Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club (SHYC)

Eastbourne RNLI Regatta

2009
Notice of Races
Sailing Instructions
2008

2009

29, 30 & 31 August
10.30am until 11.30pm
AT THE WATERFRONT & SOVEREIGN HARBOUR YACHT CLUB

It’s that time of year again when the Eastbourne RNLI Regatta gets taken out of the cupboard, antifouled and polished and set up for another weekend of merriment and frivolity! This year it’s pretty much the same… but it’s a little bit different! It’s the same because it’s all the same fun as other years - there’s live music, racing, kayaking, rowing, dinghying, eating, dancing and apparently there’s a little bit of drinking thrown in there too! It’s a little bit different this year because it’s all been centred in and around the Club – the Regatta’s out grown the site at the locks so it’s been shipped over to us. It’s an ideal venue and also because of the move there's a bit more space to have even more stuff going on! There's a fun fair being set up in the car park, a beer tent and a local produce stalls - these are some of the things you can find near the club. The All Weather Lifeboat will be over at the Waterfront and open for everyone to climb aboard and explore… so bring the kids, in fact bring the adults too... there's loads going on every day for the entire family!

Please be aware that over this weekend there are restrictions on entry into club so the event will be a ticket only event – even if you’re a member of the club. Tickets cost £7.50 per person (£4 for kids) but that's an absolute bargain considering that the ticket will give you entry into the club, you'll be able to see the bands and it will also get you a very supper too! Please don't let that deter you - profits from the whole weekend will go to Eastbourne Lifeboat and will go to help with costs of maintaining the both our lifeboats and training the crews.

If you want to go a bit posh this year and make a real occasion of it then, as always, there are VIP tickets available. For the price of £15 per person you can sit down as relax as your supper is served to you by the Eastbourne Sea Cadets in the comfort of the Royal Sovereign Suite. For tickets please contact Eastbourne Lifeboat Station.

There's also a few rumours going about that Stormy Stan’s dancing boots are making a return… so beware! Tickets are available from the Harbour Office, from the club or from Eastbourne Lifeboat Station.

Please, please come along and support Eastbourne Lifeboats… if nothing else party on down for charity!

Power boat event
Yacht racing each day
Fishing boat race
Rowing boat racing (Book your team places now Saturday 11am)
Tender Olympics
Lifeboat open to the public 10.30am to 4.30pm on all three days
Food and dancing on all three nights
Afternoon entertainment
Live bands
Fair ground rides on all three days
Dinghy & Kayak tryouts
A limited number of free berths are available for participants
Evening tickets available now from

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea
_{Registered in England andWales (209603) and Scotland (SCO37736).
Charity number CHY 2678 in the Republic of Ireland}

Notice of Races

FOUR RACES OVER THREE DAYS FOR EACH FLEET
First starts will be at 1100 on Sat & Sun and 1030 on Mon
Trophies will be awarded for each day - overall results count towards EASTBOURNE RNLI TROPHY

Racing for IRC, PY and Classic classes*
The low point scoring system will apply; all races to count

The Regatta is open to all cruisers; a handicap will be allocated on entry if necessary.

ENTRY FEE - £15 PER RACE OR £35 FOR ALL THREE RACES

Entertainment, a bar and hot food will be provided each night at Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club.

A limited number of free berths are available for those visiting yachts taking part in the
Regatta. Please complete relevant section on entry form - book early to avoid disappointment.

ALL PROFITS WILL GO TO EASTBOURNE RNLI

Racing will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) and the prescriptions of the RYA, the Portsmouth Yardstick scheme as set out in YR2, the Notice of Race and these sailing instructions. ISAF Offshore Special Regulations for Category 4 or recognised one design classes will apply.

Sailing Instructions and any amendments will be available on the Eastbourne Lifeboat website, at SHYC and at Signing On. Signing on for helmsmen will be at the Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club, Sovereign Harbour between 0830hrs and 0930hrs each day. It is only necessary to sign on once for the regatta.

Please complete the entry form available on the website to pre-enter.
If you cannot download or have any queries please contact: Maggie Macdonald 01323 643951 or Mark Robinson 07973 506081

*Classic fleet – “easy” courses for yacht and crew who are inexperienced racers and have no spinnaker.

2008

View the photo gallery

Sailing Instructions

1. RULES

2. CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

2.1 A boat is entirely responsible for her own safety, whether afloat or ashore, and nothing, whether in the Notice of Race or Sailing Instructions or anywhere else, reduces that responsibility.

2.2 It is for the boat to decide whether she is fit to sail in the conditions in which she will find herself. By launching or going to sea, the boat confirms that she is fit for those conditions and her crew is competent to sail and compete in them.

2.3 The boat is required to hold adequate insurance and in particular to hold insurance against third party claims in the sum of at least £2 million.

2.4 Nothing done by the organisers can reduce the responsibility of the boat nor will it make the organisers responsible for any loss, damage, death or personal injury, however it may have occurred as a result of the boat taking part in the racing. The organisers encompass everyone helping to run the race and the event, and include the organising authority, the race committee, the race officer, patrol boats and beachmasters.

2.5 The provision of patrol boats does not relieve the boat of her responsibilities.

2.6 For a yacht to be eligible to race it shall conform to “Category 4” of the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations OR comply with safety regulations of the relevant one design Class Association or which the skipper must be a registered and paid up member; and either have a Portsmouth Yardstick which may be allocated by the Race Committee or a current IRC Certificate which shall be available for inspection by the Race Committee.

2.7 Distinguishing Numbers: Sails must carry clear distinguishing numbers as required in respective Class Rules. Under exceptional circumstances, and providing that the class rules allow, the race committee may permit a yacht to use sails carrying a distinguishing number other than that required by RRS77.

2.8 Signing on: A representative from each yacht intending to race shall sign on for the Regatta at the Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club on Friday evening between 18.00 and 19.00. Or from 08.30 to 09.30 on Saturday morning There is no need to sign off from each race. .

3. CLASSES

IRC1 and 2
PY
Classic (open to inexperienced crew who do not usually race and have no spinnaker)

4. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS

Notices will be posted on the notice board at the Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club or given over the radio on Channel 72. Race officer’s call sign/committee boat will be notified to competitors also on channel 72. Competitors will be called up as “Lifeboat Regatta fleet”.

5. CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Any changes to the sailing instructions will be posted before 0930 on the day it will take effect, except that any change to the schedule of races will be posted by 2000 hrs on the day before it will take effect. Changes in the sailing instructions will be indicated by displaying International Code Flag L at Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club or on the committee boat and notified over the radio if possible.

6. SCHEDULE OF RACES

Start sequence will be as RRS 26.
Saturday Race 1
11.00 (IRC)
11.05 (PY and Classic)

Sunday Race 2
11.00 (IRC)
11.05 (PY and Classic)
Race 3
Asap after Race 2 with start sequence as above

Monday Race 4 (possibly an offshore course from the line start in SI 11.2)
10.30 (IRC)
10.35 (PY and Classic)

7. CLASS FLAGS

The Class Flags will be: IRC1 Numeral Pennant 1
IRC2 Numeral Pennant 2
PY Code Flag G
Classic Code Flag F

The handicap split between IRC1 and 2 will be notified by Friday at 19.00. All yachts racing shall display their relevant Class flag from their backstay. Failure to do this may result in disqualification from the race.

8. RECALLS

Recall procedure will be as RRS rule 29. If the black flag is used (RRS 30.3), offending yacht(s) may be notified over the radio and their number(s) may be displayed on the committee boat. Offending yacht(s) must leave the course area immediately.

9. COURSES

9.1 The courses will be in the area of the “chartlet” with these sailing instructions for most races. (See 10 below for possible variation to area)
9.2 The course to be sailed will be notified over the radio by the committee boat on channel 72 before the warning signal.
9.3 When a boat fails to comply with RRS Rule 28, the race committee may record her as “did not sail course” and score her a DNF.

10. MARKS

Course marks will be inflatable marks or fixed marks. Details of course marks (and their positions if they are not visible) will be notified to competitors prior to the warning signal. A map of the area “chartlet” (not to scale) is with these instructions and shows the fixed marks and their positions. The Royal Sovereign Light Tower and other fixed marks may be used the position of which are marked on nautical charts of the area.

11. THE START

11.1 Races will be started by using rule 26.
11.2 The starting line is defined as the line between the orange flag on the committee boat and the nearby port end starting mark. [If conditions are such that a committee boat start is not possible then a line start will be used between the Outfall mark off Langney Point and orange triangles on groyne 89 near the treatment works on the beach.] Competitors will be notified via radio or in the lock if a line start is to be used.
11.3 An inner distance mark may be laid adjacent to the committee boat. This is a mark of the course and boats must not pass between it and the committee boat.
11.4 Yachts whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area.
11.5 A boat starting later than fifteen minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start. This changes rule A4.

12. THE FINISH

12.1 The finishing line will be a line between a blue flag on the committee boat and a mark.
12.2 In the event of a shortened course the finishing line will be either as in 12.1 above or between the staff of a boat displaying International Code Flag S with the relevant class flag and a nearby rounding mark. [If a line start is used the finish line will be notified when the course is announced]. Shortened courses may be notified by radio to Lifeboat Regatta fleet plus the name of the class shortened.

13. PENALTY SYSTEM

As provided in RRS 67 the race committee may, without a hearing, penalise a boat that has broken RRS 42.

14. TIME LIMIT

The time limit for all races shall be 3.5 hours for the leading boat for Races 1, 2 and 3 and 5.5 hours for Race 4 if it is an offshore race. Any boat not finishing within 1 hour of the leading boat for Races 1, 2 and 3 and 1.5 hrs for Race 4 (if it is an offshore race) will be scored DNF. This alters RRS 35 and A4.

15. PROTESTS

15.1 Protests shall only be made on the official protest form available at reception.
15.2 The protest time limit is 2 hours after the last boat has finished the last race of the day.
15.3 On the last day of the event a request for reopening a hearing shall be delivered:
(a) within the protest time limit 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 of the decision on that day.
This changes RRS 66.

16. SCORING

16.1 The Low point scoring system RRS Appendix A will apply; all four races will count towards overall trophies.
16.2 Results will be shown using abbreviations as detailed in Appendix A11, scored as follows:
DNC - points equal to number of boats signed on for the event in each class.
DNS, OCS, DNF, RAF - points equal to number of boats that came to the starting area plus 1.
BFD, DSQ, DNE, DGM - points equal to number of boats that came to the starting area plus 5
RDG – redress given as determined by committee

17. SAFETY REGULATIONS

17.1 If flag Y is flown ashore rule 40.1 applies
17.2 A boat that retires from a race shall notify the race committee as soon as possible.

18. RADIO COMMUNICATION

A competitor shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats. This restriction also applies to mobile telephones.

19. PRIZES

There will be prizes for the first IRC1, IRC2, PY and Classic class presented each day; and series winners and an overall winner presented on Monday evening. Other prizes will be awarded at the discretion of the Race Committee.