Stockton Sailing Club Standing Race Instructions The safety of each yacht and her crew is the sole and inescapable responsibility of the owner and/or skipper, who shall decide whether or not to start and/or continue to race. Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that, when competitors break a rule, they will promptly take a penalty or retire. Entrants Please Note: RRS RULE 1.1: A boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger. RRS RULE 1.2: A boat shall carry adequate life-saving equipment for all persons on board, including one item ready for immediate use, unless her class rules make some other provision. Each competitor is individually responsible for wearing personal buoyancy adequate for the conditions. 1. RULES Races will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing, 2017-2020, except as modified by these instructions or the Sailing Instructions for the individual race or series. PHRF Keel Boats shall have a valid certificate, issued by the Stockton Sailing Club, on file with the Regatta Committee. In addition, yachts sailing under the constraints of a one-design class shall have a copy of those rules on file with the Regatta Committee. 2. ENTRIES: Eligible yachts shall have completed an entry form as prescribed by the Regatta Committee. 3. MINIMUM EQUIPMENT: All yachts must comply with the minimum USCG requirements for recreational vessels. Yachts competing in a PHRF division, whose handicap number is based on using an outboard motor, must have a motor on board that can propel the yacht at a minimum of 70% of her hull speed in smooth water. 4. INTERFERENCE WITH OTHER VESSELS: Yachts shall not impede the passage of a vessel, which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway, or fishing or other vessels with restricted ability to maneuver. Yachts so doing, and thereby endangering their own safety or that of other vessels, will be subject to protest by the Regatta Committee or contestants and are, therefore, subject to possible disqualification. 5. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS AND CHANGES IN THE SAILING INSTRUCTIONS: Any such notices or changes shall be posted on the bulletin board in the clubhouse, and signaled by the hoisting of the “L” flag on the clubhouse flag pole, no later than one hour prior to the scheduled start of the race. 6. SIGNALS FOR STARTING RACES: Starting signals will be made in accordance with Racing Rule of Sailing Rule 3.26. Classes will start at five-minute intervals. Signals for the starting period will be displayed on the Clubhouse starting platform. | 7. MOTORING: A yacht shall compete by using only the wind and water to increase, maintain or decrease her speed (Rule 42.1). A yacht seen to be operating under motor after her warning signal may be scored “DSQ”. . 8. STARTING LINE: The starting line shall be between the pole near the start platform and the start buoy. In the event that no start buoy is present, a pole on the south bank of the San Joaquin River shall be used instead. The start buoy is considered a mark of the course. The area approximately 100 yards either side of the start line and north of the start buoy shall be considered a restricted area unless you are starting. Yachts sailing into this area prior to their warning signal may be scored “DID NOT START.” Yachts must start within three minutes of their class start signal in order to be considered racing. 9. RECALLS: Individual recalls will be signaled in accordance with Rule 29.1 except the words “four minutes” shall be replaced with the words “three minutes”. The platform committee MAY also hail the offending yacht by name, sail number or skipper. General recalls will be signaled in accordance with Rule 29.3. 10. POSTPONEMENT: The signal to postpone will be the hoisting of the “Answering Pennant” and the sounding of two signals. The postponement period will end with the lowering of the “Answering Pennant” and the sounding of one signal. Exactly one minute later, the warning signal will be made, signifying the resumption of the starting sequence. Yachts will then start in the order indicated, rather than at their designated times. 11. FINISH: The finish line shall be the same as the start line. In the event the finish line will be significantly obscured by large traffic, competitors are to finish on the clubhouse side of such traffic. 12. PENALTIES: The One-Turn &Two-Turn penalties, Rule 44.2, is modified as follows: Immediately following a yacht’s start, penalty turns incurred shall not be executed until reaching light “39” to the northwest of the start line. NOTE: It is the skipper’s responsibility to assure that the performance of the alternative penalty will not hinder traffic or racing yachts. 2ND NOTE: RULE 44.1 ALSO STATES: "...IF SHE CAUSED INJURY OR SERIOUS DAMAGE OR GAINED A SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE IN THE RACE OR SERIES BY HER BREACH, HER PENALTY SHALL BE TO RETIRE." 13. PROTESTS: Protests shall be filed on forms provided by the platform committee, at the clubhouse, within two hours of the protester’s finish time. Protests will be heard on the Tuesday immediately following the race, at 7:00 PM at the Stockton Sailing Club, or at such other time as may be mutually agreeable to the parties involved in the hearing, including the Protest Committee. In any event, such hearing must be held within ten days of the race. Mediation may be attempted to avoid the necessity of a protest hearing. 14. SCORING: The low point scoring system, appendix A4 of the racing rules, shall apply as modified here. For the purpose of scoring, a DNF will score one more point than the number of yachts that entered in the fleet (entries + 1), DNS will score two more points than the number of yachts entered in the fleet (entries + 2) and DSQ will score three more points than the number of yachts entered in the fleet (entries + 3). DSQ will not be counted as a throw out. 15. TROPHIES: Awards will be presented for each race or series on the following basis: a) One to four yachts registered: first place only b) Five to seven yachts registered: first and second place c) More than seven yachts registered: first through third place. NOTE: The Spring Series has additional sailing instructions that supplement the current Standing Race Instructions. The Delta Ditch Run and the South Tower Race will have their own sailing instructions