VALENTINE S DAY REGATTA February 4-5, 2017 St. Petersburg Yacht Club, St. Petersburg, Florida SILVER FLEET SAILING INSTRUCTIONS 1. RULES 1.1 The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing and by the USODA Conditions for Sanctioned Regattas and Championships, including the USODA Code of Conduct. 1.2 Rule 61 is changed as follows: (a) The red protest flag required in rule 61.1(a) shall be attached to the sailor s lifejacket in a manner that allows it to be concealed before it is needed and after the protested boat has acknowledged her foul. The last sentence of rule 61.1(a) is deleted; sailors may conceal their protest flag after the incident has ended. (b) Rule 61.1(a)(2) is deleted. (c) The following new rule is added to rule 61: 61.5 Informing the Race Committee (RC) In addition to meeting the requirements of rule 61.1, a boat intending to protest another boat concerning an incident in the racing area that she is involved in or sees shall, at the first reasonable opportunity after she finishes, notify the RC measurement boat anchored beyond and to the right of the finish line of her intent to protest and the sail number of the boat(s) she is protesting. 1.3 At the discretion of the Principal Race Officer of the Silver Fleet, competitors may be held on shore or races in progress may be abandoned if sustained winds are 15 knots or greater. Boats on the water will be sent to shore. 1.4 Rule 63.7 is changed such that if there is a conflict between the Sailing Instructions and the Notice of Race (NOR), the Sailing Instructions shall govern. 2. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located at the St. Petersburg Sailing Center (SPSC). Page 1 of 7
3. CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS Any change to the sailing instructions (SI) will be posted at least 30 minutes before the Silver Fleet harbor start (see SI 4.2) on the day it will take effect, except that any change to the schedule of races will be posted by 1900 hours on the day before it will take effect. 4. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE 4.1 Signals made ashore will be displayed from the flagpole on the south side of the SPSC. 4.2 All boats shall be kept at the venue in their assigned spot and no boats shall launch prior to the display of flag D over a GRAY flag with one sound signal. 4.3 When flag AP is displayed ashore, 1 minute is replaced with not less than 30 minutes in Race Signal AP. 5. SCHEDULE OF RACES Saturday, February 4 0730-0830 Competitor and Coach/Spectator Flag Check-in Continental Breakfast 0830 Coaches Meeting - Mandatory 0845 Competitors, Coaches, and Parents Meeting - Mandatory 0930 Harbor Start 1030 First Warning Lunch on the water 1830 Competitor Dinner hosted by SPYC 2 nd floor Ballroom Sunday, February 5 0700-0800 Continental Breakfast 0745 Coaches Meeting - Mandatory 0845 Harbor Start 0945 First Warning Lunch on the water 1400 No Warning Signal after this time After racing Awards Ceremony at SPSC 6. FORMAT Eight (8) races are schedule for Silver Fleet. One race will constitute a regatta. 7. RACING AREA The racing area will be on the waters of Tampa Bay northeast of Albert Whitted Airport. 8. THE COURSE AND CHANGE OF COURSE 8.1. SI Addendum 1 illustrates the course, including the approximate angle between legs, the order in which marks are to be passed, and the side on which each mark is to be left. The course length and exact configuration will be based on sailing conditions. 8.2. The position of marks may be adjusted slightly for small shifts in the mean wind without signaling a change of course. Any adjustments will be made before the first boat is on the leg to the affected mark. This changes rule 33. Page 2 of 7
9. MARKS 9.1 Rounding marks 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be green tetrahedrons. 9.2 New (change) rounding marks will be yellow tetrahedrons with a black band. 9.3 The starting line marks will be an RC signal boat at the starboard end of the starting line and the course side of an orange ball at the port end. 9.4 The finish line marks will be the RC finish boat at the starboard end of the finish line and the course side of an orange ball at the port end. 10. RESTRICTED AREAS (see also SI 18 and SI Addendum 1) 10.1. The racing area is the space encompassing the course and the starting area. It extends 100 yards beyond any racing boat and all marks. Except as permitted by SI 19, only competing boats and official boats (designated as such by the RC) may enter the racing area while boats are racing. 10.2. The pre-start area is to leeward of the starting line and is open to coach and support boats prior to the first start of the day and prior to subsequent starts once the RC has display code flag F (red diamond on a white background). Immediately after a start, all coach and support boats shall exit the pre-start area proceeding only well below the extensions of the starting line until they are outside the racing area. 10.3. The after-race waiting area is upwind to starboard of the RC finish boat. Coach and support boats may enter the after-race waiting area as boats are finishing proceeding only well above the extensions of the finish line from outside the racing area. 11. THE START 11.1 The Class Flag for the Silver fleet will be Gray. 11.2 The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the RC signal boat and the course side of a mark at the port end. 11.3. Except for the first race of the day, when the RC flies flag F (red diamond on a white field) all boats shall proceed from the after-race waiting area to the starting area. 11.4 A boat starting later than five (5) minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start (DNS) without a hearing. This changes rule A4 and A5. 11.5 If flag I has been displayed as the preparatory signal, during the minute before the starting signal, the RC may make general announcements regarding the approximate number of boats on the course side of the starting line, but will not hail individual sail numbers. Failure of the RC to make such announcements or failure of a boat to hear them will not be grounds for a boat to request for redress. This changes rules 41 and 62.1. 11.6 The RC will not hail the sail numbers of boats that are OCS or subject to starting penalties under rule 30. They will broadcast RC actions on VHF channel 05. These broadcasts are only a courtesy to coaches and spectators (not competitors) and carry no guarantee of accuracy or completeness. The official list of RC actions will be posted on the notice board. Page 3 of 7
12. THE FINISH 12.1 The finish line will be between the course side of a staff displaying an orange flag on a RC boat and the course side of a port end mark referenced in SI 9.4. 12.2. Immediately after finishing all boats shall proceed to the after-race waiting area upwind and to starboard of the RC finish boat and remain there until the RC flies flag F or lowers the orange line flags. 12.3. Flag A displayed, with no sound, while boats are finishing means No more racing today. 13 TIME LIMITS 13.1 The time limit will be 60 minutes for the first boat to sail the course and finish. 13.2 Boats failing to finish within twenty (20) minutes after the first boat in a race sails the course and finishes will be scored Did Not Finish (DNF) without a hearing. This instruction changes rule 35, A4, and A5. 14. PROTESTS 14.1 Protest and scoring review forms are available at the protest committee desk next to the official notice board at SPSC. 14.2 Protests and requests for redress or reopening shall be delivered to a protest committee representative no later than 45 minutes after the posted docking time of the RC finish boat. The RC shall post the time of docking on the official notice board as soon as practical. 14.3 Protests will be heard in the approximate order of receipt. The time and place of the protest hearings will be posted on the official notice board no later than 15 minutes after the end of protest time for Silver Fleet. 14.4 Breaches of SI 4.2, 12.2, 16, and 18 will not be grounds for a protest by a boat. This changes rule 60.1(a). 14.5 If the RC posts a list of boats scored OCS on the official notice board before the protest time limit, a request for redress based on such a posted score shall be made no later than 30 minutes after the protest time limit. This changes the first sentence of rule 62.2. 14.6 On the last day of the regatta, a request to reopen a hearing or a request for redress from a RC or protest committee decision shall be delivered: (a) within the protest time limit if the party making the request was informed of the decision before that day; or (b) no later than 30 minutes after the party making the request was informed of the decision that day. This changes rule 62.2 and 66. 15. SCORING 15.1 The Low Point Scoring System of Appendix A will apply. The number of boats entered in the series will be defined as the number of registered boats which subsequently completed competitor check-in at the regatta venue. This changes rule A4.2. 15.2 Scoring based on races completed: When fewer than five (5) races have been completed, a boat s series score will be the total of all of her race scores. When five (5) or more races have been completed, a boat s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score. This changes rule A2. Page 4 of 7
16. SAFETY AND CHECK-OUT / CHECK-IN PROCEDURES 16.1 Each day before a boat is launched a competitor shall sign out at the safety desk in the Sailing Center classroom. No later than 30 minutes after returning to the Sailing Center following racing, each competitor shall sign in at the safety desk in the Sailing Center classroom. Only competitors may sign in or out. 16.2 Before retiring from a race and leaving the race course, a competitor, the competitor's coach or a safety person shall notify the RC. If this is impossible, the competitor shall report to the safety coordinator s office at the Sailing Center immediately upon arriving ashore. 16.3 In addition to the requirements of rule 40 and its U.S. Sailing prescription, a condition of entry and participation in this regatta is the wearing of a U.S. Coast Guard approved lifejacket, or for international sailors only, a lifejacket approved by their country s corresponding authority, properly secured at all times while on the water, except for brief periods while removing or adding clothing. All lifejackets must be suitable for the competitor s weight. Wet suits, dry suits, and inflatable lifejackets do not constitute adequate personal buoyancy. Failure to wear a proper lifejacket will result in a penalty up to and including disqualification at the discretion of the protest committee. This changes rule 40 and the Part 4 Preamble. 17. EQUIPMENT AND MEASUREMENT 17.1 Boats are allowed only one hull, daggerboard, rudder (including tiller and extension), mast, boom, sprit, and sail during the regatta. Any request to consider approving equipment substitutions shall be submitted in writing to the RC before the end of protest time limit the day prior to the day for which the substitution is to be made. If changes are required during a day s racing, approval may be made verbally and the written request submitted before that day s protest time limit. 18. COACH AND SUPPORT BOATS 18.1 General coach and support (parent and spectator) boat requirements (a) (b) (c) (d) 18.2 Restrictions (a) Coach and support boats shall display a numbered flag provided by the organizing authority at all times while on the water. All coach and support boats shall carry a VHF radio and monitor the RC channel, VHF 05. No team flags, private signal flags, or any object that might be construed as a signal shall be flown from coach or support boats while racing is underway. Coach and support boats shall follow the instructions of RC, patrol, safety, protest committee, and race management boats at all times. No coach or support boat shall tie up to or congregate around any aid to navigation, such as buoys or channel markers, or tie up to any fixed fishing gear or fishing floats. All coach and support boats shall stay out of the racing area while boats are racing and at least 100 yards away from any racing boat, and move slowly and with minimal wake, except where permitted in this instruction. Page 5 of 7
(b) (c) 18.3 Penalties (a) (b) Certain coach boats may be designated as rescue craft by the PRO or Safety Officer and given permission to enter the racing area for the purposes of rescue operations only. When the RC hoists (or is displaying) its orange starting line flags, all coach and support boats in the starting area shall proceed immediately to the waiting area and shall remain there until the RC lowers the orange starting line flags, except that, after the first and subsequent start, coach and support boats may exit the waiting area and proceed slowly with minimal wake to the weather mark, only on the starboard side of the course. The RC may close the starboard side of the course to coach and support boats. Competitors affiliated with any coach, parent, or support boat that breaks SI 18 may break rule 41 even when boats are not racing. This changes rule 41 (outside help). Coaches, parents, or support boats that break SI 18 may be subject to disciplinary actions up to and including exclusion from the venue. 19. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The OA including the sponsors, the race committee, officers, and board of directors of the SPYC and USODA, and all those involved in these organizations will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta. 20. PRIZES Prizes will be awarded consistent with the Notice of Race. Page 6 of 7
SI ADDENDUM 1 - Race Course and Restricted Areas Simple Trapezoid Course 1 2 After-race Waiting area For coaches and sailors 3 Start Finish Pre-start Coaches Area 4 COURSE: Start 1 2 3 4 - Finish Racing Area Page 7 of 7