Saint Lucie Sailing Club

Stuart, Florida

CERULEAN CUP OCEAN RACE TO FORT PIERCE

Saturday and Sunday.  May 20 and 21, 2017

Warning Signal:   9:55 AM

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

1- RULES

The races will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) including US Sailing Prescriptions, except as changed by these sailing instructions.

2- ENTRIES

Entry is limited to members of the Saint Lucie Sailing Club (SLSC) or other recognized club who have obtained an appropriate handicap from the SLSC Handicapper. Boats with skippers who do not belong to a club may be entered if approved by the SLSC Race Committee.

3- NOTICES TO COMPETITORS

Notices to competitors will be posted on the SLSC website (www.stluciesailingclub.org).  Changes to the Sailing Instructions will not be posted to the SLSC website if it is inconvenient.

4- SCHEDULE and CLASS FLAGS

Saturday and Sunday.  May 20 and 21, 2017

Warning Signal:   9:55 AM

Starting Signal:  10:00 AM

Class Flag: Blue

5- RACING AREA

The RACE FOR THE CERULEAN CUP OCEAN REGATTA is a cruise race on Saturday from St. Lucie’s Inlet to Fort Pierce Inlet and returning Sunday from Fort Pierce’s inlet to St. Lucie Inlet and consisting of one race, one class, one start.  The race will be scored using SLSC-supplied handicaps and the US Sailing PHRF time-on-distance method.

6- COURSES and MARKS

Saturday: Start between St. Lucie Inlet R”2”buoy and start boat. Then north to R”14 leaving to starboard then to R”12” leaving to port.  Finish at Ft. Pierce Inlet leaving R”2” to port and direct line connecting inlet range marks.

Sunday: Start between Ft Pierce Inlet R”2”buoy and start boat. Then south to ocean R”12” leaving to starboard, then to R”14” leaving to port.  Finish at St. Lucie Inlet leaving R”2” to starboard and direct line connecting east end of south rock jetty. (leaving buoy to Port or Starboard means that is side of your boat the buoy will be on.)

7- STARTING AND FINISHING LINES- STARTING SYSTEM

The Starting Line:

Races will be started from a moving Committee boat. The start line will be an imaginary straight line from the stern of the moving start boat and the government mark R “2”. The starting   shall be between the RC flag on the committee boat and R “2”.  

A five-minute Starting Sequence will be used per RRS rule 26. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded.

S - 5 min                      Warning signal             Class Flag up            One sound signal

S - 4 min                      Preparatory signal        P Flag  up                 One sound signal

S - 1 min                      One-minute signal        P Flag down     One long sound signal

S = 0 min                      Starting signal             Class Flag down       One sound signal

Recalls will be handled per RRS rule 29.  The RC will sound a short horn blast and attempt to notify OCS boats via VHF Channel 71.  If an RC boat is not present, entrants will start themselves.

The Finish Lines

Will be imaginary lines between the government marks and/or features on the shore, unless otherwise noted. All yachts must record their own finish time, call it in on VHF channel 71 and Cell Phone 305-632-9663 to the Race Committee.

“A boat shall record her finish time-of-day when her bow is at a point due east and within a three boat length circle of the finish mark".

All yachts are requested to record your time as you are directly East of ocean buoy R-“12”, call it in on VHF channel 71 and Cell Phone 305-632-9663 to Race Committee which will be used incase we have to shorten the course.

8- TIME LIMITS

There will be no time limit unless established and announced prior to the race start. The race Committee may at any time signal abandonment, or postponement, of any race due to weather or any other conditions that may endanger or unfairly interfere with participants. All announcements will be made on VHF channel 71.

9- PROTESTS

USSA Part V,  Section A, Rule 61 will be followed. A protesting yacht shall immediately hail the offending yacht that a protest will be lodged. Protests will be in writing on appropriate forms (see appendix T of USSA Rules) and submitted to the Race Committee within 72 hours of the race finish.  Hearings will be held as soon as possible at a mutually acceptable location and time.

10- ALTERNATIVE PENALTIES

If a boat believes she may have broken one or more rules of RRS Part 2 in an incident while racing, she may take a one-turn or a two-turn penalty per RRS rules 44.1 and 44.2 instead of withdrawing.

11 SCORING

Results will be calculated based on the declared handicap and the elapsed time using the US Sailing PHRF time-on-distance scoring method

12-VHF RADIO COMMUNICATION

Monitor VHF 71 for all official race transmissions. All yachts must contact the Race Committee Start Boat prior to the start to verify a proper working VHF is on board. A yacht will not be entered or scored without a properly functioning VHF radio.

13- SAFETY

All yachts must comply with the Federal equipment carriage requirements for recreational boats as published by the United States Coast Guard. Each skipper or boat owner is solely responsible for the safety of his/her boat and crew.

It is important for your safety that you notify Mike Brescher with your information if you intend to participate in this race.

14-DOCKAGE

All skippers needing dockage for Saturday Night must make their own reservations. Call Fort Pierce City Marina at 772-464-1245 or FPCM@city-ftpierce.com

15- PARTY AND AWARDS

Dinner Party will be Saturday evening at the 2 Ave Bistro Restaurant in the Fort Pierce Marina at 6:00PM.

Awards will be presented at the General Meeting on June 5

16- QUESTIONS and COMMENTS

Questions and comments concerning these Sailing Instructions or the Saint Lucie Sailing Club racing program should be addressed to the Race Committee Chairman

Mike Brescher  305-632-9663 or mikebrescher@yahoo.com  

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