These General Sailing Instructions shall be applied together with the Specific Event Sailing Instructions for the Puget Sound One-Design 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 clubhouse at Shilshole or submitted via mail, fax (206) 789-5896, or through the web site www.cycseattle.org/reg_form.html.
RULES
Races will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing ('RRS'), (see amendment)
the prescriptions of US SAILING, the rules adopted by local one-design fleets,
these sailing instructions, and any sailing instructions specific to a particular event.
In case of conflict, such specific instructions shall govern. 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 90 minutes before the first race in which it will take effect. Code flag "L" will be flown from the clubhouse flag staff to notify competitors of such change.
RESPONSIBILITY
4.1 The skipper of each boat is responsible for any unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of his or her crew. If 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.
SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
Signals made ashore will be displayed from CYC clubhouse flag staff. When flag "AP", the postponement signal, is lowered after having been displayed ashore, all contestants shall proceed promptly to the starting area.
SAFETY
6.1 Competitors in centerboard boats shall wear a life jacket or flotation garment other than a wet suit or dry suit at all times when racing. Between November 1 and April 1, competitors in centerboard boats shall wear a wet-suit or dry-suit in addition to a life jacket.
6.2 Boats shall not cross the tow line of a commercial vessel, and boats shall not sail a course that causes a commercial vessel to change course or speed.
6.3 Competitors needing help shall signal by waving an open hand. A wave of a closed fist will be interpreted to mean help is not needed.
6.4 A boat that leaves the racing area before finishing or before the last race of a day shall notify the race committee. Racers may notify CYC personnel at the clubhouse if they are unable to notify the race committee on the water.
6.5 Boats shall give way to large vessels in the marina channel.
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
8.1 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 buoy. The first letter displayed is the starting buoy, the last is the finishing buoy, and those in between are the rounding marks.
8.2 Mark descriptions and locations are inside the back cover of this book.
8.3 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.
8.4 Gate at leeward 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 leeward 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.
8.5 Warning: The race committee may use its engine to hold position, and it may do so even when apparently anchored.
8.6 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) 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 as described in RRS rule 44.2. 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.
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
10.1 Races will be started in accordance with RRS rule 26.1, System 2 (see note).
However, the interval between starting signals will be THREE minutes. This
changes RRS rule 26.1.
10.2 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 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.
10.1 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 | 6 minutes |
| Preparatory | Blue | 1 sound | 3 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.
10.2 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
11.1 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.
11.2 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 line. 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.
11.3 When a class is restarting as a result of a general recall, rule 30.1 will be in effect. The "I" flag will not be raised. During the last minute before such a start, the race committee may hail the sail numbers of boats that are over the line.
PROTESTS
12.1 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.
12.2 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. If the protested boat elects to acknowledge breaking a rule, she should notify the protest committee chairman so that the hearing can be canceled. This changes RRS rule 63.1.
SCORING
13.1 Boats score points as follows: 1 for first place, 2 for second, 3 for third,
etc. Boats that do not finish, retire or are disqualified score points equal to
the number of boats that raced in their class in that race plus one. Boats that
do not start score points equal to the number of boats that raced in their class
in that race plus two. This modifies A2.2 A4.2 of Appendix A of the RRS.
13.2 For Weekend Regattas, Spring and Fall Weekend Series : A boat's
series score is the sum of her points in all the races, except that, if five to
nine races are completed, her poorest score will be discarded when
determining her series score, and if ten or more races are completed, her two
poorest scores will be discarded. This modifies A2.1 A2 of Appendix A of RRS.
13.3 For Thursday Evening Series: For every five races completed there will
be one discarded score. This modifies A2.1 A2 of Appendix A of the RRS.
13.4 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 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.
BOAT STORAGE
Unless notified to the contrary, competitors must make their own arrangements for boat storage.