Provisional Sailing Instructions
St. Maarten Heineken Regatta
2013
1. Rules
1.1 The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing 2013-2016 (www.sailing.org).
1.2 In the event of conflict, the English text of the rules and these Sailing Instructions as printed and distributed at registration shall apply, any versions posted on the regatta website are purely informational.
2. Notices to Competitors
2.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the Official Notice Board located at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, Simpson Bay. As a courtesy to competitors, the notices may also be displayed on the score screens at each venue.
3. Changes to the Sailing Instructions
3.1 Any change to the Sailing Instructions will be posted by 07.30h on the day it will take effect, except that any change to the schedule will be posted by 21.00h on the day before it will take effect.
4. Signals Ashore
4.1 There will be no signals ashore.
5. Schedule of Races
5.1 The schedule of races and starting times for all classes will be issued at registration and will form part of these Sailing Instructions.
6. Class Flags and Identification
6.1 A list of class flags and the appropriate colored flag will be issued to each boat at registration.
6.2 Class flags shall be flown from the backstay or, if not possible, from a suitable appendage at the stern of the boat where it shall be clearly visible.
6.3 Identification ‘tie-on’ guardrail bow and stern numbers will be provided, if needed, at registration and shall be clearly displayed on both sides of the forward and aft lifelines of the boat. Entrants that have sail numbers must provide them to the registration office and will not be required to have bow/stern numbers.
7. Courses
7.1 Addendum A to these Sailing Instructions lists the marks to be passed, their order and the side on which each mark is to be left. The diagrams show the courses.
7.2 The number of the course to be sailed will be indicated by a numeral pennant flown from the Start Boat.
7.3 While racing, all boats shall stay to seaward of all marks and buoys that are part of the fueling station in Cole Bay and their imaginary connecting lines.
7.4 While racing, all boats shall stay to seaward of all marks and buoys that mark the extension of the runway at Juliana airport in Maho Bay and their imaginary connecting lines.
8. Marks
8.1 Marks of the course will be orange or yellow inflatable buoys, some of which may display advertising. If a mark goes missing it might be replaced by a small round red buoy.
8.2 Marks on the French side of the island might be permanent yellow Nature Reserve bouys.
9. The Start
9.1 Races will be started in accordance with RRS Rule 26. The warning signal for Start Boat A and Start Boat B will be Five (5) minutes before the starting signal.
9.2 The warning signal of each succeeding class shall be made with or after the starting signal of the preceding class.
9.3 The starting line will be between an orange flag on the Start Boat and an orange inflatable buoy on port.
9.4 Any boat or buoy attached to the Start Boat shall be considered to be part of the Start Boat.
9.5 Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area during the starting sequence for other races. A breach of this instruction may be protested by the Race Committee only. This changes RRS Rule 60.1 (a).
9.6 (a) Starts will be to windward. If the first mark of the course is not to windward, an additional windward / offset mark combination will be added to the course.
9.6 (b) All windward marks will be orange and all offset marks will be yellow.
9.6 (c) The additional windward mark will be between ¾ and 1 ¼ nautical miles from the start. The offset mark will be at approximately 90 degrees to the straight line from the start to the windward mark at a distance of 1 nautical mile or less.
9.7 (a) If the Start Boat displays a green-over-red flag combination; proceed directly to the first mark of the course.
9.7 (b) If the Start Boat displays a red flag; round the additional windward / offset marks to port.
9.7 (c) If the Start Boat displays a green flag; round the additional windward / offset marks to starboard.
9.8 After completing the first leg of the course, a boat shall not cross any starting line. After completing the first leg of the course a boat shall not cross the finishing line until she is completing the last leg of the course and finished. A restricted start or finish line shall be considered an obstruction. The start line of the other Start Boat is always an obstruction. A boat that breaks these rules shall not correct her error. However, she will be exonerated if she takes a one-turn penalty.
9.9 Prior to their warning signal, boats of the Bareboat Class shall not have any part of the headsail hoisted or unfurled when they are within 400 meters (1/4 mile) of the starting line. A breach of this instruction may be protested by the Race Committee only. This changes RRS Rule 60.1 (a).
9.10 A boat starting later than 10 minutes after the last starting signal in the starting sequence will be scored Did Not Start (DNS) without a hearing. This changes RRS Rule A4 and A5.
10. General Recall
10.1 In the event of a general recall, starts for succeeding classes will be postponed accordingly.
11. The Finish
11.1 The finishing line will be between a blue flag on a Finish Boat and a nearby orange inflatable buoy.
12. Time Limit
12.1 The time limit for all classes will be 18.00h, except that on Sunday, March 3, the time limit will be 16.00h.
12.2 If there is more than one race for a class in a day, the time limit for the first race will be one hour after the finish time of the first finisher in that class.
12.3 Boats failing to finish by the time limit will be scored Did Not Finish (DNF) without a hearing. This changes RRS Rules 35, A4 and A5.
13. Penalty System
13.1 Except for breaches of Parts 1 and 2 of the RRS, the International Jury may apply any penalty that they deem equitable. This changes RRS rule 64.1.
13.2 A boat that does not take a penalty in accordance with RRS 44.1 and 44.2 may accept a 30% scoring penalty before the protest hearing provided there was no damage and the boat did not gain a significant advantage. This changes RRS 44. RRS 44.3 does not apply.
14. Protests
14.1 Protest forms are available with the protest secretary at the official protest desk.
14.2 For each competitor the protest time limit is two (2) hours after the protesting boat finish time of the last race of the day for that boat or 18:30h, whichever is earlier. Competitors shall make every reasonable effort to comply with the protest time limit. Bridge opening times and the return of boats to moorings do not automatically extend protest time.
14.3 On Sunday, March 3, protests shall be lodged within two (2) hours after the protesting boat finish time or 16.30h, whichever is earlier.
14.4 On the last day of racing a request for reopening a hearing shall be delivered:
a. Within the protest time limit if the requesting party was informed of the decision on the previous day
b. No later than 30 minutes after the requesting party was informed of the decision of that day.
This changes rule 66.
14.5 Protests will be heard in approximately the order of receipt, starting as soon as possible. Protest hearings will be notified by a listing on the Official Notice Board. This list will be updated at approximately 30-minute intervals from the receipt of the first protest each day until the list has been marked “Final for the Day”. When all parties are present at the Protest Desk, every reasonable effort will be made to hold the hearing as soon as possible, even if it is prior to the posted hearing time.
14.6 A system of Arbitration may be used prior to full Jury hearings for matters concerning breaches of RRS Part 2. After Arbitration and before the Jury hearing, any party to the Arbitration may accept a 40% scoring penalty. Rules for Arbitration will be available at the Protest Desk.
14.7 When the official measurer of the regatta is satisfied that there is an error in a boat’s measurement certificate at any time during the regatta, he will notify the Jury which will call a hearing. If the Jury is satisfied that the measurement certificate is in error, the measurer will reissue the certificate and the score for all races in the regatta will be adjusted in accordance with the new measurement certificate. This changes RRS rule 78.3.
14.8 Other than as allowed in 14.7 above, no measurement or rating protest may be lodged after the first day of racing. This changes RRS rule 60.1(a).
14.9 When the Jury sits with a panel of less than 5 members, in accordance with Appendix N 1.4(b) the time limit for the parties to request a full IJ hearing shall be 30 minutes from the time the initial decision is announced.
15. Scoring
15.1 Application of handicaps will be made on a time-on-time system.
15.2 When fewer than 75% of the starters in a class finish within the time limit, positions for boats that have not finished may be taken at the last mark at which a rounding was recorded by the Race Committee. A boat so recorded shall not be scored better than or equal to one completing the course.
16. Safety
16.1 All boats shall comply with CSA minimum safety requirements except that Multihulls are exempt from the lifeline requirement.
16.2 No boat shall race with an anchor overhanging the bow or forward crossbeam. However written application for exemption from this requirement may be made to the Chairman of the Race Committee, who may grant any relief he deems appropriate.
16.3 Any boat retiring shall advise the Start Boat or Finish Boat at the earliest opportunity. Failure to do so may, following a hearing, result in disqualification from the regatta or such other penalty as the Jury deems equitable.
17. Equipment and Measurement Checks
17.1 A boat or equipment may be inspected at any time for compliance with the CSA measurement rules, CSA safety requirements, these Sailing Instructions, and the Notice of Race.
18. Official Boats
18.1 Official boats will be marked with a RC flag.
19. Trash Disposal
19.1 Trash shall not deliberately be thrown overboard.
20. Radio Communication
20.1 Radio communication for Start Boat A will be VHF channel 71. Radio communication for Start Boat B will be VHF channel 74.
20.2 The Start Boat/ Finish Boat may broadcast the following:
- Time checks 30 and 15 minutes before the first start each day;
- Courses to be sailed;
- Notification of amendments to the Sailing Instructions and, if the amendment is brief, its text;
- The Abandonment or Postponement of any race;
- The Finish Boat leaving the finish line.
20.3 Failure to make these broadcasts will not be grounds for redress.
21. Use of engines
21.1 Any boat that uses her engine during a race shall submit a written report of the incident, including the time and distance covered and the reasons for using the engine, to the jury within the protest time. The jury may, following a hearing take any action it deems appropriate.
Codes for Downwind Sailing
The following codes appearing on the ENTRANTS LIST, determine the headsails that may be flown downwind by each boat:
Code Headsails Permitted Downwind
JIB JIB ONLY
POL JIB & POLE
SEC SECOND HEADSAILS
ASY ASYMMETRIC SPINNAKER
SPI SPINNAKER
BOTH SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC SPINNAKER