GENERAL

  1. Guidelines for scheduling of sanctioned racing during the sailing season. Each sanctioned race or series will be identified on the published season schedule established prior to the start of each season by the Lake Kegonsa Sailors Club (LKSC) Race and Regatta Committee. In the schedule, the committee will give consideration to and be guided by the following sections:
    1. Sanctioned Classes
    2. Race Scheduling
    3. Trophies
    4. Race Administration
    5. Race Instructions
  2. These Sailing Instructions are to be reviewed and updated, if necessary, by the Race and Regatta Committee at least every 4 years coinciding with the new release of the US Sailing’s RRS.

A. SANCTIONED CLASSES

  1. At this time, the LKSC has only one sanctioned one-design class, the MC Class. All boats racing in the MC Class must comply with the MC Class Scantlings, Article XI – Specifications of Yacht.
  2. All other competitors are to be included in the “Open Class”.

B. RACE SCHEDULING

  1. The season championship series will be sailed each sailing season, consisting of a weekly Sunday afternoon race series.
  2. No races in the championship series will be held on dates prior to Memorial Day and races will generally continue on through September depending on the weather.
  3. The Race Committee will make every attempt to start 2 races (back to back) on race day. If additional races are held, only the first 2 races will be scored for the race series.
  4. Wednesday night fun race series and additional “fun” events may be scheduled throughout the summer such as the Pirate Race or Siren Sail and communicated out from the board of directors. While these Sailing Instructions are specifically applicable to the Sunday Race Series, all of these events will adhere to the US Sailing’s RRS.

C. TROPHIES

  1. Trophies will be awarded at the Club’s annual meeting at the discretion of the board.
  2. The Open class championship trophy will be awarded to the competitor with the lowest points for the Sunday Series. It will be presented by the Race and Regatta Committee.
  3. Special trophies for the One-Design class(es) may be given out by the Fleet Captain(s).
  4. Trophies not permanently won must be returned to the Race and Regatta Chair by October 15. All engraving, polishing and repair required to bring the trophy up to date or to original condition are the responsibilities of the owner of the boat. If the trophies are not returned in presentable conditions the required work will be done at the cost to the owner of the boat last presented.

D. RACE ADMINISTRATION

  1. Race & Regatta Committee (RRC): This committee shall administer the entire LKSC sailboat racing activities.
  2. This committee shall be organized as follows:
    • Race and Regatta Chair – Appointed by the LKSC Board of Directors and is published on the website.
    • Scoring Official – Appointed by the R&R Chair
      • Responsibilities include:
        • Obtain current racing year fleet rosters from LKSC Board to be used to build initial scoring spreadsheets.
        • Retrieve score cards after each race to assure that all cards for the week are completed and delivered by the race committees. Consult with daily Principal Race Officer (PRO) to correct discrepancies on score cards.
        • Enter scores into scoring spreadsheets, determine throw-outs, determine applied penalties, print score sheets, and publish on the LKSC web site. The goal is to have the scores published on the web site no later than the Tuesday after the weekend’s racing.
        • Keep all scorecards until the end of the season in order to resolve any reported scoring discrepancies.
        • Deliver all scorecards and final race results to each Fleet Captain at the end of the season so they can complete the scripts used in the LKSC Trophy Presentation. Each card has the correct race trophy included.
        • Refer all conflicts or issues to Race and Regatta Chairman for resolution and implement R&R decisions as needed.
    • Race Committee – For each sanctioned race shall consist either 1) a PRO in charge thereof, together with the Timer, Signal person, and others who make up the Race Committee, or 2) in the case or a self-start race, the PRO will act also as the timer and signal person.
    • Fleet Captains – Elected by fleet
      • Responsibilities are:
        • Improve the quality of sailboat racing at the LKSC. To schedule and promote participation in events and activities aimed at making certain, to the minimum extent possible, that all the boats in the fleet are efficiently equipped and rigged, and properly tuned. Schedule classes or events aimed at improving the helmsmanship, crewing and racing tactics, including an understanding of the Racing Rules.
        • Provide timely communication as needed to the R&R chair and members of the fleet on all relevant matters. Fleet communication may be by email or test messaging.
        • Recommend to the Race Committee whether to cancel, postpone or proceed with a scheduled race under marginal racing conditions. The final decision is the responsibility of the Race Committee.
        • Organize and conduct fleet meetings to discuss fleet business. The Fleet Captain shall be elected by the members of the fleet for a term of one year. At the same election the fleet shall elect an assistant Fleet Captain to assist with the fleet duties. It shall be the design that the assistant Fleet Captain will move up to the Fleet Captain position the next year if the fleet members so vote. Election for the next year shall be held near the end of the sailing season.
        • Coordinate the publishing of fleet reports and activities to the LKSC Marketing and Communication Committee.

E. RACE INSTRUCTIONS

  1. RULES
    1. All LSKC sponsored races will be governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 2021-2024 as amended, the prescriptions of United States Sailing Association, the rules and bylaws of the LKSC, the International MC Class Sailboat Racing Association and by these Sailing Instructions.
    2. The race instructions and rules specified here apply to all Sunday races sponsored by the LKSC for its members. In sanctioning and conducting races neither the LSKC nor any of its agents assumes in any manner any responsibility or liability whatsoever for participating boats, their crews or their guests. “Participants agree to his/her responsibility for safe and proper operation and welfare of other boaters and persons. Participants understand and agree to indemnify and hold harmless the LSKC, including the PRO, judges, officials, its Board of Directors and employees from any and all claims for loss of damage to property or injury, including death, to persons, including the participants themselves resulting from the participation in any sailing event.”
  2. CONDUCT – We expect members to act in a respectful manner towards other competitors, Race committee, safety personnel and spectators. Any conduct deemed detrimental either on or off the racecourse may result in penalties up to and including disqualification from the race series.
  3. BOAT RACING NUMBERS – Boat owner will be responsible for ensuring that their sail has a number on it that is readable by the race committee. Any changes to racing numbers during a sailing season will require that the boat owner make the change clear to the race committee.
  4. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS – Notices to competitors will be sent via e-mail and/or text messaging including a race Go/No Go text. Competitors are responsible to sign up for these communications on the website. Additional communication may happen but the club is not obligated to do so.
  5. CHANGES IN THE SAILING INSTRUCTIONS – The LKSC Race & Regatta Committee may change the Sailing Instructions with written notice and communicated to the entire membership.
  6. SCHEDULE OF RACES – Race schedules and starting times are published on the LKSC website. Generally, one season series will take place, Sunday afternoons starting at 3:00 pm. Times are subject to change and will be communicated as such.
  7. RACING AREA – The racing area will be the waters of Lake Kegonsa as determined by the PRO of the day.
  8. SAFETY
    1. LKSC guidelines for racing wind limits is a measured sustained 5-15 mph, with gusts not exceeding 25 mph. The final call based on weather conditions is made by the Race Committee.
    2. LKSC recommends all participants should wear PFDs. Each competitor, including all skippers and crew, and in the case of a minor, his or her parents and/or guardian, is ultimately responsible for such competitor’s personal safety.
  9. THE RACE COURSE
    1. The course shall generally be a windward-leeward, up and down and displayed with large capital letter “W” by the committee boat. Along with the Letter “W”, a corresponding number shall be displayed for how many windward-leeward laps shall be sailed in a given race. Generally, a W1, W2 or W3 course will be used. Race Committee also has the choice to set up a triangle or Olympic course per course diagram. Every attempt will be made to communicate the day’s course in the “Go/No-Go” text. In the case of a self-start race, the course will be identified via VHF radio or hailing.
    2. LEEWARD GATES (two marks) shall be used on windward/leeward courses in championship races 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. The gates should be approximately twice the length of all boats participating. This will be estimated by the Race Committee.
    3. STANDARD COURSE DIAGRAMS (See LKSC course descriptions) Compass headings may be used by the Race Committee and windward mark heading posted on whiteboard.
    4. MARK CHANGES will generally not be made during the season races, but may be changed between races at the Race Committee’s discretion.
  10. MARKS – LKSC buoys shall be used as marks of the course. These are bright colored buoys.
  11. LENGTH OF RACE & TIME LIMITS
    1. In each championship race, the following time-based race guidelines will be used to determine race length. In addition, each fleet will have a MAXIMUM time limit as shown. Class Guideline:
      • Class MC Scow 45 Minutes race length target, with a 60 Minute maximum time limit.
      • Open Class 45 Minutes race length target, with a 60 Minute maximum time limit.
    2. If a race is shortened by the Race Committee in order to comply with the maximum time limit, Race Committee will adhere to RRS 32.2.
    3. The LKSC Race Committee will utilize the “Bart Rule” aka “Grand Prix Rule” in order to minimize the time between races. In this rule, all boats will finish on the same lap as the lead boat and will be given their position.
  12. THE START
    1. The starting sequence will be as follows:
      Minutes before start Visual and Sound Signal
      5:00 Warning Class Flag (Red) up: 1 sound
      4:00 Preparatory 4 I Flag (Blue with white square in the center) up: none
      1:00 Preparatory flag down: 1 long sound
      0:00 Start Warning Class Flag (red) down: 1 sound
    2. The starting line will be between the two leeward gate buoys. Signals will be made from the race committee signal boat stationed on the starboard side of the starting line.
    3. RRS 30.1 is modified in that the one-minute “Round the Ends” rule will be in effect on all starts. This means that a boat over the line during the minute before the start must sail to the pre-start side of the line around either end before starting.
  13. RECALLS – There will be no recalls in effect. The Race Committee will attempt to hail any boats over the starting line early. The competitor will then be responsible to go back and circle around the outside of one of the leeward gate marks and not obstruct any other competitors whilst doing so. Once the competitor circles back around the starting line, they will be considered having started the race and will have rights accordingly.
    Note: Such announcement is a courtesy and failure to hear it shall not constitute grounds for redress. Whether hailed or not, it is the responsibility of each boat to make a proper start.
  14. ABANDONMENT, POSTPONEMENTS, AND RESCHEDULING OF RACES
    1. Every effort will be made to complete the races as scheduled. If a race in the season championship series is abandoned, an attempt to re-schedule the race may happen, but the LKSC is under no obligation to do so.
    2. If the remaining schedule prevents sailing of a make-up race in accordance with this procedure, the fleet captain shall contact the Race & Regatta Chairman to determine appropriate action.
    3. RRS 32 is expanded to provide that the Race Committee may abandon or cancel a race in progress when a change in weather conditions has, in its judgment, made the race an unsatisfactory test of skill or unsafe.
    4. The starting signal of a race may be postponed for any period of time.
  15. THE FINISH – The finishing line will typically be a downwind finish between the 2 leeward gate buoys. In the event of a windward finish, the finish will be between the windward mark and the committee boat which shall be anchored to the starboard of the windward mark.
  16. PROTESTS – At this time, no formal protests will be part of season racing on Lake Kegonsa. In lieu of a formal protest, potential RRS offenses should be discussed at post-race gatherings and used as a learning opportunity by all present.
  17. SCORING
    1. The Low Point Scoring System, Appendix A of the RRS, will apply. Each boat’s total score will be the sum of her scores for all races.
    2. Each starter which does not finish a race shall be credited with the number of points corresponding to one place worse than the number of boats which started the race, but in no event shall the number of points be greater than that which would be assigned to the boat which does not start.
    3. Each registered boat which does not start a race, or which is disqualified for committing a breach of the rules other than RRS Rule 2, 42 & 67, shall be credited with the number of points corresponding to one place worse than the number of registered boats which competed in the series.
    4. When a boat changes ownership during the season, any points accumulated by the boat therefore in a series shall be credited to the original owner.
    5. In computing the total points accumulated for each boat in the Season Championship series for all classes, points for the poorest races, one for each four races finished by its fleet, including DNSs, DSQs, and DNFs can be eliminated from the score, aka “throw outs”.
    6. A redress score will be given to any racer participating as Race Committee. The redress score is equal to the average score of the races the racer actually raced, after throw outs if applicable. A maximum of 2 redress scores will be given to a competitor per season.
  18. RADIO USE
    1. VHF radio may be used as a one-way communication vehicle by the Race Committee to the competitors.
    2. The only communication devices that may be used by the competitors when racing are as follows: a) a weather monitor, b) a radio tuned to receive only RC transmissions that are intended for all boats and c) a cell phone that may be used for emergency purposes only. Except for race management or emergency purposes, no transmissions shall be made to the RC or other person when racing.
    3. Improper use of communication devices i.e. team racing, unsportsmanlike conduct, etc. may result in race disqualification.
    4. Designated channels: Main Course: Channel 72