general introduction · race committee · steps for race day · course · timing · start · basic rules · finishing · scoring
General Introduction
Sailboat races are the main activity and focus of Creve Coeur Sailing Association (CCSA). We have organized our races to accommodate experienced sailors and newcomers alike. To keep the races competitive and fun for all our members, we do not have a formal Protest Committee, and we use only the most basic right of way and racing rules. However, we encourage members to learn all of the U.S. Sailing Rules of Racing to enhance their racing skills.
SCHEDULE OF RACES
The CCSA Calendar which gives the dates for all our sailboat races for the year will be made available in the CCSA newsletter, posted on the CCSA Yahoo Group Calendar, listed on the CCSA Web Site, and can be picked up at the Race Committee desk.ELIGIBILITY
The CCSA racing series is open to members of the Creve Coeur Sailing Association and their guests.CLASS FLEETS
Boats that are members of class associations (Thistles, Y-Flyers, Sunfish, etc.) will follow their one-design class rules regarding equipment. CCSA members are not required to join class associations for their type of boats in order to participate.DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Competitors participate in the CCSA series entirely at their own risk. The CCSA will not accept any liability for material damage, personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after racing or any other CCSA events.FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information please contact the the CCSA Commodore.
The Race Committee
The Race Committee is in charge of running the races. The Committee is made up of CCSA members who volunteer to serve on a rotating basis. They determine the course to be sailed based on the wind direction and conditions at the lake. Prior to the races, they sign up competitors when they check in, and provide vital information about the course and any changes to the Sailing Instructions.
Once it comes time to begin the races, the Race Committee will provide the “Signals Made Ashore” which provide the countdown starting sequence for each fleet of boats. Signals will consist of different colored flags, horn blasts, and a megaphone for shouting instructions.
At the start and during the race, the Committee members will be watching for any rule infractions or safety concerns. The Race Committee is authorized to change courses, assess penalties, require the use of safety gear, stop a race and remove competitors from races as they see fit.
The Race Committee is supported by CCSA Officers who are at the lake on race day, and may consult with Committee members on important decisions.
Competitors Steps On Race Day
Step 1: Arrive Early There are many advantages to arriving early at the lake on race day. Your chances of getting a good parking place are much better! There will be plenty of time to assemble your boat and spot any problems (“Where’s the #**@!! Rudder?”). Think of the parking lot as “Sail Boat 101”. CCSA’s more experienced sailors will be happy to answer questions and help solve problems. Beachable boats such as Sunfish and Lasers can be driven to the beach area North of the Race Committee tent for assembly and launching. Everyone needs to take special care when crossing the paved path which runs through the launching area. Step 2: Set Up Your Boat Assemble boats in their parking spots. Boats should be “Mast up” with sails on but not raised. It is best not to raise the sails until a boat is tied to the dock and ready to sail away.
SAFETY
Competitors are reminded of the first rule of sailing: “Sail Safe”
Competitors participate in CCSA races at their own risk. It is the responsibility of each boat’s crew to insure that they are carrying and wearing appropriate safety equipment for the conditions and that their boat is seaworthy.The decision to launch is solely the responsibility of the skipper of each boat. Each competitor should be the best judge of their skills and the qualities of their crew and boat.
Remember, the Race Committee may require the wearing of approved personal flotation devices as a condition of participation.
When the YANKEE flag (red diagonal stripes on yellow background) is displayed and accompanied by one horn blast, competitors and their crews must wear an approved personal flotation device at all times while afloat. This applies to CCSA boats not racing as well as boats racing.
EQUIPMENT AND MEASUREMENT CHECKS
A boat or equipment may be inspected at any time for compliance with its class rules and sailing instructions. On the water, a boat can be instructed by a race committee member to proceed immediately to a designated area for inspection.REPLACEMENT OF CREW OR EQUIPMENT
Substitution of competitors is allowed at any time. Substitution of damaged or lost equipment is also allowed at any time.ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Cell phones may be carried on boats for safety and personal communication, but may not be used in any way to gain advantage during races.Step 3: Check In At Race Committee Competitors must register with the Race Committee prior to the start of racing. The registration sheet will be located at the CCSA tent. Skippers can also ask for crew and put in orders for after-race meals when available.
Information about that days’ race course and any important information for competitors will be posted on a board at the Race Committee tent. Also, Committee members are usually able to answer competitors questions. However, once the races begin CCSA members should stay clear of the Race Committee and not interrupt their work.
There is no need to check-out, unless a boat retires from a race, in which case the competitors should notify the race committee as soon as possible.Step 4: Launch Boat Once competitors have assembled their boat and placed all their equipment on board, they are ready to launch from the boat ramp. Please spend as little time as possible on the ramp. Due to the condition of the ramp, usually only two boats can launch at one time and most boats want to launch shortly before the races begin.
Once launched, boats should be taken to the upwind side of the ramp and then quickly moved to the farthest point of the dock to make room for boats coming behind.Step 5: Proceed To Race Course With sails up, equipment and crew on board competitors can sail out to the course and warm up for the coming race.
Once the Race Committee signals the warning that a race is about to begin, competitors in the Red Fleet should stay clear of the Starting Line area. This allows Blue Fleet Boats, which start first, room to maneuver for their start.The Race Course
The course, including the approximate angles between legs, the order in which marks are to be passed, and the side on which each mark is to be left, will be posted at the race committee desk prior to the first race of the day.
Course changes may be announced between races. The race committee will attempt to hail each boat to announce any change of course. It is the responsibility of each competitor to sail by the race committee desk to determine if any changes have been made to the course for the next race.
Courses may be shortened by the race committee, particularly on a light wind day. The race committee will attempt to hail each boat to announce a shortened course. Competitors are encouraged to pass the word to other boats in their vicinity.
TYPICAL COURSES
NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
Notices to competitors will be posted on the marker board located at the race committee desk on race days.CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted on the marker board located at the race committee desk 30 minutes before the first start on the day it will take effect.CHANGING THE POSITION OF MARKS
Sometimes, due to wind shifts in direction or changes in wind speed, marks already set on the course will be moved at the direction of the Race Committee. The change will be signalled before the leading boat has begun the leg, although the mark may not yet be in the new position. All additional marks, not yet rounded, may be relocated without further signalling to maintain the course configuration.STARTING LINE
The starting line is set between two marks forming a start/finish gate located near the CCSA tent. Two red buoys shall be used to mark both the starting and finishing line of the course.The starting area is an imaginary box extending out around the Start Line. One side of the box begins at the shore and extends beyond the far end of the Start Line by half the length of the Start Line. The other side of the box extends half the length of the Starting Line in back of the Line and half the Starting Line length in front of the line.
Competitors can legally pass through the Start/Finish Line anytime after the start.
MARKS
Marks 1, 2, and 3 will be indicated by large, round, orange buoys. The start/finish gate will be indicated by small, round, red buoys. If a stand-off mark is used, the stand-off mark will be a small, round, orange buoy.THE FINISH
The finishing line will be the same gate as the starting gate.
Timing of the Races
SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
The Race Committee will communicate with competitors out on the lake by means of flags, a horn and a megaphone. When a sound signal is made at the same time as a flag signal, the flag signal takes precedent. The absence of a sound signal shall not alter the meaning or effect of a flag signal.The Race Committee will make a warning signal using a series of short blasts on the horn to get the attention of competitors and signal that the countdown to a race is about to begin, or that a change to the Sailing Instructions has been made.
The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first race each day is 2:00 pm.
The warning signal for each succeeding race will be made as soon as the Race Committee decides that the present race is completed. To alert boats that another race will begin soon, a series of short blasts will be sounded. Competitors are urged to remain clear of the finish line, but within the general area between races.FLEETS
Competitors will be divided into two race day fleets, based on the typical speed for their type of boat, called a “Portsmouth Handicap Number”. Boats with a PHN of 93 or less are in the Blue Fleet, and boats greater than 93 are in the Red Fleet. Competitors not previously assigned to a fleet will be assigned one when they register. The Red Fleet start will be indicated by a solid red flag, the Blue Fleet start by a solid blue flag. Blue Fleet of faster boats goes first. The purpose of dividing the boats into slower and faster fleets is to increase the number of races. Typically the faster boats go around the course twice as many times as the slower fleet. This means the two fleets will finish at roughly the same time with less time waiting for the next race. It also means twice as many winners and twice the prizes.One design fleets may be organized and compete within the Association. A minimum of five one design boats must be registered in order to constitute a fleet. Members wishing to organize a one design fleet must appoint a fleet captain.
One design fleets will compete within the Blue or Red Fleet as appropriate. A separate start and/or course will not be provided for one design fleets.
The Start
Races will be started as follows:
TIME SIGNAL MEANING 1 Min. before start of countdown. Repeated blasts on the horn. Attention!!! The 1st race start sequence is about to begin. 5 min. Countdown starts. Blue flag goes up, 1 horn blast. Blue Fleet skippers start stopwatches- 5 min. to start. 4 min. to start. Blue flag stays up, “P” flag goes up, 1 horn blast. Blue Fleet- 4 min. to start. 1 min. to start. Blue flag stays up, “P” flag goes down, 1 long horn blast. Blue Fleet- 1 minute to start. 0 min.-Blue Fleet starts.
5 min.- Red Fleet begins countdown.Blue flag down, Red flag up, 1 horn blast. Blue Fleet- Starts their race. Red Fleet- Starts their 5 min. countdown. 4 min. to start. “P” flag + Red flag, 1 horn blast. Preparatory signal for Red fleet. 1 min. to start. “P” flag down, 1 horn blast. 1 minute to Red fleet start. 0 min. Red Fleet start. Red flag down, 1 horn blast. Start of Red Fleet race. (The “P” flag, sometimes called the “Papa Flag”, is a white rectangle on a blue background.)
Boats whose class warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area.
A boat starting later than 5 minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start.Basic Rules of Racing
Below is a summary of the sailing rules that apply most often on the race course. This summary is intended as an aid to sailors and not as a substitute for the Racing Rules of Sailing, a copy of which all racing sailors should own. A copy of The Racing Rules of Sailing 2005 – 2008 can be downloaded from the ISAF website at: http://www.sailing.org.
Right-of-Way Rules
PORT-STARBOARD
Port-tack boats must keep clear of starboard-tack boats. (Rule 10) Note: You are "keeping clear" of another boat when she doesn’t have to alter course to avoid you.WINDWARD-LEEWARD
When boats are overlapped (The bow of the overtaking boat is even or ahead of a line perpendicular to the transom of the forward boat) on the same tack, the windward boat must keep clear. (Rule 11)ON SAME TACK, ASTERN-AHEAD
When boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, the boat clear astern must keep clear. (Rule 12) Note: One boat is "clear astern" if she’s entirely behind a line through the other boat’s aft-most point, perpendicular to the other boat. The other boat is therefore "clear ahead." Two boats are "overlapped" if neither is clear ahead of the other.TACKING TOO CLOSE
Before you tack, make sure your tack will keep you clear of all other boats. (Rule 13)LIMITATIONS ON RIGHT OF WAY
If the other boat must keep clear, you have "right of way". Even if you have right of way, there are limitations on what you can do:AVOID CONTACT. You must avoid contact with other boats, but a right-of-way boat will not be penalized under this rule unless the contact causes damage. (Rule 14)
ACQUIRING RIGHT OF WAY. When you do something to become the right-of-way boat, you must give the other boat a chance to keep clear of you. (Rule 15)
CHANGING COURSE. When you change course, you must give the other boat a chance to keep clear. (Rule 16)
ON THE SAME TACK; PROPER COURSE. If you are overlapped to leeward of a boat on the same tack, and if just before the overlap began you were clear astern of her, you cannot sail above your proper course (i.e., the course that will take you to the next mark the fastest) while you remain overlapped. (Rule 17.1)
PASSING MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS
There is a set of special rules for boats that are about to pass a mark or obstruction. However, these special rules don’t apply between boats on opposite tacks on a beat to windward. (Rule 18.1)Except at a starting mark, you must give boats overlapped inside you room to pass a mark or obstruction, and boats clear astern must keep clear of you.
There’s a two-length zone around marks and obstructions, and a boat’s rights and obligations with respect to another boat are "frozen" when the first of them enters that zone. If you are clear astern of another boat when she enters the zone, you must keep clear of her until both boats are past the mark or obstruction, even if you later become overlapped inside her. (Rule 18.2)
TACKING NEAR A MARK
Don’t tack within the two-length zone at a windward mark if you will cause a boat that is fetching the mark to sail above close-hauled to avoid you, or if you will prevent her from passing the mark. (Rule 18.3)ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION When boats are on the same tack on a beat and come to an obstruction, the leeward boat gets to decide which way they are going to pass it. If the leeward boat hails for room to tack, the other boat must give it to her; but the leeward boat must give the other boat time to respond before she tacks. (Rule 19)
Other Rules
Before your Preparatory Signal, and after you finish, don’t interfere with boats that are about to start or are racing. (Rule 22.1)
If you start too soon, keep clear of others until you sail completly behind the start line and then restart.
If you break a rule while racing, or if you hit a mark, do one complete 360° turn. (Rules 20* and 44*)
(*CCSA Sailing Rules require only one 360-degree turn.)Penalties
A competitor in violation of the rules during a race may exonerate themselves by doing one of the following:
- Get away from other boats and do one 360-degree turn as soon as possible after the violation.
- Taking a Scoring Penalty of one place.
- Retire from the race.
The race committee may protest a boat that fails to exonerate itself.
A boat that has taken a penalty or retired shall notify the race committee as soon as possible on the day of the race.Finishing The Race
As each compettitor crosses the Finish Line, the Race Committee will give one short horn blast to signal that they have noted a boat finishing and recorded its’ elapsed time.
TIME LIMITS FOR RACES
On light wind days, the Race Committee may use the time limits listed below to call off races because of lack of sufficient wind. Also, the Committee may at their discretion use the time limits to eliminate competitors who do not finish within the time limits.
FLEET Minimum Time To Reach First Mark Minimum Time To Finish Race Blue 20 min. 60 min. Red 30 min. 60 min. Times indicated are times after the respective fleet starts. If no boat has passed Mark 1 within the Mark 1 time limit or no boat has completed the course within the time limit for her fleet, the race will be abandoned.
Individual boats failing to finish within 30 minutes after the first boat in their respective fleet finishes will be scored - Did Not Finish.
Scoring
The scoring system is as follows:
A competitor must complete at least ten races during a year’s racing season in order to be eligible for prizes.
A modified low-point system is used with one point awarded for first place, two for second, three points for third, etc.
When ten or more races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her best ten race scores.
Class finishes for recognized one design classes may be recorded separately. A minimum of three boats must start for a race to be scored within a one-design class. It is the responsibility of the one design fleet captains to maintain records of participation and race scoring for their respective fleets.
Prizes
Prizes will be awarded to competitors based on their performance over the season as determined by the awards committee.
One design class prizes may also be awarded at the discretion of the awards committee.
Disagreements Between Competitors
Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that when competitors break a rule they will promptly take a penalty or retire. It is hoped that all competitors will make an effort to learn the rules and apply them conscientiously to the best extent of their knowledge. It is expected that any competitor who violates a racing rule or the Inland Rules of the Road (as appropriate), or when so advised by another competitor or the race committee, will promptly take a penalty or retire from the race.
Due to our casual sailing philosophy and emphasis on learning, we ask that disagreements between competitors be addressed by CCSA only in instances where they can provide either a learning experience or they point out issues with the rules, instructions, or committees that will enhance the sailing experience for members.
Disagreements will not be subject to a hearing by a formal protest committe per se, but will be informally discussed and resolved by the parties in conference with at least one CCSA officer during the social gathering held at the end of each race day.
