpose of awarding trophies and prizes. 21. SUPPORT BOATS All Safety and Support boats are under the control of the Safety Officer. Team leaders, coaches and other support personnel including relatives of competitors shall not be in the racing area from the time of the preparatory signal until all boats have finished or the Race Committee signals a postponement or

6 abandonment. The penalty for failing to comply with this requirement will be determined by the Protest Committee, and may be the disqualification of all boats associated with the support personnel who do so. 22. OUTSIDE HELP Penalties for breaking RRS 41, Outside Help, shall be at the discretion of the Protest Committee. When a boat has received outside help, a request for a lesser penalty than retirement may be made to the Protest Committee in writing before the end of protest time on the day concerned. 23. PENALTY SYSTEM 23.1 RRS Appendix P, Special Procedures for RRS 42, will apply and is changed to, P1 Signalling a Penalty A member of the Protest Committee who sees a boat breaking RRS 42 may penalise her by, as soon as reasonably possible, making a sound signal, pointing a yellow flag at her and hailing her sail number, even if she is no longer racing. A boat so penalised shall not be penalised a second time under RRS 42 for the same incident. P2 Penalties P2.1 First Penalty When a boat is first penalised under P1 her penalty shall be a Two-Turns Penalty under RRS If she fails to take it she shall be disqualified without a hearing. P2.2 Second and Subsequent Penalties When a boat is penalised a second or subsequent time during the regatta her penalty shall be a Two-Turns Penalty under RRS If she fails to take it she shall be disqualified without a hearing and her score shall not be excluded. P3 Postponement, general recall or abandonment If a boat has been penalised under P1 and the Race Committee signals a postponement, general recall or abandonment, the penalty is cancelled and shall not be counted to determine the number of times she has been penalised during the regatta Graded Penalties. The penalty for breaches of Class Rules will be the Graded Penalty System detailed in Appendix 4, and may be less than disqualification, this changes RRS TOWING On any day that racing is scheduled the towing of boats, by any other craft is strictly forbidden. Infringement of this instruction may result in the immediate disqualification of the boat without a hearing from the completed race nearest in time to the infringement. This changes RRS The only exceptions to this are: 1. If a boat has retired from a race and is being escorted by a support boat either ashore or to the nearest mother ship. 2. If the race committee informs all support boats that towing is permitted. 25. EQUIPMENT CHECKS Equipment Inspection may be made throughout an Event on the instructions of the Race Committee. Immediately after each race several boats may be advised to proceed for an equipment check. Boats notified shall report immediately to the nearby measurement boat displaying a yellow flag marked Measurer. After finishing all boats are forbidden to alter any settings on their boat until after they have cleared the measurement boat area. Failure to comply with this will be reported to the Protest Committee and may lead to a disqualification or other penalty as determined by the Protest Committee. 26. EQUIPMENT Competitors are reminded of Optimist Class Rule Unless damage renders a hull, sail, spar or foil unusable during an event, only one hull, sail, mast, boom, sprit, daggerboard and rudder shall be used throughout an event. Any such change of equipment shall be authorised by the Race Committee at the first reasonable opportunity.

7 27. RIGHTS TO USE NAMES AND LIKENESS Competitors automatically grant to the Organising Authority without payment the right in perpetuity to make, use and show any motion pictures, still pictures and live, taped or filmed television of or relating to the event. 28. RADIO COMMUNICATION Except in an emergency, a boat shall not make voice or data transmissions and shall not receive voice and data communication that is not available to all boats. 29. RISK STATEMENT RRS 4 of the Racing Rules of Sailing states: The responsibility for a boat s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone. Sailing is by its nature an unpredictable sport and therefore involves an element of risk. By taking part in the event, each competitor agrees and acknowledges that: a) They are aware of the inherent element of risk involved in the sport and accept responsibility for the exposure of themselves, their crew and their boat to such inherent risk whilst taking part in the event; b) They are responsible for the safety of themselves, their crew, their boat and their other property whether afloat or ashore; c) They accept responsibility for any injury, damage or loss to the extent caused by their own actions or omissions; d) Their boat is in good order, equipped to sail in the event and they are fit to participate; e) The provision of a race management team, patrol boats, and other officials and volunteers by the organiser does not relieve them of their own responsibilities; f) The provision of patrol boat cover is limited to such assistance, particularly in extreme weather conditions, as can be practically provided in the circumstances. g) It is their responsibility to familiarise themselves with any risks specific to this venue or this event drawn to their attention in any rules and information produced for the event and to attend any safety briefing held for this event. APPENDIX 1: PROTEST COMMITTEE TERMS OF REFERENCE The Protest Committee Terms of Reference whilst on the water will be both the application of penalties under RRS 42 and the observation of rule observance. RRS 42 Penalties will be applied by the Protest Committee, both at the starting area and during the race. The Protest Committee may initiate a protest where they believe that a rule infringement has occurred but no appropriate penalty was taken.

8 APPENDIX 2: SCHEDULE OF GROUP STARTS When the fleet is divided into FOUR groups the starts will be as follows: Race First Start Groups Second Start Groups 1 & 7 Yellow Blue Red White 2 & 8 Yellow Red Blue White 3 & 9 Yellow White Blue Red 4 & 10 Red White Yellow Blue 5 & 11 Blue White Yellow Red 6 & 12 Blue Red Yellow White APPENDIX 3: COURSES WORLDS COURSES WORLDS COURSE Mark rounding order: Start 1 2 3s/3p Finish 1 2 Finish 3s 3p Start

9 CARANTEC COURSES WITH WINDWARD FINISHES The first Group start and the Single fleet start shall sail the Outer Course. The second Group start shall sail the Inner Course CARANTEC COURSE OUTER Mark rounding order: Start 1 2 3s/3p 2 3p 5 Finish CARANTEC COURSE INNER Mark rounding order: Start 1 4s/4p 1 2 3p 5 Finish s 4p 4s 4p 3s 3p Start & Finish 3s 3p Start & Finish 5 5 CARANTEC COURSES WITH REACHING FINISHES The first Group start and the Single fleet start shall sail the Outer Course. The second Group start shall sail the Inner Course CARANTEC COURSE with reaching finish OUTER Mark rounding order: Start 1 2 3s/3p 2 3p 5 Finish CARANTEC COURSE with reaching finish INNER Mark rounding order: Start 1 4s/4p 1 2 3p 5 Finish s 4p 4s 4p 3s 3p Start Finish 3s 3p Start Finish 5 5

10 APPENDIX 4: GRADED PENALTIES (CR refers to class rule) Minor (Technical Penalties) First offence warning, 2nd and subsequent offences 2 points - Breaches of Safety Regulations if no danger was involved (MEI 6) Minor class rule penalties First offence warning, 2nd and subsequent offences 3 points - Bailer not attached to hull (CR 4.3) - Paddle not attached to hull (CR 4.3) - Daggerboard not attached to hull (CR 3.3.4) - Painter not attached to mast step or thwart (CR 4.3) - Whistle not attached to personal flotation device (CR 4.2) - One sail tie 5mm or more loose (CR ) - Two sail ties 3mm or more loose (CR ) - Accidental loss of sail tie (CR ) Intermediate class rule penalties First offence warning, 2nd and subsequent offences 5 points - No bailer, paddle or painter in boat (CR 4.3) - No whistle (CR 4.2) - No lanyard, locking device or other arrangement to attach mast to hull (CR ) - Sail outside limits of bands (CR ) - Two ties 5mm or more loose (CR ) - Three or more ties 3mm or more loose (CR ) - Throat, tack or clew eyelet 3mm or more loose (CR ) Major class rule penalties (as per RRS) First offence penalty of a minimum of 10 points and up to DSQ subject to protest by the Race Committee, 2nd and subsequent offenses DSQ - Use of uninspected equipment - Use of unapproved fittings IOCA(UK) CONTACT DETAILS Telephone: admin@optimist.org.uk Website address