Taxonomy of a Race Course

Here are some of the terms you may hear when people talk about race courses.
Committee Boat: The end of the starting line marked by the Race Committee boat.
Usually the starboard end of the line when facing upwind. The Committee Boat flies the flags and sounds the horns to signal the racers and records start and finish times.
Pin: The end of the starting line marked by a buoy. Usually the port end of the line when facing upwind.
Open Line: Racers are allowed to cross the start/finish line during the race. This is the case unless the Sailing Instructions say otherwise.
Closed Line: Racers are not allowed to cross the start/finish line while racing except while starting or finishing their race. This is sometimes called a Closed Gate.
Weather Mark (or Windward Mark): The mark buoy that is the most upwind.
Lee Mark: The mark buoy that is the most downwind.
Gybe Mark: The second mark on a triangle course, where you have to gybe to stay on the course.
Windward Leg: A leg of the race where you must sail closehauled and tack to reach the next mark.
Reaching Leg: A leg where you can sail on a reach and do not need to tack or gybe to reach the next mark.
Downwind Leg: A leg where you must sail more or less straight downwind to reach the next mark and you may need to gybe one or more times.
Marks Left to Port: When you round a mark, you pass it so that the mark stays on the left side of your boat. Most fleet racing courses are designed this way, particularly for the first windward mark.
Marks to Starboard: When you round a mark, you pass it so that the mark stays on your right side. Match race courses are designed this way, particularly the America’s Cup.

Race Course Diagrams

Race Course Diagrams

2010 Port Oliver Yacht Club Race Instructions
These instructions are intended to provide information necessary to coordinate and participate in the POYC racing program. A good understanding of these instructions will help prevent some conflicts during the season.

A. A race should be fair and sporting for all competitors. Good sportsmanship is expected from all participants.
B. All boats entered into a race shall be subject to the direction of the Race Committee (RC). However, it shall be the sole responsibility of each skipper to decide whether or not to START or CONTINUE a race.
C. All races will be conducted under The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), the class rules, and rules modifications as determined by the POYC Race Committee.
D. All required safety equipment shall be carried aboard all boats participating in a race. Each skipper is responsible for the safety of his/her crew and boat. If the Race Committee determines that conditions require the use of life preservers, it shall hoist the Y flag or a life preserver/vest.
E. Races shall be sailed back-to-back each racing day.
F. A minimum of four boats are required to form an official race class.
G. P.O.Y.C. Race Courses are typically windward/ leeward or triangle courses. If other course configurations are used, the configurations must be explained in the skippers meeting before the race.
H. Starting signals shall be covered in the skippers meeting. The starting signals usually consist of a combination of Class flags, a Preparatory (P) flag, and sounds. The sounds are optional.
The class flags are as follows:
a. Red flag – Cruiser
b. Blue flag – Dinghy
c. Yellow flag – Multi-hulls

The starting process is as follows:

d. 5 minutes before the start, the class flag is raised and a warning signal may be sounded.

e. 4 minutes before the start, the P flag (blue with a white square in the middle) is raised and a warning signal may be sounded.

f. 1 minute before the start, the P flag is lowered and a long warning signal may be sounded.

g. The class flag is lowered to signal the start the race. A warning signal may be sounded.

I. The RC will hail early starters, but the burden of a proper start is the responsibility of the skipper.

J. The RC may score all boats remaining on the course 20 minutes after the first boat of the class crosses the finish line as DNF (Did Not Finish) and recall the boats to prepare for the start of the next race.

K. The handicap factors used will be the Portsmouth Yardstick, D-PN factors. No penalty for under-crewed boats. If your boat has modification factors, please indicate on the registration form.

L. Awards will be given for individual races as well as a season champion for both Cruiser and Dinghy class racers. Multi Hulls awards will be available for individual races, when a class exists.

M. The top scores for each skipper for 50% of the races in the 2010 season will count toward the calculation for the season championship in each class. Season points shall be awarded for each race of the day as follows:

a. 1st place = 1 point
b. 2nd place = 2 points
c. 3rd place = 3 points
d. So on through all boats placing.
e. DNF shall be awarded the number of boats finishing + 1

If there is a tie between two or more boats, each boat’s race scores shall be listed in order of best to worst, and at the first point(s) where there is a difference the tie shall be broken in favor of the boat(s) with the best score(s). No excluded scores shall be used. If a tie remains between two or more boats, they shall be ranked in order of their scores in the last race. Any remaining ties shall be broken by using the tied boats’ scores in the next-to-last race and so on until all ties are broken. These scores shall be used even if some of them are excluded scores.

N. Protests may be filed with the RC at the conclusion of each race. Hearing of protests will be held at the end of the race day. Please keep in mind rule 14 “You must avoid contact with other boats if possible.” Intentional violation of this rule will disqualify you from filing a protest.

Need more help with the rules? Introduction to racing class Thursday evening May 13, details to follow.

Committee boat

The challenge of sailing is to get your boat to go from point A to point B, even when the wind will not cooperate. Racing helps force you to learn how to get your boat from point A to point B to point C in as short of a period possible. The fastest way to learn new skills is by following a better racer (and it is great way to place in the race). These guys are often better for a reason, and there is much to learn. Follow them, figure out why they went the way they did, or why they didn’t do what you would have done. If you can’t figure it out on your own, ask them after the race. Most of the club members are happy to share tips with more than just a quick answer. Many times, when a person begins to race, they will follow a faster boat and finish second or third. However, for some reason this stops, and they drop back in the fleet. It may be that “beginner’s luck” runs out. But, more than likely, they just stop following faster racers.

More definitions:
Finish – A boat finishes when any part of her hull, or crew or equipment in normal position, crosses the finishing line in the direction from the last mark either for the first time or, if she takes a penalty, after complying with rule 31.2 or rule 44.2.

Obstruction – An object that a boat could not pass without changing course substantially, if she were sailing directly toward it and one of her hull lengths from it. An object that can be safely passed on only one side and an area so designated by the sailing instructions are also obstructions. However, a boat racing is not an obstruction to other boats unless they are required to keep clear of her or give her room.

Proper Course – A “proper course” is one the boat would sail to finish as quickly as possible. Since different sailors often have different ideas of the quickest route to get to the finish line there can be more than one proper course for a boat at any particular point in time. Thus, two boats sailing side by side may have different proper courses because of differing views on how best to get to the finish line as quickly as possible.

A boat has right of way when another boat is required to keep clear. The following rules cover some special situations where a boat must keep clear.

• If you hit a mark while racing, you must take a penalty as soon as possible by doing one 360-degree circle (Racing Rule 31). While doing your penalty circle, you must stay clear of all other boats.

• If you foul another boat while racing, you must take a penalty as soon as possible by doing two 360-degree circles, or turning 720 degrees (Racing Rule 44). While doing your two penalty circles, you must stay clear of all other boats.

• Racing Rule 14 – Avoiding Contact You must avoid contact with other boats if possible. Even if your boat has right of way you must avoid contact, but you don’t need to act until it becomes obvious that the other boat is not going to keep clear.

• POYC Racing Rule 2010 – Have fun and learn while racing. This is a year to commit to having fun with your boat or one of the club boats and race. Club racing is meant to be fun and help develop skills and that will be the focus of the race program this year. If you don’t feel comfortable racing your own boat come on out to the club on race day. Many racers are always glad to have crew aboard on race day. Come out to the club on race morning and it is guaranteed you will be asked to either crew on a boat or work the committee boat.

Now you are ready to start racing. But if you want that extra little boost of confidence, come out for the introduction to sailboat racing class in April. We will talk about the rules, the marks, as well as racing strategies and tactics with some of the best racers in the club. Look for more information in the next newsletter.

Doug Roberts – Racing Chairman

Racing Corner Month 2 by Doug Roberts – POYC Racing Chair

Why we race sailboats.

It’s about being with people who share our interests. It’s about being with friends and making new friends. It’s about adding meaningful memories that will last a lifetime. Our sport is about respect for the rules, respect for fellow competitors and respect for traditions. Sailboat racing is a shared experience. The bonds created on the course outlast the day of competition. Make a commitment to yourself to join this great sport this year.

Rounding Marks
Room at the Mark!!!! You will hear this on the race course. Giving room is one of the areas where it seems sailors have little room for forgiveness. Room is the space needed by a boat in the existing conditions to perform a particular maneuver promptly and in a seaman-like way.

Of all the racing maneuvers you should practice, rounding the marks is where you should definitely sharpen your skills, because many gains and losses are made at mark roundings. Often a pack of boats will approach the mark, basically tied with each other. Because of the nature of the rounding, someone will come out on top, and depending on the number of boats and the skill of the skippers, the last boat could end up 20 boat lengths behind.

There are three “maneuvers” for which room may be required:

(1) keeping clear of a right-of-way boat,
(2) passing a mark or obstruction or
(3) tacking to avoid an obstruction.

There are several important elements within the definition of “room.”

· One element is “existing conditions,” so that the space required for a particular maneuver will vary depending on what conditions (wind and sea) exist at the time (and may also vary depending on the size and type of boats involved).

· A second element to “room” is “seaman-like way”. A boat will only be entitled to enough room to complete a particular maneuver properly (and will not be entitled to the room necessary to “mess up” the maneuver).

· A third element is “promptly,” so a boat is only entitled to the space to make a particular maneuver “promptly” and may not delay in making a particular maneuver if that causes her to take more room than she would have needed if she had acted promptly.

Definitions

· Three-length zone – The three-length zone is an area that extends from a mark or obstruction on the race course that is equal to three boat lengths. The radius of the Zone is equal to three boat lengths.

· Mark – A mark is any object that according to the sailing instructions must be passed on a particular side, including the marks which indicate the ends of the starting and finishing lines. The anchor line of a buoy that is a mark (similarly, the underwater area around an island that is a mark) is not considered part of the mark. So if the island is a mark and you run aground, you do not need to serve the penalty for hitting a mark (unless of course you run aground so hard you hit dry land).

Three More Rules

* When you’re tacking, you must keep clear of all other boats from the time your boat passes head to wind until it is on a close-hauled course (Racing Rule 13). Look around before you tack to make sure you don’t tack in the way of another boat.

* Whenever you are the right-of-way boat and want to turn, you must give the other boat a chance to keep clear (Racing Rule 16). You cannot make an abrupt turn that allows no opportunity for the other boat to stay out of your way.

* When a boat reaches the three-length zone from a mark or obstruction, it has to give boats overlapped inside it room to round or pass the obstruction (Racing Rule 18). The outer edge of this zone is three boat lengths from the mark. This Rule is switched off at starting marks, and between boats on opposite tacks at the windward mark.

In the newsletter next month we will cover finishing the race, avoiding obstructions, and sailing a proper course. See you at the March meeting and work party.

Doug Roberts – Racing Chairman