Belgian Championship Offshore 2017 Powerboats & Aquabikes Heat 5 & 6 26 th August 2017 BLANKENBERGE - BELGIUM PROGRAM In collaboration with
IMPORTANT NOTICE POWERBOAT RACING IS A HAZARDOUS ACTIVITY. ANYONE INTENDING TO PARTICIPATE IN OR BECOMING INVOLVED WITH THE BELGIAN CHAMPIONSHIP FOR POWERBOATS AND AQUABIKES FOR PRO & FUN CLASSES EITHER AS A PARTICIPANT, TEAM MEMBER OR OTHERWISE DOES SO AT THEIR OWN RISK AND SUCH INDIVIDUALS SHOULD RECOGNISE THAT THEY MAY SUFFER DEATH, INJURY AND/OR LOSS OR DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF SUCH INVOLVEMENT. THE ORGANISING AUTHORITY, ANY AFFILIATED CLUB OR ASSOCIATION, AND ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED WITH THE ORGANISATION OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR ANY DEATH, LOSS, DAMAGE, INJURY OR INCONVENIENCE THAT MIGHT OCCUR TO PERSONS AND GOODS, BOTH ASHORE AND AT SEA, AS A CONSEQUENCE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP EXCEPT AS SPECIFICALLY SET OUT BELOW. THOSE PARTICIPATING IN OR OTHERWISE VOLUNTARILY BECOMING INVOLVED WITH THE CHAMPIONSHIP RECOGNISE THAT SUCH EXCLUSIONS AND INDEMNITIES ON THE PART OF AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ORGANISING AUTHORITY AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE ORGANISATION OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP ARE APPROPRIATE AND REASONABLE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND RECOGNISE THEIR OWN OBLIGATION TO SECURE APPROPRIATE INSURANCE AND TO BRING THIS NOTICE AND THESE EXCLUSIONS AND INDEMNITIES TO THE NOTICE OF ANY THIRD PARTY WHOM THEY INVOLVE OR SEEK TO INVOLVE IN ANY WAY IN ANY POWERBOAT PRO & FUN CLASS EVENT. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A TEAM S DECISION TO PARTICIPATE IN A RACE OR TO CONTINUE RACING IS THEIRS ALONE. ANYONE INTENDING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BELGIAN CHAMPIONSHIP HAS TO SUBSCRIBE AND SIGN THE ENTRY FORM. THE ENTRY FORM IS ONLY VALID IF ATTACHED BY THE LIABILITY FORM AND THE COMMERCIAL ADDENDUM AND IF BOTH ATTACHMENTS ARE SIGNED.
1) Event & Race officials The organizing committee, BKOffshore vof, organizes heat 5 and 6 of the Belgian Championship Offshore 2017 at Blankenberge. This Belgian Championship is open for Powerboats & Aquabikes. The Belgian Championship Offshore 2017 Event Promotor : BKOffshore vof A.Catriestraat 141 9031 Drongen/Gent +32 473 43 88 99 www.bkoffshore.be The Belgian Championship Offshore 2017 Event Organiser : Isabelle Pauwels +32 496 10 08 42 aquafitcenter@skynet.be The National Authority for UIM: Belgische Motorboot Federatie Jean-Marie Van Lancker +32 495 93 38 38 JMVL@jmvanlancker.be
Officials : Event O.O.D.: Event Secretary: Race Jury: Race Starter: Scrutineer TCC: Race Course: Rescue Team: Press: Marshalls: UIM + BMF: Koenraad Van Nieuwenhove Isabelle Pauwels Carine Debruyn Freddy van Sweeveldt Koenraad Van Nieuwenhove Steven Meylemans René Duquet Steven Meylemans Sven Coppens Gaëtan Van Hauwermeiren Sea Eagles Ewoud Van Lierde Luc Vermeiren Peter Moorkens Françoise Cus Karel Overlaet Robrecht Van Lierde Xavier Derille Gino Passchier Luc Depreitere Jean-Marie Van Lancker
2) Entries Inscriptions will be accepted for powerboats in pro race and fun race and for aquabikes, open class, stock class & rec lite 3) Heats Two heats will be organized. Each team has to participate in both heats. When only one heat is organized by force majeure, the team having best results of the performed heat will be the winner. 4) Insurance Team Insurance: all powerboats and aquabikes must be properly insured against any claims for damage to other boats and persons. All competitors shall carry their own insurance and waive any claims against organizers. Insurance-certificates are to be verified at Race Registration. A third party liability Insurance will be available at the registration. 5) Rules 6) Fuel As guideline we use the UIM rules from Pleasure Navigation Group B. The organization will NOT provide fuel during the competition. The Port of Blankenberge has a point of fuel provision opened to the public. 7) Safety At any moment the Committee can submit the participants to an ALCOHOLIC DOPING TEST. The maximum allowed level is 0.00. All boats must carry sufficient buoyancy in order to float the hull in the correct way and assist rescue crews in the event of capsize. Strictly: helmets and lifejackets must be conforming to the rules in orange or red colour. The efficiency of the helmet and lifejacket is the sole responsibility of the wearer. The Rescue will be followed up by professional people, Strandredders Blankenberge, two teams of paramedics specialized in emergencies and two divers will be on the circuit in a rib or scooter.
The hospitals in the neighbourhood, as well as their MUGS (Medical intervention teams) will be contacted in case of urgent action because of serious injuries: 8) Security Oostende : MRCC SAR : VHF 16/67 : Tel +32 59 70 10 00 Strandredders Blankenberge on race circuit The Local Police will keep a close eye on the parking area in Blankenberge around the dry pit (Wenduinse steenweg 3). The Naval Police will supervise the protection of the circuit at sea with two or three boats so that the race can be held in save circumstances. The organization will deploy marshall boats to guard the circuit. The organization will escort the convoy out and in the harbour before and after the race. All participants have to maintain an adapted speed in the harbour. 9) Communication All major incidents as well as start and end of the races will be reported to MRCC on CH 67. The pilots are informed about the VHF-channels to be used as follows : CH 77 - Race control internal communication. (TBC by Naval Police) and FM radios for internal use. 10) Environmental issues Environmental issues are extremely important for all competitors, organizers and visitors. Each team is responsible for its members to do everything necessary and possible to protect the environment as stated in the rules. Every violation of these rules and local laws regarding environmental protection will be brought to the attention of the Naval Police who is present at the event.
11) Belgian Championship Race Procedures a. The race start times are given in the Time Schedule. A pre-race pilot briefing, when esteemed necessary by the event O.O.D., shall be given as indicated in time schedule. This will be indicated by a bulletin in the Administration Office and this pre-race briefing shall last maximum 10 minutes. For aquabikes, start of the race will be at 10:45 on Saturday 26 th August 2017 and at 14:30 on Saturday 26 th August 2017. For powerboats, start of the race will be at 11:15 on Saturday 26 th August 2017 and 15:00 on Saturday 26 th August 2017. All powerboats and aquabikes will leave harbour 15 minutes before their own race under supervision and guidance of organisation. No boat or aquabike is allowed to leave the harbour without guidance. b. First the aquabikes follow the start boat to the start area. (yellow & green flag). More explanations on race start procedures will also be given at the Pilots Briefing at 9:00 for Aquabikes and 9:30 for Powerboats on Saturday 26 th August 2017. c. During the start procedure of the aquabikes, a boat of the organisation will come and get the boats at the harbour to leave the harbour together. d. The race course is detailed in appendix 2 e. The following procedure will be the same for both classes in all races. The Race Starter will signal the start procedures as follows: 20 minutes before start time: Pilots in boats or scooters ready to go. 15 minutes before start time: Yellow and green flag in the start boat and Green flag/signal on shore : Start Boat will lead the boats or scooters out of the harbour. 10 minutes before start time: Red Flag/signal on shore : Wet Pits closed no exit. 1. After the Wet Pits green signal has been made, the Start Boat will lead the boats from the harbour to the start area. Whilst on the route to the start area and the start line up, boats should remain within 30 meter of the boat in front and may offset themselves alternately left and right if required. Boats shall proceed with caution with the Start Boat showing a yellow and green flag.
2. When the Start Boat reaches the race course area, it will start to make a start lap, followed by all boats. During the start lap, all raceboats have to remain at the right side of the startboat, at starboard. Once reached Buoy E, Start Boat shall begin the start procedure and put up the yellow flag. 3. When the Start Boat attains a speed of approximately 35 knots and the starter is satisfied with the race boat positions, the flag on the Start Boat will go from yellow to green indicating the start of the race. A signal on the race boat VHF channel may also be given. All boats must remain at least 30m behind the Start Boat until the green flag is shown. Failure to respect the start procedure may result in a penalty or disqualification. c. False Start Penalty: any boat which is judged by the Start Boat officials to be significantly closer than 30m to a line drawn across the transom of the Start Boat (perpendicular to the fore aft line of the Start Boat) after the start procedure has begun (see 11(d)(2) above) will be penalized with a time penalty of 1 minute. The officials in the Start Boat will inform the Race Committee boat and the Timekeeping Officials about any boat that have received a False Start Penalty. The penalty will be applied immediately and the team managers will be informed as soon as possible. Boat positions at the start may be monitored by use of a camera mounted on the rear of the Start Boat. In case of a dispute of a False Start Penalty decision, the Race Jury may use tracking, video and photographic evidence in their judgement in addition to any witness statements. d. Boats unable to make the start of the race may enter the race only upon the opening of the Wet Pits. Boats wishing to start late must contact Race Control for permission to enter the race and must proceed as directed by event O.O.D. in Race Control or the Race Starter in the Start Boat. e. The identity and type of the Jury Boat and Start Boat will be advised in a Race Bulletin posted in the Race Administration Office.
12) RACE FINISH AND POST RACE PROCEDURES a. The race committee boat or jury boat will be positioned at the finish line. The finish line is denoted by a gate comprising of a yellow buoy (buoy A ) and another yellow buoy (buoy A1), both with chequered flag. A race official on the committee boat or jury boat, positioned by either the A or A1 buoys shall signal the finish of the race by raising and waving a black and white chequered flag. b. It is the responsibility of each crew to ensure that their boat completes the correct number of laps. When the leading boat has completed the race and crossed the finish line, all boats of that class will receive the black and white chequered flag at the finish line from the race committee or jury boat indicating they have finished the race. Boats shall not begin a new lap if they cross the finish line after the leading boat has taken the chequered flag. c. Once boats have finished, they shall proceed past the finish line and turn into the centre of the circuit and wait for the remaining boats to finish. After finishing, all boats shall take extreme care not to impede other boats that may still be racing. d. There shall be a race time limit such that the race shall end 30 minutes after the leading boat has crossed the finish line. For the avoidance of doubt, the race finish procedure begins when the leading boat is shown the chequered flag. e. The Start Boat or an official boat will try to give to the winning boat a chequered flag and upon a green/yellow flag signal will lead the fleet back to the Wet Pits area, with the class winning boats lining up first behind the Start Boat and the rest of the fleet following on. f. Once inside the harbour, the first three place finishers in each race class must proceed to the designated area to be weighed and re-scrutineered. Failure to report for the mandatory weighing may result in race disqualification. g. Except for the pilots, no additional person shall board any competing boats until it has been cleared by the scrutineers unless approval has been given by the scrutineers to do so.
h. The Event Race Starter or O.O.D. will give instructions for the circuit to be closed and the safety and patrol craft to be withdrawn from the circuit once he is satisfied that they are no longer required. i. Race Officials may verify the pilot identification wrist bracelets in the Wet Pits to validate crew / boat combinations. (if available) j. Any race boats may be subject to post-race scrutineering as directed by the TCC members or his/her appointed representative and must make a responsible team member available for this purpose. k. Upon the completion of a race, selected pilots may be requested by the local event organisers to participate in a press conference. l. For each and every race, on each race day, the 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd place teams shall proceed to the podium in full race uniform for the presentation of race medals or trophies for the respective race. No one other than the team members that have raced will be permitted on the podium. m. Upon the completion of the final race of the BC for each class the 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd place winners of the BC for that class shall also proceed to the podium in full race uniform for presentation of the BC winners trophies. No one other than the team members that have raced during the weekend will be permitted on the podium. n. All competitors must remain available on site during one hour after posting of provisional results (post race protest period) for each race. o. Race Control will normally close 5 minutes after the completion of the last scheduled race on each day. The Race Administration Office will normally close 5 minutes after posting of the provisional results.
Appendix 1 : Time Schedule Blankenberge Saturday August 26 th 2017 Hoogwater: 05:07 Laagwater: 11:26 Hoogwater: 17:25 08u00-9u30 Opening of the event with registering at the dry pits where the organizers will give the necessary up-to-date information. 08u00-9u30 Scrutineering. 9u00 Briefing AQUABIKES for all pilots and participants @ VVW Blankenberge. The briefing is obligatorily, everybody must sign on. Those not present are disqualified for that race. 9u30 Briefing POWERBOATS for all pilots and participants @ VVW Blankenberge. The briefing is obligatorily, everybody must sign on. Those not present are disqualified for that race. 10u15 Departure of Marshall Boats/Jury Boat/Rescue 10u30 Departure in convoy (under police escort) out of the harbour. 10u45 Start of heat 5 Aquabikes 11u15 Start of heat 5 Powerboats 12u00 Return in convoy to harbour 14u00 Departure of Marshall Boats/Jury Boat/Rescue 14u15 Departure in convoy (under police escort) out of the harbour. 14u30 Start of heat 6 Aquabikes 15u00 Start of heat 6 Powerboats 15u45 Return in convoy to harbour, closing of the circuit and safety stop. 19u00 Price-giving and reception
Appendix 2 : RACECOURSE Blankenberge RACES WILL BE PERFORMED COUNTERCLOCKWISE Appendix 3 : Buoys positions Racecourse BLANKENBERGE Buoy Position From To Track - (true) Progr. (m) Distance (m) A N 51 19.251' E 3 7.582' A B 69 489 B N 51 19.343' E 3 7.974' B C 299 885 1374 C N 51 19.577' E 3 7.310' C D 222 1048 2422 D N 51 19.157' E 3 6.707' D E 162 159 2581 E N 51 19.077' E 3 6.753' E A 72 1015 3596 A1 N 51 19.221' E 3 7.598' 3596
Appendix 4 : RACECOURSE + BUFFER ZONE Blankenberge Appendix 5 : Buoys positions BUFFER ZONE
Appendix 6 : PITS
13) General information Any problem: call: +32 473 43 88 99 Koenraad Van Nieuwenhove Email: Koenraad@BKOffshore.be VVW Blankenberge Wenduinsesteenweg 3 8370 Blankenberge Belgische Motorboot Federatie Van Lancker Jean-Marie Bergbosstraat 205 9820 Merelbeke Communication on board: Internal communication RACE: Channel VHF 77 MRCC Oostende: Channel VHF67/16 -KEEP IT CLEAN, KEEP IT NICE, KEEP IT SAFE- This program is open to changes. The information at the briefing will be the final information.