The documentation governing the Race Schedule for 2018 incorporates some changes as compared to previous years. Here is a summary of the main changes and a reminder of some of your obligations as a competitor:
- To be eligible as a competitor you are required, under Sailing Instruction 2.1 to submit a signed Entry Form and pay the Entry Fee. Boats whose signed form has not been received and/or payment not made are not eligible to race. Also, please note that there are other requirements that the Sailing Instructions set out for a competitor to be eligible, see SI 2.2 and 2.3.
The Sailing Committee would like you to know that the Entry Fees paid are used to off-set the costs associated with the on-water operation for arranging some 70 races over a 5 month period, namely; provision of our club’s 3 escort/rescue boats (heavily used for our launch service) and their personnel, race marks, Race Management equipment, and Racing Hut up-keep.
- The Race Officer Duty Rota: This has a different ratio than in the past: there are two and a half times the number of active Fifes than there are active MSODs, therefore the rota now reflects this ratio.
- Sailing Instructions: These include several new items as compared to previous years:
- The governing documents are listed,
- There is an option for Committee Boat starts/finishes,
- There is a new way to shorten a course during a race,
- There is a provision for back-to-back or follow-on races, and
- The Race Committee may inform boats that they are OCS at the first mark in which case they shall retire.
- There is a requirement for dinghy competitors to sign-in/sign-out.
- Obligations of Boats Not Racing: Rule 24.1 states, “If reasonably possible, a boat not racing shall not interfere with a boat that is racing.” The rules define racing as between the Preparatory signal and when a boat finishes and clears the finishing line and marks.
It is requested that boats whose Preparatory signal has not been made stay clear of the starting area and those boats that have finished stay clear of the course area where boats are still racing. Remember; rule 60.2 (a) allows the Race Committee to protest a boat.
- Follow-On Races: Several race sessions now include 2 races held back-to-back. The first will be a shorter race, and the second a longer race. Those competitors requiring to go ashore between the 2 races should approach the landing point and request the launch service.
- Race Series: There are several series, as follows:
- A = Association Series
- SHS = Single Handed Series
- W = Wednesday Series
- HW = High Water Series, on Sundays alternating morning and afternoon starts to fit with High Water
- BH = Bank Holiday Series where 2, 3 or 4 race scores are added together and a prize giving in the clubhouse after the last race.
- FB = Frost Bite Series, an additional series held in October with 2 races back-to-back on Saturdays only, for an additional Entry Fee.
- Entry Lists: Races will only be held if there are a minimum number of competitors committed to taking part. This helps to ensure that competitors get access to the races they want and also helps manage the resources of the club. Please ensure you sign-up by the designated deadline – see ONB for details.
- Guest Sailor Programme: Each class has been requested to nominate competitors who wish to take on board Guest Sailors. These guests will be prospective sailors and/or members of the club and a provision has been made in the Sailing Instructions to allow for the Guest Sailor to leave the boat during a race should it prove necessary, without any penalty to the boat concerned.
- Social Programme: After each Association Series race there will be a short prize giving and after-sail social in the clubhouse. On Bank Holiday weekends and other special occasions, racing will be followed by a social function – see details on the ONB. All social functions are open to accompanying non-members, and indeed club members are encouraged to invite non-members to join in social functions.
- Race Management Briefing & Practice Race: There will be a briefing for Race Officers and other Line Volunteers during the early part of the season.
Jonathan Sweet
Sailing Captain, Royal Anglesey Yacht Club, April 2018