2003
GREEN FLEET SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Organization
and Rules
1.1 The regatta will be organized by the Macatawa
Bay Yacht Club (MBYC) in conjunction with USODA.
1.2 The regatta will be governed by the current Racing Rules of
Sailing. If there is any conflict between these Sailing Instructions and the
Notice of Race, these Sailing Instructions will take precedence. The USODA
Green Fleet Policy will apply.
1.3 Competitors shall not discharge rubbish into the water. While
afloat, trash may be deposited on support boats and Committee Boats.
1.4 The ISAF Interpretations of Rule 42, propulsion (
2
Eligibility
2.1 Sailors shall be members of USODA. Sailors shall have been
born after
3 Changes to
Sailing Instructions – Notices to Competitors
3.1 Any changes to the SI and other notices to competitors will be
posted on the official notice board, located near the main Club House, no later
than thirty minutes prior to the harbor start on the day it will take effect,
except that a change to the schedule of races will be posted by 1900 on the day
before it will take effect.
4 Race Schedule
– Format of the Regatta
4.1 Schedule
On each day of racing the Green Fleet there will be a mandatory
competitors’ meeting where the schedule for the day will be presented.
4.2 A maximum of twenty races are scheduled for the regatta.
5 Racing Area
5.1 The racing area is situated on the waters of
6 Course –
Starting area
6.1 The courses will be triangle, windward/leeward. Modified
Olympic or as discussed at the daily competitors’ meeting.
7 Course marks
7.1 The course marks are yellow cylinders.
8 The Start
8.1 The races will be started by using rule 26 with the warning
signal given 5 minutes before the starting signal.
8.2 The starting line will be a line between a staff displaying an
orange flag on the Committee Boat at the starboard end of the line and a mark
at the port end of the line.
9 The Finish
9.1 The finish line will be a line between a staff displaying an
orange flag on the Committee Boat at the starboard end of the line and a mark
at the port end of the line.
10 Protests and
requests for redress
10.1 When protesting, a sailor shall display a red protest flag
and say the word “protest” immediately after the incident. After finish the
protest shall be reported to the Race Committee.
11 Scoring
11.1 The Low Point scoring system of Appendix A will apply.
The series will consist of up to 20 races, of which 3 shall be
completed to constitute a series. Each boat’s total score for the Championship
will be the sum of her scores for all races excluding her two worst scores when
11 or more races have been completed or excluding her worst score when 6 or
more but less than 11 races have been completed.
12 Safety
12.1 Adequate personal buoyancy shall be worn at all times while
afloat. Wet suits and dry suits do not constitute adequate personal buoyancy.
If the buoyancy device is of an inflatable type, it shall be inflated at all
times while afloat. This changes RRS 40.
12.2 A boat that retires from a race shall notify the race
committee or safety boat as soon as possible.
12.3 Each competitor shall carry a whistle attached to his
clothing. A loop shall be tied to the end of the bowline.
12.4 Each competitor will be assigned a safety tag which shall be
taken from the board outside the Dock Masters office each morning and returned
following their return to the harbour or one hour
after the docking of the Race Committee boat. Failure to post the tag may
result in the competitor not being scored for the races that day.
13 Support boats
13.1 The USODA Green Fleet policy
applies.
13.2 Coaching of green fleet skippers while racing is permitted,
however coaching shall be limited to skippers in the bottom half of the fleet
in any given race. Only boats which have registered with the organizing
authority and carry identification satisfactory to the organizing authority
will be allowed to be in the race area. All individuals on such registered
boats are required to wear PFD.
13.3 Coach boats shall neither create wakes nor otherwise
interfere with competitors. Coaches
shall provide fair and consistent support to all competitors, not just their
team or sailor. Violation of this instruction may result in any penalty that
the jury deems appropriate, up to, and including the disqualification of the
coached skipper from the regatta.
14 Liability
14.1 Participants compete entirely at their own risk and
responsibility.
14.2 The Organizing Authority and any other party involved in the
organizing of the championship regatta, accept no liability whatsoever for any
injury, damage, loss or claim, whether personal or material, incurred by or
inflicted to participants before, during or after the regatta. Competitors must
carry property and liability insurance covering all risks.
15 Prizes
15.1. The official USODA Green Fleet participant medals will be
awarded.
16
Additional information
Green Fleet is
designed as an introductory level of Optimist racing and all are participating
at an elementary level of expertise, many for the very first time. Therefore,
every effort will be made to ensure that this event is:
A. FUN! On and off the water. (If it’s
fun… they will want to keep doing it).
B. A learning as opposed to a competitive based experience. Not to
say that competition isn’t a part of it, but it will not be allowed to
overshadow the more positive intrinsic aspects that this level of sailor
craves, FUN and LEARNING.
Skippers,
(parents and coaches), desiring more than the above level of racing may be
better served by participation in one of the more competitive, age appropriate
Opti fleets.
Safety:
All
competitors must have proper safety equipment including: correct size life
jacket with whistle attached by a lanyard / 28’ bow line free of knots (but 6”
bowline in end), adequately secured to the maststep
and led through a bow loop / mast tie down system (not just a clamp) / 3 good
airbags / adequate bailer (2 are highly recommended, not “Chlorox”
type bottles) / boom bridle within 10cm of boom /
Expectations:
Sailors
(parents and coaches) should expect the Green Fleet at this event to
de-emphasize (but not exclude) competitiveness and to accentuate the FUN and
learning aspects. This will include group games, clinics and coaching each day
as well as the racing. Nice certificates will be awarded to all competitors in
lieu of trophies.