2008 WMYA Championship Regatta
August 6,7,8,9, 2008
Muskegon Yacht Club, Muskegon Michigan
Sponsored by Grand Rapids Yacht Club
Sailing Instructions

1. Rules

1.1 - The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing.
1.2 - Boats shall be subject to their Class Rules, except as noted in the Notice of Race (NOR), the Sailing Instructions (SI), or any Additional Sailing Instructions (ASI).
1.3 - For the E Class and the Melges 17 Class, RRS 44.1 and 44.2 are changed so that only one turn including one tack and one gybe are required.
1.4 - Rule 30.3 Black Flag Rule has been replaced with the WMYA black flag rule. Following the display of the Black Flag [WMYA version,] no part, of a boats hull, crew, or equipment shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark, during the minute before the starting signal. The boat must restart by going around the ends of the starting line just like rule 30.1 [the around the ends rule] If the boat fails to make a proper start, she will be notified at the windward mark to retire from the race. There will be no notification from the race committee that the boat was OCS. If for any reason the race does not finish or is abandoned, all competitors who may have been initially disqualified are eligible to restart.
1.5 - Rule 41 Outside Help is modified so that the Butterfly, Optimist, and MC classes, who capsize, may receive outside assistance, without penalty, and may continue to race.
1.6 – Only one sail number may be used for each boat. Any changes must be approved by the race committee chairman.

2. Notice to Competitors

Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board at the Muskegon Yacht Club.

3. Changes to the Sailing Instructions

Changes to the Sailing Instructions will be posted before 0900 on the day it will take effect.

4. Signals Made Ashore

4.1 - Signals made ashore will be displayed on the flagpole in front of the Yacht Club.
4.2 - When flag AP is displayed ashore, it means that the race has been postponed. The warning signal for the next race will not be made less than 30 minutes after the AP is lowered. This alters RRS racing signals.

5. Schedule of Races

No warning signal will be made after 3.00 PM Saturday 8/9/08

6.  Class Flags

E Scow            Class Logo
C Scow            Class Logo
MC Scow          Class Logo
Melges 17        Class Logo
Butterfly          Class Logo
Laser               Class Logo
Optimist          Class Logo

7.  Courses

7.1 – Race Course Illustrations will be posted on the Official Notice Board
7.2 - No later than the warning signal, the race committee signal boat will display the courses and the approximate compass bearing of the first leg.
7.3 - An “Offset” mark may be set 90 degrees at a distance of approximately 50 yards from the windward mark.  In the event of a change of course, the offset mark might not be in place.
7.4 - Code flag “G” will indicate a gate to be used.  Boats shall sail between the gate marks from the direction of the previous mark and round either gate mark.
7.5 - MC Scows will use a gate mark for all races. No flag will be displayed. 

8.  Marks

8.1 – Laser, Optimist, and Butterfly marks will be yellow inflatables. Change marks will also be yellow inflatables.
8.2 - E scow, C scow, MC scow and M17 marks 1 and 2, gates and offsets will be orange inflatables.  Change mark for the windward mark will be a yellow inflatable and for the leeward mark will be an orange inflatable. Covers will be placed on marks not being used.
8.3 – A guard mark may be attached to the starting line signal boat. This mark is considered as an extension and part of the boat itself.

9.  The Start

9.1 - Races will be started by using rule 26, with the warning signal given 5 minutes before the starting signal.
9.2 - The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag, on the race committee boat at the starboard end of the line, and the port end starting mark.
9.3 - Boats whose warning signal has not been given shall avoid the starting area.
9.4 - A boat starting later than 10 minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start.  This changes Rule A 4.

10.  Individual Recalls

Individual recalls will be signaled in accordance with RRS 29.1. The race committee will endeavor to hail any boat recalled on VHF channel 73 and also by loud hailer.  Failure, to receive a hail, of a hail to be made, or the order of hails made, shall not be cause for redress. Radio calls will not be made for the Laser, Optimist, and Butterfly classes.

11.  Change of the next leg of the course

11.1 - To change the next leg of the course, the race committee will lay a new mark and remove the old one [or finish line] as soon as practicable.  When in a subsequent change a new mark is replaced, it will be replaced by an original mark.
11.2 - Course changes of less than 5 degrees may be made with no signal and no change of mark color. This changes RRS 33.
11.3 – If a decision has been made to shorten a course prior to beginning the final leg of the course, the race committee shall attempt to hail all competitors. Absence of a hail, or inability to hear the hail, shall not be cause for redress.

12.  The Finish

The finish line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the race committee boat and the nearby finishing mark.

13.  Penalty System

13.1 - In addition to the One turn penalty for the E Scow class and the Melges 17 class and the two turn penalty for the MC Class, C Class, Laser, Optimist, and Butterfly, any competitor may elect to take a scoring penalty by complying with RRS 44.3. The penalty score shall be the score for the place worse than a boats actual finishing place by a whole number equal to 20% [rounding 0.5 upward] of the number of boats entered in her class.  The competitor wishing to take a penalty must inform the protest notification boat and identify the other boat.  A boat that has taken a penalty under rule 31.2 [Touching a Mark] or 44.1[Penalties for breaking rules of Part 2] shall complete a penalty acknowledgment form at the race office within the protest time limit.
13.2 - A boat which does not comply with all parts of RRS 44.3 shall be given a penalty score for the place worse than her actual finishing place by the whole number equal to 40% [rounding 0.5 upward] of the number of boats entered in her class, without a hearing. This changes RRS A5.

14.  Time Limit

14.1 - Time limit for all classes is 2 hours.
14.2 - Boats who have not finished their race in 2 hours and 15 minutes will be scored points equal to the number of finishers plus 2 points.
14.3 - If no boat has passed Mark 1 within the 30 minute Mark 1 time limit, the race will be canceled.

15.   Protests and Request for Redress

15.1 - A boat intending to protest about an incident that occurs in the racing area shall notify the protest notification boat in the area after the finish line.  This boat will have a yellow flag with a black CHECK mark flying. This changes RRS 61.1a.
15.2 - Protest forms are available at the race office.  Protests shall be delivered there within the protest time limit.
15.3 - For each class, the protest time limit is 60 minutes after the last boat in the class has finished the last race of the day for that class. The same time limit applies to protests by the race committee and protest committee about incidents they observe in the racing area and to requests for redress. This changes rule 61.3 and 62.2.
15.4 - Notices will be posted within 30 minutes of the protest time limit, to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. Hearings will be held in the jury room located at the Muskegon Yacht Club beginning at the time posted on the notice.
15.5 - A protesting skipper must remain within call of the protest committee or, at the discretion of the protest committee, the protest can be disallowed. 

16.     Protest Arbitration

16.1   Rule 44 is modified to allow a boat either to take the penalty described in RRS 44.1, 44.2, and as modified by these Sailing Instructions while on the water or to take a 40% Scoring Penalty for a breach of a rule of Part 2 after the incident but prior to the protest hearing by acknowledging the infringement before arbitration or by accepting the opinion of the arbitrator.
After a protest has been lodged, one designated representative from each boat, who shall have been on the boat when the incident occurred, may appear together before an arbitrator appointed by the protest committee.  No witnesses shall be allowed. The arbitrator will have each party describe the incident, limiting each party to approximately two minutes.
After hearing the testimony, the arbitrator will express one of the following conclusions:
1) No rule was broken.  The protester has the option of withdrawing the protest.  If he decides to do so, he signs to this effect on the protest form.  The protest is then withdrawn and shall not be reopened or appealed.  If the protester does not withdraw the protest, it will be submitted to the protest committee in the normal manner.
2) A rule was broken by one of the boats involved.  The representative of the offending boat has the option of either accepting a 40% penalty or submitting the matter to the protest committee for a protest hearing.  If the penalty is accepted, the matter is closed and cannot be submitted to a hearing, be reopened, appealed or submitted for redress.
When protests are submitted to the protest committee, the arbitrator shall not be a member of the protest committee hearing the protest, but may be present in the protest committee room, and may be called as a witness.
16.2 - Application of the 40% penalty shall be calculated in accordance with rule 44.3, except that the penalty is modified to read 40%.

17.   Scoring

17.1 - The low point scoring system in Appendix A of the RRS will apply.
17.2 - There will be no throw out races.
17.3 - 2 races must be completed for a class to constitute a regatta. 

18.   Safety

18.1 - Each competitor, including skipper and crew, Parent or legal guardian, is ultimately responsible for such competitor’s safety.
18.2 - A boat that retires from a race shall notify a RC boat before leaving the racing area, or if that is not possible, notify a regatta official at Regatta headquarters immediately upon arrival on shore.
18.3 - Boats that are not leaving the harbor to race shall inform Regatta headquarters or a regatta official prior to the start of the first race of the day.
18.4 - A boat that breaks SI 18.1, SI 18.2, or SI 18.3 may receive without a hearing, a warning, a penalty or a disqualification. This changes RRS 63.

19.   Radio Communication

19.1 - A boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing, nor receive special radio communications not available to all boats.
19.2 – This restriction also applies to cell phones.

20.   Courtesy Broadcasts

A designated observer may report all visual signals displayed by the race committee on VHF channel 73.  Information provided is provided as a courtesy to the competitors and does not in any way alter the competitor’s responsibility to observe the Race Committees visual signals, which govern the conduct of the racing.  Errors or omissions on the part of the designated observer will not be considered as grounds for redress under RRS 62. Radio calls will not be made for the Laser, Optimist, and Butterfly classes.

21.   Prizes

Prizes will be awarded as described in the notice of race.

22.   Disclaimer of Liability

Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk, see RRS  4 decision to race. The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage, or personal injury, or death, sustained in conjunction with, or prior to, during, or after the regatta.

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