Pembroke Haven Yacht Club

Hobbs Point, Pembroke Dock

Sailing Instructions

PHYC cruiser racing Sailing Instructions

Version 2403

 

Context

These sailing instructions cover Cruiser Racing run by Pembroke Haven Yacht Club (PHYC) and Neyland Yacht Club (NYC) and for series and individual races throughout the season.

 

This document covers all aspects that NYC cover more formally in their documents SI (Sailing Instructions) and NoR (Notices of Race).

At PHYC, Notices of Races are covered in an Annual Handbook giving dates and provisional start times, plus Adverts for races/series stating any special amendments to our SI, eg. discard formula, entry fee.

 

Please remember to read your tide tables and study chart(s) before competing in racing.

 

1 Rules

Racing will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing (ISAF), the prescriptions of the

RYA, class rules where appropriate, and except as any of these are changed by these Sailing Instructions.

 

2 Conditions of Entry

2.1 Eligibility

  • Eligible boats may be entered by completing registration with Neyland Yacht Club or Pembroke Haven Yacht Club.
  • Registration forms are available from the NYC website & Starting Cabin and PHYC website and start deck and also at Neyland Marina office.
  • Please provide a mobile phone number and an e-mail address for future notifications.

2.2 Safety

  • The safety of a yacht and her entire management including insurance is the sole responsibility of the owner/competitor racing the yacht who must ensure that adequate safety equipment is carried.
  • The decision on whether or not to start or continue in a race is that of the owner/competitor; the race organisers accept no liability for loss, injury or damage. The race officer has the authority on duty-of-care grounds to cancel, postpone or delay any planned race at any time.
  • Moreover, every owner/competitor warrants the suitability of his yacht for the races.
  • All yachts shall carry:
  • At least two competitors
  • Flotation aids for all persons on board
  • A minimum third party insurance in the sum of £2,000,000
  • An engine capable of propelling the yacht at 4 knots in calm water and sufficient fuel for 2 hours motoring. Engine and associated equipment must be fully functioning and in a safe working order before the starting procedure commences. Random checks may be carried out by the Race Committee.
  • A VHF radio capable of transmitting and receiving Channels 16, 12, & 37. Immediately after the start all yachts racing will keep a dual watch on channel 16 and 37. MHPA signal station wishing to communicate directly with a yacht will call on Channel 16 and request yacht(s) to switch to Channel 12. On completion of any such communication the yacht(s) concerned will resume dual watch on Channel 16 and Channel 37. The Clubs strongly advise all yachts to monitor commercial activity on Channel 12 especially when tankers are being berthed or the when Ferry is en-route. Random radio checks may be carried out at the discretion of the Race Officer.

2.3 Lifejacket Rule

  • When flag Y is flown from the start club’s flag staff or Committee boat, ALL competitors will wear lifejackets. Failure to comply with this rule WILL result in a disqualification.

 

2.4 Classes

  • The Byron James rating system will be used. The rating for a boat will need to be verified by printed BJ Certificate held by the club Sailing Captain and may be subject to independent verification.

1. Fast Division 1 - Pennant 1 – All yachts below BJ1000.

 

2. Slow Division 2 - Pennant 2(recommended) or 3(historical)– All yachts BJ1000 and above.

Note: this arrangement covers the majority of races.

3. Gentleman’s class – Pennant 4 – Yachts sailing under white-sails-only

 

4. Variations

  • Boats close to PN1000 can opt to race in either fleet subject to agreement of Race officers
  • If there are sufficient numbers of entries, the Race Officers may create a split within the classes to enable appropriate courses to be set. The sailing instructions will be amended accordingly.
  • To make a division valid for a series there must be at least two yachts entered over the series, however only one is needed at any race to be present to constitute a scoring result. Yachts without BJ Numbers may be allocated a number. Allocated numbers must be adjusted officially by BJ before the end of the series.
  • If three or more identical boats enter and take part in a race series, a separate class result may be extracted from the overall series results to encourage class racing, the winner may qualify for separate prize.

2.5 Rating Certificates

  • It is mandatory that all boats should submit data and obtain individual BJ ratings. For the 2023 season onwards all boats must refresh their certificates. A new refresh date is to be set by the race committees, but the default will be a yearly refresh requirement. For the 2024 season, only certificates received in 2023 or 2024 will be valid.
  • Written confirmation of measurement data and resulting

handicap number must be submitted to the club ratings officer.

  • Under agreed circumstances a class BJ listed number may be used by members of other clubs taking part in individual races, e.g. regattas.

2.6 Class Pennants

  • Prior to her preparatory signal, and for the duration of the race, each yacht shall fly her class pennant at least 1 metre above the stern pulpit.
  • The class pennant shall be the numeral pennant listed in 3.1. This pennant will be flown at all times when racing.
  • Any yacht failing to fly a class pennant will not be considered a starter or, if having started and sailed the course, will be deemed to have retired.

 

3 Communications with Competitors

3.1 Class Signals

  • Fast Division 1 - Numeral Pennant 1
  • Slow Division 2 - Numeral Pennant 2 (recommended) or 3 (historical)
  • Gentleman’s Division - Numeral Pennant 4

3.2 Changes to Sailing Instructions

Changes will be communicated via PHYCandNYC racing WhatsApp and also may be  displayed on NYC and PHYC club notice boards and Neyland Yacht

Haven one day prior to implementation.

Competitors' attention may be drawn to such changes by

announcement on VHF Channel 37 prior to the start of a race.

 

4 Schedule of Races, Courses & Starting Procedure

4.1 Races

  • Racing will take place on the dates listed in the club programme.
  • Nominal Starting times will be as follows:

Sunday morning               11.00

Wednesday evening       1845

4.2 Courses

Racing Marks in the Haven will be either Navigation buoys or blue-and-white laid marks, or in some cases Islands, e.g. Thorn Island, Caldey Island. Details will be transmitted approximately 10 minutes prior to start sequence.

Note that in general racing marks will be assumed to be “rounding” marks, however some marks may be classed as “Passing” marks.

4.3 Starting

  • The starting line at PHYC is the flag staff at PHYC race deck and a yellow and red pole on the northwest corner of Hobbs Point. There is no outer distance mark or inner distance mark.
  • The starting line at NYC is between an orange staff at NYC and a white line painted on the wall of Pembroke Dock Port. The transit line may have lights at NYC to designate the line. Failure of these lights being used is not grounds for redress. There is no outer distance mark or inner distance mark.
  • Starts will be east/west unless otherwise stated.

4.4 Starting Duties

Any PHYC/ NYC yacht (skipper or crew) nominated to man the starting deck and

unable to participate in a race, will receive a position equal to that yacht’s average

position at the end of the series. Any PHYC/NYC yacht nominated (as above) to

man the starting deck at PHYC /NYC and fails to do so will not be allowed to

start in that race. Any yacht doing so will be disqualified from that race.

4.5 Starting Signals

Flags are no longer used at PHYC or NYC except for special notifications such as Lifejacket rule.

Horn Signals relayed on VHF37 will be given in accordance with RRS 26 at the following intervals:

Warning Signal Start minus 5 minutes.

Preparatory Signal Start minus 4 minutes. No further use of engine

One minute Start minus 1 minute.

Starting signal Start time.

Times are taken from the system clock which produces a co-incident sound transmitted on VHF37

4.6 Recalls & Starting Penalties

  • If any part of a yacht’s hull or equipment is on the course side of the starting line when the starting signal is made, a sound signal will be given. The Race Officer may transmit the names or sail numbers of premature starters on VHF37. Failure to do so shall not be grounds for a request for redress. Yachts recalled but failing to return correctly will be disqualified.
  • If a race is restarted, re-sailed or re-scheduled, any yacht disqualified under SI 4.6 may compete in it without penalty, the appropriate RRS being amended accordingly, except in the case of SI 4.4.

 

5 Finishing

5.1 Time Limits

RRS 35 is to be replaced with:

  • Maximum time limit for 1st boat home on Sunday racing ;

o Div 1  220 minutes

o Div 2 & Gentleman’s   220 minutes

 

  • Maximum time limit for 1st boat home on Wednesday racing ;

o Div 1  120 minutes

o Div 2 & Gentleman’s  120 minutes

 

  • The time limit is 1.4 x E (where E= elapsed time of the first boat to finish in each fleet.)
  • Race officer has plenary powers to amend time limit to suit weather/tide conditions in

order to obtain a fair and valid sporting result.

 

In the event of races potentially exceeding the time limit, the Race Officer may announce the elapsed time of the first boat to cross the finishing line for each fleet and the latest valid time to finish. It is the responsibility of the crews to estimate their own elapsed time and decide whether or not to retire.

 

5.2 Shortened Course

A shortened course will be signalled on VHF37. This signal may be made before the leading yacht has rounded the penultimate mark of the shortened course or the last mark of a lap, The finishing line may be crossed in the opposite direction to the course instructions in some cases.

5.3 Retirements

A yacht retiring from a race must inform the race committee at the earliest opportunity preferably by VHF37.

 

6 Alternative Penalties

  • A yacht infringing a rule of Part 2 of RRS may exonerate herself in accordance

with RRS 44.2 (720 degrees turns penalty)

  • A yacht touching a mark may exonerate herself in accordance with RRS 31.(360

degrees penalty)

 

7 Protests

 

  • Immediate on-the-spot notification must be made by hailing and flying of protest flag as per racing rules.
  • Only International Code Flag 'B' or a red rectangular flag will be accepted as a

protest flag.

  • Protests must be notified to the race officer by VHF37 on crossing the finishing line. Additionally Race Officer and Protester will agree, either by VHF, telephone or in person and within 1 ½ hr of finishing, the method of full protest submission and of informing the Protestee if there is doubt from the on-the-spot incident. In the case of VHF use, due consideration to other finishers being dealt with by the race officer must be observed.
  • The protester must submit a full paper protest ideally on his/her club form to the Race Officer or nominee as agreed above by the time limit specified below. Possible methods to be agreed include:

Meeting in person

Transmission by third party(s)

Electronic transmission of scanned form

Delivery to clubhouse letterbox

 

  • Submission time limit: 8pm on the day after the race day.  For specific races it may be appropriate to require same-day resolution of protests, and in these cases the Race Officer should notify contestants before the race start.
  • Protests are to be accompanied by a £20.00 fee. (Refunded when a protest is upheld).
  • The Race Officer may chair the protest committee or may appoint another club member to be chair. The parties to the protest will be notified of the time and place of the hearing.
  • Failure on the part of any party to the protest, or a representative, to attend the

hearing may justify the protest committee in deciding the protest as it thinks fit without a full hearing.

8 Scoring System

  • The Low Point System (Appendix A) shall apply, amended to encourage turn out as follows:-

o a yacht that does not finish or, having finished later retires (DNF or RET)

   will score points equal to the number of starters in the race plus 1

o a yacht that is disqualified (DSQ) will score points equal to the number of

   starters in the race plus 3

o a yacht that comes to the racing area but fails to start (DNS) will score

   points equal to the number of starters on that day plus 1

o a yacht that does not come to the racing area (DNC) will score points

   equal to the number of entrants in the series plus 2.

  • Series discards are organised by an algorithm within the Sailwave results programme and depend on the number of races sailed so far. The norm will be 000111222333. For clarity the following discards will be used: 0-3 races completed = 0 discards; 4-6 races completed = 1 discard; 7-9 races completed = 2 discards; and 10-12 races completed = 3 discards. Unless amended by the Race Committees of both clubs.

 

  • For short series (e.g. the PHYC Spring Sunday series) the Sailing captains may agree a custom discard system if appropriate to factors that may prevail.

9 Allowances

  • Helms may request permission to use a BJ number calculated for sailing without spinnakers, gennakers, cruising chutes, square sails and all other purpose made down-wind sails.This measure applies on individual races and on a series basis and must be requested prior to the first race in which they compete.
  • Boats sailing  in Gentleman’s class will sail white-sails only, with or without pole and will use the boat’s appropriate BJ rating. Note: this is to encourage novices to racing in this class,
  • Cruising chute with a boom is an acceptable alternative to a conventional Spinnaker
  • Propellers are not to be removed.
  • Vane or other automatic steering devices are not to be used.
  • Use of engines: In order to avoid any potentially dangerous situations, yachts may use their engines to motor clear, provided this is done in a way as not to give unfair advantage. Yachts that do use their engine in this way shall report the circumstances to the race committee within an hour of finishing any race, which may or may not apply a penalty.

10 Bylaws & Other Rules

  • All Yachts shall comply with Milford Haven Port Authority Bylaws and not interfere with, obstruct or inconvenience any commercial shipping. Any yacht that is reported by the Port Authority as having infringed commercial shipping will be disqualified without redress.
  • Smoking and the use of naked flame is strictly forbidden when passing Oil /GAS, tankers / installations.
  • MHPA may be provided with a list of yachts competing by name, sail number and hull colour if requested.
  • Minimum crew; two people required to compete. Advice to all helms; it is good practice to race with at least 3 people on board.