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Stern Chaser Instructions
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Contents
1.0 Purpose
2.0 Scope
3.0 Sailing Instructions
3.1 Rules
3.2 Measurement
3.3 Race Start Times
3.4 Divisions
3.5 Courses
3.6 Changes to Sailing Instructions
3.7 Entry Procedure
3.8 Start Procedure
3.9 Recalls
3.11 Finish
3.12 Postponement, Abandonment and Cancellation
3.13 Signing Off
3.14 Alternative Penalties
3.15 Protests
3.17 Race Committee
3.18 Trophies
Appendix A - Points Scoring System
Document Control
The purpose of this instruction is to state the rules by which the Stern Chaser race will be conducted.
This document covers racing and should be read in conjunction with the Standing Instructions which apply in all activities. These Sailing Instructions are to be considered a sub set of the Standing Instructions.
In the Stern Chaser, boats are started at times according to their handicap such that all else being equal and sailors sail to their average performance, all boats will be at the same geographical point at the end of the elapsed time making for an exciting finish.
The winner is not the first over a fixed finish line. The winner is the boat leading at the designated finish time. Accordingly, the finish line is effectively moving along with the race leader. The Race Cointroller shall set up a moving finish line between the committee boat and a rescue boat at right angles to a line drawn between the marks of the leg that the leading boats are on at the finish time. The finish line needs to be adjacent with the lead boat but independent of the lead boats course. For example, the lead boat may be tacking at the end of the race. The line is at right angles to the leg not the lead boat's course.
All races conducted by Sugarloaf Sailing and Boating 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.
Boats wishing to be identified as belonging to a particular class shall conform to the measurement requirements of that class. Measurement certificates may be required at the discretion of the (race) committee.
The Race date and time is shown in the Sailing Calendar. alterations may be displayed on the general notice board.
All boats shall be divided into divisions as determined by the Executive Committee upon consideration of the Sailing Committee's recommendation.
The marks for the course will be determined on the day by the Race Controller.
Boats shall continue sailing around the course until the race finish time is reached.
The time limit, or limits for separate Divisions, will be determined by the Race Controller.
A Typical course is shown as Fig 1.
Fig 1 Typical Course
A red flag on the start boat at the start line means leave marks to Port", and a green flag means leave marks to Starboard".
Boats shall round the marks in the correct order and on the proper hand and finish at the race time limit.
Immediately after the start, boats must sail through the gate from the non course side to the course side. On subsequent laps if any, boats must pass through the course gate from the course side on each lap and round the proper handed course gate mark, either port or starboard as indicated by the start boat flag.
3.5.1 Prohibited Passages
Boats shall not pass between a yellow or white mark and the nearest part of the mainland.
3.6.1 Changes in Sailing Instructions shall be displayed on the Course Board and will be signalled by flying the Code Flag L (black and yellow squares) at the Race Control Area at least one hour before the scheduled start of the race.
3.6.2 Oral Sailing Instructions will not be given. Information sessions may be held but nothing said at such session will take precedence over the Sailing Instructions, or be admissible as evidence at any protest hearing.
Competitors shall enter by:
a) A club member registering their boat(s) with the Club
b) And by paying the required entry fee. Payment of an annual entry fee shall apply to a particular boat/s sailed by a nominated skipper and is not transferable. The entry fee applies to one of the nominated boats per series.
c) And by entering the skippers name and crew's name if applicable, boat class and class type if the boat is a variation within that class and sail number on the Registration Sheet.
3.7.2 Non Club members who are members of a Yachting Victoria affiliated club may be granted reciprocal rights for up to six races per season and be accepted as a starter in a race upon payment of the required entry fee but their placing will not be calculated in Club aggregate results.
3.7.3 Unless approval (in exceptional circumstances) is sought by a skipper in writing and granted in writing before a race or races in a series by the Sailing Committee, hulls, sails and configuration shall remain the same throughout a series. If there are any changes to the boat/crew configuration during a series she shall be recorded in the results for that series as a separate entry for that particular configuration.
3.8.1 The start shall be off the beach between a beached mark and a staff on the the beached start boat displaying the Club Burgee.
Each boat shall start at a time determined by the Race Controller and announced on the beach.
Boats must have at least one crew member's foot on the bottom at the moment of her starting time.
3.9 Individual Recall
If at the start signal, a crew member's foot is not on the bottom, she shall be hailed by the starter and instructed to restart. There shall be no time adjustment.
The finish shall be an imaginary line drawn at right angles across the course rhumb line. It shall be moving along the rhumb line on the leading boat's bow and will apply at the time limit for that Division.
3.12.1 The Race Controller may postpone races not started, 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 at a later date.
3.12.2 The Race Controller may, due to unsuitable weather conditions, or for any other reason, abandon before completion, races that have started and will signal the abandonment by hailing all competing boats from the start, or rescue boat(s). An abandoned race may be re-sailed shortly thereafter, or at a later date.
3.12.13 Members will be advised of details of subsequent re-sails, however the Sailing Committee may, in meeting, elect to Cancel any races that have been postponed, or abandoned, unless those races have already been re-sailed.
3.13.1 All boats that have completed the designated course or have retired from the race are to sign-off as soon as practicable after coming ashore.
3.13.2 Any boat retiring from the race, or any boat not completing the designated course correctly, is to mark "DNF" alongside their signature. Any boat signing on but not starting is to sign-off and mark "DNC" alongside their signature.
3.13.3 Boats failing to sign-off before thirty minutes after the last boat finishes shall be given a DNF (without protest).
The 360 degree and 720 degree turn penalty shall apply for an infringement in accordance with the respective ISAF Rules of Racing as amended by the AYF.
3.15.1 A boat intending to protest shall always inform the other boat at the first reasonable opportunity and, when in the racing area, shall hail "protest" and if she has a hull length over 6 metres, fly code flag B (red) in accordance with the ISAF, rules as amended by YV and shall so inform the Race Controller within thirty minutes of the last boat finishing.
3.15.2 A protest is required to:
a) Be in writing using the official protest form,
b) Include such particulars as required by ISAF rules and be lodged with the Race Controller within one hour of the Race Controller being informed.
3.15.3 Protest hearings will be conducted in accordance with ISAF rules by a committee appointed by two or more members of the Sailing Committee.
(It should be noted that the Race Controller may disqualify a boat, without a hearing, for failing to start correctly, or penalise a boat (DNF) for failing to sail the correct course or finish correctly).
The Race Committee will be the Sailing Committee, which may delegate the authority for the conduct of a race to the particular Race Controller nominated for that purpose.
Trophies will be awarded as determined by the Executive Committee upon consideration of the Sailing Committee's recommendation.
Revision History
| Revision No. | Revision Date | Nature of Amendment |
| Edtion 1 | Nov 11 | Contolled Document |
| Edtion 2 | Dec 11 | The start gate included in the course instructions. Typical course map included. |
| Edtion 3 | Dec 14 | 3.5.1 Boats shall not sail between a yellow mark and the nearest shore. |
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