1.1 All races will be governed by the 'rules' as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS)

1.2 The "by-Laws concerning the use of Seaside Pleasure Boats" issued by Shepway District Council will apply.

1.3 Restrictions on advertising are as per ISAF category C regulations.

2. Notices to Competitors

2.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located inside the club house.

2.2 The Officer of the day will hold a briefing 30 minutes prior to published start time.

2.3 Changes in Sailing Instructions. Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted before 0900 on the day it will take effect.

2.4 Competitors are advised not to be afloat when IC flag 'V' is flying.

3. Safety and Insurance

The safety of a boat and her entire management including insurance shall be the sole responsibility of the owner/person in charge who must ensure that the boat and crew are adequate to face the conditions that may arise in the course of the race. Neither these sailing instructions nor any inspection of the boat limits or reduces the absolute responsibility of the owner/person in charge for the crew, the boat and her management. The race organisers shall not be responsible for any loss, damage, death or personal injury howsoever caused to the owner/person in charge or crew, as a result of their taking part in the race or races. Moreover, every owner/person in charge warrants the suitability of the boat for the race or races.

4. Entries

Eligible boats may be entered at the race box on the day of racing and prior to the race Signing on shall be considered entry to the race (see declarations section 16).

Eligibility requirements for boats are:

4.1 Handicap Racing is limited to MONOHULL or CATAMARAN or SAILBOARD sailing craft with a Portsmouth Yardstick Number, or a number agreed by the sailing committee.

Eligibility requirements for competitors are:

4.2 All competitors shall be members of Hythe and Saltwood Sailing Club, temporary members will not be awarded points in club events.

Competitors should be aware of rule 45 which states that they MUST be on the water by their preparatory signal.

4.3 Both helm and crew must wear personal buoyancy. Wetsuits will not be accepted as personal buoyancy. Only board sailors are exempt from this requirement, who may sail without personal buoyancy at their own risk.

Boats and crews not fulfilling these criteria will be treated by the Race officer and Duty Officers as "not racing"

5. Signals Made Ashore and Afloat

5.1 Signals made ashore will be displayed in the vicinity of the race box.

Signals made afloat will be from a committee boat, unless specified otherwise on the course board, it will be the Rescue Boat.

5.3 rule 40 will not apply, personal buoyancy will be worn at all times whilst afloat regardless of any signals. This also changes the Part 4 preamble.

6. Schedule of Races

6.1 Racing is scheduled as follows:

Sunday Racing

Open Handicap fleet - Warning Signal 1425
- Start Time 1430

Thursday Evening Racing

Open Handicap fleet - Warning Signal 1830
- Start Time 1825

6.2 If races are not completed as scheduled or if the race committee considers it unlikely that races will be completed as scheduled. Then lost races may be run as additional races on the following sunday (within the series). In the event of a race postponed to the following week, this will be publicised in accordance to section 4.

6.3 When more than one race (or sequence of races, for two or more classes) will be held on the same day, the warning signal for each succeeding race will be made as soon as practicable. To alert boats that another race or sequence of races will begin soon, the shortened course flag will be lowered 1 minute before the first warning signal of the next race.

7. Class Flags

The Open Handicap class flag shall be code G.

The Slow Handicap class flag (PN >1200) shall be code F.

8. Racing Area

8.1 The racing area will take place in the vicinity of the area between the Range marker buoy (yellow) to the west and the Hythe Imperial Hotel to the East with the exception of long distance races, and pursuit races.

8.2 No boat will enter the swimming area, defined by local by-laws, marked by the yellow buoys which start at the Hythe Imperial.

9. The Course

The course will be decided on by the Officer of the Day and will be displayed on the course board at least 30 minutes before the published start time.

10. Marks

Marks will be inflatable orange cylinders, inflatable yellow cylinders, round pink day glow fenders or the following charted navigational marks:

Range Bouy (squat, large, yellow special navigational marker) off Fisherman's Beach

Mile Bouy (Yellow, Special Navigational marker)

Hythe Imperial Swimming area bouys (yellow special navigational markers)

Unless specified otherwise on the course board.

11. The Start

11.1 Races will be started by using rule 26 with the warning signal given 5 minutes before the starting signal.

11.2 The warning signal for each succeeding class shall be made with the starting signal of the preceding class. This Amends rule 26.

11.2 Rule 30 (Round the ends, black flag & Z flag rules) shall NOT apply.

11.3 Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area.

11.4 Start Lines: The Start will be a line will be extension of a line through the transit post marked on the race box window and a an orange transit post set up approximately 5 metres south of the flagstaff. An outer distance mark will form the outer limit of the line. Competitors MUST pass inside this distance mark.

11.5 A boat starting later than 10 minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start. This changes rule A4.1.

12. Change of the Position of the Next Mark

12.1 No change in the position of marks will be made after the start of the race.

13. Penalty System

13.1 720° Turns Penalty, rule 44.1 & 2 will apply.

13.2 The Scoring Penalty, rule 44.3, will not apply.

13.3 Appendix N will apply. - Under rule N1 the Protest committee's designated observers are the Rescue Boat Helm and Officer of the day.

14. Time Limit

14.1 Boats failing to finish within 45 minutes after the first boat sails the course and finishes will be scored Did Not Finish. This changes rules 35 and A4.1.

14.1 If no boat finishes 1 lap with in 45 minutes the race will be abandoned.

15. Protests and Requests for Redress

15.1 Protest forms are available in the club bar. Protests shall be delivered there within the protest time limit.

15.2 The protest time limit is 90 minutes after the last boat has finished the last race of the day. The same protest time limit applies to all protests by the race committee and to requests for redress. This changes rules 61.3 and 62.2.

15.3 Notices will be posted within 30 minutes of the protest time limit to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. Hearings will be held in the Club House beginning at 14:00 on the day of the race or with in 1 hour of the end of protest time.

15.4 Notices of protests by the officer of the day or protest committee will be posted to inform boats under rule 61.1(b).

15.9 Decisions of the jury will be final as provided in rule 70.4.

16. Declarations

Helms must sign a declaration before going afloat indicating that they have adequate insurance that they and there boat a suitable for the conditions and that they agree to abide by the rules, at least 15 minutes prior to the programmed start time. Helms must also sign a declaration after each race to indicate that the course has been sailed correctly and the sailing instructions obeyed. For races run from a committee boat the helm must also declare the number of laps completed. The time limit for declarations is 1 hour after finishing the last race of the day. Competitors who do not finish the race or retire must sign off DNF for that race.

17. Results and Scoring

17.1 Scoring will be by the RYA low points system for all series.

17.2 Results will be published on the club notice board, and on the club web site.

18. Prizes

18.1 Prizes will be awarded to the crews placing first, second and third in each series.

18.2 In addition prizes will be awarded for "Ladies Trophy" and a "Junior Trophy".

18.3 Prizes may be issued for special events during the Year.

HSSC Sailing Committee
Last Updated July 1, 2003