Sailing Instructions
PORT DINORWIC SAILING CLUB SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
1 RULES
1.1 Races will be governed by the ‘rules’ as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing.
1.2 Boats competing in club races shall be helmed by current club members, their representatives or guests.
1.3 Entries for each race shall be made on the race sheet near the official notice board before the warning signal for that race.
1.4 Boats with alternative Portsmouth Handicap Numbers (PN) may use only one PN during a series.
1.5 Boats may apply to the Race Officer (RO) to race in a handicap group other than that defined by their PN, but may only race in one handicap group in a series.
1.6 Competitors shall not obstruct the slipway when other boats are waiting to launch.
2 NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
2.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board in the club.
3 CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
3.1 Any change to the Sailing Instructions or courses will be posted before the warning signal for races it affects.
4 SIGNALS
4.1 Signals made ashore will be displayed from the race box. Signals made afloat will be displayed from the committee boat. The safety boat may repeat race signals.
4.2 Postponements will be as RRS 27.3 except that the time of the next warning signal may be posted on the official notice board.
5 SCHEDULE OF RACES AND CLASS FLAGS
5.1 The starting procedure is as follows:
5 Minute Warning | Class flag displayed |
4 Minute Preparatory | P flag displayed |
1 minute before the start | P flag lowered |
Start | Class flag lowered |
5.2 The scheduled time of Start signals, and class flags, are as follows, unless altered by the race programme or the course sheet:
5.3 An orange flag displayed accompanied by a sound signal and constitutes one end of the start line, prior to the starting sequence. The warning signal for the first start will be no less than 5 minutes after this signal.
SATURDAYS – Early Bird Series
CLASS | FLAG | RACE 1 | RACE 2 |
Asymmetric H’cap dinghies | T | 14:00 | TBA |
H’cap dinghies (PN 1066 to 1290) | K | 14:05 | TBA +5min |
H’cap dinghies (PN below 1060), Short Course Racers | O/F | 14:10 | TBA +10min |
SATURDAYS – Apart from Early Bird, Frostbite and Icicle Series
CLASS | FLAG | RACE 1 | RACE 2 |
H’cap dinghies (PN above 1290) | O | 14:00 | TBA |
H’cap dinghies (PN 1066 to 1290) | K | 14:05 | TBA +5min |
H’cap dinghies (PN below 1060) | T | 14:10 | TBA +10min |
FROSTBITE & ICICLE SERIES
CLASS | FLAG | RACE 1 | RACE 2 |
H’cap dinghies (PN above 1290) | O | 13:00 | TBA |
H’cap dinghies (PN 1066 to 1290) | K | 13:05 | TBA +5min |
H’cap dinghies (PN below 1060) | T | 13:10 | TBA +10min |
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS
CLASS | FLAG | RACE |
H’cap dinghies (PN above 1290) | O | 19:00 |
H’cap dinghies (PN 1066 to 1290) | K | 19:05 |
H’cap dinghies (PN below 1060) | T | 19:10 |
Wednesday evenings early and late season start 30 min earlier, see sailing programme
7 RACING AREA
7.1 Courses will normally be set on an area of the Menai Strait extending approximately two miles either side of the club, except for long distance races.
8 COURSES AND SHORTENING COURSES
8.1 Courses, number of laps to be sailed and the start line to be used will be posted on the official notice board not less than 20 minutes before the start of a race.
8.2 Courses may be shortened at any time by displaying the S flag together with the appropriate class flag, two sound signals and shall finish when then pass through an open line between the clubhouse flag pole and the white mark on the Anglesey shore at Moel y Don.
8.3 To assist visibility solid boards representing the S and appropriate class flags may be displayed near to the club flag station.
9 MARKS
9.1 The colours, shapes and fixed positions of the course marks are described on the plan of the racing area at the end of these Sailing Instructions. Unless otherwise described the marks shell be Yellow Pencil marks, Yellow Speed limit buoys or CHT Navigation Buoys.
10 THE START
10.1 Races will be started using Rule 26.
Signal | FLAG | Sound | Min to Start |
Warning | Class Flag | 1 | 5 |
Preparation | P, I,Z,Z+I,U, or Black | 1 | 4 |
One Minute | Preparatory removed | 1 | 1 |
Starting | Class Flag removed | 1 | 0 |
The warning signal for each succeeding class shall be made with the starting signal of the proceeding class.
10.2 The starting line for races will be between the Clubhouse Flag pole bearing an orange flag and a blue / yellow pencil buoy.(Alternative Start Line see 10.3).
10.3 The committee boat starting line will be between the committee boat mast and a start mark, designated on the course form.
10.4 Individual recalls will be signalled by displaying IC flag X and an additional sound signal.
11 ALL IN, AVERAGE LAP RACES
11.1 All-in, average lap races will have a single start for fast and medium class boats, with each lap being completed by passing through the start/finish line. The race will run until a boat completing a lap is finished with a double horn blast and a blue flag raised. Each boat will then be finished as it next passes through the start/finish line to complete its current lap. Average lap time will then be calculated and corrected for handicap.
12 THE FINISH
12.1 The finishing line for shore based races will be between the Clubhouse Flag pole and the blue / yellow Finish mark.
12.2 The committee boat finishing line will be between the committee boat mast and the adjacent course mark.
13 TIME LIMITS
13.1 Time limits are as follows, unless altered by the race programme or the course sheet:
Dinghy Series Races 2.0 hours
Evening Races 1.5 hours
13.2 When one boat finishes within a race time limit, that time limit will be extended by 30 minutes.
14 PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS
14.1 Protest forms are available from the race box. Protests shall be delivered there within 30 mins of the last boat finishing the last race of the day.
14.2 Details of protest hearings will be posted on the official notice board.
15 SCORING
15.1 The low point scoring system of Appendix A will apply, and the number of races to count in a series will be half of those sailed plus one. Fractions of races in a series are to be rounded down.
15.2 Rule A5.3 shall apply.
15.3 Series races will not be postponed to a later date.
15.4 Race officers and assistants, safety boat operatives and duty officers shall count average points, as in RRS Appendix 10(a) , for races missed due to prearranged duty turns.
16 SAFETY REGULATIONS
16.1 Adequate personal buoyancy shall be worn whilst racing. Adequate personal buoyancy shall be worn by youth sailors at all times whilst afloat. Wet or dry suits do not constitute adequate personal buoyancy.
16.2 Boats are advised to carry adequate paddles, anchor, warp, and towline.
16.3 Competitors must obey instructions from the club rescue boats.
16.4 A boat that retires from a race shall notify the race officer as soon as possible.
16.5 The race area is a busy recreational waterway. Competitors are warned that PWCs and groups of learners in sailing boats may not be navigating under full control. Competitors are strongly advised to keep well clear.
17 RISK STATEMENT
17.1 “The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.” Sailing is by its nature an unpredictable sport and therefore inherently involves an element of risk. By taking part in the event, each competitor agrees and acknowledges that:
(a) They are aware of the inherent element of risk involved in the sport and accept responsibility for the exposure of themselves, their crew and their boat to such inherent risk whilst taking part in the event.
(b) They are responsible for the safety of themselves, their crew, their boat and their other property whether afloat or ashore.
(c) They accept responsibility for any injury, damage or loss to the extent caused by their own actions or omissions.
(d) Their boat is in good order, equipped to sail in the event and they are fit to participate.
(e) The provision of a race management team, patrol boats and other officials and volunteers by the club organisation does not relieve them of their own responsibilities.
(f) The provision of patrol boat cover is limited to such assistance, particularly in extreme weather conditions, as can be practically provided in the circumstances.
(g) It is the competitor’s responsibility to familiarise themselves with any risks specific to the club sailing area.
18 INSURANCE
18.1 Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third party liability insurance with a minimum cover of £5,000,000.
19 PURSUIT RACES
19.1 For pursuit races these SIs will replace their equivalents in the main body of the SIs.
10 THE START
10.1 Pursuit races will be started as follows:
- Start times for each class will be posted on the official noticeboard.
- The first class will start as per Rule 26.
- Subsequent class starts will be signalled by a sound signal without a visual signal.
12 THE FINISH
12.1 Pursuit races will be finished as follows:
- The finishing line will be the position of the leading boat at the time limit.
- The position of all boats will be taken by the RO. If the race finishes out of sight of the RO, competitors are asked to remember their relative positions with respect to other boats, to assist in compiling results.
13 TIME LIMIT
13.1 The time limit will be posted on the official noticeboard.
13.2 The time limit will be signalled by a blue flag and one long sound signal.
19 CLUB RACE AREA
19.1 Club marks are yellow pencil marks, Speed limit marks are float buoys, generally yellow and with speed limit marked on them. The Start/Finish mark is a yellow pencil buoy with a blue sleeve over the majority of its body.
KHN March 2025
CHYF-PDSC-G-021 Issue No. 05 (March 2025)
