Boulder Yacht Club

A. Rules         top

1. Races shall be sailed under the current RRS except as modified by these instructions.

2. Management of the races shall be the responsibility of the BYC Race Committee (RC).

B. Entries         top

1. Each boat shall have returned to the RC a signed and completed.

Race Declaration form prior to her first race of the season.

2. Each boat shall have paid the daily race fee for that day or the Spring or Fall Series race fee for that series. The series race fee qualifies the boat to race in all 5 races of the series and the fun races. The Commodores Cup will be the normal entrance fee.

3. All boats shall be eligible to act as the Committee Boat. Selection of the Committee Boat shall be done by the BYC Race Committee. The selection of all Committee Boats will be accomplished prior to the starting of the first series. All Boat/Skipper names will be drawn from a hat and posted prior to the first race. It will be the responsibility of the selected boat to ensure that they are available on the assigned day to perform as the Committee Boat. If for some reason there is a conflict, the skipper will be responsible for locating another skipper to fill in for that race. The RC should be notified of changes that are made prior to the start of the race in conflict. (If a skipper cannot find a substitute Committee boat/ skipper, the race may have to be canceled.) It is critical that the skipper ensure coverage of the Committee Boat function.

Everyone is counting on the Committee Boat and her skipper.

4. If a race is rescheduled for any reason, the Committee Boat duty will also be rescheduled for the assigned Committee Boat.

5. Handicapping

(a) Handicaps will be assigned to each boat based on the  information supplied on the Race Declaration Form.

(1) The most recent PHRF data available shall be used and may be adjusted using data developed locally in a ratio defined by the BYC Race Committee.

(2) A mathematical formula best approximating the PHRF system may be used when data is not available for a particular boat.

(b) A Time-On-Time Allowance system will be used in conjunction with the PHRF number assigned in B.5(a) above.

(1) The TOT Allowance system used was documented in Sail Magazine - March 1990 and written by John Collins.

(2) The Time Corrections Factor (TCF) for each PHRF number will be determined by the formula: TCF = 1200/ (960 + PHRF)

(c) The RC may correct erroneous handicaps (PHRF or TCF) if and when it deems necessary.

(d) Times will be recorded for all boats racing.

C. Changes in Sailing Instructions         top

1. The RC may change or modify these sailing instructions. All changes will be posted before 9:00 a.m. on the day they will take effect.

D. Schedule of Races         top

1. Races are to be held as indicated on the published schedule. The start sequence will be at approximately 10:30 a.m. for BYC Series races. Any changes will be announced at the skippers meeting. If the start sequence time is delayed the committee boat will notify all boats on channel 68 of the delay and the approximate time of the revised start sequence.

2. The skippers meeting shall be held at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the race on the Hill .

3. Skippers are responsible for any information announced at the meeting.

E. Racing Area         top

1. The racing area is shown on the attached maps (Attachment 2).The racing area may be changed for any particular race depending on wind, lake or other conditions.

F. The Course         top

1. The diagrams in Attachment 2 show some of the courses. The most common course sailed will be a modified Olympic course consisting of a windward start, two reaching legs to complete a triangle, followed by a windward leg to the first mark, a run to the leeward mark and another windward leg to the finish.

2. The length of the course may vary depending on wind and lake conditions.

3. The approximate compass bearing from the starting line to the first mark and the side to which the marks are to be rounded will be displayed on a chalk board from the committee boat. (Example: A 210 degree course with marks that are to be rounded to port would be indicated as ô21Pö on the committee boat.)

G. Marks        top

1. Course marks will be orange buoys.

H. The Start         top

1. Ranking as a starter

(a) To rank as a starter, each boat will check in with the committee boat before attempting to race.

(b) Checking in shall normally be done at the skippers meeting immediately preceding the race.

(c) The committee boat may, at its discretion, rank a late starting boat, even though the boat has not checked in at the skippers meeting.

NOTE: It is the intent of the RC to promote friendly competition. However, a boat not having checked in and starting late will be at the mercy of the committee boat as to whether she is acknowledged as a starter or not.

2. Starting Signal Sequence (Rule 26.1 System 2)

(a) Yellow Flag Up (Warning Signal) Start stopwatch - start in ten minutes.

(b) Yellow Flag Down - Start in six minutes.

(c) Blue Flag Up (Preparatory Signal) - Start in five minutes.

(d) Blue Flag Down - Start in one minute.

(e) Red Flag Up - Start Race.

(Note ) The white or green flag is the Race Committee Boat on station flag and it should be taken down one minute before the yellow flag up signal.

3. Each flag up signal shall be accompanied by a HORN BLAST.

4. Visual Signal will govern and be the official signal.

5. Starting Penalties

(a)Rule 30.1 The I flag rule is in effect for BYC races. This rule states that if any part of a boat's hull, crew, or equipment is on the course side of the starting line or its extensions during the minute before, her starting signal, she shall sail to the pre-start side of the line around either end before starting.

6. Starting/Finishing Line

(a) The line shall be between the mast of the Committee Boat and a mark.

(b) A limit mark may be set to protect the Committee Boat.

(c) For the purpose of starting/finishing, the Committee Boat and limit mark shall be considered as one and no boat shall sail between them.

(d) The RC shall take a very dim view of any boat coming in contact with the Committee Boat or its ground tackle and may exercise its right to protest the offending boat.

I. Recalls         top

1. Individual Recall

(a) Rule 29.2 Individual Recall will be followed. The Race Committee shall promptly display flag X. The Committee Boat shall, when it sees a boat(s) that has/have started early, also attempt to hail the early starter(s).

(b) If the Committee Boat attempts to hail early starters, it does not relieve any boat of its obligation to restart in the event the Committee Boat is unable to hail all early starters.

2. General Recall

(a) Rule 29.3 will be followed.

(b) The flag First Substitute will be flown.

(c) The preparatory signal for a new start for the recalled class shall be made one minute after the First Substitute is lowered

J. Change of Course after the Start         top

1. Rule 33 will be followed with flag C being flown.

K. The Finish         top

1. All finishes shall be made between the Committee Boat (or limit mark) and a mark, from the direction of the last mark of the course.

2. Each boat's finish shall be acknowledged by the Committee Boat. A boat is not finished until the RC has acknowledged her.

3. Only those boats finishing shall cross the finish line when the GATE IS CLOSED. Closed gate races will be announced at the pre-race skippers meeting.

4. A boat dropping out of the race before finishing shall attempt to inform the RC boat by sailing/powering past the RC Boat, or by hailing another racing boat of her intention who then, in turn, shall inform the RC boat.

L. Time Limit         top

1. The time limit will be five hours. Boats finishing more than 90 minutes after the first boat finishes or after the time limit, whichever is later, will be scored did not finish. The race will be called if no boat has rounded the first mark in one hour.

M. Equipment and Safety         top

1. All boats shall comply with applicable state and federal laws.

2. All boats shall comply with the Racing Rules of Sailing 1997-2000 including the Part 1- Fundamental Rules.

3. It shall be the responsibility of the individual skippers and crews to make the decision on whether or not to wear a life jacket at any time during the race.

4. Auxiliary motor power is required in the harbor area.

N. Sail Numbers         top

1. All boats are encouraged to display an emblem and/or a number on both sides of  the mainsail. This will aid the Committee Boat in correctly recording finishes. (This number usually corresponds to the Hull Serial Number of the boat.)

O. Protests         top

1. A protest flag (RED Shape) shall be conspicuously displayed by the protesting boat at the first reasonable opportunity after the incident and keep it displayed until she has finished or retired from the race.

2. A protesting boat shall try to inform the boat which she intends to protest that a protest will be lodged.

3. The protesting boat shall, upon finishing the race in which the infraction occurred, notify the Committee Boat of her protest and give the sail number of the protested yacht, even if the protested boat has exonerated herself by taking . the alternative 720 degree turn penalty

4. If the protested boat(s) refuse to acknowledge an infringement of the rules, or the infringement results in damage the protesting boat may file a written protest.   This shall be the official US Sailing Association Protest form provided by the RC and handed to a member of the Race Committee within two hours after the page 5 last boat in the race finishes.

5. In the event the parties to a protest cannot get together for a hearing within a reasonable time period after the incident, then written briefs may be filed along with any other information or statements a party deems necessary and the protest committee shall make their decision based upon the written information submitted.

6. Rulings on protests shall be made prior to the next race in a series.

P.  Scoring         top

1. The Low-Point Scoring System, Appendix A2.2 of the racing rules, will apply.

2. The number of throw-outs will normally be 2 per series. Consideration will be given for special circumstances such as Committee Boat Duty. Committee Boat members will be scored as starters.

Q. Alternative Penalties         top

1.The 720 degree turns penalty as provided under RRS Rule 44 shall apply for breaking a rule in Part 2.

R. Prizes        top

1. Prizes will be awarded for the Spring and Fall Series Monohull Races at the No-Boat Regatta. The number of awards will depend on the number of boats that participate in enough races to be eligible for prizes.

a. up to 9 boats 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards

b.10 to 12 boats 1st thru 4th place awards