Racing Rules

Racing Rules

  1. It is the responsibility of the sailors to put safety first and to observe the Sailboat Right-Of-Way rules shown on the next page. No attempt will be made to enforce the full set of ISAF rules.

  2. Coast Guard approved life jackets are required to be present and must be worn during early season races due to the dangers of cold water, particularly during the Syttende Mai race. Thermal protection is strongly recommended for May sailings.

  1. The committee boat is there to start the race and provide safety assistance; it is not there to enforce rules nor determine the winner. If assisting a capsized boat, its job is to assist people not the boat. Any attempt at boat “righting” is strictly at the request of the boat’s captain and secondary to personal safety as well as race officiating.

  1. To sail the course pass through the start/finish gate on all laps and counterclockwise around windward marks, keeping the marks to port. The race is begun to windward. The start/finish gate is one of the course markers on intermediate laps; pass between the gate buoys from the direction of the previous mark and round either gate buoy to start a subsequent lap.

  1. If any part of a boat or crew is on the course side of the starting line when the start flag is lowered, it is necessary to sail to the pre-start side of the line before starting the race.

  1. Hitting a start/finish gate buoy or a course marker buoy on any lap requires a penalty. The penalty is one complete 360-degree penalty turn rounding one of the buoys, including one tack and one gibe. There is no penalty for hitting a buoy anchor line.

  1. For the Olympic course, lapone is a triangle course and laptwo is a windward/leeward lap.

  1. A boat finishes when any part of a boat (or crewmember in a normal sailing position) crosses the start/finish line from the direction of the last turning mark (assuming the entire boat crosses the line). After finishing, boats must keep clear of boats that have not finished.

  1. If bad weather develops, the committee boat will stop the race by sounding the “Siren” of the megaphone, flying the BURGEE FLAG and hailing boats.

  1. For the “fun” races, there is no protest provision. Boats generally are not carrying protest flags and the committee boat operator may not be familiar enough with the racing rules to be involved in a dispute. Contact club officers to lodge a complaint.

  1. The committee boat does not police who’s in the race. It is not necessary to be a LKSC member to be sailing in the race, but club membership is encouraged.

  1. Be aware that there is a lake hazard with high voltage power lines that cross where the lake flows into the Yahara River near Kegonsa State Park. Another hazard is shallow water denoted by three white markers in Barber’s Bay.

  1. Sailing in the races is done entirely at your own risk. These rules and the Sailboat Right-Of-Way Rules on the next page form the basic safety rules, but the Lake Kegonsa Sailing Club, Inc. will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after a race. Individuals need to resolve any liability issues amongst themselves.

Sailboat Right-Of-Way Rules

On Opposite Tacks

When boats are on oppositetacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.

On the same Tack, Overlapped

When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.

On the Same Tack, Not Overlapped

When boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, a boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead.

While Tacking

After a boat passes head to wind, she shall keep clear of other boats until she is on a close-hauled course. During that time the above three rules do not apply. If two boats are subject to this rule at the same time, the one on the other’s port side shall keep clear.

Avoiding Contact

A boat shall avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible.

Overlapped Near a Mark

When boats are overlapped the outside boat shall give the inside boat room to round or pass the mark or obstruction, and if the inside boat has right of way the outside boat shall also keep clear.

Helping Those in Danger

A boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger.

(These rules are quoted from ISAF 2001 Rules 1, 10-14 and 18. For LKSC Summer Series “fun” races, there is no attempt to enforce all ISAF rules.)