PYC Sailing Instructions

PARKDALE YACHT CLUB INC

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Current From October 2023

1 Rules

1.1 The races will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing. 

1.2 The prescriptions of the Australian Sailing, the rules of the participating classes, except as any of these are changed by these sailing instructions, will apply. 

1.3 The Australian Sailing Special Regulations, Part 2 For Off The Beach Boats will apply.

2 Registration and Declaration Procedures

2.1 All boats intending to race shall be registered in full by the skipper or representative on the Sailor App at least 50 minutes prior to the scheduled starting signal for that race. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted on an individual basis on application to the Sailing Committee.

2.2 All skippers or their representative shall sign off on the Sailor App within 60 minutes of returning to the beach. Retiring boats and boats which enter but do not start shall inform the Race Control Tower by means of the intercom at the bottom of the stairs. Failure to comply shall result in that boat being disqualified.

3 Notices to Competitors

Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located on the ground floor adjacent to the entry to the change room area .

4 Changes in Sailing Instructions

Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted 45 minutes before the scheduled start of the race on the day it will take effect. 

5 Signals Made Ashore

5.1 Signals made ashore will be flown from the clubhouse flagstaff.

5.2 When Flag AP is displayed ashore’1 minute’ is replaced with ‘not less than 20 minutes’ in the race signal AP.

6 Schedule of Races

Races are scheduled according to the separately published Sailing Program.

7 Division Flags

Division flags will be assigned to the relevant participating division(s) using the numeral pennants of the International Code of Signals.

YV YARDSTICK DIVISION

CATS 95 and below 1

MONOS 95 and below 1

MONOS above 95 and below 150 2

SAILBOARDS 3

MONOS 150 and above 4

8 The Course

8.1 The course to be sailed and the number of laps (where required) will be displayed by the   Race Officer (RO) or his nominated representative on the white board in the foyer not less than 45 minutes before the scheduled start of the race.

8.2 The approximate compass bearing from the Starting Mark to Mark 1 may be displayed from the race committee boat. Mark 1 will be approximately to windward of the start.

8.3 Shorten Course

Courses may be shortened by the following methods, 1/ flying International Code Flag ‘S’  near a mark of the course on a Committee boat, or, 2/ flying International Code Flag ‘S’ on a mark of the course meaning:

Method 1      In accordance with rule 32.2 (a).

Method 2 “All yachts shall round this mark in the prescribed direction and sail directly to the finish line.  “All boats shall round the finish line mark in the same direction as they would have had the race  not been shortened “. 

Division flag(s) may also be flown; when the shorten course flag is flown accompanied by division flag(s), it shall apply to that division(s) only. The shorten course flag shall be accompanied by 2 sound signals.

9 Marks

9.1 Course marks will be orange, red or yellow self inflating conical buoys. The marks to be used and their positions will be displayed with the course as described in SI 8.1.

9.2 The port end start mark will be a black flag.

9.3 The finish mark will be a fluoro pink flag.

10 The Start

10.1 Races will be started using rule 26 with the warning signal made three minutes before the starting signal of the first division to start. The warning signal for subsequent divisions shall be the starting signal of the previous division.

 10.2 Sternchaser Start

When the race is designated as a “Sternchaser” each boat will be allocated a starting time. Times in one minute intervals will be displayed by the committee boat. For example, if a boats starting time is 22; the signal for its start will be the raising of a board displaying the time 22, an audible warning or both.

10.3       The starting line for all courses shall be between the main mast of the committee boat at the starboard end and the port-end starting mark.

10.4      Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area

10.5       A boat starting later than 10 minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start.     This changes rule A4 and A5.

11 Recalls

11.1 General recalls will be signalled in accordance with rule 29.2 except that a recalled division shall start three minutes after the start of the last division. This changes rule 29.2.

11.2 Should there be more than one general recall; the divisions affected shall have their starts in the same order. Subsequent recalled divisions shall start at three minute intervals as described in item 10.1 of these instructions, except that should the last division to start be recalled, the last starting signal becomes the warning signal for this restart.

12  Change Of The Next Leg Of The Course

To change the next leg of the course, the race committee will move the original mark (or the finishing line) to a new position, and comply with Rule 33.

13  The Finish Line

The finish line will be between the finish mark and the time keeper’s position in the P.Y.C. committee room. A clearance buoy will be laid between the time keeper’s position and the seaward end of the line, although not necessarily along the line. Yachts finishing shall not pass between this buoy and the shore.

14   Time Limit

14.1      The race time limit for Sternchaser series will be one hour and forty five minutes from      the starting time of the first boat to start. Boats not finishing within the time limit will be         scored DNF. This changes rule 35, A4 and A5.

14.2      The race time limit for Commodores trophy races will be one hour and forty five minutes from the starting signal of the division. Boats not finishing within the time limit will be scored DNF. This changes rule 35, A4 and A5.

14.3      The race time limit for all other races will be 2 hours. If one boat finishes within 2      hours then the time limit will be extended by 30 minutes. Boats which do not finish      within the time limit or the extended time limit if applicable will be scored DNF. This      changes rule 35 and A4 and A5.

15 Protests

15.1 Protests forms are available at the committee room. Protests shall be delivered there   within the protest time limit.

15.2       The protest time is 60 minutes after the last boat has finished the last race of the day. (The same protest time limit applies to all protests by the race committee and (protest committee) and requests for redress. This changes rule 61.3 and 62.2.)

15.3       Notices will be posted within 30 minutes of the protest time limit to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. 

15.4 Protests will be heard in order of receipt as soon as possible in the committee room.

15.5 Notices of protests by the race committee or (protest committee) will be posted on the official notice board to inform boats under rule 61.1(b). 

16 Scoring

16.1 The Low Point scoring system of Appendix A will apply for P.Y.C events with the following amendments; a boat recorded as DNC or DNS shall score points for the finishing place two more than the number of starters for that race; a boat recorded as DNF, RET, DSQ, OCS, or DNE shall score points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats starting in the race.

16.2 The number of races, and the number to count in each series are shown on the annual race program.

16.3 A boat/sailor representing the Club at class association events, or other events as approved by the Sailing Committee before its commencement, may apply by writing to the next Race Officer, within one week of the event, to have average points awarded  for the Club race(s) missed on that day.

This is available for two race days for the season only and no other days. 

Average points will only be awarded where the sailor has competed in 50% of the series, that they have missed.

16.4 Only members of the Parkdale Yacht Club who have paid membership and racing fees in full by the start of each sailing season shall be eligible to score points. A sailor who has not paid or renewed their membership and racing fees shall score D.N.C. for all races until their fees are paid, from which point they will start to accumulate points. Points for the next boat finishing and all following places will be adjusted accordingly.

16.5 A boat/sailor required for Club duty, and unable to sail on that day, due to that duty, shall be awarded average points for that day. 

17 Qualifying for a Start

10 yachts of the same class will qualify for a division start. A yacht appearing at the start alone in her division will be permitted to sail the course and will be awarded points or prizes applicable.

18 Wind Speed

No race shall be started when the average wind speed is less than two knots or when the mean speed exceeds 22 knots, or at the discretion of the Sailing Committee.

19 Prizes

To be eligible for a trophy a boat must have competed in at least 50% of the races in a series.

Championship and Handicap prizes shall be awarded to sponsored classes on the following basis:

Prize Number of boats having competed in at least half of the series.

1st 1 - 3 Boats

1st - 2nd 4 - 6 Boats

1st - 3rd 7 - 12 Boats

1st - 4th 13 - 20 Boats

1st - 5th 21+ Boats

Championship and Handicap prizes shall be awarded to non sponsored classes on the same basis as to sponsored classes except that a minimum of three boats will need to have competed in at least half of the series for a trophy to be awarded.

20    INSURANCE

Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance with a minimum cover of $A5,000,000.

21 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

Competitors sail at their own risk. Parkdale Yacht Club inc accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss, damage or injury that may occur to any person or property, whether ashore or afloat, as a consequence of participation in events covered by these Sailing Instructions or otherwise. Parkdale Yacht Club Inc and all parties involved in events covered by these Sailing Instructions disclaim any and all such liability. These Sailing Instructions in no way limit or reduce the complete and unlimited responsibilities of a competitor for the management and care of a boat she or he may be sailing in events covered by these Sailing Instructions.

See Rule 3, Decision to Race