HSC SAILING INSTRUCTIONS 2025
1. RULES
1.1. The event will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of
Sailing (RRS) 2025-2028, and the appropriate class association rules
1.2. All club events are designated category B.
2. CONDITIONS OF ENRTY
2.1. GENERAL
2.1.1. The safety of a boat and her entire management, including insurance to cover
third party risk to a minimum of £5,000,000, shall be the sole responsibility of
the owner / competitor racing the boat who must ensure that the boat and her
crew are adequate to face the conditions that may arise during the course of the
race.
2.1.2. Neither the establishment of these sailing instructions nor the inspection of the
boat under these conditions in any way limits or reduces the absolute
responsibility of the owner / competitor for his crew, the boat and the
management thereof.
2.1.3. The race organisers shall not be responsible for any loss, damage, death or
personal injury howsoever caused to the owner/competitor, skipper or crew as
a result of their taking part in the race or races. Moreover, every
owner/competitor warrants the suitability of the boat for the race or races.
2.2. MEASUREMENT CERTIFICATES
All boats must have a measurement certificate and or comply with the class
rules. In exceptional circumstances the Sailing Committee may request a
competitor to present a valid measurement certificate before that boat is
permitted to compete in the HSC race programme.
2.3. SAIL NUMBERS
A boat may use an alternate sail number other than that required by RRS 77
provided they make the race committee aware prior to the race. All boats
racing should have a sail number. If a boat has no sail number, the helm should
inform the Race Officer (prior to the race start). The Race Officer will
determine if the boat will be allowed to participate or not.
2.4. ELIGIBILTY
2.4.1. Competitors for all club events, other than those designated Open or Interclub
are to be members of HSC although a non-member may race up to four times
per season (in club races) as a guest, after which they shall be required to
apply for membership or not participate any further that season.
2.4.2. Non-members racing shall complete an HSC Application for Membership
form primarily for emergency contact details which is available from the
office.
2.5. PERSONAL BUOYANCY / WINTER CLOTHING
RRS 40.1 Personal Buoyancy shall not apply. Competitors shall wear adequate
personal buoyancy at all times while afloat to include whilst racing. Neither a
2
wetsuit, nor a dry suit constitutes adequate personal buoyancy. In addition to
personal buoyancy, appropriate clothing for the prevailing colder conditions
must be worn whilst racing between November 1st and 31st March.
2.6. MINIMUM NUMBER OF BOATS FOR A RACE
The minimum number of boats required for a race to be started shall not be
less than the number of volunteers in Race Officer and Support Boat roles,
excluding observers.
3. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
3.1. Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located in the
entrance hall of HSC.
4. CHANGES TO THE RACING PROGRAMME OR SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
4.1. Any changes in the racing programme and / or sailing instructions will be
posted for between 72 and 12 hours before the advertised starting time of the
race or races concerned (subject to the availability of volunteers) on the official
noticeboard, and Sailing WhatsApp.
4.2. Races postponed may be run on subsequent dates of the same series without
need to give separate notice to a maximum of 3 races on any day.
5. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
5.1. Flag signals made ashore will be displayed from the flagpole visible above the
HSC clubhouse roof, and for harbour racing will be hoisted on a flagpole
situated at the rail of the starting platform adjacent to the RNLI station or the
harbour side balcony of HSC clubhouse.
6. SCHEDULE OF RACES
6.1. The Racing Programme indicates the schedule of races, and the first fleet start
times.
7. CLASS FLAGS
7.1. The Sea Fleet (all boats competing in a race scheduled to take place within
Christchurch Bay) shall use “numeral one” as its class flag.
7.2. The Harbour Fleet (all boats competing in a race scheduled to take place
within Christchurch Harbour) shall use “numeral one” as its class flag.
Note: This may vary for Club Champ, Interclub Events and Open Event.
8. THE COURSES
8.1. The course configuration shall be determined by the race committee on the day
of racing. Details of its shape and the number of rounds may be displayed on
the chalk board in the club foyer or on the support boat.
8.2. The Race Committee may shorten a race giving competitors differing numbers
of laps. In these circumstances the Race committee shall add time to those
competitors who have completed less laps. The amount of time to be added
shall be equal to the number of laps that that competitor failed to complete
multiplied by his / her average lap time.
3
9. MARKS
9.1. Sea: Orange / yellow inflatable marks shall generally be used for racing marks
although a dan buoy with a flag may be used as a start / leeward mark.
Alternative marks may be used in the case of long-distance races when
navigational marks may also be used.
9.2. Harbour: Course marks are pink spherical buoys permanently laid and may
have a flag on the mark. The approximate position of these marks is displayed
on the chart adjacent to the race notice board in the clubhouse foyer.
At the discretion of the Race Officer inflatable buoys may also be laid on the
day of racing.
10. THE START
10.1. Sea Racing: The start line is defined as the line between the mast on the
starting boat flying an orange flag and a starting buoy (usually carrying an
orange flag).
10.2. Harbour Racing: The starting line will either be between a mast displaying an
orange flag on the starting platform situated adjacent to the RNLI station or the
harbour side balcony of HSC clubhouse and an outer starting line mark which
shall normally be a yellow spherical buoy. Or at the discretion of the Race
Officer the start line may alternatively be between a mast flying an orange flag
on a starting boat and a starting buoy.
10.3. Races will be started by using RRS 26. Ie 5 min, 4min, 1 min, Go!
10.4. To alert boats that a race will begin soon, the orange starting line flag will be
displayed with three sounds at approximately one minute before the warning
signal is made.
11. PROHIBITED AREA PENALTIES
11.1. Sea Racing: All boats are prohibited from passing between the outer post mark
of Clarendon rocks and Mudeford Sandbank.
11.2. Harbour Racing: All boats are prohibited from the buoyed exclusion areas
marked with yellow buoys, mainly the one round Blackberry Point on the edge
of Stanpit Marsh, for birds in the harbour.
11.3. Prohibited areas are an obstruction for the purpose of RRS Rule 18 and 19.
Sailors are not to enter these areas when racing. Doing so in an emergency is
permitted but will be taken as a retirement from that race.
12. THE FINISH
12.1. Sea Racing: The finishing line shall be between the mast displaying a blue flag
aboard the finishing boat and the finishing mark which shall be the nearby
rounding mark.
12.2. Harbour Racing: The finishing line will normally be between a mast
displaying an orange flag on the starting platform situated adjacent to the
RNLI station or the harbour side balcony of HSC clubhouse and an outer
finishing line mark which shall normally be a yellow spherical buoy. At the
discretion of the Race Officer the finishing line shall be between the mast
displaying a blue flag aboard the finishing boat and the finishing mark which
shall be the nearby rounding mark.
4
13. TIME LIMITS
13.1. Sea and Harbour Racing: RRS 35 shall not apply.
13.2. The time limit for any race is to be determined by the Race Officer.
14. PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS
14.1. Protests shall be written on R.Y.A. protest forms available from the clubhouse
and shall be lodged with the Race Officer within 60 minutes of the last boat
finishing the last race of the day, unless extended at the discretion of the Race
Committee. Protests will be heard in approximate order of receipt as soon as
possible. (Normally the same day).
14.2. The time and place of protest hearings shall be notified by being’ displayed on
the on the race notice board in the foyer of the clubhouse.
15. SCORING SYSTEM
15.1. The low points scoring system, Rule A2 will apply, with races scheduled as
per the Racing Programme, of which 2 shall be completed to constitute a
series.
A helm may race different classes of boats within a series and combine his or
her results to calculate his / her final result. Specifically, however, a
competitor racing a Laser, Laser Radial or Laser 4.7 shall be scored for all
races in the series based upon the handicap for the faster boat if he or she uses
differing rigs within a series. The same principle applies to the RS Aero 9, 7
and 5 rigs.
Each competitor’s total score shall be the sum of her scores for all races,
excluding her worst scores determined in accordance with the following table:
12 – 14 races sailed discard 4 worst scores
9 – 11 races sailed discard 3 worst scores
6 – 8 races sailed discard 2 worst scores
4 – 5 races sailed discard 1 worst scores
If fewer than 4 races are sailed, no discards shall be allowed.
15.2. Average points for series races will be awarded for Race Officer and Support
Boat duties as rostered but excluding Observers. Average points are derived
from the sum of the best scores available at the conclusion of the series after
allowing the relevant discards (with limitation that if 6 or less or less races in a
series only one discard allowed) [alternatively (with a maximum of 25% of the
races in a series unless explicitly agreed by the Sailing Committee)].
The average points are then re-entered into the scores profile and the total
score finally computed.
15.3. If an Open meeting is held at the same time as a club race all those assisting
with the Open event will be awarded average points as above for races missed.
15.4. Awarding of Points:
For all series races scheduled in the Racing Programme, points shall be
awarded to the helm not the boat. Where more than one class of boat is sailed
by the same helmsman in a particular series, points shall be awarded to the
boat and not the helm.
Where a competitor chooses to change between rig sizes to suit conditions e.g.
Laser / Laser radial /Laser 4.7 it shall be counted as one entry, but in such case
the handicap to be applied to that entry for all races in that series, is the
handicap of the fastest rig used.
5
15.5. Series tie:
If, after discard, two or more boats have the same points total the tie will be
broken in accordance with RRS Appendix A8.
15.6. Handicap numbers:
Generally, the RYA published Portsmouth Yardstick numbers are used.
Discretion is however given to the Sailing Committee to make minor
amendment if there is a reasonable case to do so.
16. SEA RACING RESTRICTIONS
Boats with a Portsmouth Yardstick Number in excess of 1300 must be
approved by the Race Officer to compete in Sea Fleet handicap races. This
decision will be based upon prevailing weather conditions and available safety
cover.
17. OUTSTIDE ASSISTANCE
As a variation to the RRS competitors may receive assistance from the Race
Committee and continue to compete providing they receive no significant
racing advantage.