DINGHY SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
1. CONDITIONS - Racing will be governed by the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 2005-2008, the prescriptions of the RYA and the Sailing Instructions.
2. INSURANCE - Each boat racing must be covered by a valid Certificate of Insurance of not less than £2,000,000 Third Party Liability.
3. PROGRAMME AND NOTICES - The programme of races is as published by the Club. Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board in the foyer of the clubhouse, or outside the starting box.
4. CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS - Any changes to sailing instructions will be posted on the official notice board or outside the starting box at least 30 minutes prior to the first start.
5. ENTRIES - Entries shall be notified to the starter at least 15 minutes before the warning signal in the case of dinghies, and as specified in the Notice of Race in the case of cruisers. Entry fees, when due, must be paid in advance of the race for the entrant to be counted as a starter. In all but declared open races the helmsman shall be a Club member. There will be no race unless there are two or more starters in that fleet. For races to count for series points the boat must be sailed by the same helmsman.
6. HANDICAPPING - Handicaps will use the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick system. The sailing committees reserve the right to adjust the yardstick of any boat that is blatantly out of class. Competitors may ask for a handicap adjustment before a series if they wish to sail in non-class trim.
7. COURSES - The course will be published prior to the first warning signal and will use Club racing marks, navigation marks and any other marks as detailed in the course.
8. START LINE - When the Club line is used the start line will be the extension of the line between the centre of the white cross on the clubhouse and the pole on the hard, and signals will be made from the Club. Otherwise the start line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag and a racing mark or between two staffs displaying orange flags.
9. FINISH LINE - When the Club line is used the finish line will be the extension of the line between the centre of the white cross on the clubhouse and the pole on the hard. Otherwise the finish line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag and a racing mark or between two staffs displaying orange flags.
10. SHORTEN COURSE – Courses may be shortened (flag S) at the discretion of the race committee at any mark or at any point on the course where a finishing line has been laid.
11. TIME LIMIT – The time limit for dinghy races is three hours. Boats failing to finish within the time limit will be scored Did Not Finish. This changes Rule 35.
12. SAFETY AND DECLARATIONS – When racing, all competitors, in dinghies, will wear recognised buoyancy aids and a painter should be attached to the dinghy to facilitate towing. The Race Officer or Safety Boat skipper has the right to insist that a boat and crew returns home, if deemed necessary, for Health or Safety reasons. All competitors will sign the list ashore within thirty minutes of finishing the last race of the day.
13. PROTESTS – Protests shall be written on forms available at the race office and delivered there within one hour after the time of the last boat’s finish. Protests will be heard in approximately the order of receipt as soon as possible.
14. SCORING – The low point scoring system of Appendix A of the Racing Rules will apply. There will be one discard in each of the series, Spring, Summer and Autumn. If the number of races in a series reduces to four, races or less there will be no discards. (During Open Week discards will be as stated in Supplementary Sailing Instructions.) Rule A4.1 is amended by Rule A9.
15. LIABILITY – The organisers shall not be liable for any loss, damage, death or personal injury howsoever caused to the owner/competitors, his skipper or crew, as a result of their taking part in the race or cruise. Moreover, every owner/competitor warrants the suitability of his boat for the race or cruise.
16. PENALTIES - Safety boat crew are empowered to report any incident or infringement to the Race Officer who may at his discretion disqualify or protest offenders. Any boat in collision with a moored boat or the tackle to which it is attached shall take a 720 degree turn penalty as described in Rule 44.2. and report the incident to the race officer at first opportunity.