The organising authority is Liverpool Yacht Club 1. Rules Liverpool Yacht Club Tranmere Sailing Club Long Series, Notice of Race a. The Series will be governed by the rules as defined by the Racing Rules of Sailing, the RYA prescriptions and LYC general Sailing Instructions b. All races will be categorised as a minimum to ISAF OSR cat 4. Some may be classifies as ISAF OSR cat 3 or ISAF OSR cat 3 with life raft. c. Between sunset and sunrise- i. Navigation lights must be illuminated. These and any emergency navigation lights must conform to rule 22 of International Rules for preventing collision at Sea (IRPCS). Yachts that are unable to comply, or no longer able to comply MUST retire. ii. RRS Part 2 (when yachts meet) does not apply between sunset and sunrise, and is replaced by part D (Steering and Sailing Rules) of IRPCS d. Competitors shall treat all large commercial vessels as if having restricted ability to manoeuvre and keep clear AT ALL TIMES and must make take the ear;liest opportunity to demonstrate to potential commercial vessels that the yacht shall keep clear. Competitors attention is drawn to IRPCS and especially Rules 2, 7, 8 et al. e. Any contravention of the rules, regulations or sailing instructions must be reported in the mandatory declaration to be signed by the skipper and witnessed at least one crew member. f. The IRC rules 2016 Parts A, B & C apply 2. Eligibility and entry a. Any long series race organised by LYC is declared an open event. b. All competitors must have i. A valid current IRC certificate if entering an IRC class. ii. A current RYA NHC handicap if entering Venture class. c. Yachts entering a race must be helmed by and owned, or chartered by, a member of a sailing club recognised by that member s national sailing authority. d. For members of LYC they must be a full or family member, a non sailing or day membership is inadequate. e. If the race requires a life raft then
3. Classes 4. Fees i. The number of crew on board shall not exclude the capacity of life raft(s) on board. ii. the life raft must be within service date f. Unless the race specifies a life raft must be carried there will be no limit on crew numbers or weight except for yachts rated as one designs which shall comply with IRC rule 22.4.1 g. Yachts must complete an entry form and send it complete with a copy of the IRC certificate or RYA NHC handicap and the applicable entry fee to LYC Racing Captain, Liverpool Marina, Coburg Wharf, Liverpool. L3 4BP This entry must be sent or lodged with race control before starting the race or entering the series. h. There may be occasional and random checks to ensure that competitors are compliant with the ISAF OSR requirements for each race. It is the skipper s responsibility to ensure that their yacht is compliant. Such checks may be performed before or after racing and failure to pass inspection may lead to refusal of start or disqualification post event. In either case no refund of fees will be entertained. i. Insurance. Competitors shall be insured with valid third party liability insurance to a minimum value of 3,000,000 or equivalent. a. There will be racing for at least 2 classes, IRC and RYA NHC. If there are sufficient entries the IRC class will be split into 2. The TCF split will normally take the form used for LYC club races at.935 b. LYC Sailing committee reserves the right to alter classes as it sees fit. There is no intention to allow non spinnaker or shorthanded classes; however such classes may be opened up if requested. c. Prizes may be awarded for individual races and open to any entrant. Series prizes are only awarded to LYC/TSC (full/family membership) owned and skippered yachts a. The required fees are stated on the entry form and must be fully settled prior to racing. b. Races fees are not refundable in the event a race is cancelled. Nor shall fees be refunded to a competitor unable to come to start unless in exceptional circumstances 5. Schedule, see appendix 6. Measurement a. Each yacht entered into the IRC class(es) shall have a valid IRC certificate. In the absence of a valid IRC certificate then the only option is to enter the RYA NHC venture class. If you do not have a current RYA NHC handicap then the base number will be used.
b. Changes to IRC TCF s will not be applied retrospectively unless they are the result of a rating protest or correction applied by the IRC rating office. The TCF to be used is the certificate lodged with race control at the start of each race 7. Sailing Instructions 8. Scoring a. LYC General Conditions & Sailing instructions shall apply and rank as Sailing Instructions. Owners and Crews are reminded that it is the sole responsibility of each yacht to decide whether or not to start or continue to race. b. Race specific alterations or enhancements will be published separately and shall be regarded as supplements to the LYC general conditions and sailing instructions. a. Scoring system shall be Low points basis. b. Tie breakers If at the end of the series the score is tied between two or more yachts, each yacht s race scores shall be listed in order of best to worst, and at the first point(s) where there is a difference the tie shall be broken in favour of the yachts(s) with the highest score(s). If a tie remains between two yachts, it shall be broken in favour of the yacht that scores better than the other yacht in more races. If more than two yachts are tied, they shall be ranked in order of the number of times each yacht scored better than another of the tied yachts. If a tie still remains between two or more races, they shall be ranked in order of their scores in their last race 9. Electronic aids, radio communication a. The use of electronic aids and electronic linked devices is permitted. VHF transceivers are mandatory and should be DSC enabled. Yachts may receive data from publically available data services, but not from private data services b. AIS transponders are recommended. If an AIS transponder is fitted to the yacht then it must be activated to transmit and receive throughout the period of each race. c. EPIRB transponders are recommended. d. Radio communication in any form that is specific to the yacht is forbidden, such as mobile or satellite phone calls, although such devoice may be used in an emergency. e. Some races may mandate the use of a tracking device. If so then the device must be active at all times. 10. Disclaimer of Liability a. Competitors participate in the series entirely at their own risk. See RRS 4, Decision to Race and General ISORA Condition 14.6. The organizing authority and sponsors of individual races will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the series. 11. Risk Statement a. Your attention is drawn to RRS part 1 rules.
b. Sailing is by nature an unpredictable sport and therefore inherently involves an element of risk. By taking part in a race each competitor agrees and acknowledges that:- i. The responsibility for a yacht s decision to participate or continue in a race is that yacht s and that yacht s alone. ii. The skipper and crew are aware of the inherent element of risk involved in the sport and accept responsibility for the exposure of themselves, their crew and their yacht to such inherent risk whilst taking part in the event. iii. They are responsible for the safety of themselves, their crew, their yacht and their other property whether afloat or ashore. iv. They accept responsibility for any injury, damage or loss to the extent caused by their own actions or omission. v. Their yacht is in good order, equipped to sail in the event and they are fit to participate. vi. The provision of a race management team, committee or patrol yachts and other officials and volunteers by the event organiser does not relieve them of their own responsibilities. vii. The provision of committee or yacht cover is limited to such assistance, particularly in extreme weather conditions, as can be practically provided in the circumstances. viii. They are responsible for ensuring that their yacht is equipped and seaworthy so as to be able to face extremes of weather; that there is crew sufficient in number, experience and fitness to withstand such weather and that the safety equipment is properly maintained, stowed and in date and is familiar to the crew. 12. Responsibilities a. It is the Owner s responsibility whilst racing to comply with any limitation on sail setting and sheeting, the securing of the propeller, devices to fix drop keels or moveable appendages. The shipping, unshipping or moving of ballast and moving from stowage of any equipment is FORBIDDEN. Anchor and chain shall be secure in clearly marked stowage. b. Class flags i. As identified in the SI s yachts shall fly a class flag from their backstay. 1. IRC 1 will display numeral pennant No 1. 2. IRC 2 will display numeral pennant No 2. 3. RYA NHC / Venture will display??????. c. Sponsorship If a race or series is sponsored and the sponsor makes available marketing materials than these must be displayed as directed in the SI s. d. All those taking part in these races do so at their own risk and responsibility. LYC, other host clubs and the Sponsors of individual races are not responsible for the seaworthiness of any yacht whose entry is accepted. e. The decision with regard to` starting and continuing a race lies definitively with the skipper of each yacht as they alone is at all times responsible for the safety of they own yacht and crew
Appendix A 2016 Long series schedule Race no Date ISAF OSR Description Start Time 1 1 st May 2016 Cat 4 Carpenter Trophy 08:00 2 27 th May 2016 Cat 3+ Round Isle of Man cancelled TBA 3 17 th June 2016 Cat 3+ Isle of Man midnight race 22:00 4 2 nd July 2016 Cat 4 TSC offshore race to Conwy 10:00 5 3 rd July 2016 Cat 4 Littlewoods Trophy, race from Conwy to Liverpool TBA 6 17 th July Cat 4 LYC offshore race Liverpool Bay 09:30 7 30 th July Cat 4 Puffin Island offshore race 09:30