Sailing Instructions

Frankston Yacht Club
Notice of Race – 2024 / 2025 Season

Course Allocation       Course Diagram 

NOTICE OF RACE
The Frankston Yacht Club Incorporated (FYC) invites entries for the 2024/2025 season's events.

RULES.
All races will be governed by the World Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 2021-2024, the prescriptions and special regulations of Australian Sailing (AS), the rules of the respective classes (except as any of these are altered by the Sailing Instructions) and by the Sailing Instructions. All races are designated Category A events.

ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY.
To be eligible to compete in an event (either a series or trophy race), the helmsperson and crew, if applicable, shall be financial members of the Frankston Yacht Club and the boat be registered on the official registration form available from the club office prior to the last race of the event. The crew may be substituted either by another financial member of the F.Y.C. or by a visitor to the Club, provided the visitor complies with the conditions outlined below.

A boat is considered to be entered in a series if it satisfies the eligibility criteria and ranks as a starter in at least one heat of the series.

Any results achieved prior to meeting the above conditions, or with a different helmsperson/boat combination, will be scored as DNS.

Visitors to the club (either helmsperson or crew), including unfinancial members, may enter the day’s racing (and be eligible for daily trophies only) by completing a VISITOR’s entry envelope including an Entry Fee of $10 and lodging it in the entry box located in the Sign On/Sign Off area, or by purchasing an Australian Sailing Sail Pass day membership. A visitor to the Club may only compete in a maximum of six races.

Entries may be refused at the discretion of the Race Committee in accordance with RRS 76.

SCHEDULE.
Please refer to Attachment A: 2024/2025 Season Calendar for the season's schedule. The number of races intended to be sailed on any day will be determined by the race committee with consideration to the conditions at the time and communicated to the sailors in accordance with the Sailing Instructions.

The first WARNING signal of each day's racing will be at 1357hrs. Subsequent races will be started as soon as practicable after the finish of the previous race.

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS – 2024/2025

The 2024/2025 Season of Sailing conducted by the Frankston Yacht Club Incorporated (FYC), under the authority of Australian Sailing - Victoria on behalf of Australian Sailing (AS), will be held on the waters of Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia, in the vicinity of Frankston Yacht Club.

1. RULES.
All races will be governed by the World Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 2021-2024, the prescriptions and special regulations of AS, the current rules of the respective classes (except as any of these are altered by these Sailing Instructions), the Notice of Race, and these Sailing Instructions.

2. ENTRIES.
Entries for each day’s events shall be made by signing on electronically via the Sailor App, or club tablet located outside the club office, or on the reserve Sign On sheet (if required) which will be located beside the tablet.

3. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS.
Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located above the Sign On bench in the power boat shed of the Frankston Yacht Club.

4. CHANGES IN SAILING INSTRUCTIONS.
4.1 Permanent: Any permanent change in these Sailing Instructions will be brought to the attention of members via the Club Newsletter, FYC social media, and/or by posting a notice on the official notice board.
4.2 Temporary: Any change in the Sailing Instructions for a day's racing will be posted on the official notice board not less than one (1) hour prior to the start of the first race on the day it will take effect. Such changes will be indicated by the display of code flag L and one sound signal at least one hour before the start of the race.

5. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE.
5.1 Signals made ashore will be displayed on the signal mast located at the western end of the FYC yard.
5.2 Flag AP with two sound signals, (one sound signal when lowered) means ‘racing is postponed. The warning signal will be made not less than thirty (30) minutes after flag AP is lowered.’

6. SCHEDULE OF RACES.
Races are scheduled as per the Notice of Race - Attachment A, 2024/2025 Season Calendar. The number of races intended to be sailed each day will be communicated at the Competitors' Meeting not less than 60 minutes before the first warning signal of the day.

7. DIVISION FLAGS.
Division flags will be indicated on the Sailing Information Board not later than 60 minutes prior to the warning signal for the first start of each day's racing.

8. RACING AREA.
The racing area will be on the waters of Port Phillip in the vicinity of Frankston Yacht Club, except for Long Distance Races.

9. COURSES.
9.1 Standard courses: All classes shall sail one of the courses as described in Attachment B during Series Races. The approximate configuration of the marks is illustrated in the diagram Attachment C for a port hand course. Course A (On-course finish) or Course B (Inshore finish) will be signalled by a course board displayed on the Race Committee boat no later than the first warning signal of the race to which it will apply.

All courses will be sailed to Port, except Gate Mark 6S, and Finish Guide Mark X, which are rounded to Starboard. A Port course will not be signalled from the Race Committee vessel. If a Starboard course is to be sailed, it will be signalled by a green flag on the Race Committee vessel not later than the first warning signal of the race in which it takes effect.

9.2 Alternative Course: On Trophy Race days, an alternative course may be sailed, to be specified in accordance with S.I. 4.2. The course to be sailed for the day will be indicated on the Sailing Information Board, not later than 60 minutes prior to the first warning signal for the first race of the day.

9.3 The Race Committee may shorten the course at any mark, provided a minimum of one lap has been completed. This will be indicated in one of the following ways:
(a) Flag S displayed on a rounding mark means on rounding the mark, yachts will then proceed to the finishing line (See instruction 14.1).
(b) Flag S displayed on an official boat means finish between the boat and the adjacent rounding mark. When displayed alone, the shorten course signal shall apply to all divisions rounding that mark, and when displayed with a division flag, shall apply to the designated division only. The shorten course signal will be accompanied by two sound signals.

10. MARKS.
Marks 1, 6S, and 6P will be large orange cylindrical, inflatable buoys. Marks 2 and 3 will be small pink cylindrical inflatable buoys; marks 4 and 5 will be small yellow cylindrical inflatable buoys. A clearance mark "1A" will be adjacent to the outer windward mark and will be a staff mark with an orange flag. It must be rounded on the appropriate side for the course direction. The race committee boat limit mark B will be a small red flag. The start Mark C at the port end of the line will be a small yellow inflatable mark. For Course A, the Finish Mark D will be a black and white chequered inflatable mark. For Course B, the finish mark and the finish clearance mark F1 and F2 will be staff marks with orange flags. The finish guide Mark X will be a small pink cylindrical inflatable buoy. Inflatable buoys may carry sponsor identification.

11. START.
11.1 Races will be started with divisions in the order displayed on the Sailing Information Board. The start signal for one division shall be the warning signal for the following division. Start signals will be in accordance with RRS 26, except a 3-minute sequence will be used, which alters RRS 26.

11.2 The starting line will be between the staff displaying an orange flag on the race committee boat at the starboard end and Mark C at the port end.

11.3 A limit mark may be laid adjacent to the race committee boat and is a mark of the course which shall be left on the same hand as the race committee boat. Any yacht passing between the limit mark and any part of the vessel it guards, after the preparatory signal, shall return to the pre-start side of the course by passing outside the race committee boat and start correctly.

11.4 In the event of a general recall, the division starting order will remain as prescribed on the Sailing Information Board.

11.5 Yachts whose preparatory signal has not been made shall keep clear of the starting area and of all yachts whose preparatory signal has been made.

11.6 A yacht shall not start later than five minutes after her starting signal. Yachts failing to start within this time will be scored DNS.

12. MARK BOATS.
Not applicable.

13. CHANGE OF COURSE AFTER THE START.
There will be no change of course after the start of a race. The course may be changed between races.

14. THE FINISH.
14.1 There will be two types of finish used – On Course and Inshore, detailed as Course A and Course B respectively in Attachments B and C. The finish to apply for any race shall be designated on the course board on the committee boat before each start. In the event of a shortened course as per SI 9.3a, yachts are to finish as per the course signalled at the start.

14.1a For an On Course finish (Course A), the finish line shall be between a mast or staff displaying an orange flag on the race committee finishing vessel and the port-end finishing mark D.

14.1b For an Inshore finish (Course B), the finishing line will be between an indicator line on the Western window of the FYC Race Tower and the Finish mark F1. When finishing, all yachts shall, after completing their prescribed course, round mark X, located a short distance to the north of the finish line, to starboard and then pass between the finish mark F1 and the finish clearance mark F2. Yachts racing shall not pass between the finish mark and the finish clearance mark unless actually finishing. Yachts so doing will be disqualified. The finish clearance mark is located inshore of the finish mark.

14.1c When back-to-back races are being conducted, the Race Committee may finish a tail ender boat (or boats) on-course to avoid delaying the start of a subsequent race. This will be accomplished by a patrol boat advising the tail end boat(s), which may then proceed directly to the next starting position. A boat or boats so finished will be awarded points equal to their positions within their class(es) or scoring groups when so finished. See also SI 18.3. The race committee may finish a boat within a fleet at or near a mark to enable a subsequent race to start. A boat so finished will receive points equal to the position occupied at the time the boat was finished and may proceed directly to the Starting area after being so informed.

15. PENALTY SYSTEM.
The penalty shall be one 360-degree turn. This alters RRS 44.1.

16. TIME LIMITS.
16.1 Multiple race schedule: When multiple races are scheduled, the time limit is 60 minutes per race. Yachts failing to finish within the time limit, or 10 minutes after the first yacht in its division/class finishes, whichever is later, will be scored ‘Did Not Finish.’ This changes RRS 35.

16.2 Single race schedule: When a single race is scheduled, the time limit will be three hours. Yachts failing to finish within this time limit, or within thirty minutes after the first yacht in her division finishes, whichever is later, will be scored ‘Did Not Finish.’ This changes RRS 35.

17. PROTESTS.
17.1 Protests shall be written on forms available at the Frankston YC office and delivered to the Race Committee within one hour after the time of the last yacht’s finish in that Division in the last race of the day.

17.2 Protest notices will be posted within 30 minutes of the protest time limit to inform competitors where and when there is a hearing in which they are parties to a protest or named as witnesses.

18. SCORING.
18.1 The low-point scoring system, rule A9, will apply, except as modified: Competitors who join a Series after one or more races have been sailed will be awarded a “Late Entrant” score for each earlier race. The “Late Entrant” score will be the DNC score for the first completed race after the competitor joins the Series. Previously allocated scores will not be altered.

The number of racing days scheduled for each Series is specified in the Season Calendar, Notice of Race Attachment A. Three (3) races are required to be completed to constitute a Series. Scheduled Trophy Race days may be reallocated as a Series event at the discretion of the Sailing Committee. The number of races to be counted for the series will be dependent on the number of races completed in that series according to the following scale:

• Four or fewer races completed: all shall count.
• Between five and eight races: each yacht's worst score shall be excluded.
• Between nine and fourteen races: each yacht's two worst scores shall be excluded.
• Fifteen or more races: each yacht's three worst scores shall be excluded. Ties shall be broken in accordance with Appendix A8 of the RRS.

18.2 Average Points: Average points shall be awarded to boats ‘materially prejudiced’ by participation in Club commitments. Sailors rostered for club duty shall Sign On on the Duty Roster form located in the Sign On area, using their registered boat details for points to be awarded. Additionally, average points may be awarded upon proof of entry to boats sailing in scheduled AS events or Class-sanctioned events as approved by the Race Committee. This request shall be made in writing to the Race Committee, preferably before, but no later than 2 weeks after the completion of the event. Average points will be calculated in accordance with RRS A 10 (a) of the ISAF Rules.

18.3 Scoring Systems: All races shall be scored in accordance with the A9 Low Point scoring system with elapsed times corrected in accordance with the latest Yachting Victoria Yardstick Scale to provide scratch results. Handicap results shall also be provided for races in the Spring, Club Championship, and Autumn Series using the Back Calculated Handicap system. A maximum Applied Handicap variation between races of 5% shall apply.

19. RADIO COMMUNICATION.
Except in an emergency, a boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats. This restriction also applies to mobile telephones.

20. PRIZES.
20.1 Class Definition: Yachts having four or more of the same type of yacht entered in an event (either a series or trophy race) shall constitute a Class for that event. Further, for a Series, a class shall have at least four yachts satisfying series entry criteria, who rank as a starter in at least 50% of completed races for that series rounded to the higher figure. Miscellaneous Classes for a given event shall be comprised of boats which do not have sufficient numbers to form a Class in their own right.

20.2 Trophies: For each of the Trophy races, the overall winner will be decided by adjusting each yacht’s elapsed time by applying a correction for course length and YA yardstick. For each series, trophies will be awarded in each class satisfying series qualification requirements for both outright and handicap positions. The number of trophies to be awarded for each class will be determined by the Executive Committee, dependent on the number of competitors.

21. INDEMNITY.
All those taking part in FYC races do so at their own risk and responsibility. FYC is not responsible for the seaworthiness of a yacht whose entry is accepted or the sufficiency or adequacy of its equipment. FYC, its members, or those persons assisting FYC, will not be responsible for damage caused to yachts by Club rescue boats or other boats assisting in rescue duties, or in any other circumstances or manner whatsoever. Attention is drawn to RRS 4 which states, inter alia:
“A boat is solely responsible for deciding whether or not to start or to continue racing.”

22. MEASUREMENT.
All competing boats shall comply with all measurement specifications as published by their relevant Australian Class Authority. Prior to, during, or at the conclusion of any race or series, the Race Committee may require any competing boat, their sails, or equipment to be presented for a measurement check, and if such does not comply with the Class Rules, the boat is liable to disqualification by protest by the Race Committee from all races in which it has competed, or may thereafter compete in, whilst not complying with the Rules. Sailors are to ensure that all sets of sails bear the same number. If a different sail number is to be used, the Race Committee must be notified in writing before the race(s) in which the numbers are used; otherwise, their points may be adversely affected.

23. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.
23.1 All yachts shall comply with the Australian Sailing Safety Regulations, Part 2 ‘Off the Beach Yachts’. Inspections for compliance with the safety regulations may be made, and boats that do not satisfy the regulations will be subject to disqualification by protest. Where there is a difference between Australian Sailing Special Regulations and Class Rules regarding safety equipment, the higher specification shall apply. Note that Victorian State Law requires an approved Personal Flotation Device to be worn at all times when afloat.

23.2 The safety of a yacht and her entire management, including full insurance, shall be the sole responsibility of the owner and/or competitor racing the yacht. The establishment of these sailing instructions or the acceptance of an entry in no way limits or reduces the complete responsibility of the owner and/or competitor for his crew, his yacht, and the management thereof.

23.3 The Race Committee reserves the right to inspect any yacht prior to any race, at the completion of any race, and at the completion of the Series.

24. RACE COMMITTEE BOAT.
The race committee boat will display the burgee of the Frankston Yacht Club.

25. SIGN ON AND SIGN OFF.
25.1 The skipper of each yacht shall sign on prior to the warning signal of the first division of the first race of the day using the Sailor mobile app, or if not on the Club register, on a form located on the east wall of the powerboat shed, adjacent to the yard door. In the case of back-to-back races, a valid sign on for the first race will be deemed to be a valid sign on for all of the day's races. Failure to Sign On will result in disqualification from the first race of the day.

25.2 A signed declaration by the skipper as to the completion of the race(s) and observance of the Rules or an indication of non-completion of the race (“DNF”) will be required. This declaration is to be completed within thirty minutes of the finishing time of the last finisher of the last race electronically using the Sailor App, or on a form located on the east wall of the powerboat shed adjacent to the yard door. In the case of back-to-back races, a valid sign off for the last race will be deemed to be a valid sign off for all of the day's races. Failure to Sign Off within the time limit shall result in disqualification from the final race of the day.

26. MEETING OF COMPETITORS.
A meeting of competitors may be held in the downstairs Information Area prior to any day's racing. Questions about the sailing instructions will be accepted and answered. However, such answers, whether written or not, shall not form a part of these sailing instructions.

27. COMPLIANCE WITH SAILING INSTRUCTIONS.
Failure to comply with these Sailing Instructions shall result in disqualification from the race(s) in which they are infringed.