HEMPSTEAD HARBOUR CLUB
Sailing Instructions for
PHRF Races for 2004

1. General Notice
All HHC races shall be governed by the current ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing rules, except as modified by these Sailing Instructions.

2. Entry
All members in good standing of the Hempstead Harbour Club ("HHC") are eligible to enter their yachts in HHC events. All competitors entering this race agree that their yachts are in compliance with USCG safety equipment requirements.

3. Notices to Competitors
Notices to competitors and any changes in the Sailing Instructions will be posted on the Regatta Committee Board located in the kitchen area of the main clubhouse at least one hour prior to the first signal. It is the responsibility of all competitors to be aware of these notices.

4. Signals Made Ashore
Signals made ashore will be displayed from the flagpole of the HHC. Code Flag "AP" (Answering Pennant) with two horn sounds means the race is postponed. Do not leave the dock. Lowering the AP with one horn sound means that the first signal will be sounded when all competitors have had a reasonable opportunity to reach the starting line. Lowering the AP with three horn sounds means that the race has been canceled.

5. Yachts
Club races are non-spinnaker events, jib and mainsail only. Whisker poles may be attached to the mast and jib sheet, and may not be longer than the "LP" measurement of the largest-rated headsail. PHRF restrictions apply to all yachts competing.

6. Schedule of Events
Please see the HHC Regatta Calendar, the Regatta Committee Board, or the HHC web site for the racing schedule.

7. The Course
The course to be followed will be displayed on the Race Committee Boat. The course shall consist of rounding a series of pre-set marks as labeled and described on the last page of this circular in the order and the direction indicated. Other marks of the course may be added by the Race Committee. Normally, the Race Committee shall post a green "S" at the end of the course displayed which signifies that all marks must be passed on the yacht's starboard side, while a red "P" so displayed signifies that all marks must be passed on the yacht's port side .If the direction of rounding the marks is not signaled by the Race Committee, the marks shall be rounded in a direction so that a line drawn from the prior mark (or starting mark) to the mark to be rounded shall not cross a line from the mark to be rounded to the next mark (or finishing mark).

In order to facilitate shortening of course, all yachts are required to sail through the starting line on twice around courses upon commencing the second lap.

8. Shorten Course - Twice Around
If the Race Committee determines to shorten course, the Race Committee shall promptly display Letter Code Flag "S" and sound two horns. The finish line shall be set at the next mark to be rounded by those yachts racing. Twice-around courses may be finished by the Race Committee at the conclusion of the fist lap by hoisting Code Flag "S" and sounding two horns. All yachts must sail through the finish line during twice-around courses.

9. The Start
The starting line will be set between a white flag on the Race Committee Boat and a marker buoy. Before the warning signal, each yacht shall sail past the Race Committee Boat and hail her sail number or name. The Race Committee shall not start a race unless, at the first gun, there is at least 3 knots of wind.

Rule 26 of the ISAF Racing Rules is hereby modified and the following sequence shall be used instead for all races.

WARNING: White flag or shape raised accompanied by one horn sound at 10 minutes before the start

White flag or shape dropped (without any sound signal) at 6 minutes before the start

PREPARATORY: Blue flag or shape raised accompanied by one horn sound at 5 minutes before the start

Blue flag or shape dropped (without any sound signal) at 1 minute before the start

START: Red flag or shape raised accompanied by one horn sound at start.

A yacht shall start no later than 15 minutes after her starting signal. At the Race Committee's choice, an anti-barging mark may be set behind the Race Committee Boat. Any yachts passing between this mark and the Race Committee Boat will be disqualified. Any yachts hitting the Race Committee Boat will be responsible for the repairs of any damage.

10. Recalls
Individual Recall - When, at the start, any yacht's hull, crew or equipment is on the course side of the starting line, the Race Committee will promptly display Code Flag "X," with one horn sound. The Race Committee will continue to display Code Flag "X" until all yachts starting prematurely are wholly on the pre-start side of the starting line. The Race Committee shall endeavor to hail any yacht starting prematurely, but neither its failure to hail or the failure of the infringing yacht to hear the hail shall excuse a yacht from starting properly.

General Recalls - When at the starting signal, the Race Committee is unable to identify the yachts that are on the course side of the starting line, or when there has been an error in the starting procedure, the Race Committee may signal a general recall by displaying the First Substitute with two horn sounds. The Warning Signal for the new start shall be made one minute after the First Substitute is dropped accompanied by one horn sound.

11. The Finish:
The finish is between the white flag on the Race Committee boat and the marker buoy. Yachts are required to cross the finish line from the direction of the last mark. The. Yachts that have finished are required to keep clear of the finishing area and of other yachts that are still racing.

12. Time Limit
The first yacht shall finish within 4 hours of the start of the race. Yachts will not score should they finish more than one hour after the finish of the first yacht. The Race Committee shall set a course such that the time of the finish of the first yacht is contemplated to be approximately 2 hours from the time of the start.

13. Safety
A yacht that retires from the race shall notify the Race Committee as soon as possible. Yachts are required to carry USCG-required safety equipment aboard during all races.

14. Scoring
Time-on-distance method of handicapping will be used to correct the times of finishing yachts. For each yacht, the difference between the PHRF rating of the yacht and the "scratch" rating (the yacht with the lowest PHRF rating) is multiplied by the number of miles of the race course. The difference between the two PHRF ratings is expressed as seconds per mile (i.e., a yacht with a rating of 140 would give a yacht with a rating of 150 10 seconds per mile.) The result is subtracted from the finishing time of the yacht, and is the corrected time of the yacht. The finishing place of a yacht will then be determined by lowest corrected time. For pursuit races, the handicaps will be used to stagger starting times, and the first yacht to finish wins. For example, if the race is 7 miles and one yacht has a rating 10 seconds faster than another yacht, the slower yacht shall start 70 seconds earlier than the faster yacht.

For the day races and long distance races, the finishing place shall be the final scoring.

For the Champagne Series, the Cox-Sprague Scoring System shall be applied to the corrected finishes. To qualify for the series ,a yacht will be required to have started in 50% of the races sailed. Racers shall be deemed to have started the race and finished second for the race in which they act as Race Committee.
The Commodore's Trophy winner will be the yacht with the highest Cox Sprague percentage based on participation in at least 50% of the aggregate of all the races in the race schedule. In the event of a tie, final standings for the tied yachts in the Champagne Series will determine the Commodore's Trophy winner.

A separate trophy may be awarded by the Regatta Committee based on a formula equivalent to golf handicapping (as determined by the Regatta Committee) to a yacht other than the winner of the Commodore's Trophy.

15. Protests
A protesting yacht shall hail "Protest" to the infringing yacht, display a Red Flag and otherwise comply with the current ISAF Racing Rules.. Each protesting yacht shall hail the Race Committee after completing the race to log its protest, and identify the infringing yacht by number or name.

Protests shall be written on protest forms, available from the Regatta Committee, and must be filed immediately after the completion of the race. Protest hearings shall be scheduled and heard by the Regatta Chairman.

16. Radio Equipment
Yachts shall monitor VHF Channel 72.

17. Prizes
The awarding of prizes will be determined by the Regatta Chairman in accordance with Section 11.02 of the By-Laws of the HHC.

18. Cancellations
If a race is canceled, a reschedule of the race shall require at least 2 weeks' notice posted at the main house and on HHC's web site.

19. Release
Each yacht owner shall, by participating in a race, release and indemnify HHC, its Governing Board, employees and Race Committee from all personal and property claims of any kind, nature, or description, to the owner or the owner's crew, in connection with that race.

Regatta Rules for 2003

Click Here for HHC's PHRF Club Racing Rules for 2003

Click Here for HHC's Wednesday Night Racing Rules for 2003