1 General Rules
Racing will take place under the current ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), the prescriptions of the RYA, these sailing instructions, and the appropriate class rules. The General Rules and Constitution of Sully SC shall also apply.
THE OFFICER OF THE DAY (OOD) SHALL HAVE THE SOLE DISCRETION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT ANY SCHEDULED RACING SHALL TAKE PLACE
...and shall have given due regard to the weather conditions, sea state, and whether the Safety Boat can be launched and recovered without damage. No scheduled races will take place if the Safety Boat cannot be launched.
THE OOD's DECISION IS FINAL AND SHALL NOT BE CHALLENGED BY ANY OTHER MEMBER.
2 Notices to Competitors
Notices will be posted on the sailing notice board in the clubhouse. Postponed or abandoned race details will be displayed on the sailing notice board. Postponed Trophy races may be sailed as conditions permit in lieu of subsequent races or on allocated trophy reserve fixtures. Advance notice of the sailing of such a postponed trophy race will be made by email and displayed on the sailing notice board. (RRS 81 is hereby amended).
3 Changes in Sailing Instructions
Changes will be posted on the sailing notice board prior to the launch of the Safety Boat.
4 Signals made ashore
Signals will be displayed above the clubhouse balcony (race office).| Signal | What you will see and/or hear | When |
| Advance Notice | Two lights flashing and repeated horn short duration | Approx 1 minute before warning signal |
| Warning | One light and single horn | 5 minutes before start |
| Preparatory | Two Lights, single horn | 4 minutes before start |
| One Minute | One light, single horn | 1 minute before start |
| Start | No lights, single horn | At start |
| Individual Recall | One light, single horn | Just after start if applicable |
| General Recall | Two lights, double horn | Just after start if applicable |
| Shorten Course | Two lights, double horn | As the leading boat passes penultimate mark |
| Finish | No lights, single horn | As each boat finishes |
| Race Abandoned | One light flashing and repeated horn | - |
| Sailing Abandoned | Two lights flashing and repeated horn - long duration | All boats to come ashore |
5 Schedule of Races
Races will be conducted in accordance with the current SSC Programme, which may be amended by the committee from time to time. Competitors should check the sailing notice board or Club website.
6 Racing Area
All scheduled races will be held in Sully Bay except for the Long Distance Races and Round the island Races (Commodore's Cup). Buoys will not be laid beyond a line between Sully Island and Hayes Point in order to avoid racing in the stronger tide.
7 Courses
Courses will be set by the OOD and displayed on the sailing notice board before the launch of the Safety Boat prior to the day's racing. The marks (as described below) will be shown diagrammatically as will the route and direction of the course. . The maximum number of laps to be raced will also be indicated. Long distance races will be set by the OOD on the day of the race and described appropriately on the sailing notice board.
Changes to the course may be made after the launch of the Safety Boat but, if so, every effort will be made by the OOD or Safety Boat Coxswain to inform all competitors of such change of course.
8 Marks
The marks to be used will be the permanent yellow start buoy and temporary orange club buoys. A flag buoy will occasionally be used as a start mark but will not be a mark of the course after the start.
9 The Start
The normal club starting line is the projection of an imaginary line formed by the apex of the Club House and the permanent yellow start buoy. A flag buoy may be used to make the start perpendicular to the first leg of the course in certain wind directions. In this case the line will be between the flag buoy and the yellow start buoy. The flag buoy will not be a mark of the course after the start and where possible will be removed after all boats have started. Where a race is delayed beyond its scheduled start time the lack of any start signal shall be accepted as a postponement signal. In the case of a protracted delay the OOD, through the Safety Boat, shall attempt to inform competitors verbally. Race start times will be delayed only to allow those who are on the slipway or in a queue to launch five minutes before the start time of the race, to launch before the warning signal.
10 Recalls
If a small number of boats are over the line (and it is clear to the race office which boats are over) an Individual Recall will be notified by means of one light and one sound signal. Flag X will not be flown. If more boats are over the line, and it is not possible for the race office to ascertain who is over the line, a General Recall will be indicated (2 lights and 2 sound signals). The First Substitute will not be flown. Where the start is between the flag buoy and yellow start mark the Safety Boat will attempt (if not otherwise engaged in Safety Duties) to be in a position to see who is over the line and maintain radio contact with the race office.
11 Finishing
The Club Finishing Line will be the same as the normal club starting line (i.e. a projection of an imaginary line formed by the apex of the Club House and the permanent yellow start buoy). The course may be shortened by sounding two horn signals and displaying two lights when the first boat to be finished passes the last mark before the finish (the lights will remain on until all boats have finished). All boats will be subsequently finished regardless of the number of laps sailed and the results will be worked out on an average lap basis. The helmsman of any boat that has retired from a race shall inform the OOD at the first reasonable opportunity.
12 Time Limits
Races will normally be planned to last approximately 40 minutes. Where the first boat has not completed a lap in one hour the race will be abandoned and no results will be counted. Where a boat fails to finish within 30 minutes of the first boat they will normally be deemed to have retired. If they have already completed one lap they may be allowed (at the discretion of the OOD and Sailing Secretary) to count the last recorded time and number of laps if that doesn't give them an unfair advantage over boats which finished. If the race is not shortened and last boat is well behind, the OOD with the agreement of the helm may allow the boat to finish prematurely and award last place.
13 Protests
Competitors intending to protest must inform the OOD in person at the first reasonable opportunity. The protest in writing must be lodged no later than one hour after the last boat in the race has finished.
14 Eligibility
Races are open to all current Sully SC members. Guests or other visitors may take part in races at the discretion of the OOD, provided they have the insurance as required by the club general rules (and on payment of a fee where applicable) but their results will not be counted unless the races are advertised as Open (e.g. the Regatta). Club Trophies, unless specifically designated otherwise, may only be held by full club members. No substitute for OOD or Safety Boat duty will be accepted in order to take part in club races. Any results gained in this way will, subject to protest, be liable to disqualification by the Race Committee.
15 Series Scoring
The number of races to count on any series will be half the number of races sailed rounded down to the next whole number. Club members performing OOD or Safety Boat duty will be eligible to score average points for their races sailed for up to two races in a series, which coincide with their duty.
These rules are still DRAFT at 27th October 2009 and subject to approval at the next Annual General Meeting