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Directions to GHMYC sailing venue.

Adopted March 6, 2005

1. Races are governed by the current International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) as modified by Appendix E, the prescriptions of US Sailing when they apply, the rules of the sanctioned AMYA class, as applicable, the 2005 Notice of Race, these Sailing Instructions and any amendments to these Sailing Instructions. These Sailing Instructions are available at the race site and the Gig Harbor MYC web page at http://home.comcast.net/~ghmyc//
2. Events are open to all AMYA or CRYA members. Registration may be accomplished at the race site, preferably at least 1/2 hour before the start of the first heat. Contact the Race Committee for this purpose. See the yearly schedule for the time, location, class, and contact person for each event at http://home.comcast.net/~ghmyc//.

1. The courses, as well as the starting and finishing lines, shall be selected and set by the Race Director (RD) or designate.
2. The AMYA two minute starting tape or copy thereof shall be used to signal the starting sequence.
3. The starting and finishing lines shall be tangential to, and on the course side of, the starting and finishing marks. (RRS E3.7)
4. There shall be 14 races scheduled for each event, 5 of which must be completed to constitute an event.
5. Except for evening events, heats shall not start after 3 PM.
6. RRS A1-3 and the Low Point Scoring System (RRS A4) including tie breaking per RRS A8 will apply to individual events with the following exceptions:
   
   a) The score for one race may be discarded after completion of 5 races, the scores for two races may be discarded after completion of 11 races, and the scores for three races may be discarded after completion of 19 races.

   b) RRS 89.3 (no discard of disqualifications) is in effect.
   c) NORC events will be scored according to the current NORC system.

7. Match races will be governed by the Gig Harbor MYC President’s Cup Charter and ISAF Appendix C, Match Racing Rules with the following exceptions:
   a) C2.7 (regarding hand signals) shall not apply.
   b) C3.1 (Starting Signals) shall not apply. The starting sequence will be signaled by use of a match racing starting tape.
   c) C3.2 b and c (regarding display of flags) shall not apply.
   d) Rules C4 through C13 shall not apply. Requirements before the start are governed by the instructions to yachts on the match racing starting tape.
   e) Yachts shall be paired for each race by the Race Director or designate according to the system in the Amended Gig Harbor MYC President’s Cup Charter.
   f) Match races shall be scored as described in the Amended Gig Harbor MYC President’s Cup Charter. RRS A1-3 (Scoring) and RRS A8 (Ties) shall not apply.
8. A cumulative event high point system shall be used for scoring a series of events, where 1^st equals the number of boats that started at least one race during the event, 2^nd equals 1^st minus 1 point, 3^rd equals 1^st minus 2 points and so on.
9. For the purpose of scoring for the Gig Harbor Cup, an evening series is considered one event.
10. Previous winners of the Gig Harbor Cup are not eligible for this award.
11. Second place points for an event in a series shall be awarded to a skipper competing in the series if he/she completes duty as the Race Director, and does not race in the event.
12. When a single boat remains on the course, it may be scored as last place if it started properly.
13. RRS E1 is replaced by:
    'Boat' means a boat that is radio-controlled by a competitor who is not on board. For 'race' used as a noun outside of this appendix read 'heat' except in A1.3, A1.5, A1.7, A2.1, A2.2, A2.3, A4 & A5. Within this appendix, a race consists of one or more heats, and is completed when the last heat in the race is finished. 'Event' means one or more races. 'Series' means the number of races actually completed within the times specified in the Notice of Race or the Sailing Instructions for one complete event or a number of linked events.
14. RRS E3.5 is changed in that the "round the ends rule" (RRS 30.1) shall apply where the mark is surrounded by navigable water, except that code flag "I" need not be displayed.
15. RRS E4.2 (that does not allow a competitor to give advice to a competitor who is racing) shall not apply.
16. RRS E5.2 is replaced with: "Rule 61.1a) is changed to: ‘A boat intending to protest another boat because of an incident that occurs in the racing area shall twice hail "Protest" and the other boat’s sail number [as soon as reasonably possible]." (Addition to Appendix E in brackets)
17. These Sailing Instructions may be amended by the race committee orally or in writing. Boats on shore as well as boats on the water may be informed orally of changes to the Sailing Instructions, provided that all boats affected are notified. (RRS 86 applies)
    
    Oral changes to the Sailing Instructions shall be consistent with the RRS 86 (Instructions shall not alter Definitions, Parts 1, 2, 7, etc.) and RRS 88.2 c (Changes in the Sailing Instructions shall be communicated to each boat before her warning signal).
    
    Written changes to the Sailing Instructions will be posted on the Gig Harbor MYC website at: http://home.comcast.net/~ghmyc//
18. The time limit for each heat shall be 15 minutes after the finish of the first boat. All boats that have not finished after the time limit expires shall be recorded as Did Not Finish (DNF).
19. Prior to the preparatory signal, a boat may ask the Race Director to delay the starting sequence for 5 minutes for the repair of a technical problem or breakdown. A boat may be granted only one such 5 minute ‘hold’ per day. Holds for tuning or adjusting sails, or for changing rigs to accommodate varying weather conditions, etc. are not permitted under this rule.
20. Transmitters shall comply with current Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations for radio controlled surface craft.
21. The Race Director may file a protest. (RRS 60.2 a )
22. Unless otherwise announced, protests will be heard at the time and location specified by the Race Director after the event.
23. RRS 61.2 is modified in that the protest need not be in writing.
24. RRS E 5.3 is modified in that the protesting boat may submit the protest at the time of the hearing.

The following are guidelines for protest committees. They are not part of the Sailing Instructions or direct changes to the RRS.

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 fule they will promptly take a penalty or retire. 

A boat shall not fail to avoid contact with another boat for the purpose of strengthening evidence give at a protest hearing.

A right-of-way boat or one entitled to room need not act to avoid contact until it is reasonably clear that the other boat is not keeping clear or giving room.  At that time it is encouraged to hail "I am altering course to avoid contact" or words to that effect in order to gain witnesses to its action to avoid contact. 

A boat that is required to keep clear or give room that clearly forces a right-a-way boat to avoid contact shall be required to provide evidence that she was keeping clear or giving room in the event of a protest.

The following guidelines shall be applied to interpreting the word ‘damage’ in RRS 14, 44.1 and 62.

1. In the event of contact, damage shall be defined as: an impairment in sailing functionality that is apparent immediately after the contact.

Examples of such damage may include:

a) noticeable holes and/or punctures in the deck or sails

b) a broken or disconnected stay

c) a bent boom

d) an outhaul adjustment significantly changed

e) a jib topping lift setting significantly changed

f) an antenna disconnected from its attachment to the backstay

g) a jib counterweight bent or deformed

h0 a bent spreader

i) a broken or disconnected vang

j) severed or disconnected sheets

k) dismasting or the immediate risk or the mast falling over

Note:  Items J and K are examples of damage that would be considered serious.   In the event of serious damage, RSS 44.1 applies.  Specifically, a boat that causes serious damage by a breach of a rule shall retire immediately after the incident.

2. When damage that is not serious occurs as a result of contact, a boat shall not be penalized unless it is made aware of the impairment by hail or other means as soon as possible after the incident.

Serious damage is damage that would cause a prudent skipper to withdraw from a heat so as to initiate immediate repair or salvage.