Sailing Instructions

Edgewood Yacht Club
Summer Sunfish 2014
Sailing Instructions

Rules: International Sailing Federation The Racing Rules of Sailing 2013-2016 (RRS), US Sailing Association prescriptions, Sunfish Class Rules, the Notice of Race, and these Sailing Instructions will govern the racing. RRS Rule 44.2 is changed, see Penalties below. RRS Appendix G and ISCA Class Rules 3.6.5 are changed, see Sail Numbers below.

Courses: The start/finish line will be off EYC’s north dock, and is between the orange flag on the dock or RC boat and the nearby starting buoy. The start/finish line is open. There are no requirements to sail through or avoid the line, except when starting or finishing. The time limit for each race is 45 minutes. Any boat not finishing within 10 minutes of the first boat may, if it is still racing, be assigned a finishing position by the Race Committee, corresponding to that boat's relative position at the time. Each mark of the course shall be left on the same side as the starting buoy, which means that the diagrams below may be reversed for some wind conditions. The courses include the following, and others that the RC may devise and announce prior to the starting sequence:

Starting Signals: The “dinghy start”, or “Sound Signal Starting System” RRS Appendix S will be used.

Penalties and Protests: A 360° turn penalty, similar to the 720° turn penalty of racing rule 44.2, will apply.  All other provisions of Rule 61 apply. In addition, a protesting boat must notify the Race Committee of its intent to protest, upon completion of the race involved.

Qualifications and Scoring: The Low-Point Scoring System, RRS Appendix A, will apply to each series, as modified below. The Season will be qualified and scored as a single series independently of the individual Series qualifications and scores.

• Minimum to qualify: At least 10 races are required to constitute a series. A race counts if at least 2 boats compete and the race is not cancelled or abandoned. Skippers must compete in at least 60.0% (rounding to nearest whole number) of the races held in a series to qualify for that series.
• Throwouts: All races above those needed to qualify are discarded. For breaking ties per rule A8 or any other reason, if one of several equal race scores could be used as a throwout, the earliest one shall be the throwout.
• Example: In a series of 12 races, a skipper needs to compete in 7 to qualify (60% x 12 = 7.2). The skipper is scored for the best 7 races the skipper has sailed.
• Daily score: A Daily Score will be computed as a series of the races on that day (no throw-outs) and may be posted or submitted to the local newspaper; however, this Daily Score will not be used in computing the Series scores.

Sail Numbers:  References to sail numbers in the ISCA Class Rules 3.6.5 et seq., and the RRS Appendix G are changed by this SI.  To be scored, the Skipper will register and display a sail number on each side of the sail. The sail number must be easy to read. Each digit will be approximately 10" x 7", in a color that contrasts with the sail color on which it is attached.  The preferred number is the number assigned by the National Sunfish Class Association.  However, any other number may be used that is unique within the Edgewood Sunfish fleet.  

Changes: Notices and changes to these Sailing Instructions will be posted on the bulletin board in the EYC clubhouse at least one hour before the scheduled warning signal of the race in which they take effect.

Cancellations: The Race Committee will cancel races according to its best judgment, and usually if the wind chill is below zero or the wind gusts reach 30 knots.

Additional rules for a “Duck Race”

During any race designated by the Race Committee as a "Duck Race", the following additional rules and definitions will apply.

Rules

Rule 27 (Other Race Committee actions before the starting signal) is changed to add:

27.4 Starting a Duck Race

1. Before the starting sequence of a duck race, the race committee will distribute a number of rubber ducks in or around the race area. 
2. The race committee will notify skippers that the special rules are active for the next race by displaying a rubber duck picture above the course sign at the race committee boat. 
3. The special rules apply to the single race following the signal.  

Rule 28.1 (Sailing the course) is changed to add:

1. pass each windward mark while "possessing" one rubber duck by holding the rubber duck or stowing it in/on the hull of the boat
2. after passing the windward mark and while still within the zone, release the rubber duck back to the water.

Rule 44 (Penalties at the time of an incident) is changed to add:

44.4 Penalties in a Special Race

• If a boat fails to release the rubber duck before leaving the zone (in the manner described in 28.1 (e) above), the boat must return to the zone and complete the release before continuing the race.
• Each boat may only "possess" one rubber duck at a time. Intentionally possessing multiple rubber ducks at any time, except at the direction of the RC, disqualifies the boat from the race.
• Only rubber ducks distributed by the RC are allowed for purposes of this race.

Definitions

• A rubber duck is not a mark.
• A rubber duck is not an obstruction.
• A rubber duck, while in, on, or attached to the hull of the boat, is considered to be part of the boat's hull and equipment, with no designated normal position.

Discussion

During a duck race, each boat must grab a rubber duck before rounding the windward mark and release it again afterward. Throwing the rubber duck is allowed, but it must land in the water, not in another boat or in someone’s hands.

If the course requires rounding the windward mark several times (T2, W2, O, G), then the boat must possess a rubber duck for each rounding of the windward mark and release it after each rounding.

Remember that normal right-of-way rules apply when chasing a rubber duck.

Additional rules for a "Tennis Ball Race"

During any race designated by the Race Committee as a "Tennis Ball Race", the following additional rules and definitions will apply.

Rules

Rule 27 (Other Race Committee actions before the starting signal) is changed to add:

27.5 Starting a Tennis Ball Race

1. Before or during the starting sequence of a tennis ball race, the race committee will distribute a number of tennis balls in or around the race area. 
2. The race committee will notify skippers that the special rules are active for the next race by displaying a tennis ball picture above the course sign at the race committee boat.
3. The special rules apply to the single race following the signal.  

Rule 28.1 (Sailing the course) is changed to add:

1. pass each windward mark while "possessing" one rubber duck by holding the rubber duck or stowing it in/on the hull of the boat
2. after passing the windward mark and while still within the zone, release the rubber duck back to the water.

Additional rules for a tennis ball race

• Only tennis balls distributed by the race committee may be used during a tennis ball race. Any boat found using another tennis ball is disqualified.
• Boats may pick up any number of tennis balls from the water, keep them on board, or drop them back into the water at any time.
• If a skipper throws a tennis ball and it strikes any part of another boat (including sail, spars or hull) before hitting the water, then the boat that was struck must do a 360° penalty turn at the next opportunity before finishing the race.
• If one skipper throws a tennis ball and another skipper catches it before it strikes his boat or the water, then the boat that threw the tennis ball must do a 360° penalty turn at the next opportunity before finishing the race
• In order to trigger the tennis ball penalty turn, the tennis ball must be thrown after the starting whistle and before either the sending or receiving boat have finished racing. (Tennis balls may be thrown before or after the race, but these throws do not trigger the penalty turn rules.)

All boats are requested to assist in returning the tennis balls to the race committee at the end of a tennis ball race.