Pembroke Haven Yacht Club

 

Sailing Instructions

Neyland Yacht Club & Pembroke Haven Yacht Club

2026

 

 

1. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
   1. Notices to competitors will be posted on the NYC / PHYC WhatsApp group. Additionally they may also be posted on the official notice board located in NYC/PHYC.
   2. Competitors are requested to check the WhatsApp group or notice board prior to proceeding on the water.
   3. Competitors are required to submit a completed entry form with the Sailing Captain (SC) of their respective Club.

 

2. CHANGES TO THE SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

 

2. 1. Changes in the SI will be displayed on the WhatsApp group before 18.00 on the day before the race affected.  The changes may also be displayed on the NYC / PHYC notice boards. Changes will be indicated by the displaying of the Signal Flag ‘L’. It is the competitor’s responsibility to read and understand any changes made to the SI.
   2. Flag ‘L’ will be lowered after the last competitor finishes the race of that day.
   3. Signals made from ashore will be hoisted on the respective Club’s flag mast.
   4. Changes to SI will be made only when agreed by the SC of both Clubs.
       
3. HANDICAPS

 

1. 1. Byron James (BJ) Handicap System will be used to correct elapsed times and score races.
   2. At the discretion of the Race Officer, Yachts without a Boat Specific Handicap may be permitted to use the Upper Quartile Number listed on the BJ website; http://www.byronsoftware.org/boats/byboat.htm for a maximum of five races after which a written boat specific handicap rating must be obtained. If no boat specific handicap rating is produced, all races sailed in the series will revert to the base handicap of 1000 for Div 2 boats and 800 for Div 1 boats for the whole series.
   3. If a new BJ number is different to what has been used in the series to date, then the new BJ number will be backdated to cover the whole of that series.
   4. Yachts using a Boat Specific Handicap will be required to submit their handicap email to the SC of their Club with their entry form.  BJ Handicaps should be current for the whole of the current season or with no changes for the previous two seasons.

 

4. DIVISIONS

 

1. 1. Yachts outside of the 10 point division split may be allowed to race in a different division under the agreement of both SC owing to their race performance.
   2. If 3 or more yachts of the same design enter the Series, they may race as their own division or have their results extracted for a separate series result at the discretion of the SC.
   3. Entries required to constitute a series will be 3 yachts with 2 entries to constitute a race for all Wednesday night series, Autumn series, Neyland Keelboat Week and Neyland Regattas.
   4. Entries required for PHYC organised races and series (not Wednesdays or Autumn) shall be 2 entries to constitute a series with one to constitute a race.
   5. Any boat racing using only ‘white sails’ (no spinnaker etc.) will be entered into Division 3, provided there are sufficient numbers for the division.
   6. The use of a spinnaker pole or whisker pole in the ‘White Sails’ class must ensure that it is attached to the foremost mast spar (as defined by The Equipment Rules of Sailing).
   7. Yachts shall display their division flag, as defined in the NoR, above the aft pulpit / backstay at all times whilst racing.  Any yacht not displaying a class flag may be deemed to have not started or retired.

 

5. SCHEDULE OF RACES

 

1. 1. Racing will be in accordance with the PYF calendar of races.
   2. Any race abandoned, for any cause, will not be re-sailed if part of a series.
   3. Races within a series will only be postponed when they are to be rescheduled for the same calendar day.
   4. Approximate start times are as follows for series’ races;

 

1. 5. WEDNESDAY SERIES (SPRING or SUMMER)
       
      1. DIVISION NUMERAL PENNANT WARNING SIGNAL TIME
         Div 1- 18:45
         Div 2 -18:50
         Div 3 -18:55
   6. SUNDAY SERIES (SPRING or WINTER)

 

1. 1. 1. DIVISION NUMERAL PENNANT WARNING SIGNAL TIME

Div 1- 11.00

Div 2– 11.05

Div 3 – 11.10

 

1. 7. Starting times for any other series, individual races or regattas will be as posted on the Club’s notice board and advertisements.
   8. Starting sequences may be combined dependant on number of entries in the race, this will be confirmed prior to the first warning signal of the first starting sequence.
   9. Any pre-planned postponement will be made 24 hours ahead of the listed start time.

 

6. RACING AREA

 

1. 1. Racing marks in the Haven will be either Navigation aids, Permanent Laid NYC Barrel Buoys, Temporary NYC Inflatable Orange Pillar Buoys or Temporary NYC Yellow Buoys.
   2. Passage between Thorn Island and Thorn Point is prohibited and will result in disqualification without redress, with the exception of the PHYC organised Thorn Island Challenge and the Terry Cornish Cup.
   3. Racing marks will be assumed to be ‘rounding’ marks, however some marks may be classed as ‘passing’ marks.

 

7. COURSES

 

1. 1. The courses to be sailed will be announced on VHF Ch. 37 (M1) prior to the first warning signal of the first sequence. Failure to make this broadcast on time will not be grounds for a redress. This changes RRS Rule 61.4 (b)(1).
   2. For identifying marks, a course sheet is available on both Yacht Club’s websites.

 

8. THE START

 

1. 1. NYC
      The Starting Line will be a FIXED LINE at NYC. The start line will be a transit through transit lights on the flag mast on the South side of NYC and transit lights at the side of NYC. Failure of these lights being used is not grounds for redress. There is no ODM / IDM.
   2. PHYC
      The Start Line will be a FIXED LINE at PHYC. The start line will be a transit through a yellow and red pole on the Northwest corner of Hobbs Point and the PHYC flag mast. There is no ODM / IDM.
   3. Any competitor starting more than 4 minutes after her start signal may be scored as ‘Did Not Start’ (DNS) at the discretion of the RO.
   4. Races will be started by way of sound signals and may be broadcast on VHF Channel 37M, (this modifies RRS 26).  Flag signals may be used at the discretion of the Race Officer but will not take precedence.
   5. The Race Committee may broadcast the identity of any competitor over the start line after their 1-minute and starting signals. Any failure or delay to broadcast or any error in the broadcast shall not be grounds for redress. This changes RRS Rule 61.4 (b) (1).

 

9. THE FINISH
    
   1. The Finish Line will be the same line used for the Start Line unless declared otherwise prior to the starting sequence.

 

10. SHORTENED COURSE
     
    1. 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.
        

11. RETIREMENTS

 

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

 

12. TIME LIMITS

 

WEDNESDAY SERIES

 

12.1 The time limit for the first boat to finish in each division will be 120 minutes.

12.2 The time limit for the remaining yachts in the division will be the elapsed time (E) of the first boat to finish, multiplied by 1.4 (1.4 x E)

 

SUNDAY SERIES

12.3 The time limit for the first boat to finish in each division will be 220 minutes.
12.4 The time limit for the remaining yachts in the division will be the elapsed time (E) of the first boat to finish, multiplied by 1.4 (1.4 x E)

12.5 The elapsed time of the first boat may be broadcast by the RO

12.6 The time limit is subject to adjustment at the discretion of the RO in the interest of sportsmanship. This changes RRS Rule 35.

12.7 All other races or Regattas time limits will be notified before each race.

 

13. SCORING

 

1. 1. The Low Point System will be used to score races.

13.2     Race Score Penalties will be as per RRS Appendix A.A9, as amended below. This changes RRS 90.3 (a).

1. 3. Disqualified (DSQ) shall be scored points equal to the number of boats starting the race plus three (3).
   4. Did Not Finish (DNF) or Retired (RET) shall be scored points equal to the number of boats starting the race plus one (1).
   5. Did Not Start (DNS) shall be scored points equal to the number of boats starting the race plus one (1).
   6. Did Not Compete (DNC) shall be scored points equal to the number of boats in the series plus two (2).
   7. Discards shall be organised as per the Sailwave Discard algorithm but may be amended with agreement of both SC.

13.8 Prizes are to be awarded for the first three competitors in each division at the end of the series, depending on number of entries.

 

14. PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS

 

1. 1. Protest forms are available at both Clubs.
   2. A £20.00 refundable fee shall to be submitted with a completed Protest         Form. This shall be refunded if the protest is upheld.
   3. Any competitor intending to protest or request redress shall inform the RO within 90 minutes of their finishing time.  For series races, submission of a complete Protest Form or request for redress shall be made no later than 20:00 on the following day after the race. Forms or requests shall be submitted to the SC by a method agreed to when lodging intent to protest. The time limit for protests by the Race Committee will be 23:59 on the following day after the race.
   4. Commercial shipping movements interfering with a competitor’s race are not grounds for redress.
   5. Redress may be awarded if a competitor is instructed to stop/significantly divert from their course due to unforeseen/unavoidable circumstances by Milford Haven Port Authority or another official body (Police, RNLI etc.) vessel / person acting on their behalf.
   6. The Exoneration Penalty (and the Advisory Hearing and RYA Arbitration) of the RYA Rules Disputes Procedure will be available.

 

15. SAFETY

 

15. 1. When the ‘Y’ Flag is flown from any Club flag mast, all competitors shall wear a Personal Floatation Device. Failure to comply with this rule shall result in disqualification without redress.
    2. Any competitor finding themselves in, or in order to avoid, a potentially dangerous situation may use its engine to motor clear provided this is done in such a way as not to give any unfair advantage.
    3. Any competitor that uses its engine or receives outside assistance whilst racing shall inform the Race Committee of the circumstance within 15 minutes of finishing the race and may be subject to protest. Failure to inform the Race Committee shall be grounds for disqualification..
        
16. EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION
     
    1. External requests to the RO or another boat for course / buoy information is permitted. This changes RRS Rule 41 (d).