1

Rules

The Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012 (RRS) govern except as modified by these Sailing Instructions, which conform to those published by the Western Michigan Yachting Association.

1.1

A.  NCESA Scantling Rules govern the E-Scow class.
B.  IMCCSRA Scantling Rules govern the MC-Scow class.
C.  National Butterfly Scantling Rules govern the Butterfly class.
D.  IM17CA Rules govern the M17.
E.  USWPCO Scantling Rules govern the Wood Pussy class.

1.2

In the Junior Fleet, there must be two persons aboard each boat, neither of whom may have reached age 17 prior to the first day of the series or regatta being sailed.  For educational purposes, beginning helmsmen may sail with crew older than age 16. Scoring will be “with adult” and will count the same as DNS.

1.3

Crews may be changed at any time during a series or regatta.  Points and prizes will be awarded to boats, except in the Ladies Butterfly Fleet, the Junior Butterfly Fleet and the Welcome MC Fleet, where points and prizes will be awarded to skippers.

1.4

The Race Committee for each fleet will be composed of the class Fleet Captain and the Sailing Masters on duty during the class races.

2

Entries

Eligibility requirements for boats are that helmsmen must be members of the CLYC in good standing.  Dues, fees, and obligations must be paid by the owners and/or helmsmen of the boats prior to racing them.  Crews are not required to be CLYC members.  All boats racing shall have valid registrations.  Each CLYC member will be allowed to sponsor one guest per year to sail for up to one week in CLYC Fleet races.  The guest will not be scored but will have full sailing rights and will be subject to all CLYC sailing instructions.  The fee for the guest will be $20.00.  All participants shall comply with State and Federal laws.

2.1

Racing Numbers:  Boats shall comply with the rules of their class association in regard to the allotment, carrying, and size of insignia, letters, and numbers.  The CLYC letters are “CR.”  E-Scow, C-Scow, and Wood-Pussy numbers will be assigned by the Club Fleet Captain and may be reserved by members for future use.  The MC-Scow, M-17, and Butterfly numbers shall match the hull numbers, unless exceptions are approved by the Club Fleet Captain.  Should the Sailing Masters determine that a boat is not clearly identifiable or not in accordance with these requirements, the boat shall be ordered to correct any such deficiency prior to becoming eligible for competition, or, failing to do so, is subject to disqualification.

3

Notices to Competitors

Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board.

4

Changes in Sailing Instructions

Any change in the schedule of races will be posted at least one week before it will take effect.  Other changes to the Sailing Instructions for specific races or series will be announced at a Skippers’ Meeting held immediately prior to the affected race(s).

5

Schedule of Races

Races are scheduled as shown in the Racing Calendar published in the CLYC Telltale.  All races will be started on time unless the Sailing Masters determine that safety considerations or proper race management warrant postponement.  The times posted on the Racing Calendar are for Warning Signals.  No Warning Signal for morning races will be made after 12:00pm , and no Warning Signal for afternoon races will be made after 4:00pm . 

6

Postponing or Abandoning Races

6.1

The Fleet Captain of each adult racing class (or a Sailing Master in the absence of the Fleet Captain) will decide whether conditions are suitable for racing.  When races are postponed because of weather, postponement will occur in minimum increments of 30 minutes. 

6.2

Junior races will be postponed and a time scheduled for make-up races if (1) the wind is steady above 15 miles per hour about one quarter mile off the CLYC pier or (2) if a Sailing Master, Fleet Captain, or Junior Fleet Senior Advisor decides that weather conditions are not suitable for racing.

6.3

If the Sailing Master or his appointee decides that fewer than three boats are close enough to the starting line to be able to cross it at the starting signal, the race will be postponed for 15 minutes.  At least three yachts must cross the staring line in a legal manner to make the race official.

7

Special Courses:

At the option of individual fleets, other courses may be sailed, e.g. the traditional CLYC courses to “Three Fingers,” “Assembly,” etc.  It shall be the responsibility of Fleet Captains to reach a consensus within their fleets to sail special courses, to arrange with the Sailing Masters for setting such courses, and to properly notify all boats of the courses to be sailed.

8

8.1

The Start

A boat may not start more than 10 minutes after her Starting Signal.

8.2

Black Flag Rule (WMYA Version): Following the displaying of a black flag, any boat over the line one minute before the start will receive a “DSQ” unless that boat restarts by going around either end of the starting line just like a start under the “One Minute Rule.”  If the boat fails to make a proper start she will be notified at the Windward Mark to retire from the race.  There will be no notification from the Race Committee that a boat is over the line.  If for some reason the race sailed under the Black Flag Rule does not finish, either because of a time limit, abandonment and re-sail, or other appropriate action, all competitors eligible to start and who may have been initially disqualified by the Black Flag Rule are again eligible to restart.

9

Mark Boats

When the mark at an end of the starting or finishing line is a committee boat, it may attach a buoy to its stern by a line.  The buoy and its attached line are a part of the mark and therefore not an obstruction. 

10

Penalty System

RRS44.1 will be modified for E-Scows to one-turn when she may have broken a rule under Part 2.

11

Time Limit

The time limit for all races will be 2 hours.

12

Protests

12.1

RRS 44 is modified to allow a boat to take a penalty by accepting the opinion of a mediator. 

After a protest has been lodged, one designated representative from each boat, who shall have been on the boat when the incident occurred, may appear together before a mediator appointed by the race committee.  No witnesses shall be allowed.

The mediator will have each party describe the incident, limiting each party to approximately two minutes.

After hearing the testimony, the mediator will express one of the following conclusions:

   1.  No rule was broken.  The protester has the option of withdrawing the protest.  If he decides to do so, he signs to this effect on the protest form.  The protest is then withdrawn and shall not be reopened or appealed.  If the protester does not withdraw the protest, it will be submitted to the protest committee in the normal manner.

   2.  A rule was broken by one of the boats involved.  The representative of the offending boat has the option of either accepting the 40% penalty or submitting the matter to the protest committee for a protest hearing.  If the penalty is accepted, the matter is closed and cannot be submitted to a hearing, be reopened, appealed or submitted for redress.

   3.  The mediator concludes that the protest should be submitted to the protest committee in the normal manner.  

12.2

Protest Committees

The Club Fleet Captain and/or the Fleet Captains for each fleet shall appoint Protest Committees as needed, each with a Chairman, and at least two additional members.  In the Junior Fleet, the composition of the Protest Committee will be subject to approval by the Junior Fleet Senior Advisor.

13

Scoring

13.1

All fleets will use the low score system as specified by US Sailing.  There will be two adjustments to the low score system for CLYC Club Racing.  Boats that DNS will have a penalty of the highest number of boats sailing in any race in the series, plus 1.  Boats that DNF will have a penalty of the number of boats in the race plus 1.

In the Welcome Fleet, scoring shall be an average of the places of finishing, with first place = 1 point, etc., with no penalty for DNS.  Scoring shall be by skipper.  To be eligible for a trophy, a skipper must finish a minimum of 4 races.  Throwouts shall be awarded based on the number of races an individual skipper races, according to section 13.2 of the Telltale.  No skipper may be scored in the Welcome Fleet after winning the First Place trophy for the second time.

13.2

Throwout Races for scoring will be based upon the number of races actually completed by the fleet in a series or regatta:

Throwouts will be accumulated after every 4 races.  For example, the first throwout will occur at race 5, the second at race 9, and so forth with no limit.

13.3

To encourage participation at sanctioned regattas by CLYC sailors, if a skipper elects to attend a sanctioned regatta and attendance is approved by the club fleet captain prior to the missed race(s), the place for the missed race(s) shall be the average place (rounded to the nearest integer) in the season series to that date for that skipper.

14

Prizes

Prizes will be awarded in series and regattas of three or more participating boats.  Prizes will be awarded to E-Scow, MC-Scow, Ladies Butterfly, Junior Fleet, and Wood-Pussy skippers.  A guideline for all fleets except the Junior Fleet is first, second, and third in regattas and series.  The guideline for prizes to be awarded to Junior skippers and crews placing first, second, third, fourth, and fifth in regattas and series.

15

Safety

15.1

E-Scows shall sail with mainsail floatation installed.

15.2

A USCG Approved life jacket must be worn at all times by every participant in a Junior Fleet race.

15.3

All competitors under the age of 17 must pass the CLYC Swimming Test administered by the Junior Fleet Advisor or the Club Sailing Master in order to sail in a sanctioned event of any class.  The test will consist of demonstrating an ability to swim and/or float in open water for 15 minutes without a life jacket.

15.4

When a Junior Fleet race is canceled due to weather conditions, all Junior sailors will leave their boats on the CLYC beach and not sail their boats home.

15.5

All races will be followed by at least two CLYC safety boats, unless substitutes are specifically approved by the Club Fleet Captain, the Sailing Master, the appropriate adult Fleet Captain, or the Junior Fleet Senior Advisor.

15.6

Wood Pussy boats shall have adequate flotation installed.

16

Rule Changes

Permanent sailing instruction changes will be submitted to and approved by the Board of Directors.  The Fleet Captain of a specific fleet wishing a rule change will poll every member of his fleet and then submit in writing the specific change proposed.  Approved rule changes will be published in subsequent Sailing Instructions and, if enacted during the summer season, posted on the official notice board.