These General Sailing Instructions shall be applied together with the Specific Event Sailing Instructions for the Puget Sound Large Boat Racing Program. In case of conflict, the Specific Event Sailing Instructions govern.
REGISTRATION
To enter an event, submit a completed registration form and pay the appropriate fee. Registration forms can be hand-delivered to the CYC yacht club at Shilshole or submitted via mail, fax (206) 789-5896, or through the web site at www.cycseattle.org/reg_form.html.
RULES
Races will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing ('RRS'),
the prescriptions of US SAILING, these sailing instructions, and the specific
event sailing instructions for each event. In case of conflict between these
sailing instructions and the specific event sailing instructions for an event, the
specific event sailing instructions will govern. Also, as appropriate, the rules of
PHRF Northwest or the rules adopted by local one-design fleets apply. A boat may
not protest another boat for an alleged breach of RRS 75.2 with respect to
ISAF Regulation 21.1(b). This changes RRS 60.1(a). (deleted July 1, 2001 to comply with
the 2001-2004 US Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing.)
NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
Notices will be posted at the CYC Shilshole Clubhouse on the window next to the entrance door on the upper level. Any change in the sailing instructions will be posted at least 2 hours before the first race in which it will take effect. Code flag "L" will be flown from the clubhouse flag staff when such changes are made.
RESPONSIBILITY
4.1 The skipper of each boat is responsible for any unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of his or her crew. If punitive action is taken under RRS rule 69, Allegations of Gross Misconduct, it may result in a competitor being excluded from further participation in the CYC racing program.
4.2 Occasionally, sailboat racing has resulted in injury or loss of life. All competitors in CYC events participate at their own risk. It shall be the responsibility of the skipper to inform the crew of the risks of sailboat racing, to make sure they understand and accept those risks, to decide whether the crew is competent and adequate for the event, and to decide whether to start or continue in a race.
4.3 When a boat is notified that she has been selected for an inspection of required safety equipment, she shall report for and submit to the inspection.
SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
Signals made ashore will be displayed from the CYC clubhouse. When flag "AP" - Postponement Signal is lowered after having been displayed ashore, all contestants shall proceed promptly to the starting area.
SAFETY
6.1 All boats shall comply with the PIYA Category III equipment requirements. A PIYA form listing these requirements is available from the CYC office.
6.2 Boats with outboard auxiliary engines shall have their engine attached to its permanent mounting and ready for immediate immersion.
6.3 The Special Sailboat Safety Regulations apply. These can be found at the end of these Sailing Instructions.
6.4 A boat that breaks sailing instruction 6.1, 6.2, or 6.3 could receive a warning, be disqualified or not accepted in future competition, depending on the severity of her offense. This changes RRS rule 64.1(a).
6.5 A boat that leaves the racing area before finishing or before the last race of a day should notify the race committee. Racers may notify CYC personnel at the clubhouse if they are unable to notify the race committee.
CHANGES IN RATING
A change in a PHRF rating takes effect on the day it is recorded by the local handicapper. If a change in a boat's rating occurs during a series, then, for that series only, the boat shall continue to sail in the fleet in which she was sailing before her rating was changed, and she will be eligible for awards in that fleet. After the date on which the rating change takes effect, the boat's corrected time will be calculated using her new rating.
STARTING ORDER
Classes will start in the order in which class placards are displayed, reading from left to right and from the top line to the bottom line on the race committee boat readerboard. When a plus sign ("+") is displayed between two class placards, those two classes will start together at the same time.
COURSES
9.1 Each course will be signaled by a row of letters following the placards of the classes that are to sail that course. Each letter designates a mark. The first letter displayed is the starting buoy, the last is the finishing buoy, and those in between are the rounding marks
9.2 Course configurations, mark descriptions and locations are printed inside the back cover of this book. NOTE: The leeward marks may be either to windward and/or leeward of the committee boat.
9.3 Start between the starting buoy and the orange flag on the race committee boat. Pass each rounding mark in the order displayed and on the same side as the starting buoy. Finish between the finishing buoy and the orange flag on the race committee boat. When a number, such as "2" or "3", follows the designation of a course, it signals a multiple-lap course. Sail the course as many times as is indicated by that number, crossing the finishing line at the completion of each lap.
9.4 Gate mark: If flag "G" is displayed at the preparatory and the starting signals for a class, there will be a gate (two marks) instead of a single mark for that class, and boats shall pass between the two gate marks and then round either the port gate mark to port or the starboard gate mark to starboard.
9.5 Warning: The race committee may use its engine to hold position, and it may do so even when apparently anchored.
9.6 When boats are finishing after dark, the race committee boat may display a yellow/green beacon.
9.7 IMPORTANT RESTRICTION: After completing the first leg of the course, a boat shall not cross the line between mark F and the committee boat unless she is:
(a) finishing,
(b) completing a lap of a multiple-lap course (as indicated by a number following a designated course), or
(c) rounding the buoy end of the finishing line when such a rounding is required by the course for her class.
A boat that fails to observe this restriction may exonerate herself by making a 720° turn, just as she would to take a 720° penalty. This changes RRS rule 28.1. The finishing line is an obstruction for boats that are subject to this restriction. A boat that fails to exonerate herself will be scored DNF. Following is added, July 1, 2001: This changes RRS 61.1(b) and modifies A5 in Appendix A in the RRS.
SHIP CANAL RESTRICTED AREA
Boats shall not enter the area defined by the following three lines:
From the south end of the Shilshole breakwater northwestward to buoy C "1"
From buoy C "1" southwestward to buoy N "2"
From buoy N "2" southeastward to buoy N "4"
A boat that enters this area may not correct her error. This changes RRS rule 28.1. This area ranks as an obstruction.
POSTPONEMENT
If the warning signal has been made and, thereafter, flag "AP", the postponement signal, is displayed for less than 15 minutes, the preparatory signal will be made one minute after "AP" is lowered. This changes Race Signals "AP" in the RRS.
THE START
Changed July 1, 2001
Races will be started in accordance with RRS rule 26.1, System 2 (see note) at five
minute intervals unless otherwise stated in the specific event sailing instructions. For
the second and subsequent races of a day, the warning signal (yellow shape) may
be omitted and the course posted as late as the preparatory signal. (This
changes RRS rules 26.1 and 27.1.) When the warning signal is omitted, the
race committee may give a warning hail to the next class whose preparatory signal
is about to be made.
12.1 Races shall be started using the following signals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded.
| Signal | Shape | Sound | Minutes before Starting Signal |
| Warning | Yellow | 1 sound | 10 minutes |
| Preparatory | Blue | 1 sound | 5 minutes |
| Start | Red | 1 sound | 0 minutes |
Each shape will be lowered one minute before the next shape is raised, the starting signal for each class will be the preparatory signal for the next class. This changes RRS 26.
12.2 For the second and subsequent races of a day, the warning signal (yellow shape) may be omitted and the course posted as late as the preparatory signal. This changes RRS 27.1. When the warning signal is omitted the race committee may give a warning hail to the next class whose preparatory signal is about to be made.
RECALLS
13.1 Individual recalls will be signaled in accordance with RRS rule 29.2. The race committee will also try to hail the sail numbers of all recalled boats that it can identify. Failure to do so does not constitute grounds for redress.
13.2 General recall will be signaled by the display of the "First Substitute" flag and two horn signals. When a "General Recall" has been signaled, the starting signal remains displayed and becomes the preparatory signal for the next class and the recalled class goes to the end of the starting sequence. The clock continues to run in the starting sequence. The general recall signal will be lowered with the preparatory signal without a sound signal. This changes RRS 29.3 and Race Signals, "first substitute" in the RRS.
PENALTY FOR BREAKING A RULE IN PART 2 OF THE RACING RULES
The Scoring Penalty, RRS rule 44.3, will apply. The penalty will be three places.
PROTESTS
15.1 Weekend regattas: Protests shall be delivered to the race committee no later than one hour after the race committee boat docks. The schedule of protest hearings will be posted on the board along the west wall of the lower level of the CYC Shilshole Clubhouse shortly after the protest time limit. Posting is considered notice given as required by RRS rule 63.2 and satisfies the notice requirement of RRS 61.1(b). Hearings will proceed whether or not all boats are represented.
Protesting parties may be offered the opportunity to participate in voluntary protest mediation.
15.2 All other events and series: Protests shall be sent to the CYC office by mail with a U.S. Postal Service postmark date no later than the first weekday following the race in which the incident occurred or hand delivered before the end of office hours on that day. Parties to a hearing will be notified of the date, location and time of their hearing.
15.3 A protested boat may elect to acknowledge breaking a rule and to accept the appropriate penalty. In such a case, she should notify the protest committee chairman to that effect and the hearing may be waived. This changes RRS rule 63.1.
SCORING
16.1 PHRF corrected times will be calculated using the time-on-distance method, unless the Specific Event Sailing Instructions for an event specify the time-on-time method.
16.2 Boats score points as follows: 1 for first place in class, 2 for second, 3
for third, etc. Boats that do not finish, retire or are disqualified score
points equal to one more than the number of boats that raced in their class in
that race. Boats that do not start score points equal to two more than the
number of boats that raced in their class in that race. This modifies A2.2 A4.2
of Appendix A of the RRS.
16.3 A boat's series score is the sum of her race scores. However, if five or more races are completed, her poorest score will be discarded when determining her series score.
16.4 Ties will be resolved in favor of the boat with the most first places,
then second places, etc. If the tie is still unresolved, it will be resolved in favor
of the boat with the lowest score in the last race in which the tied boats
all started. This modifies A2.3
A8 of Appendix A of the RRS.
AWARDS
Corinthian awards will be presented for all events as indicated in the specific sailing instructions. The top finishers in each event will be announced in the Leadline and on the CYC web site. Personalized CYC engraved plaques for first, second and third place for each class will be available at the annual CYC awards party for those who order them.
MOVABLE BALLAST
A boat designed to use and constructed with equipment to pump on board, discharge and move water ballast may use that equipment, provided her PHRF rating assumes its use. This changes RRS rule 51.
SPECIAL SAILBOAT SAFETY REGULATIONS
Introduction: We must share Puget Sound with its commercial traffic, including many deep-water vessels and long tows. It is sobering to note that, if your boat is one mile dead ahead of a freighter coming down the Sound at normal speed, and the freighter's helm is put hard over to avoid you, the freighter's bow will miss you, but her stern will not! Obviously this implies that early and decisive action is required to keep your boat out of the path of a large oncoming vessel or tow.
Boats must not sail across a tow line, too close ahead or too close alongside of commercial traffic. Deep vessels have limited ability to change course and speed. Barges under tow can yaw unexpectedly well out to the side at speeds essentially the same as they are being towed. Recommendations for a safe distance (danger area) are at least 1/2 mile ahead and 1/4 mile to the side.
A boat in position where it may impede commercial traffic must exit from the "danger area" immediately, under auxiliary power if necessary. If power is used, it must be reported to the race committee at the finish line, and a written report must be lodged during protest time on a protest form showing the location, time, duration of power use, speed, direction of exit and that the competitive position of the boat was not improved. If the protest committee decides that a boat's competitive position was improved, they may impose a time penalty. IMPORTANT: In order to meet this requirement, your engine must be able to start promptly. If an outboard, it must be mounted and ready to start.
Commercial vessels are asked to hold their course and sound whistle signals the same as for restricted visibility (i.e., one prolonged blast or one prolonged and two short blasts when towing per 33 CFR 165.1301) at intervals of not more than one minute whenever they need more clearance for a safe passage. This allows the sailboat skippers to change course as required and makes possible a reasonable judgment of the commercial vessel's course even when obscured by sails of other sailboats.
Radar reflectors must be flown at all times when racing. They must meet IMO recommendations (i.e., of metal plates of sufficient rigidity to maintain 90 degree angle), not less than 12 1/2 inches in diameter and be installed not less than 4 meters (13 ft.) above the water.
Navigation lights must be shown between sunset and sunrise as required by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
Observed and/or reported violations of the safety regulations will be handled by the race committee with the exception that the race committee shall have the option of issuing a "warning" when deemed appropriate. Warnings are recorded and may be considered when judging any future reports. A boat may be disqualified without a protest hearing for infringing these safety regulations. This changes RRS rules 63.1 and 64.1(a).
The above safety regulations shall not be changed without coordination with other organizations involved, such as U.S. Coast Guard, Puget Sound Pilots, Washington State Ferries and Northwest Towboat Association.