Half Marathon Instructions

Contents


1.0 Purpose
2.0 The Half Marathon Description
3.0 Rules
4.0 Indemnity
5.0 Eligibility
5.1 Entries
5.2 Registration
5.3 Substitution
5.4 Identification
6.0 Race Starting Times
7.0 Divisions
8.0 Course
8.1 Marks
8.2 Hand of the Course
8.3 Shortened Course
8.4 Finish Line
9.0 Changes in Sailing Instructions
10.0 Start Procedure
11.0 Required SailingTime
12.0 Compulsory Break
13.0 Postponement and Abandonment
14.0 Signing Off
15.0 Penalties
16.0 Protests
16.1 Protest Procedure
17.0 Points Score
18.0 Race Committee

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this instruction is to state the rules by which racing will be conducted.

2.0 The Half Marathon Description

The Sugarloaf Half Marathon is a long distance, half day event. The race objective is to have the best average lap time (yardstick corrected) for a series of laps completed over at least three hours. The course makes use of the available sailing area on the Sugarloaf Reservoir to produce a long course.

3.0 Rules

All races conducted by Sugarloaf Sailing Club Inc. are governed by the International Sailing Federation, ISAF rules and the prescriptions of Yachting Australia as modified by these Sailing Instructions here in.

4.0 Indemnity

All persons taking part in any Sugarloaf Sailing Club activity do so at their own risk and responsibility. The Club, its members, or those persons assisting the Club will not be responsible for damage to other yachts, nor damage caused by Club patrol boats or any other boats assisting in rescue/patrol duties, or in any other circumstances or manner whatsoever. The Club is not responsible for the seaworthiness of a yacht whose entry is accepted, nor to the sufficiency or adequacy of its equipment. Attention is drawn to Fundamental Rules Part 1, which states in part [41] DECISION TO RACE "A boat is solely responsible for deciding whether or not to start or to continue racing".

5.0 Eligibility

Eligible yachts are those, which comply with the measurement requirements of their relevant Class Association. Skippers may be asked to provide proof of measurement compliance to be eligible for a placing.

5.1 Entries

As per race Notice of Race

5.2 Registration

All competitors shall register at regatta headquarters of Sugarloaf Sailing Club between 0830-1330 hours on the day of the race. SIGNING ON: - Completion of the registration sheet shall be deemed to be the "Sign-On" sheet for the race. SIGNING OFF: - All skippers who have completed the designated course or who have retired from the race are to sign off as soon as practicable after finishing and not later than half an hour after the finishing of the last yacht. Any yacht retiring from the race or not completing the designated course correctly is to mark Did Not Finish [DNF] alongside their signature. Any failure to sign off within the prescribed time will be deemed as Did Not Compete [DNC].

5.3 Substitution

There shall be no substitution of boat, sails or helmsperson to that shown on the registration form. Crew may be substituted as required. Failure to observe this clause will result in disqualification.

5.4 Identification

All boats must have sail numbers clearly displayed in accordance with class rules.

6.0 Race Starting Times

There shall be one start. The start will be at approximately 13:45 hours. The warning signal to race will be displayed at approximately 13:40 hours

7.0 Divisions

The use of Divisions will depend on the number of competitors.

8.0 Course

  • The course will be as shown on the race information board at the beach shelter. Sailing is strictly confined to those areas shown on the map on the race information board, the illustration is a guide only and shall not take precedent over the map on the race information board. Particular care shall be taken NOT to sail into the NO SAILING areas, as immediate disqualification may apply. From their start, competitors will continue laps of the course until the Required Sailing Time has elapsed when they will complete the lap they are on keeping all marks of the course on the correct hand.
  • Boats must pass through the course gate on each lap and for laps other than the finish or the break, round the proper handed course gate mark, either port or starboard as indicated by the start boat flag.
  • When the course mark gate is the first mark of the course to be rounded, the first lap commences at that rounding, otherwise the first lap commences at the start line.
  • Laps are completed on each subsequent rounding of the correct course gate mark.

8.0.1 Prohibited Passages

Boats shall not pass between a yellow or white mark and the nearest part of the mainland.

8.1 Marks

Marks of the course and rounding buoys will be yellow, blue or orange buoys located approximately as indicated on the map of the lake on the race information board. Sailing is strictly confined to those areas shown on the map. A course gate of two buoys, one coloured red and the other green, shall be positioned in the vicinity of the beach, which boats shall pass between at the commencement and completion of each lap of the course. If continuing on to a further lap, the boat shall round the appropriate mark of the course gate (depending on the hand of the course) and the passing through the course gate shall constitute both the completion of the previous lap and the commencement of the current lap.

8.2 Hand of the Course

A flag signifying the hand on which the marks are to be rounded (green for starboard hand, red for port hand) will be displayed on the Committee Vessel from at least five minutes prior to the start until ten minutes after the start.

8.3 Shortened Course

If required, the race may be shortened by reducing the time limit. This will be displayed by a Committee boat flying the Code "S" flag.

8.4 Finish Line

The finish line shall be an imaginary line between the buoys of the course gate. Any boat having finished shall keep clear of the finishing area and shall not re-cross the finishing line and shall not interfere with any boat finishing.

9.0 Changes in Sailing Instructions

    Changes in instructions shall be displayed on the Race Information Board and will be signalled by flying Code Flag "L". Oral instructions will not be given. Information sessions may be held but nothing said at such sessions shall take precedence over the Sailing Instructions, or is admissible as evidence at any protest hearing.

10.0 Start Procedure

  • The start line shall be a line between a start boat and an orange mark. The start boat will be positioned at the starboard end of the start line.
  • A code flag "I" displayed from the start boat shall require all yachts crossing the starting line within one minute of their start shall be required to round either end of the starting line prior to starting. All start signals will be made from the start boat. Times shall be taken from visual signals and failure or mistiming of a sound signal shall be disregarded.
  • Five minutes prior to the first start a WARNING SIGNAL, being the numeral flags 1,2,3,4 & 5 will be hoisted.
  • Four minutes prior to the first start the PREPARATORY SIGNAL, code flag "P", will be hoisted indicating four minutes to the first start
  • One minute prior to the first start the PREPARATORY SIGNAL, code flag "P", will be lowered indicating one minute to the first start
  • The START SIGNAL for the first start will be the lowering of the numeral flags 1,2,3,4 & 5
  • The committee boat will remain in the starting position for at least 10 minutes.
  • When one of the marks of the course gate is the first mark of the course to be rounded after the start, a 'C' flag shall be flown from the start boat.
  • Any boat not in the current start division, including any boat that has started and rounded the first mark of the course but not including a boat that is preparing to start, shall keep clear of the start line while a Start is in progress.
  • Any boat not involved in the current start shall not impede in any way a boat that is in the current starting division and shall have no rights over any such boat.
  • Penalty - A boat may take a two turn penalty when she may have broken either of the two rules above. Penalties are to be taken in accord with 21.2 and 44.2 of the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing. If a boat may have broken either rule prior to her start she shall take the penalty after starting and before reaching the first mark of the course.

11.0 Required Sailing Time

The required sailing time for the half marathon is 3 hours from the start plus the time taken to complete the lap being sailed at the expiration of that time. The expiration of the required sailing time may be signalled with a Club burgee at the Common Mark Gate.

12.0 Compulsory Break

  • There shall be no compulsory break.

13.0 Postponement and Abandonment

  • The Race Controller may POSTPONE the race, due to unsuitable weather conditions, or for any other reason and will signal the postponement by hoisting the Answering Pendant on the start boat. The Warning Signal will be made one minute after the Answering Pendant is lowered, or the race may be re-sailed shortly thereafter or at a later date.
  • The Race Controller may, due to unsuitable weather conditions, or for any other reason, ABANDON before completion, the race and will signal the abandonment by hailing all competing yachts from the start, or from the rescue boat(s). An abandoned race may be re-sailed shortly thereafter, or at a later date.

14.0 Signing Off

  • All skippers that have completed the designated course or have retired from the race are to sign-off as soon as practicable after finishing.
  • Any yacht retiring from the race, or any yacht not completing the designated course correctly or for an infringement of the rules, is to mark "DNF" alongside their signature. Any yacht signing on but not starting is to sign-off and mark "DNC" alongside their signature.
  • Yachts failing to sign-off before thirty minutes after the last yacht finishes shall be given a DNF (without protest).

15.0 Penalties

Alternative penalty. The 720-turn penalty [Rule 44.21 shall apply for an infringement of Part 2 of the ISAF Racing Rules.

16.0 Protests

Any protest lodged will be heard only at the discretion of the Race Committee, which shall comprise at lease one member of the Sailing Committee. Any decision of the Race Committee will be final. Right of appeal will be denied.

16.1 Protest Procedure

A protest is required to:
  • Include such particulars as required by ISAF Racing Rules and be lodged with the Race
  • Controller within thirty minutes of the Race Controller being informed.
The Protest committee appointed by two or more members of the Sailing Committee will conduct hearings in accordance with ISAF Racing Rules,

The Race Controller may disqualify a yacht, without a hearing, for failing to start correctly, or penalise a yacht (DNF) for failing to sail the correct course or finish correctly.

17.0 Points Score

Placing will be calculated on corrected average lap times determined as follows:

(Time/Individual Laps) X (100/VYC Yardstick) = Corrected Average Lap Time

18.0 Race Committee

The Race Committee for this event will be the Marathon Event Committee as appointed by Sugarloaf Sailing Club Executive Committee, which may delegate the authority for the conduct of a race to a particular Race Controller nominated for that purpose.

Document Contol

Revision History

Revision No.Revision DateNature of Amendment
1Jan 2017First Issue
sugarloaf standard web