------------NOTICE OF RACE:-------------

One Race, Wednesday Evening Format
May 13th, 2009
Race Fee: $40.00
ENTRIES & QUESTIONS TO:

Greg Graham, Fleet Captain
38 Shirley Road
Waltham, MA 02452
781.258.7696, e-mail: gtgraham@rcn.com

STARTS: First warning signal at 1815, start in the vicinity of the Boston Waterboat Marina mooring area south of Commercial Wharf.

COURSES: Course diagrams in PDF format will be available for download from the CYC web site no later than 7 days prior to the event.

In the event that the number of registered boats exceeds 40, or the commercial traffic (LNG tanker) within the harbor prove to be disruptive, racing may be moved to the vicinity of the YN “E” buoy adjacent to the Presidents Roads with all efforts being exercised to bring the finish into the harbor just off the VOR village.

TIME LIMITS: First yacht - 2045, all others yachts 2100.

CLASSES & SCORING: There will be a maximum of three classes (A, B, C), which will be based on PHRF rating. Awards will be given for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place in each class if there are a sufficient number of entries.

A current PHRF certificate is required. Yachts may sail each race either as "racing" or "cruising" per their certificates. The RC will monitor channel 69.

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES: Following the race we will be gathering at the Volvo Village and Fan Pier complex for an after race party and awards ceremony. Cash bars for food and drink will be available.

Limited access to the adjacent moorings at the Boston Harbor Sailing Club is also available, Contact them on VHF Channel 10, with launch service to Fan Pier provided. Skippers are encouraged to make arrangements in advance

Please refer to the www.cycboston.org web site where additional information will be posted.




----------SAILING INSTRUCTIONS:-----------

Constitution Yacht Club in conjunction with the VOR organizers Fan Pier Boston, will be sponsoring a Wednesday Evening format race in Boston Harbor on May 13th, 2009.

The start/finish line will be between a committee boat and an inflatable orange pyramark. The location of the start area will be broadcast on channel 69 starting at 1745

The Race Committee will monitor VHF 69 after approximately 1745 hours; channel 16 and 13 will also be monitored, per USCG requirements, for commercial intership safety communications. All racers should monitor channel 69 for announcements, changes, over early, abandonment etc.

No yacht may start a race without having first registered. The fees are $40.00.Sailing Instructions and Registration Forms may be downloaded from the CYC web site, www.cycboston.org and will be available at the Constitution Marina offices of Bay Yacht Brokerage or from the Fleet Captain.

A current year's PHRF certificate will be required to participate. If assistance is needed obtaining a PHRF certificate, contact Brian Sullivan, Fleet Handicapper, or any member of the Race Committee.

The Racing Rules of Sailing will govern the races, except as noted in these Sailing Instructions. The ISF Racing Rules of Sailing for 2009-2012 and the US Sailing Prescriptions thereto may be downloaded from the US Sailing web site, www.sailing.org.

This race is intended to be a friendly and fun event for both the racers as well as the spectators in the Volvo Village and the CYC Board and Race Committee expect each skipper to have a thorough knowledge of the Racing Rules of Sailing and adhere to them strictly. Attention is called to RRS Rule 14, requiring a boat to avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible, and the last sentence of Rule 44.1, requiring a boat to retire if, as a result of breaking a rule, she caused serious damage or gained a significant advantage in the race or series. In addition the CYC Board and Race Committee expects that the skipper of any boat which causes damage to another boat in an incident which he/she could reasonably have avoided and/or as the result of breaking a rule shall reimburse the owner of the damaged boat for the reasonable cost of repair either directly or through his/her insurance carrier.

CLASSES & SCORING:

There will be a maximum of three classes (A, B, C), which will be based on PHRF rating. Awards will be given for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place in each class if there are a sufficient number of entries.


Yachts may sail each race either as "racing” (spinnaker) or "cruising” (non-spinnaker) per their certificates. If yachts choose to race non-spinnaker they must claim so with the Race Committee boat no later than 5 minutes before the race starting sequence. If yachts do not claim non-spinnaker they will be assumed to be in the “racing” category and will be rated accordingly. Yachts may not change their rating, e.g., spinnaker to non-spinnaker, during the race. Yachts using spinnakers may only deploy them after crossing the starting line.

The RC will monitor channel 69 and may place a "Keep Away Buoy" at her stern, at the skipper's discretion. Any contact with this buoy will result in disqualification for that race.

CYC recognizes that US Sailing has issued a prescription requiring the wearing of flotation devices at the start and finish of offshore races as well as at all other times unless directed otherwise by the vessel's captain. In view of the fact that our Wednesday night races are conducted within Boston's Inner Harbor, the decision as to whether a yacht's crew must wear flotation devices during these races shall be left to the individual yacht's captain. No protest of such a captain's decision will be allowed.

PROTESTS

Skippers are urged to familiarize themselves with Part 5, Section A of the rules governing protests, including, but not limited to, hailing the offending yacht and flying a red protest flag. If the offending yacht is beyond hailing distance, she may be informed by a transmission on channel 69. The protesting yacht shall notify the RC by transmission on channel 69 as soon as possible after a foul is committed if it is not immediately cleared by the offending yacht, and shall confirm the information to the RC after finishing and before leaving the finish area. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in the disallowance of a filed protest.
Following the race those involved in a protest should file their paperwork immediately. Hearings will be held at 2000 or as close to that time as possible.
Racers are discouraged from filing frivolous or belligerent protests. Rule 69.1, "Gross Misconduct", is hereby modified. A hearing by the protest committee to consider the conduct of a yacht will be required when she has any combination of three protests disallowed or upheld to her disadvantage in any CYC sponsored race during the year.

Rule 44.2 requiring a 720-degree penalty turn is changed to a 360-degree penalty turn.

STARTING SEQUENCE
The starting signals shall be in accordance with The Racing Rules of Sailing #26. Classes A, B and C will have separate starting sequences. All yachts not in sequence shall keep clear of the start area.

WARNING for class C will be at 1815: One sound (preceded by four short blasts)

PREPARATORY will be at 1816: One sound

ONE MINUTE: will be at 1819: One long sound


START will be at 1820: One sound

Any yacht over early must restart. The RC will make one sound signal and fly the “Xray” flag, and will attempt to recall individual yachts on channel 69, but the burden to restart is on the offending skipper.

WARNING signal for class B shall be made with the starting signal of class C at 1820

PREPARATORY will be at 1821: One sound

ONE MINUTE: will be at 1824: One long sound


START will be at 1825: One sound

Any yacht over early must restart. The RC will make one sound signal and fly the “Xray” flag, and will attempt to recall individual yachts on channel 69, but the burden to restart is on the offending skipper.

WARNING signal for class A shall be made with the starting signal of class B at 1825

PREPARATORY will be at 1826: One sound

ONE MINUTE: will be at 1829: One long sound

START will be at 1830: One sound

RACING

The use of government buoys is with the permission of the Port Captain, USCG. We round all marks to PORT for traffic separation and convenience. Everyone must obey the United States Department of Transportation Inland Rules of the Road. These rules apply to all vessels. There is no special consideration for yachts involved in racing. We race in all weather, except official GALE warnings and/or when the visibility is reduced to less than two miles, per USCG requirements. Navigation lights should be used after sunset and during times of reduced visibility.

COURSES

Course diagrams will be available for download from the CYC web site no later than May 6th and from the committee boat prior to the start.

TIME LIMITS

If no yacht finishes by 2045 the race will be abandoned. If a yacht finishes within this time limit, the time limit for all other yachts will be 2100. Yachts not finishing by then will be scored "did not finish".

SOCIAL

Following the race we will be gathering at the Volvo Village and Fan Pier complex for an after race party and awards ceremony. Cash bars for food and drink will be available.

Limited access to the adjacent moorings at the Boston Harbor Sailing Club is also available, Contact them on VHF Channel 10, with launch service to Fan Pier provided. Skippers are encouraged to make arrangements in advance.