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Shanklin Sailing Club, Hope Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, PO37 6EA   •   contactus@shanklinsailingclub.com   •   01983 721264
Next high tide: Tue (3.62m)

Sailing Instructions

Sailing Instructions - 2024

These sailing instructions are for races run at Shanklin Sailing Club. They do not affect Dart 15 Association events.

  1. Races will be sailed under World Sailing rules, prescriptions of the RYA, the rules of the class concerned, except where modified by these sailing instructions.
  2. The course or courses will be displayed at least 15 minutes before the start signal. However, if the course needs to be changed, this will be conveyed by the Hon. Starter to all participants before the 5 min start signal.
  3. Start times for the races are:
    Tuesday 5 minute 1355; start 1400
    Thursday: 5 minute 1855; start 1900
    Sunday: 5 minute 0955; start 1000
    The race officer may start the race up to 15 minutes early if the fleet is ready.
    Subsequent races will follow as soon as possible after the end of the first race.
    A change of race from the fixture card can be altered with 7 days’ notice given on the Club blackboard adjacent to the course board and/or Shanklin Sailing Club website (www.shanklinsailingclub.com).
    In the event of concerns for safety before the day of the scheduled race (including but not limited to weather or helm experience), a race may be postponed and rescheduled with no notice at the discretion of the Vice Commodore and either the President or one other member of the committee.
  4. Handicapping is to the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick, SCHRS (Small Catamaran Handicap Rating System) or SSC where appropriate. Any boat owner who doubts the SSC handicap offered should contact the Vice Commodore who has the power to change the handicap rating.
    A novice is defined as not having won a cup in the Club for the previous 3 years
    A junior is defined as not being 18 at the start of the membership year, i.e. 1st January.
  5. The start line is a transit between the triangle and post at the starter's hut and the telegraph pole adjacent to the South East Beach Cafe. The start outer limit is a buoy approximately 100 yards to seaward and an inner mark some 40 yards inside this as close to the transit as possible.
    The Finish line is drawn between the post on the starter's hut and the start outer limit buoy.
  6. The time limit for a race is 2 hours. All finishers must cross the line within 30 minutes of the time of the lead boat and within two hours of the start of the race.
    The race will be abandoned if the lead boat does not get to the first mark within 35 minutes. However, the 35 minute rule does not apply for any race where the first mark is not an SSC buoy.
  7. The points scoring system is as shown on the SSC website, and will be used for internal club series.
  8. Life jackets or buoyancy aids must be worn by all personnel afloat (in this context a wet suit does not constitute a buoyancy aid).
  9. A second sound signal at the start is to inform all helms that one or more boats were over the line at the start. It is the responsibility of all helms to ensure that they start correctly.
  10. Should the race officer decide to shorten the course, Int. Code flag 'S' will be displayed from the Starter Hut (blue square central on white background) and 2 sound signals will be given.
  11. Penalties at the time of an incident
    A boat may take a two-turn or if multihull one-turn penalty after getting well clear of other boats as soon after the incident as possible with one turn in the same direction and include one tack and one gybe.
  12. Written protests must be handed to the ROOD within the time limit of 1 hour of the finish, accompanied by a fee of £1 which is refunded unless the protest is judged frivolous. The ROOD will advise the Vice Commodore who will select an unbiased officer to chair and for a protest committee, to sit in judgement as soon as practicable. Other Club members not involved in the protest, are encouraged to attend protest meetings, but may not interrupt.
  13. A minimum of two boats shall constitute a race. However, races in the Odds and Ends series may be competed by one boat provided another race is being contested at the same time. In the event that only one boat is competing in the Odds and Ends race, the helm will be awarded average points.
  14. Every attempt will be made to have the results ready within 15 minutes of the last boat home.
  15. No scheduled racing under the Burgee of the Shanklin Sailing Club will take place unless there is a patrol boat on the water and manned prior to the start of the race. The patrol boat should be on the water ten minutes prior to the Starting Sequence ie: 5 or 10 Minute Horn.
    Before a scheduled race can take place, the OOD (in the Start Hut) and the patrol boat driver(s) have to be satisfied the conditions are suitable before racing can commence.
    The safety of a boat and its entire management including insurance shall be the sole inescapable responsibility of the owner/competitor racing the boat. The establishment of these Sailing Instructions in no way limits or reduces the complete and unlimited liability of the owner/competitor.
    The Vice Commodore has the right to disqualify any boat from racing if it is thought to be unseaworthy. The owner/helm shall be asked to satisfy the Vice Commodore (or other Flag Officer) that the boat conforms to class buoyancy conditions as defined by the General Committee.
  16. Attention is drawn to World Sailing rule:
    “Every yacht shall render all possible assistance to any vessel or persons in peril when in a position to do so."
    Any competitor seen disregarding this rule will be disqualified.
  17. Compulsory equipment to be carried on board:
    Personal buoyancy for all persons in the boat.
    A paddle or praddle
  18. If any club member is required to do a sailing duty they shall be given 3 points for that race or races. Sailors assisting other sailors shall be awarded 3 points at the discretion of the Vice Commodore. If any member is representing the club at an away fixture they will be given average points for that series.
  19. These sailing instructions may be altered for any race by a written notice shown on the course board up to 15 minutes before the 5 minute gun of the race for which they are to apply.
  20. To qualify for any of the Club’s trophies at the end of the season, the helm must be a paid up member of the club and all boat fees paid in full.
  21. The Race Officer is the nominated deputy to the Vice Commodore for the duration of the race; he is therefore the only on-shore person who is protestable. Any aid given to the ROOD by any other persons (e.g. an Hon. Starter) does not remove the responsibility from the ROOD. Before a race, the Vice Commodore or Flag officer may define the weather conditions as unsuitable for racing. Unless rescinded that decision means that no racing under the Burgee of Shanklin Sailing Club may take place that day.
  22. Members' Responsibility
    A member is entirely responsible for his/her own safety, whether afloat or ashore, and nothing whether at the club or in the Sailing Instructions or anywhere else reduces this responsibility.
    All members of the Shanklin Sailing Club who keep a boat in the boat park and/or who take a boat afloat must have up-to-date third party insurance for at least £2m. Any member without such insurance will automatically invalidate their Shanklin Sailing Club Membership. (Comprehensive cover is advised).
    It is up to each person to decide whether they are fit to sail in the conditions which they find themselves. By launching or going to sea, the boat confirms that they are fit for those conditions and the crew is competent to sail and compete in them.
    Nothing done by the club can reduce the responsibility of the member, nor will it make the club responsible for any loss, damage, death or personal injury, however it may have occurred.
    The Club encompasses everyone helping to run the race and including the race management, Club committee and the patrol boat.
  23. Dart 15 catamarans without fixed cocktail cabinets whose average hull weight is less than 32.5kg shall carry correcting weights so that the combined weight of the two hulls and correctors is not less than 65kg. Dart 15s with hulls weighing on average more than 32.5kg shall not be required to add correcting weights.
  24. Boats may have any form of buoyancy fitted or attached to the mast or to the top section of sails. The buoyancy may not be shaped so that it may be used for propulsion.
  25. Replica sails made by Hyde Sails may be used on Dart 15 catamarans.
  26. If a course is shortened after mark W for a finish on the club finish line, it shall be taken that the most direct route through the finish line is that which does not change the original direction of rounding.
  27. At the discretion of the Race Officer boats still racing in a single class fleet race may be scored as their observed position on the course. When a boat is scored in accordance with this instruction, she shall be given a score for a place after all boats that have sailed the course and finished. This changes RRS 35, A4 and A5.
    Boats may be finished by shortening course at the defined finish line. Positions will be decided taking the number of completed laps into account.
    Boats that are still racing and ahead of boats finished early and have not retired fromthe race, but subsequently fail to finish, shall be awarded the average of the points for places available to them had they finished. This changes RRS A5.2.


Shanklin Sailing Club
Hope Road
Shanklin
Isle of Wight
PO37 6EA

contactus@shanklinsailingclub.com

01983 721264
Shanklin Sailing Club burgee

Shanklin Sailing Club burgee
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