RULES

All races will be governed by the "rules" as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing 2013-2016.

ENTRIES

Competitors may enter by delivering a completed entry form and paying the $10.00 entry fee to the Race Committee before 10 AM on the day of the race.

HANDICAPS

The U. S. Sailing Associations Portsmouth Yardstick (D-PN) shall be used to determine handicaps to the extent that handicaps are specified therein.  Handicaps not specified therein shall be determined by the race committee. 

NOTICES TO COMPETITORS AND CHANGES TO SAILING  INSTRUCTIONS

Notices to competitors will be posted on the Club website: SLYC.org.  Any changes to these written sailing instructions shall be posted on the Club website and distributed by the race committee no later than the end of the skipper's meeting or verbally by hailing each boat and receiving acknowledgement prior to her warning signal.

SKIPPER'S MEETING

A mandatory skipper's meeting will be held at 9:30 AM the day of the race in the club house.  The Sailing Instructions and Course Chart will be made available at the meeting.

COURSES AND MARKS

Courses are uniquely identified by numbers.  A description of each course and a general location and description of all marks is part of the course description (Course Chart).  The race committee will display a rectangular white placard with a black course number no later than the warning signal of the race to be started.  When an "R" placard follows the course number, the course shall be sailed in the reverse direction (all marks in the reverse order passed on the opposite side as listed).  When a roman numeral is displayed with a course number, multiple laps are designated.  When multiple laps are designated,  boats must pass through the start-line in order to start the first lap, pass through the finish-line (utilizing the caution buoy as a rounding mark) on succeeding laps, and pass through the finish-line to finish.  In the event of missing marks, boats shall return to the starting line as soon as possible for a restart.  Races shall be started using the I Flag: yellow field, black circle, (Rule 30.1) as the preparatory signal.  Any boat on the course side of the starting line or its extension during the last minute before her starting signal shall thereafter sail from the course side across an extension to the pre-start side before starting.

CLASS DESIGNATIONS

Class flag for PSL small boat series will be a D Code Flag: horizontally divided, yellow-blue-yellow.

SERIES

Series consists of 7 race days, identified in the Notice of Race, with up to 5 races each day.

START SEQUENCE AND ORDER OF STARTS

An 'Attention' signal (multiple horn blasts) will be sounded one minute before the start sequence, e.g., 10:59 hours.  The warning signal (class flag raise and horn signal) for the first race of each day will occur at 11:00 hours.  The first race will begin at 11:05 hours.  If multiple starts are held, the order of starts and the class warning flag description will be identified at the skippers meeting.  There will be five (5) minutes between the start of each class.  Note: if all registered vessels are in the starting area early the races may be started early once warning has been given to all racers. 

The start & finish lines are restricted except when starting or finishing a race or if required to be passed through when doing multiple laps. 

The start sequence for each race will begin immediately after the finish of the last boat in the race.

TIME LIMIT

The time limit for individual races will be two (2) hours for the first boat to finish.  Any boat finishing later than 45 minutes after the first boat will be scored as Did Not Finish (DNF).  (This amends Rule 35.)

START & FINISH LINES

The start-line extends from the flags at the end of the Avila Pier to a 'moveable' buoy off the end of the pier.

The finish-line extends from flags at the end of the Avila Pier to a "CAUTION" buoy off the end of the pier, which shall be crossed in the direction of the course from the last mark.

SCORING

The Low Point Scoring System of Appendix A of the Racing Rules will apply, except as amended herein (includes using the best 12 races of the series).  Appendix A9 will be used when scoring both regattas and series when multiple races are completed. 

RACE SIGNALS

Any of the race signals as shown on the back cover of the Racing Rules may be used when applicable. 

PROTESTS

Protests and requests for redress must be filed with the Racing Committee (RC) in writing on the form provided by the RC within one hour of the finish of the last boat in the last race of the day.  The RC must be hailed immediately concerning your intend to file a protest upon finishing the race in which the incident occurred.  The Racing Committee will appoint a protest committee.  The protest committee will hear protests in the approximate order of receipt as soon as practical.

COMMUNICATION

Communication will be via Flags, sound signals, and hailing over the water as needed.

DRESS CODE

Wearing a personal floatation device during the races is mandatory.  The RC strongly recommends the use of wet suits or dry suits.