The Port of Felixstowe International Regatta 2007

Sailing Instructions

1     Rules

1.1         The Regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in

a)           The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 2005-2008.

b)           ISAF Offshore Special Regulations (OSR) Category 4 Monohull.

c)           The Musto IRC 2007 Rules parts 1, 2, and 3.

d)           One Design Class Association Rules.

e)           The Notice of Race and these Sailing Instructions.

1.2         All RYA National Prescriptions will not apply.

1.3         Team racing rules will not apply to the Regatta Team Challenge.

1.4         Other rules and requirements:

a)               All boats shall carry an operating VHF marine band transceiver.

b)               All boats shall have a functioning engine and adequate fuel.

c)               All boats are to avoid commercial shipping and immediately comply with all instruction from the Harwich Haven Authority (Ch71) when close to or inside designated shipping channels. If the Race Committee receives a formal report from the Harwich Haven Authority that a boat has failed to comply with all instruction, the Race Committee shall report the incident to the Protest Committee. The Protest Committee may disqualify the boat from the regatta or take other action.

1.5         In the event of a conflict, these Sailing Instructions will prevail.

2       Notices to Competitors

Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located in the marquee adjacent to HPYC headquarters in Suffolk Yacht Harbour.

3     Changes to the Sailing Instructions

3.1         Any change to the Sailing Instructions will be posted at least three hours before the first start of the first race of each day.

3.2         Any change to the Schedule of Races, instruction 5, will be posted by 15:00 on the day before the schedule change takes place.

4     Signals Made Ashore

Signals made ashore will be displayed from the Haven Ports Yacht Club flag staff at the Clubhouse Lightship.

5     Schedule of Races

5.1         Dates of Racing:

5.2         Classes will start at ten minute intervals commencing with Class 5, followed by Class 4, Class 3, Class 2 and Class 1.

5.3         The second race on Saturday and Sunday will not start before 12.30

5.4         On the last day of the Regatta (Monday) no warning signal will be made after 11.30.

6     Class FLags

6.1        IRC

6.2        Local Handicap (PY)

Class flags shall be flown from the backstay or nearest equivalent

7     Racing Area

Dovercourt Bay, See “Port of Felixstowe Regatta Race Area” in the Notice of Race.

8     The Courses

8.1         The courses will be a mixture of windward/leeward courses as described in RRS Appendix L Addendum A and round the cans races.

8.2         Class 5 may be given different courses to the other classes.

8.3         For Races 1 and 5 classes 1 and 2 may be given different courses from classes 3 and 4. This is to enable boats to race for a similar time.

9     Marks

Start mark, course and finish marks

The start, course and finish will be displayed on the starting boat on station, using abbreviations as set out below to designate the marks in order of rounding and indicating the hand on which that mark is to be passed.

The last mark listed will be the finish mark, again to be passed on the hand indicated.

Marks are described in the table below:

NOTES:

(1)   "Beacon Hill" means the Harwich Town Sailing Club's yellow spherical racing buoy situated approximately 2 cables north of the seaward end of the Dovercourt mole.

(2)   The approximate position of the Armada Buoy is 51° 52'.83 N, 01° 22'.19 E, Cork Ledge is 51° 54'.50 N, 01° 23'.40 E, Pennyhole is 51° 53'.55 N, 01° 18'.0 E and Fox’s is 51° 54.0 N, 01°21.0 E.

(3)   The approximate locations of Marks X, Y & Z (if used) will be displayed on a board on the Committee Vessel and may be broadcast on VHF.

10 Areas that are Obstructions

10.1     The Harwich Deep Water Channel is a prohibited area.

10.2     The Harwich Deep Water Channel is marked by buoys indicated in current Admiralty Charts and/or designated by Harwich Haven Authority Notices to Mariners.   These mark the Harwich Deep Water Channel and include Landguard and Guard buoys.

10.3     Competitors, while racing, shall not pass on the channel side of any buoys marking the Harwich Deep Water Channel, neither shall they cross an imaginary straight line between any two adjacent marker buoys. If any boat fails to comply with this instruction, she shall retire promptly.

10.4     If a boat becomes disabled and begins to encroach on the Deep Water Channel or any designated commercial shipping channel, she shall immediately advise Harwich VTS on Ch 71 and comply with all Harwich Haven Authority instructions.

11 The Start

11.1     Races will be started using rule 26 with the following addition.
An attention signal (flag F with one sound) will be made five minutes before the warning signal of the first class to start. Flag F will be removed with one sound one minute before the warning signal. The Race Committee will designate the course to be sailed before or with the attention signal.  This changes rule 27.1.  The warning signal for each succeeding class shall be made 5 minutes after the starting signal of the previous class.

11.2     The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the starting boat at the starboard end and the port-end starting mark.

11.3     The starting boat may be the Principle Committee Boat and will display the Port of Felixstowe flag and/or a Haven Ports Yacht Club flag or burgee over a plain blue flag when on station.
The starting boat may be protected by an Inner Limit (or Stand Off) Mark. If present, boats shall not pass between the Inner Limit mark and the starting boat. 
A ball or other mark extending on a staff from the starting boat, a dinghy, or other floating object secured alongside or streamed astern, shall be regarded as part of the starting boat.

11.4     All boats shall check-in before the warning signal of their class for the start of each and every race.  Check-in shall be by hailing the check-in committee boat. The check-in committee boat will be positioned to starboard and upwind of the starting boat end of the line and is identified by displaying flag K.   All boats shall identify their class, sail number, and the number of crew on board and shall secure an acknowledgement.  (NOTE:  Check in should NOT be by radio to the Race Committee).  Failure to check-in may result in being scored as “DNS”.

11.5     A boat whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area.

11.6     A boat that misses the opportunity to check in at the required time, shall register as a late starter with the check-in boat.   A boat starting later than 10 minutes after the start of the last Class will be scored DNS.   This changes rule A2.

11.7     If any part of a boat’s hull, crew, or equipment is on the course side of the starting line during the two minutes before her starting signal and she is identified, the Race Committee will attempt to broadcast her sail number on VHF Ch 72. Failure to make a broadcast or to time it accurately will not be grounds for a request for redress. This changes Rule 62.1(a).

12 Course alteration

In addition to Rule 33:

12.1     The course may be altered after the start.  Such alteration may be signalled either in accordance with rule 33 or by a committee vessel flying IC flag ‘C’ and making repeated sound signals, stationed near the mark immediately preceding the first leg affected by the alteration and by displaying the following (which may if practicable also be broadcast on VHF Ch 72):

The identification letter(s) for any mark(s) to be omitted, listed in order and clearly crossed through

The identification letter(s) for new mark(s) to be rounded (if any), in a colour or colours indicating the required rounding hand(s).

Remaining mark(s) not listed as being omitted shall then be sailed as defined in the original course

13 The Finish

13.1     The finishing line will be between the finishing mark and a pole with an orange flag on the committee boat lying close by.  

13.2     In the event of the committee boat not being on station, the finishing line runs from the finishing mark at 90 degrees to the rhumb line from the previous mark, for a distance of 1 cable. Boats shall finish in the direction from the previous mark leaving the finishing mark to the hand indicated by the colour of its designating letter. Competitors should take their own finishing time, and the names of the boats finishing immediately before and after them if in sight, and present this information and the timepiece used to take the time to Race Office within 2 hours of finishing the day’s racing.

14 Penalty System

14.1     Rule 44.1 will apply.

14.2     When the Protest Committee finds that a boat has broken a rule (other than a rule under RRS Part 2 or a starting rule) it may:

Disqualify the boat, or

Impose a scoring penalty of 20% (minimum 3 places) in accordance with RRS 44.3(c).

15 Time Limits

Boats failing to finish within 1 (one) hour after the first boat sails the course and finishes will be scored Did Not Finish.   This changes rules 35 and A4.

16 Protest and Requests for Redress

16.1     Protest forms are available at the Race Office. A protest shall be delivered within the protest time period to the Race Office.

16.2     On Saturday and Sunday the protest time period will commence at 17:00 hours or two hours after the last boat has finished the last race of the day, whichever is the later, on Monday 28^th May the Protest time will commence at 14:30 hours or two hours after the last boat has finished the race. The opening of the protest time period shall be signalled by displaying International Flag Code B (Bravo) on the official flag staff ashore (SI 4) with one sound signal. The protest time period shall close one hour later and shall be signified by lowering International Code Flag B, with one sound signal. The same time period applies to the Race Committee about incidents they observe in the racing area and to requests for redress.

16.3     Notices will be posted on the official notice board located at HPYC headquarters within 30 minutes of the protest time period closing to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. Hearings will be held in the jury room located at East Anglia Sea School, Suffolk Yacht Harbour. The time of the first hearing will be posted, hearings will be conducted in the order they are listed.

16.4     Notices of protest by the Race Committee will be posted as in SI 16.3 to inform boats being protested under rule 61.1(b).

16.5     Breaches of instructions 1.4, 10, 11.4, 18, 19.2, 22, 23, and 24 will not be grounds for a protest by a boat. This changes rule 60.1(a). Penalties for these breaches may be less than disqualification if the Protest Committee so decides.

16.6     On the last day of the Regatta a request for reopening a hearing shall be delivered

a)   Within the protest time period if the party requesting reopening was informed of the decision on the previous day;

b)   No later than 30 minutes after the party requesting reopening was informed of the decision on that day.

This changes rule 66.

17 SCoring

17.1     The scoring system for each race of the Regatta will be awarded in accordance with the Low Point System (RRS Appendix A4.1). Each race will score equally.

17.2     Boats not starting and finishing or which thereafter retire or are disqualified will be scored as follows (changes RRS A4.2):

17.3     Overall Regatta - Five races, four to count (three if four races, all if fewer) (except in the Regatta Team Challenge where no discard will be allowed). Ties shall be broken in accordance with RRS A8.

17.4     The Regatta Team Challenge - Open to three boat teams from recognized Clubs & Associations. For entry form, apply to:

Box PoF, C/O Walton & Frinton YC, Mill Lane, Walton on the Naze, CO14 8PF or the Race Office, or download from the Regatta website, www.pofr.org

18 Safety Regulations

18.1     Notification of intention to race is required and described in instruction 11.4.

18.2     Any boat significantly delayed while racing, but not requiring assistance, shall report her situation and estimated finishing time to the Race Committee.

18.3     A boat that leaves the race area with the intention of not starting further races that day shall report her decision to the Race Committee.

18.4     A boat that retires from a race shall notify the Race Committee as soon as possible.

Important Note: Any boat not accounted for at the end of racing may be reported to Thames Coastguard as overdue.

18.5     To avoid unnecessary emergency action, any boat which while racing suffers serious damage or gets into difficulties but does not require assistance shall advise Thames Coastguard of her situation by normal VHF procedure or by telephone (01255 675518).   She shall then, if possible, advise the Race Committee.

19 Replacement of Crew or Equipment

19.1     Unless stated otherwise in One-Design Class Association Rules no crew limitations will apply.

19.2     No race forms part of a Regatta for the purposes of applying IRC Crew Limitation Rules.

19.3     Sufficient safety equipment for each crew member must be carried aboard.

19.4     Substitution of damaged or lost equipment will not be allowed unless approved by the race committee. Requests for substitution shall be made to the race committee at the first reasonable opportunity.

19.5     For the purpose of IRC Rules 26.1.5 (d) and (e) this Regatta is on consecutive days and the sails carried shall remain the same.

20 Equipment and Measurement Checks

A boat or equipment may be inspected at any time for compliance with the class rules and sailing instructions. On the water, a boat can be instructed by a race committee official to proceed immediately to a designated area for inspection.

21 Official boats

Official boats shall display the Port of Felixstowe flag.

22 Support Boats

All support boats shall keep at least 300 meters clear of the course area during racing except when asked to assist by the Race Committee.

23 Haul-Out Restrictions

Boats shall not be hauled out during the Regatta except with and according to the terms of prior written permission of the Race Committee.

24 Diving Equipment and Plastic Pools

Underwater breathing apparatus and plastics pools or their equivalent shall not be used around keel boats between the preparatory signal of the first race and the end of the Regatta.

25 Radio COmmunication

25.1     A boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats. This restriction also applies to mobile phones.

25.2     The Race Committee may use VHF Ch 72 as an aid to provide information using call sign ‘Regatta One’, and addressing the fleet as “Port of Felixstowe Regatta Fleet’. All boats should be able to listen on this channel.

26 Prizes

26.1     Trophies and glassware will be awarded for each day’s racing and for the Regatta as a whole.

26.2     The following trophies will be awarded:

Regatta Glassware will be awarded to leading boats in each of the 5 classes in each race, and to any one design classes for which there are sufficient entries.

Hutchison Ports (UK) Cup will be awarded at the discretion of the Race Committee.

26.3     Other Series - The following Regatta races also qualify as part of the series indicated:

All are subject to meeting their respective association's safety and entry eligibility criteria.

27               Liability

27.1     Competitors participate in the Regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage or personnel injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the Regatta.

27.2     A boat is entirely responsible for her own safety, whether afloat or ashore, and nothing, whether in the Notice of Race or Sailing Instruction or anywhere else, reduces this responsibility.

27.3     It is for the boat to decide whether she is fit to sail in the conditions in which she will find herself. By launching or going to sea, the boat confirms that she is fit for those conditions and her crew is competent to sail and compete in them.

27.4     Nothing done by the organiser can reduce the responsibility of the boat nor will it make the organisers responsible for any loss, damage, death or personnel injury, however it may have occurred, as a result of the boat taking part in the racing. The organisers encompass everyone helping to run the race and the event, and include the organising authority, the race committee, the race officer and committee boats.

27.5     The boat is responsible to ensure that she is equipped and seaworthy so as to be able to face extremes of weather; that there is a crew sufficient in number, experience and fitness to withstand such weather; and that the safety equipment is properly maintained, stowed and in date and that the crew knows how to use it.

27.6     The fact that the race committee conducts inspections of a boat does not reduce the responsibility of the boat set out herein

28               INSURANCE

28.1     Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third party liability insurance with a minimum cover of £2,000,000 or the equivalent.