RC Schedule
Star Fleet
On the Water Race Committee Boat Instructions
March 2012
A copy of this document is included with the RC gear onboard.
Call the Coast Guard
The RC needs to notify the Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service when on the scene before the race. Call them by phone, (206) 217-6152 or VHF channel 14. Give them the Permit No. C146-07B. They will want to know how many boats will race, give them your best guess, and the course: Budd Inlet north of Priest Point. You need to call back when the race over.
Courses
You may set course 1, 2 or 3 for regular racing. Course #4 is to only be used for crew races and should be the last race of the day. The fleet would like to the RC to run a crew race at the end of the days racing whenever possible so try to leave enough time for this race.
Setting Windward Leg
Observe the average wind direction, the first leg should be to windward of the starting line you do not need to be exact with the position of the windward mark because you can adjust the direction when you set the staring line. The windward leg should be between 0.5 and 0.75 nm. To give you a reference, it is about 1 nm from Channel Marker 5 to the shoal marker. We will have a GPS on the Committee boat if you know how to use it to help with the distances, or you can estimate when the committee boat is just up on step it takes about 2 minute to go 0.5 nm and 3 minute to go 0.75 nm.
Setting the Line
After the windward Mark is set, continue to observe the average wind direction, the first leg should be to windward, they should spend almost as much time on both tacks and the starting line should be at a right angle, square, to the wind or slightly favored toward the pin. You may well have to watch for half an hour or more to figure out exactly where the wind is coming from. Fill out the wind log form and use the committee anemometer to record the speed. We want to start getting a data base of wind direction and speed for our racing.
The line should be from100 to150 ft for every 5 boats participating. At 5 knots, this is the speed the RC boat is going when the wake begins to get larger but before going up on step, you will run the line 15 to 20 seconds for every 5 boats participating.
Individual Recalls:
1. After the starting signal make one sound signal, that’s 2 audible signals total including the start signal, and display code flag X. If you can recall by bow number, but it is not required. A sample hail is, “Over early 01, 17, 20.”
2. Clearing: As each boat crosses completely behind the Starting Line, you can hail by Bow number, eg; “22 clear”. Note that clearing yachts as they return is not required. It is a courtesy. Lower the X flag after all the boats that were over clear the line, or 4 minutes after the start whichever is sooner. Any boat failing to return and restart should be noted on the finish form as On Course Side, OCS.
Signal a General Recall as follows:
1. Make one audible signal immediately after the Starting Signal: that’s three audible signals in total, including the starting signal.
2. Fly the First Substitute, the general recall flag, and you can hail general recall to the fleet.
3. Make new Attention Signal: begin new sequence approximately 1 min after the attention signal is given.
To Abandon:
Hail the competitors that the race is abandoned it is not necessary to fly any flags.
Shortening the Course
Set a Finish Line by the Mark of your choice and make two sound signals and raise the S flag. You may shorten the Course at any rounding Mark you can get to before the racers. Sometimes it can save the race, particularly when the wind is light. If you want to shorten the course to 1 lap before the start display the S flag.
Setting the Finish Line
If you haven’t moved, the starting line becomes the Finish Line. The Courses are set up so that you do not have to move if you don’t want to, but you can if you wish to shorten the finish line. Just remember that moving takes time.
If you have moved for any reason you will need to set the Finish Line. The Line should be at right angles to the wind if finishing a windward or a leeward leg, and must be oriented so that it is clear which direction you must cross from the last mark.
Finishing
Before the first finisher returns set the blue flag. This means “We are ready to accept finishers.”
A yacht has finished when any part of her hull, gear, or crew in a normal operating position crosses the Finish Line. It is not necessary for a yacht to pass completely through the Finish Line. However, they do need to get clear of the line without hitting a Mark or fouling another boat: if they foul without clearing, they have to do their penalty turns and then re-cross the line and Finish otherwise they must be protested and disqualified. But, the committee should record them as Finished when they fist cross the line.
Forms
1. Check In Form
2. Finish Order Form
3. Protest Form