SAMPLE SAILING INSTRUCTIONS FOR SANCTIONED LIGHTNING CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTAS

This regatta is organized by the (insert fleet or district if applicable)  International Lightning Class Association, in conjunction with (insert name of club or regatta committee affiliated to a national authority), and has been sanctioned in accordance with the bylaws of the ILCA.

The regatta will be governed by the following rules, except as modified by the sailing instructions and notices:

C) (Insert if desired.) Prior to the preparatory signal of the first race of each day, each boat is required to check in with the RC boat on starboard tack giving her (sail or bow number) and to receive a clear signal of acknowledgment.

Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted before _______ on the day it will take effect, except any change to the schedule of races will be posted by___________ on the day before it will take effect.

When flag AP is displayed ashore, '1 minute' is replaced with ' not less than_________ minutes' in race signal AP.

(Date, time of warning signal for race one of each day and the maximum number of races to be sailed should be indicated.)

On the last scheduled day of the regatta no warning signal will be made after____________.

(Provide a description of the racing area or provide an attachment showing its location.)

(Describe and designate by letter or number all possible courses that will be used. An attachment could be provided in addition or instead.)

All marks will be left to port, except when there is a gate boats shall sail between gate marks from the direction of the previous mark and round either gate mark.

New marks, as provided in instruction 11 will be________________.

No later than the warning signal the race committee signal boat will display the approximate compass bearing from_________________ to mark 1.

Races will be started using rule 26 with the warning signal given five minutes before the starting signal. (In large fleets with long lines a "heads up" signal prior to the warning signal is recommended and may be added here,)

A boat starting later than___________________ minutes after her starting signal will be scored DNS. This changes rule A4.1

To change the position of the next mark, the race committee will lay a new mark (or move the finishing line) and remove the original mark as soon as practicable. The change will be signaled before the leading boat has begun the leg, although the new mark may not yet be in position. Any mark to be rounded after rounding the new mark may be relocated without further signaling to maintain the course configuration. When in a subsequent change the new mark is replaced, it will be replaced by an original mark.  

When the course is shortened at a gate,  a race committee boat near the gate will display flag S. Boats shall finish by sailing through the gate from the direction of the previous mark. The finishing line will be between the gate marks. This changes race signal S.

The penalties are as described in rules 44.1, 44.2 and 44.4, except if penalty occurs when an infringing yacht has its spinnaker drawing at the time of the infringement, drops it completely below the gooseneck while taking her penalty and resets it and has it drawing after the penalty, the penalty is one turn of 360 degrees instead of two, This modifies rule 44.2.

A boat that has taken a penalty or retired under rule 31.2 or 44.1 shall complete an acknowledgment form at the race office within the protest time limit.

As provided in rule 67, the protest committee may, without a hearing, penalize a boat that has broken rule 42.

a. RACE -  Time limit shall be three and one-half (3-1/2) hours. If no boat completes four legs (or three legs in the case of windward-leeward course) within two hours and ten minutes (2:10), the race shall be abandoned and, if possible, resailed.

Boats failing to finish within___________________ minutes after the first boat sails the course and finishes will be scored DNF. This changes rules 35 and A 4.1.

b. REGATTA - All regularly scheduled, abandoned, or postponed races not started by _____ on ________________ shall be abandoned, the regatta terminated and scored on the basis of the race or races sailed.

A race will be deemed to have started by the deadline if the original start is within the deadline, regardless of subsequent recalls.

Protest forms are available at the race office. Protest will be delivered there within the protest time limit.

The protest and redress time limit is________________ minutes after_____________. The same protest time limit applies to all protests by the race committee. This changes rules 61.3 and 62.2.

Notices will be posted within thirty minutes of the protest time limits to inform competitors of hearings which they are parties or named as a witness.

Notices of protests by the race committee will be posted to inform boats under rules 61.1(b).

A list of boats that have acknowledged breaking rule 42 or have been disqualified by the protest committee will be posted before the protest time limits.

For the purpose of rule 64.3(b) the 'authority responsible' is the measurer appointed by the organizing authority.

On the last day of the regatta to request for reopening a hearing shall be delivered:

A. Within the protest time limits if the party requesting reopening was informed of the decision on the previous day;

B. No later than 30 minutes after the party requesting reopening was informed to the decision on that day. This change is rule 66.

b. Each boat finishing in a race and not thereafter retiring or being disqualified will be scored points equal to her finishing place, as follows: first boat scores 1 point, second boat scores 2 points, and so on. "DNC", "DNS", "DNF", and "RAF" score points equal to one more, and "OCS", "DNE","BFD", and "DSQ" score points equal to two more than the number of boats eligible to start in any race of the series. "RDG" scores points equal to the finishing position awarded her after a hearing for request for redress.

(c) Each boat's total score will be the sum of her scores for all races, (This sentence shall be modified to note the provision for exclusion of the worst race, if applicable).

(a) Boats which tie in a single race shall score points equal to the best position involved. The position(s) immediately after shall remain vacant (if two boats tie for first place, both are scored I point, and the next boat to finish scores 3 points). This paragraph modifies rule A7.

(b) When there is a tie on total points between two or more boats at the end of a series, the tie will be broken in favor of the boat or boats with the most first places, and, when a tie remains, the most second places, and so on. When a tie still remains, it shall be broken in favor of the boat which beats the other(s) in the last untied race of the series. All races, including those possibly excluded in calculating total scores in accordance with paragraph 16c. shall be considered for the purpose of breaking ties. This paragraph modifies A8.2.

A boat that retires from a race shall notify the race committee as soon as possible.

Substitution of competitors will not be allowed without prior written approval of the race committee. (You may want to describe the permitted circumstances or leave it up to the race committee.) (We have wording for this that we should use.)

Substitution of damaged or lost equipment, except safety equipment, will not be allowed unless approved by the race committee.

A boat or equipment may be inspected and any time for compliance with the class rules and sailing instructions. On the water, the boat can be instructed by race committee measurer to proceed immediately to a designated area or inspection.

SUPPORT BOATS: Team leaders, coaches, and other support personnel shall stay outside the racing area (defined as 100 meters outside the lay lines of the course including the start area) from the start of the first race to the finish of the last race of the regatta unless otherwise designated in the Sailing Instructions. Individual competitors may not use support boats at any time during the regatta unless such support is available to all competitors or is authorized by the organizing authority. The penalty for failure to comply with any of these requirements may be disqualification of all yachts associated with the infringing support personnel.

Boats shall (not) be allowed to be haul-out during the regatta. (If hauling-out is not allowed provisions should be made for exceptions.)

No radio communications are allowed. This restriction also applies to mobile phones and other forms of electronic communication.

Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at a their own risk. See rule 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.

Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third party liability insurance with a minimum coverage of_____________ or the equivalent.

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