round-the-island-photo-hightension

 

NOTICE OF RACE & Sailing Instructions

Round the Island Race 2017

The Race will be known as “The Antigua Yacht Club RTIR” and will consist of one race, anti-clockwise, right around the island of Antigua  – approx.. 52 miles in total

The Organising Authority will be the Antigua Yacht Club.

Antigua Distillery will be a principal sponsor for the race (provision of rum for the weigh-in)

The Rules governing the race – will be the ISAF RRS version 2013 – 2016

The Race Schedule will be –

Saturday 21st. January 2016   – First start will be at 8.00 am           for boats rating below 0.900       ) starts to

Second start will be at 9.00am      for boats rating 0.900 – 1.050     )synchronize

Third start will be at 10.00am        for boats rating above 1.050       )to GPS time

The committee boat, CB, will be AYC Whisper and will be on station,  for starting, from 7.45 am onwards and for finishing  from approx. 2.30 pm – 4.30 pm. or as needed.   Boats are asked to call in approx.. 30 mins. before their anticipated finish time to alert the CB – see below for contact details.  Boats finishing after 4.30 pm are asked to take their own finish time.

Time Limit  – The time limit will be 5.30 pm (dusk) – boats not finishing by this time will be scored DNF and are asked to radio in to the RC

Classes – There will be TWO classes – class A (racers and high performance boats) and class B (cruisers, smaller boats and lesser performance boats).  Should the entry be only 6 boats or less then there will only be one combined class A.     If sufficient entries a third class may be used for pure cruisers, classics and workboats.

Classes will be allocated by the Organisers – and skippers will be informed of their class at the Skippers Briefing  and/or no later than the first warning signal for the event.

Entry Fees –  $US 1.00/ft   LOA

Note: Entries must be paid in advance, or at very latest, prior to the 5.30 pm closing time on the day of the race.  Entries not paid by this time will be considered as DNS and will be discounted in the scoring.

Scoring –  Will be based on the total corrected time and scored to RRS – Appendix A -Scoring

  1. – the Lowest Corrected Time will be the winner

Prizes –    There will be an annual Perpetual Trophy – “The Sleeper Trophy” awarded to the overall winner – the Lowest Corrected Time

Class Prizes will also be given to class winners. There may be additional prizes for the minor places if sufficient entries are received.

The winning yacht skipper will also receive  – “The Skipper’s Weight in Rum” – at a weigh-in on AYC lawn

The Perpetual Trophy “The Sizzling Bacon Trophy” will be award to the yacht with the Fastest Elapsed Time

There will an additional prize if any yacht breaks the Club RTIR record – which will then be recorded as a new record in the AYC annals.

The present record (monohull) is held by “True North”  and is  4 hrs. 19 mins. 51 secs.

The present record (multihull) is held by  “Paradox”        and is 3 hrs. 56 mins. 53 secs.

The present record (Laser/dinghies) is held by Tim Goodbody and is  10 hrs. 49 mins. 52 secs.

RATINGS:   For both classes A and B current 2015 or 2016 CSA ratings will be used.  If a boat has an outdated rating – 2014 , 2013,  it ‘may’ be accepted after updating by the organisers.    Ratings prior to 2013 are unlikely to be accepted – these boats may then race on a fun basis and will be given a finish time and place in the fleet but may not qualify for any prizes.

The Course – will be completely around the island of Antigua – in a counter clockwise direction – and including all above water reefs and islets en route.  There will be four virtual GPS marks A, B, C and D, coordinates below, which must be left to PORT.  These virtual GPS marks will delineate the outer edge of the offlying reefs.  Note – these marks will be in deep water but it remains each skipper’s responsibility for the safe navigation of his vessel regardless of the given GPS positions.

Each vessel must carry a working GPS which must have some facility to prove the track of their route if any

doubt should arise as to a fair and correct rounding.

Viz :-

Start to    Man of War Pt.   (Green Island)                                                         to PORT

to    Mark A    17 -11.50 N  /  61 -42.70 W   (Three Fathom Bank)      to PORT

to    Mark B     17- 12.50 N /  61 – 47.50 W  (Horse Shoe Reef)            to PORT

to    Mark C     17- 12.80 N /  61-  53.50 W   (Diamond Bank)              to PORT

to    Mark D     17- 08.10 N /  61 – 56.30 W  (Sandy Island)                  to PORT

to outside – south of – CadesReef                                                             to PORT

to Finish

Starting Procedure  – Will be in accordance with RRS 26  (5 : 4 : 1 : Go)

The  WARNING (5 mins.) signal  will be at 5 mins. prior to the advertised time of EACH START

An ATTENTION sound signal (three long horn blasts) ‘may’ be given 1 minute beforehand (ie.at 6 mins. before each start)

The WARNING  (5 mins.) signal for the EACH start will be  a RED flag and a sound signal

The PREPARATORY (4 mins.) signal for each class will be indicated by the raising of flag P (or a solid BLUE Flag) and a sound signal.   Flag P will be dropped at 1 minute prior to the start.

The START will be a sound signal and the lowering of both Flags

A sound signal ‘may’ also be given to draw attention to the flags.

Starting / Finishing Line – will be in the mouth of Falmouth Harbour – between the  last red outer channel buoy (the penultimate buoy between Split Channel and Bishops Reef) and a small moored vessel to its north/west.    Should for any reason the finish boat is not on station then boats are asked to sail closely adjacent (leaving to Starboard) of the Red Channel starting buoy and to take their own time – by GPS – as their bow passes the red channel mark.

Skippers’ Briefing will be at AYC / Bar-Bs restaurant on Friday 20th. Jan at 6.00 pm.

For those unable to attend all information will be available by email to    cricketant112@gmail.com  and on the water on VHF 12 up to the warning signal for their start.

Radio – will use channel 12 which all yachts will be expected to monitor.  Failure to hear any verbal instructions, properly put out, will not be grounds for protest or redress.

Boats are asked to check in at intervals with the RC to monitor their progress – and in particular at approx.. 30 mins.  prior to their arrival at the finish line.    Or if they elect to retire from the race.

Note – The race officer, Clare Cupples, will monitor Channel 12 and will also stand-by on tel.  783-8815

Also Karl James –  tel. 728 – 5045

Safety – It is each Skipper’s obligation to be wholly responsibile for the safety of their vessel and crew.     Yachts are asked to notify the RC of their intention to retire from the race.

In event of serious danger any yacht / yachts are to call in to RC immediately and to contact ABSAR / Jonathan by telephone (562-1234) if necessary.

All other close-by yachts are then obligated to stand-by and /or offer assistance in such a situation.  Failure to do so may result in disqualification and possibly more serious sanctions by ABSA

Liability – Antigua Yacht Club have no legal liability whatsoever for any incident or damage arising to boats or persons or for the conduct of this race and all yachts take part on that understanding.

Insurance – Is not a requirement and all yachts must be prepared to meet any costs arising as a result of their actions.

Sail Wardrobe – must be PUBLICALLY declared at time of entry or at latest before the  warning signal for their start.      The rating will then reflect the sail wardrobe selected.   Yachts failing to PUBLICALLY declare their sail wardrobe / rating will be given their highest rating number available in the CSA database.

Note – A VHF announcement to both RC and other competitors will be accepted as PUBLIC.

No changes (upwards) in sail wardrobe may then be made.

Protests –  Protest procedure must comply with ISAF /  RRS  part 5 section A – and must be submitted in writing to the Race Officer within 60 minutes of the protesting boat’s finish.

Protests will be heard at the AYC as soon as possible.

A protest jury will be convened from IJ’s NJ’s or knowledgeable local yachtsmen not involved in the race or at a minimum not involved in the incident.

NOTE:  This is a friendly club regatta – aggressive sailing and protests are discouraged.

Social –

There will be a theme party  (The Miss Round the Island Queen Contest) in the AYC / Bar-B’s restaurant after the prizegiving on Saturday pm. Other games and entertainment may be on offer.

All crews and any others not involved in the race are invited to attend.   Any boat in the marina not entered in the race can enter a team in any of the party team competitions.

Prizegiving will be at AYC / Bar-B’s bar at between 5.00 pm and 6.00 pm on Saturday 21st. Jan

The “Skipper’s Weight in Rum” weigh-in will take place on the AYC lawn in front of Bar-B’s bar.

Dockage – The AYC dock will be available to “shallow draft” (up to6.55) yachts on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.   Any charges for docking are at the discretion of AYC management.

Sandy Mair – AYC Fleet Captain