SILVER AND GOLD SAILING INSTRUCTIONS, May 16 and 17, 2015

FCSL Silver and Gold Cups Championships

 2015 Team Race Sailing Instructions

1.         RULES

1.1                  The regatta will be governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing, Appendix D, ISSA Procedural Rules, NESSA Procedural Rules, and the 2014 NESSA meeting minutes and these Sailing Instructions.

2.         ELIGIBILITY

2.1       All schools must be members in good standing in the FCSL or be invited to   compete.

3.         NOTICES TO COMPETITION

3.1            There is not an official notice board for our league. Notices  prior to Saturday, May 16 will be sent by email and posted at http://www.fairfieldcountysailingleague.blogspot.com/. On or after May 16, notices to competitors shall be given verbally in a skippers meeting or in a coaches meeting where after coaches will be responsible to convey information to their teams.

4          CHANGES IN THE SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

4.1            Any change in the SI’s will be given verbally in the competitor or coach’s meeting.

5.         BOATS & EQUIPMENT

5.1            420’s will be provided for all competitors, who shall not modify any yacht (with the exception of mainsheet purchase) or cause them to be modified in any way.

5.2            The standing rigging shall not be adjusted without notifying the Race Committee.

6.         SAFETY AND SUPPORT BOATS

6.1            Competitors shall wear USCG approved life vests.

6.2            Each team may bring afloat a full team race team (6 competitors) and 3 alternates.

6.3            Each coach is responsible for bringing their own VHF handheld radio.

6.4            Drysuits may be deemed mandatory based on conditions by the Race Committee. Competitors should come prepared.

7.         ROTATIONS

7.1            Notification of boat rotations will be given in the competitor or coach’s meeting.

8.         COMPETITOR'S MEETING

8.1            In the interest of saving time, a competitor’s meeting is deemed optional by the RC.

9.         BREAKDOWNS

9.1       After a breakdown, the boat’s crew shall make every effort to fix the damage and continue racing, unless that would result in further damage or risk to the crew.

9.2       Following a break down a competitor must notify the Race Committee as soon as possible, or immediately after finishing.

10      SERIOUS DAMAGE

10.1   A collision causing damage requiring more than normal maintenance is regarded as serious damage and considered a serious incident. When such damage occurs, the protest committee may hold a hearing to consider whether those involved exercised reasonable care in handling their boats. When the Protest Committee finds that either or both boats) did not, one or both shall be disqualified.

10.2   Boats involved in a collision, shall attempt to finish the race, and report damage to the Race Committee, as long as the boat and crew will not sustain any further damage.

11.     SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

11.1   The FCSL calendar is updated each year on Google calendar.

                                              

12      RACING AREA

12.1   The racing area will be identified at the Competitor or Coach’s meeting.

13      MARKS

13.1   All marks will be identified at a Competitor or Coach’s meeting.

14      START/FINISH

14.1   3 minute dinghy starts will apply. All signals will be sound signals.

14.2   The start lines will be between a staff and the course side of a mark.

14.3   Any hails of OCS boats will be from the starboard end of the starting line. Failure to hear a hail will not be grounds for redress. All signals will be sound signals. This replaces RRS rule 29.1.

14.4   The finish line will be between the course side of a finish mark and a staff on the finish boat.

15      THE COURSE

15.1   All courses will be a Digital N or a modified Digital N.

16      TIME LIMIT

16.1   RC will attempt to finish racing by 6:30 PM. The Race Committee may abandon the race at any time. There is no set time limit for a race.

16.2   Race Committee shall seek advisement from coaches that do not have teams racing.

17      COMPLETE SERIES

17.1   One completed round robin shall constitute a completed series. However, in the GOLD CUP round additional series may be attempted, but unless they are completed shall not be counted for the final scoring.

18      VALID PROTEST

18.1   For a Protest to be valid, a protesting yacht must:

                   A. Hail the word “Protest” at the first reasonable opportunity.

                   B. Conspicuously display a Protest Flag at the first reasonable

opportunity.

                   C. Display the Flag until she is no longer racing.

                   D. Report the Protest to the RC at the first reasonable opportunity.

18.2   Protesting yacht must use FCSL approved protest flag.

                   A. Protest Flag must be of sailcloth material.

                   B. Protest Flag must be 25 square inches or larger.

                   C. Protest flag must be flown off of at least 1 shroud.

                   D. Protest Flag must be flown above shroud turnbuckles.

19.     PROTEST COMMITTEE AND HEARINGS

19.1   The protest committee will attempt to be comprised of 3 coaches.

                 A. All committee members agree to rule as non-“Interested Parties.”

                 B. If a Member feels they cannot rule fairly, they shall excuse themselves.

19.2   Committee members shall make decisions based on testimony only, and not what they may or may not have witnessed on the water.

20      PROTEST HEARING

20.1   Hearings will follow a modified “3 Minute Justice Format.”

                   A. Protesting boat has 1 minute to describe the incident to the PC.

                   B. Protested boat has 1 minute to describe the incident to the PC.

                   C. Protest Committee will make a decision ASAP.

20.2   Witnesses shall not be allowed unless requested by Protest Committee.

20.3   If protesting/protested parties agree, hearings may be held on the water.

20.4   Parties to the process may not request to reopen the hearing.

21      COACHING

21.1   Coaching is only permitted between races, and shall not hold up sequential races.

21.2   Competitors may not converse with their coach in any way before they report a protest to the RC after the completion of a race.

21.3   Communication during a race, from a coach, or teammate that is not racing, is considered coaching and a protestable offense

22      FORFEITING

22.1   Circumstances such as poor driving conditions (snow, sleet, icing, etc.), highway traffic, car trouble or other reasons outside of a team's control shall not be grounds for forfeit. A rescheduled race must take place within two weeks and before the NESSA cutoff date. If a team should miss the rescheduled event for whatever reason, they shall forfeit. A team’s forfeit shall be reported as a win for the team that is able to sail and a loss for the team that is not.

22.2   If a team is uncomfortable sailing in the weather conditions of the day, they may postpone the race/event. If they are not able to race in the re-sail race for whatever reason, they shall forfeit. The rescheduled race must take place within two weeks and before the NESSA cutoff date. A team’s forfeit shall be reported as a win for the team that is able to sail and a loss for the team that is not.

23      WATER BOTTLE BAN

23.1   The FCSL strives to be a leader in the reduction of disposable water bottles.

23.2   From the NESSA President: “… NESSA regatta hosts to provide a suitable water source to replace bottled water customarily purchased by each sailing team at each regatta throughout the sailing season. High School sailors are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles to events. The stated purpose of this initiative is to "eliminate the amount of single-use water bottles at NESSA events to the extent practicable."