Monday, April 30, 2007

Update

It's been a bit, so here's a more or less quickie update on our peregrinations and dubious accomplishments.

Friday, April 20th was Freedom Day for Carol Anne as it ended her teaching term at the community college. She spent a good chunk of the day doing panel grading in a room with other English instructors before we drove to Laguna Vista in northern New Mexico. We brough Dulce Carolina, our remaining feline, but left "Tadpole" behind so he could attend a scout camporee in Edgewood. Carol Anne's brother Jerry joined us for a weekend visit shortly before he would leave for San Diego and return to Prague.

That Saturday, Tadpole participated in the camporee, which included events such as black powder rifle shooting (with very small powder charges), tomahawk and knife throwing. However, many of the events took much less time than scheduled, leaving too much dead time, and an orienteering course wasn't laid out correctly. Also, some of the younger boys in the troop had difficulty with discipline and safety issues.

Down at the Butte, the NM State U sailing class students showed up for their final day of on-the-water training with "Dumbledore" and "Mother". They needed medium-speed or better winds to fully qualify in their class, and indeed they got them, with rather boisterous wind and waves. Some of the students got quite wet and had to finish their qualification maneuvers on a larger boat than they started upon.

Meanwhile, Carol Anne entertained her brother and enjoyed the end of the term while I reported for duty at the New Mexico Sailing Club work party to get the marina more ready for the summer sailing season. We dropped the long trusses that run underneath the ends of the finger piers, removed some old ironmongery from under the marina, and bolted up some of the truss uprights to the ends of the finger piers (B north dock). We also dug out the bottom of the trail leading down to the marina so access would be easier. Only six members were in the work party, due perhaps in part to a forecast of wet and windy weather. Luckily for us, the bad weather held off until about two or three in the afternoon, when we finally got wind, rain, sleet, and snow.

Sunday, I returned to put a bit of gravel on the bottom of the trail and bolt up most of the finger piers on the north side of C dock. I also got in a bit of yardwork at our cabin and cleaned up some debris that had been floating around in the marina, including bits of wood washed down by spring runoff. Then it was time to return home and catch up with Tadpole and learn of his adventures.

During the week, we started a loan application for debt consolidation and were without Tad on Monday night because of his orchestra trip to Glorieta for two days of intensive music rehearsals. Wednesday night we attended Tad's concert at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, where he played in the cello, combined, and honors ensembles.

Thursday, after Tad's string bass lesson, we all attended the Rio Grande Sailing Club fleet social at a home near UNM, and enjoyed a potluck dinner with bbq brisket and many other delights.

Friday early afternoon, Carol Anne drove south to the Butte and went sailing with Zorro. After sailing, while they were putting away their boats at the marina, a passing thunderstorm generated powerful micro-burst winds for several minutes, with peak gust strengths exceeding sixty mph. Both Etchells were heeled way over, in spite of being under bare poles. I think they were glad not to have been sailing on the lake when the burst hit.

After school and work on Friday, Tad and I drove north in the "fun car". At the beginning of the week, Carol Anne's brother had left his Miata in our garage before he took the train to San Diego and returned to Prague, leaving instructions to run it every couple of weeks or so. So, we put the top down, bought a tank of petrol, and enjoyed the run up to El Dorado, near Santa Fe, and attended the meeting of the New Mexico Sailing Club.

We had a potluck dinner and concluded with a presentation of a member couple's catamaran charter in Belize. In between, the club and board voted to spend more money on buying parts for the marina, approved a plan to add outriggers and floats to upgrade the lifting power of the work barge, and discussed support for youth sailing. One of our members, Cherokee, also volunteered to chair the race committee for the NMSC for this summer's season.

Tad and then returned that night to Albuquerque, switched vehicles, and drove Babe south into the dark night to Truth or Consequences, arriving at nearly 1 in the morning and not getting to sleep until quite a bit later, just hours before the RGSC final spring series and club championships regatta.

Saturday, April 28, was predicted to become cloudy, windy, and wet. Starting our calm, with some sun, the day eventually lived up quite well to the forecast. Nonetheless, we had ten boats show up on the race course; 4 Etchells, 3 J24s, 2 J22s, and a Catalina 25 from the B fleet. As the weather moved in and became rougher, with some lighting and thunder, one of the Etchells withdrew, still leaving nine boats to brave the elements. Because we had lost some of our regular crew, we had a new crew member, who had previously sailed in the Pacific northwest and west coast. Zorro expected the winds to moderate or fail, but they didn't, instead building up to exceed the forecasts.

The weekend was not to see our best sailing of the year, what with some crew and equipment issues and the heavy conditions. We broke our vang and tangled our spinnaker a couple of times in the stiff conditions, as well as surviving a very close duck of another Etchells and generally getting ourselves soaked. (Have I mentioned lately how I hate rain- and lake-water-soaked eyeglasses that make it hard to see r.c. flags, course buoys, and what other boats are doing!?)

Two races were run on Saturday; a full-loop/paperclip "G" course and a "K" course which was sort of an old Olympic style course with a triangle and a loop. However, the way the course for the second race was set caused a lot of confusion, because the race committee had previously flown another course signal, then quickly lowered the old course flags and raised the new course flags, immediately sounding the horn for the warning signal. With the rain, waves, and strong wind, many of the boats were too far away from the committee boat, and then too busy avoiding other boats during the five-minute-sequence, to get a good look at the flag or even realize that the course had been changed.

So, we played follow the leader, and had to guess which leader was correct at one point when the two boats ahead of us chose differently. Fortunately, at least we figured out the course as we went, which was good for the boats behind us as well as our crew. We had great difficulty with pointing, and sagged quite far to leeward on the last big upwind leg, which was more of a reach than a beat. As a result, even though the fleet leader had at one point gone the wrong way and fallen behind us, he was able to pass us rather easily.

We survived the race, and had a good sail back to the marina. This sail back, we kept both jib and main up in spite of stiff conditions, which gave us a better balanced boat than if we'd only sailed under one sail. With four crew, we were close enough to maximum crew weight to be able to keep the boat flat enough for comfort and control.

Afterwards we critiqued our errors. We also learned that our distorted/spread apart tuning gage was nearly useless; when our shrouds were checked by Zorro, he found that our tensions were far off where we'd set them; one upper shroud measured at 15, which is not even sufficient for light air sailing, when our crew thought the shroud had been set at 22. And, when we realized the wind was going to stay stiff, we should have re-tuned the upper shrouds to 25 or moreand brought the lowers from 5 to something like 15. This likely accounted for a lot of trouble we had in pointing.

That night we had dinner at Casa Taco and then went home for a desperately needed rest. Unfortunately for our health and sanity, the rat pack had other plans and we finally had to shoo them out after they noisily invaded us after closing down one of the local taverns. That left us awfully blearly eyed and running behind on Sunday morning.

Sunday still had rain in the forecast, but much less wind. All four Etchells started on Sunday, along with 2 J24s and a J22. One of the J24s, a J22, and the Catalina did not race. (The Catalina showed up but didn't race and Scirocco's Song and the NM Tech J-24 never appeared.) We got a tow out until the wind came up enough for sailing. A "G" full-loop course to the north was set. We had worked out a good starting plan, but a boat got in our way and we conservatively tacked behind her and wound up being a little late for the line at the gun for the first race. We had a tolerably decent run in spite of having suffered some issues with pointing, and rounded ahead of several boats, including one of the other Etchells. The winds continued to shift and do strange things, so all in all it was rather frustrating. The downwind run had practically no air and we barely ghosted along. Random wind shifts and disappearances put us in almost windless zones and let some boats pass us. We rounded the leeward mark in rain, in a very frustrating last place.

The second race was a short-course half-loop to the east-northeast and back. Our start was slowed by interference from another boat, though if we'd had more confidence in our crew response, we likely could have tacked in front of that other boat. After the start, the winds shifted aft, and we set our chute and had an opportunity to overtake a couple of boats. Unfortunately for us, though, our jib and spinnaker trimmer was having a very bad day and we never were able to catch boats that we should have been passing. Our chute trim looked awful, the chute was seldom inflated, and the big fat spin sheet spent most of its time being dragged through the water. We rounded next-to-last and barely avoided being last across the finish line after being headed approaching the finish.

Carol Anne was furious with her jib/spinnaker trimmer and with his lack of attentiveness to trim or to her orders, so we didn't exactly come off the water in a happy mood. And, to rub it in, another Etchells arrived in the slip next to ours with "the lads" whooping and hollering their exuberant joy in having just barely won the weekend championship, as well as clinching the series championship.

Where to go from here? Well, we know that "Black Magic" has a lot of, em, unrealized potential ... i.e., her sails, rigging, and hardware are still rather old and worn out and well below the standard of the other Etchells in our area. Once our finances are better, we'll order more gear. And, some crew changes are being made. And, some of the remaining crew -- me -- need plenty more training and seasoning.

But, we did learn more about our abilities and shortcomings, and what the boat needs, and what we need to learn to compete at a higher level, especially in a one-design fleet with good sailors. We learned some work we need to do on starting line and close-order maneuvering. And, we did run spinnaker in the heaviest air we'd tried so far. And, we learned the hard way how critical it is that the trimmers be of one mind with the helmsperson.

Update: Zorro snuck up to the lake on Tuesday and found that Black Magic's shroud tension was still wrong for the uppers, with the securing nuts not tightened against the turnbuckles. Either Carol Anne's bow crew didn't adjust the tension as instructed, or forgot to re-engage the nuts, or someone else has been sabotaging the boat. Sigh.

Friday, April 20, 2007

More Etchells USA 125 pictures from our Sunday morning departure

Just before we raised the jib.

Underway during a calm, sparkling morning.

Getting a bit of way on.


So long!
Only one race was completed Sunday by the Etchells and combined fleets; we finished third across the line among nine boats, including three other Etchells. Zorro finished first on his Etchells, "Constellation", followed by the New Mexico Tech sailing club students on their very-well-sailed J24, and then Carol Anne's crew on USA 125, "Black Magic". Also well sailed was the J22, "Imafirst". Conditions were light and shifty, resulting in a lot of "hero to zero" moments on the race course. As the first race ended, conditions rapidly became heavier and all four Etchells began the long beat back home. Some other boats held a second race, but found the going very heavy.


Setting off for the race, April 15, 2007

Pat prepares to shove off while "Tadpole" raises sail and Carol Anne is ready at the helm. Not shown, but joining us for the sail, was "Captain Groovy".

USA 125, Etchells "Black Magic" coasts away from the marina in a very light breeze seconds after leaving the Rock Canyon marina pier.





Finally most of our crew weight is to leeward!


Constellation departs for the race ... slowly





Early on Sunday morning, April 15, 2007, conditions were far from ideal for a motorless boat to sail several miles up the lake to the race course area. Zorro and Dino on USA 125 were barely able to catch little wisps of breeze to ghost northward up Elephant Butte Lake, and the trip would take them two and a half hours. All photos in this sequence were taken by "Cornhusker".

Winter Lingers at Heron Lake, New Mexico

Giles P. took this photo on Friday, April 13, 2007, from Laguna Vista near Heron Lake. Although much of the snow melted quickly, the storm proves that springtime in New Mexico requires preparation for all conditions. That same weekend, Carol Anne was skippering us under mostly sunny skies in southern New Mexico in the spring series 3 regatta at Elephant Butte Lake.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Score card

With us about a quarter of the way through the sailing year, here's my scorecard:

Days or partial days on the water...

Sailing:
4 days, racing ("Tad" has another day of racing and Carol Anne has two more)
9 days, other sailing & practice (1 to 7 hours ea.) (CA has more days)
1 day, committee boat (some motorsailing/sailing en route)
1 day, motorsailing and motoring, charting buoy positions
1 day, motorsailing and sailing with genoa, moving boat from marina to ramp


Other:
1 day, motoring/moving boat from ramp to marina
4 days, (brief excursions), kayaking
1 day, boating safety class
2 days, advanced race management class
2 days, boating safety instructor class
? days, fiddling on boats
3 RGSC socials, 1 RGSC board/club meeting, 3 NMSC board/club meetings

16 sailing days, 21 sea service days so far in 2007

approx. 51 sailing days, 65 sea service days in 2006
" " 19 sailing days, 24 sea service days in 2005
" " 28 sailing days, 33 sea service days in 2004

approx. 134 sea service days in past 3 years

schedule of New Mexico safe boating classes

NMSP safe boating classes for 2007

Date
Location
Instructor

4/13, Friday, 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

4/14, Sat., 8:30-5:30 x
NM GS Svc Ctr, 4000 Jefferson Plaza NE (W Jefferson, Singer/Osuna)
Stephen Verchinski,476-3390

4/14, Sat., 8:00-5:00 x
Living Desert State Park
Joseph Kasuboski 457-2384

4/14, Sat., 8:30-5:00 x
Ute Lake, 108A US 54, Logan
Shanna Reed, 487-2284

4/14, Sat., 8:30-5:00 x
Bloomfield Multicultural Center
James Valenzuela, 632-2278

4/21, Sat., 7:30-4:30
Taos: Chamisa Rd N of Sagebrush Inn, Juan G. Ag Ctr rm 202
Paul Lisko, 588-7470

4/21, Sat., 8:30-5:00
Navajo Dam Volunteer Fire Dept, 815 NM 511
Carol Brown, 632-2278

4/21, Sat., 8:00–5:00
Foothills Church, 12504 Candelaria Blvd NE, Albuquerque
Ron Beck, ronbeck@comcast.net 293 7543

4/28, Sat., 7:30-4:30 x
Heron Lake State Park
Paul Lisko, 588-7470

4/28, Sat., 8:00-5:00 x
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

4/28, Sat., 9:00-5:00 x
Storrie Lake State Park, Las Vegas
Dan Rand, 425-7278

4/28, Sat., 8:30-5:00 x
Sumner Lake Fire Department, Rd 203, Lake Sumner
Raymond Drake, 355-2541

5/5, Sat., 8:30-5:00
Ute Lake, 108A US 54, Logan
Shanna Reed, 487-2284

5/11, Friday, 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Chris Bolen, 744-5998

5/12, Sat., 8:30-5:30
NM GS Svc Ctr, 4000 Jefferson Plaza NE (W Jefferson, Singer/Osuna)
Stephen Verchinski, 476-3390

5/18, Friday, 8:30-5:00
Cannon Air Force Base Outdoor Rec Blvd, Clovis
Raymond Drake, 355-2541

5/19, Sat., 8:00-5:00 x
Living Desert State Park, Carlsbad
Joseph Kasuboski 457-2384

5/19, Sat., 8:30-5:00 x
Aztec Oil Cons. Div. Ofc., 1000 Rio Brazos Rd, Aztec
Carol Brown, 632-2278

6/8, Friday, 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

6/9, Sat., 8:30-5:30
NM GS Svc Ctr, 4000 Jefferson Plaza NE (W Jefferson, Singer/Osuna)
Stephen Verchinski, 476-3390

6/15, Friday, 8:30-5:00
Ute Lake, 108A US 54, Logan
Shanna Reed, 487-2284

6/16, Sat., 8:00-5:00
Foothills Church, 12504 Candelaria Blvd NE, Albuquerque
Ron Beck, ronbeck@comcast.net 293 7543

6/23, Sat., 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

6/29, Friday, 8:30-5:00
Sumner Lake Fire Department, Rd 203, Lake Sumner
Raymond Drake, 355-2541

6/30, Sunday, 9:00-5:30
Heron Lake State Park


7/13, Friday, 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

7/17, Sat., 8:30-5:30
NM GS Svc Ctr, 4000 Jefferson Plaza NE (W Jefferson, Singer/Osuna)
Stephen Verchinski, 476-3390

7/20, Friday, 8:30-5:00
Ute Lake, 108A US 54, Logan
Shanna Reed, 487-2284

7/27, Friday, 8:30-5:00
Santa Rosa Lake State Park
Raymond Drake, 355-2541

7/28, Sat., 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

8/4, Sat., 8:00-5:00 x
Foothills Church, 12504 Candelaria Blvd NE, Albuquerque
Ron Beck, ronbeck@comcast.net 293 7543

8/4, Sat., 8:30-5:00 x
Ute Lake, 108A US 54, Logan
Shanna Reed, 487-2284

8/10, Friday, 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

8/11, Sat., 8:30-5:30
NM GS Svc Ctr, 4000 Jefferson Plaza NE (W Jefferson, Singer/Osuna)
Stephen Verchinski 476-3390

8/24, Friday, 8:30-5:00
Sumner Lake Fire Department, Rd 203, Lake Sumner
Raymond Drake, 355-2541

8/25, Sat., 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

9/11-13, Tu-Th, 6-8 pm
Ute Lake, 108A US 54, Logan
Shanna Reed, 487-2284

9/14, Friday, 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

9/15, Sat., 8:30-5:30
NM GS Svc Ctr, 4000 Jefferson Plaza NE (W Jefferson, Singer/Osuna)
Stephen Verchinski 476-3390

9/29, Sat., 8:00-5:00 x
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

10/13, Sat., 8:30-5:30
NM GS Svc Ctr, 4000 Jefferson Plaza NE (W Jefferson, Singer/Osuna)
Stephen Verchinski 476-3390

10/13, Sat., 8:30-5:00 x
Tucumcari Convention Ctr, 1500 W Tucumcari Blvd
Shanna Reed, 487-2284

10/20, Sat., 8:00-5:00
Foothills Church, 12504 Candelaria Blvd NE, Albuquerque
Shanna Reed 505 293-7543

10/20, Sat., 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

10/27, Sat., 8:30-5:00 x
Sumner Lake Fire Department, Rd 203, Lake Sumner
Raymond Drake, 355-2541

11/3, Sat., 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

11/10, Sat., 8:30-5:00
NM GS Svc Ctr, 4000 Jefferson Plaza NE (W Jefferson, Singer/Osuna)
Stephen Verchinski 476-3390

12/1, Sat., 8:00-5:00
Elephant Butte Boating Training Center
Ben Hoffacker, 744-5998

12/8, Sat., 8:30-5:30
Santa Fe, 1220 S St Francis
Stephen Verchinski, 476-3390

Friday, April 06, 2007

Rio Grande Sailing Club update

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RGSC Roundup

Elephant Butte Lake conditions on Friday, April 6, 2007, 9:00 a.m.

4,347.14 feet elev. above benchmark (add 43’ for elev. above MSL)
602,184 acre feet

The Butte is down 1.2 inches and 1,436 a.f. in 24 hours;
down 3.6 inches at 4,402 a.f. in 71 hours.

Inflow at the San Marcial Floodway is 1,020 cubic feet per second (984 to 1,320 cfs in past 71 hours.)

Outflow at the dam is 2,340 cfs (2,250 to 2,340 cfs in past 71 hours).


Heron Lake, Good Friday, 7:00 a.m., April 6, 2007:
7,137.48', 171,044 a.f.

up 2.2 inches and 643 a.f. in 24 hoursl up 5.4 inches and 1,643 a.f. in 71 hours
Willow Creek is flowing at 384 cfs (210 to 416 cfs in past 71 hours)

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Pickle Race to host youth from the New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranches

Saturday, April 7

Pickle Race begins with fun sail and race 10:00 a.m., Rock Canyon Marina (near the Dam Site)
and will continue near the marina and near the Strasias’ place with a picnic, Easter egg hunt, and games organized by the Women on the Water.

Please let us know if you can take kids out on a boat. The youth will be joined by some of Sue Strasia’s eighth-grade class members from the Bernalillo Charter School. Skippers should bring some snacks and Easter eggs for the Pickle Race.

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Spring Series 3
April 14 – 15, 2007

Saturday, April 14 11:00 a.m.,
Skipper/Crew Meeting, Dam Site Restaurant

2:00 p.m., First warning gun, race area

7:00 p.m., Dinner, Dam Site Restaurant
Chicken margarita with rice pilaf, soup or salad
$15 including gratuity and tax

Please let the club know whether you plan to attend or
don’t think you can make it – the club has told the Dam Site
to expect 22 people for dinner with a minimum of 18.

Sunday, April 14, 2007 10:00 a.m.,
First warning gun, race area; racing continues

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Membership alert: We still have about 20 members who have not paid their 2007 dues. These are now a month overdue.

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April social: Thursday, April 26, 2007, 6:30 p.m.
Perry and Barb Abernethy’s home in Albuquerque near the University of New Mexico

Thursday, April 05, 2007

New Mexico Sailing Club Roundup

NMSC Roundup
Heron Lake Conditions on Thursday, April 5, 11:00 a.m.
7,137.37 feet elev., 170,580 acre feet 11 feet of average depth under the marina

Heron Lake is up 2 inches and 644 a.f. in 24 hours and up 5 inches and 1497 a.f. in 71 hours.


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From Pat:
April 5, today -- water is about 11 feet deep in the marina cove and rising about two inches a day. Early spring runoff is somewhat greater than remaining contractor water discharge. Boat ramps should be usable for most boats. Watch out for a few shallow spots in the cove. Heron Lake should look pretty nice, aside from maybe some murky water in Willow Creek cove.

April 14 -- Rich Koch leads a scouting/work party to start getting the marina in shape for the season.

April 21 -- major work party to repair A-B walkway and get trusses down and in place, install connecting trusses between B and C (need diver).
April 27 – NMSC Club meeting, El Dorado Community Center southeast of Santa Fe. Gather at 6:00 p.m. to enjoy a potluck dinner and social hour. Then enjoy Eddie Dry’s Belize trip presentation and our club meeting.
April 28 -- work party to open marina. First dockmaster reports for duty.
(Carol Anne and I will probably be tied up with racing in the final spring series race at the Butte, unless she gets enough crew so I can run up and help.)
May 5 -- marina should be fully open, though ongoing projects will continue and some boats may need to be moved around as work is done in different parts of the marina.
May 19 -- final weekend of racing at the Butte; more boats come to the marina.

May 26 -- Memorial Day weekend; potluck, fun race, racing clinic

May, summer: succeeding work parties to refurbish B and C docks, hook up pumpout, improve trail, do housekeeping, set up long gangway if feasible, install new flotation under dockhouse, install new anchors for B and C docks, etc. A lot of "et cetera." Water level may be about 5 feet lower than last summer.

June 25 -- Boy Scouts from Lubbock arrive to learn sailing, do safe boating class July -- Long Race, races, socials

Saturday of Labor Day weekend -- challenge cup versus RGSC

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From Pete:
Fellers, I called Scott at KZRM in Chama, he had not received my e-mail request for job line. Hopefully today the phone will ring with qualified, enthusiastic, and strong workers. Rich, I really enjoyed that link to the water engineers. Here's one you most likely know about. Pete
http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/index.html?region=Central_Rockies&year=2006&m onth=12&day=21&units=e


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From Rich K:

Pat: You are correct! I am planning a work party for the NMSC marina on Saturday, April 14. Hear are some preliminary items, along with those you already mentioned: Service generator Service outboard (I have gear oil and extra plugs) Check/Service solar panel and batteries Decon pavilion and dock house Recover cross truss from under A-B walkway Recover broken pieces of undertrusses adjacent to walkway at B south and B north and C south and C north. Check anchor winches Lower undertrusses Attempt to locate the new A dock cement anchors in case we can use those to help stabilize B dock. Remove old A dock undertrusses and associated structures.

We also talked about reviewing if upgrades should be made to B dock or C dock in light of more boats on C dock.

We'll be out of town this weekend, but if the weather is nice, some eager members might want to get started this weekend.
Cheers to all.
-- Rich
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From Pat B.:
Yep, the notes for the February meeting were down in Truth or Consequences.
We sailed about 3-1/2 hours Saturday and 5-1/2 hours on Sunday. Now we have to fix a couple of things that broke on Carol Anne's boat .... always there's something more to do.

A correction to a previous announcement is that Thursday, April 26 is the RGSC meeting at the Abernethy's home near UNM in Albuquerque Friday, April 27 is the NMSC meeting at El Dorado near Santa Fe, with Eddie Dry's presentation of his catamaran charter trip to Belize.

Also, Saturday, April 14, Rich Koch will lead a "scouting trip" small work party to assess what's needed to repair the marina (A-B walkway especially) and do some minor repairs and begin to set up the marina for the spring.

April 21 and April 28 will be work party weekends and our first dockmaster will report for duty on April 28. We should have the marina open shortly thereafter, depending on just how fast spring runoff arrives versus contractors taking out the last of their water and depending upon ramp conditions, and depending upon getting a diver and workers in to help us. Right now the marina has about ten feet of water.
Pat

New Mexico Sailing Club February 2007 Meeting Sizzler Restaurant, Menaul Blvd. in Albuquerque


Met quorum
Rich S - reported on slips and dockmasters - slots going fast.
Treasurer's Report, George
Slip fees not counted as income yet. Club owns a Buccaneer - could we raffle it off? Less work this year scheduled - will need more floats.

Update on Bill R - will need help getting to his boat, hope we can get something arranged to help him. Won't charge slip fee unless we get something to work. Motion - club cover Bill's dues - unanimous.
Rich K - Formalizing changes to slip and buoy procedures Acknowledge reality of marina not full and no waiting list Question of allowing members to have someone else in slip - More work needs to be close - moving forward


Dockmaster duties - expand document to include dockmaster training


Next meeting March 30 at El Dorado Community Center s.e. of Santa Fe - potluck
Possibility of Women on the Water (WOWs)reviving ship's store Looking for volunteers
Adjourned 8:15 p.m.



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Scout Troop visiting Heron Lake June 25 – 30, 2007:
Dear Pat, I now have a better idea of numbers and ages. At present we have about 20 scouts out of the 28-30 who want to take small boat sailing. Ages will be 11-17. All will pass a BSA swim test before going on the water. The one problem seems to be New Mexico's boating education regulation. Seems all under 18 will need the education before going on the sail boats. Do you know any info about this? Thanks, Jim Troop 94


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NEW MEXICO SAILING CLUB MARINA OPERATING RULES, POLICIES AND ETIQUETTE Heron Lake, New Mexico Updated May, 2007



INTRODUCTION This document is intended to consolidate under one cover, the NMSC Marina operating Rules, Policies and Etiquette. The New Mexico Sailing Club (NMSC) operates the Heron Lake (Willow Creek) Marina under contract to the State of New Mexico Parks and Recreation Department as a non profit corporation. The normal NMSC sailing season at Heron Lake, with dockmasters in attendance and club dinghies available, will be from approximately May 1 through October 31. The rules and policies as adopted within this document are intended to apply to all club members, transient renters, and guests without discrimination!

COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT The NMSC Executive Board and dockmasters shall be charged with insuring compliance with the NMSC operating rules and policies stated herein.
In cases of non-compliance with Marina Rules, the dockmaster on duty shall ask for compliance. In cases of continuing noncompliance, the dockmaster shall enter the details of the incident in the Log Book and report the situation to a member of the Executive Board. Penalties will be administered as necessary by the Board up to and including loss of Marina privileges. In cases of criminal acts, a Park Ranger or the local authorities shall be notified.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SLIP AND BUOY RENTAL Introduction The concession from the State of New Mexico held by the New Mexico Sailing Club, concerning slip and buoy rentals, shall be handled according to the policies stated below. The club retains the exclusive right to assign all slips and buoys.

Specifics Each member who is assigned a slip or buoy by the NMSC shall have the right to annually renew a rental agreement for the space, or equivalent, provided that such member each year:


1. Pays the required fees by the time designated.

2. Membership and slip/buoy fees are due March 15.

3. Serves an assigned half-week as dockmaster. If some unforeseen happening would prevent the member from serving at the assigned time he or she may arrange to trade times with another club member or may find a qualified person who will serve for pay. Locating a substitute dockmaster is the responsibility of the member. The names of the substitute dockmasters and the periods that they will serve must be reposted to the Dock Assignments Chairman. No officer, no member of the Board, nor a co-dockmaster has the authority to permit a member to come late, leave early, or forego the duty.

4. Owns or co-owns a boat that is kept at Heron Lake NMSC facilities during the sailing season. Ownership is established by the boat title and insurance policy at the time of the original application for a slip or buoy.

5. Executes an appropriate license agreement with the club.
6. Maintains appropriate boat insurance as specified by the NMSC.

Failure to perform any of the above listed requirements will result in forfeiture of all rights to the slip or buoy. The Executive Board allows for hearing of appeals in cases of failures to comply with the above stated requirements.


SLIP AND BUOY RENTAL POLICIES
1. If a member's boat is sold during the sailing season, the seller may permit the purchaser to use the slip or buoy for the remainder of the season. The purchaser must join the club, execute a license agreement, have proper insurance, and place his or her name on the waiting list for a slip or buoy.

2. Members who do not use their rental space may retain claim to a slip or buoy for a maximum of two sailing seasons; however the member remains responsible for slip or buoy rental fees until and unless the slip or buoy is subleased, and looses any right to the slip or buoy if the fees remain unpaid. The Dock Assignments Chairperson may sublease the space to the next person on the waiting list. No sublease will be offered unless all other slips and or buoys are leased. The subleasee must be a member of the club and must execute a license agreement.

3. Members lose membership privileges and slip/buoy access if dues or rental fees are not received by April 1.

4. After Labor Day any club member who has executed a license agreement may use any dock space that has been vacated for the remainder of the season after coordinating the move with the dockmaster. The vacated dock space is preferentially subject to monthly or partial season rental of the space by the club.

5. A member may let another club member who has executed a license agreement use his or her slip or buoy temporarily, not to exceed 1 month. The dockmaster must be notified and this arrangement noted in the Log Book.

6. A new member joining during the sailing season after July 15 may rent a slip or buoy if available at a prorated rate. Previous members of the club within the prior 3 years are not eligible for the reduced rate unless approved by the board.

7. If the marina is not able to open during a season, members renting slips will not be assessed a slip fee. If buoys are not useable, buoy tenants will not be assessed a buoy fee. However, slip and buoy tenants must pay membership dues to remain on the priority list and to be able to retain their slip or buoy when they become useable.

8. In the event of a significantly shortened season, the NMSC board will decide, with recommendations from the slip and buoy assignment committee, as to whether to issue refunds to the slip and/or buoy tenants.

POLICIES ON SLIP/BUOY PRIORITIES AND RESTRICTIONS Priorities for moving from one slip to another available slip, from a buoy to a slip, or for obtaining a slip or buoy as such moorings become available have been established chronologically through rentals in prior years and applications for moorings. A record of such priorities by seniority (the priority list) shall be maintained by the Dock Assignments Chairperson, as well as the list of members waiting to lease buoys or slips (the waiting list). These lists will be published annually. As slip or buoy vacancies occur, the committee shall notify the members on the waiting list in the order of their priority, until a willing applicant is found. Failure to exercise the option of leasing or moving up will not result in a member losing his or her position on the waiting list.

Transient Rentals Six transient rental slips will be maintained throughout the dock complex. These slips will be rented on a first-come first-serve basis with no reservations accepted prior to the day of rental. Transient slip rental to any one person or boat is limited to a maximum of 21 days cumulative per season.

Monthly Rentals If space is available in the marina (excluding the transient sites), slips or buoys may be rented by the month. The renter must become a member and sign a lease agreement and have proper insurance as required for member renters. The Dock Assignments chairperson will process monthly rentals.

Courtesy Docks Courtesy docks are available for temporary use (limit 30 minutes). Dinghies, club or personal, shall not be tied to the courtesy dock.

Slip / Boat Size Restrictions Because of the dimensions of the slips, a member contemplating putting a boat over 30 feet long or 12 feet in beam (including fenders) into a slip must first check with the Board. Specific slip assignments will be determined by the Dock Assignments Chairperson according to the member’s priority at the time of an available slip/buoy.

INSURANCE Every renter of a slip or buoy shall have liability insurance covering property damage and personal injury, and on request shall provide the NMSC officers with evidence of such insurance.

RENTAL FEES The current sailing season rental fees are as follows:

Buoys ................. $220 rent + tax + $25 administration fee

Slips ....... $390 rent + tax + $25 administration fee

Monthly Rates Slips $180 rent + tax
Buoys $150 rent + tax
Transient Slip Rate $10 per night

New Member Partial Season Proration for Slips
July $260 rent + tax + $25 administration fee
August $180 rent + tax + $25 administration fee
September-October $130 rent + tax + $25 administration fee
New Member Partial Season Proration for Buoys
July $150 rent + tax + $25 administration fee
August $110 rent + tax + $25 administration fee
September-October $ 75 rent + tax + $25 administration fee

Club work credits, to be applied against rental fees, may be designated for certain club projects as approved by the Executive Board. Work credits are limited to 50% of the annual slip rental fee.

DOCKMASTER'S DUTIES The half-week dockmaster assigned periods are Saturday midnight through Wednesday noon and Wednesday noon through the following Saturday midnight. Extra dockmasters are assigned during holiday weekends from Friday midnight through Tuesday noon or Thursday midnight through Monday noon depending on when the observed holiday falls. Dockmasters must be at lest 18 years old for insurance considerations.

A person serving as dockmaster shall:

1. Use his or her best efforts to preserve the security and safety of all club property and the boats using the slips and buoys under the club's control, with due regard for his or her own personal safety.

2. Be either located on the docks or camped at the point. The area cannot be adequately monitored from a buoy. A dockmaster's slip is provided for use by those on buoys and others who prefer that location.

3. Serve as club safety representative at the Marina, being especially watchful of minors.

4. Make sure that life vests (2 minimum) are always kept in the dinghies.

5. Be in attendance 24 hours a day within sight of docks and buoys. However, if two dockmasters are on duty, one may leave for reasonable time periods provided that other dockmaster is in agreement. If the weather is threatening, or if it is a busy time such as a weekend or other needy situations, all dockmasters shall stay on duty at the docks. An assigned dockmaster shall not enter a scheduled race activity when he or she is scheduled to “dock sit” unless a responsible adult serves as an alternate.

6. Check all boats for proper mooring security at least once a day. Inventory the boats vs. buoys after severe weather to check for boats breaking away from their buoys. NOTE: Pay particular attention to boats sitting low in the water after a lightning storm, as a lightning strike will frequently burn holes through the hull below water line.

7. Challenge suspicious or unknown persons at or near boats.

8. Keep track of club dinghies, keeping them accessible for ready use by the buoy renters.

9. Give assistance to those entering or leaving slips. This item requires reasonable judgment. It is not necessary to assist each and every boat entering or leaving. However, when obvious need or courtesy dictates, effort should be made to help. Help should be given, for example, when someone is having trouble or when high winds are making docking hazardous. NOTE: Board policy is that returning boats shall fly colored flags (Red for "A” Dock, Yellow for "B” Dock, or Green for "C" Dock) when assistance is requested.

10. Make a reasonable effort to contact a boat's owner if any significant problem occurs at the facilities or with a particular boat, such as a break-a-way or an apparent leak. Make appropriate entries in the Log Book of such situations.

11. Rent transient slips at posted rates on a first-come first served basis, with no reservations being permitted prior to the day of rental, and with cash or check payment being required in advance. Have the renter sign a license agreement. Keep a written record of all transient slip rentals by slip number, including names, addresses, boat registration number, term of rentals, and fees paid.

12. Give assistance to members in locating their proper buoy or slip when they first bring their boats to the marina. The assignments are normally designated on the marina map located in the dock house.

13. Keep the dinghies bailed clear of rainwater and the bottoms clear of algae.

14. Perform appropriate maintenance on the facilities as time permits. A list of needed small jobs will be found in the Job Jar.

15. Make legible entries in the Log Book of all important events.


16. Attempt to enforce the vehicle loading and unloading parking rule on the point. The current ruling by the Park Ranger in agreement with the club, states that a maximum of two vehicles (two dockmasters) may be parked past the sign at any time, except for loading and unloading. Twenty to thirty minutes for loading and unloading is considered an adequate time.

17. Limit courtesy dock use to approximately 30 minutes.

18. Keep the barbecues and utensils clean and the propane bottles for the barbecue grills filled. Turn in receipt to club treasurer for reimbursement.

19. Put pavilion trashcans in shed each night so that raccoons do not scatter trash. Deposit marina trash in the dumpster as needed and at the end of the docksitting tour.

20. Maintain the marina and pavilion in ship shape and seamanlike manner.


SAFETY RULES
1. Dinghy use and safety.
a) Minors shall be required to wear life vests when aboard.
b) A personal flotation device is required to be on board for each person in a dinghy.
2. Swimming from the docks is prohibited.
3. Fishing from the docks is prohibited but is permitted from your own boat.
NOTE: Fire extinguishers, heaving lines, and throwable flotation devices are located on each dock for emergencies only.

SHUTTLE DINGHIES The club provides dinghies for the use of buoy renters. The dinghies will be moored at the dock as designated by the dockmasters. They shall be used only for the purpose of transporting individuals and gear to a boat moored at a buoy, for inspection of boat tie-ups by the dockmasters, and for special club sponsored functions.
Anyone using a dinghy shall return it as promptly as possible so that others may use it.


DRY STORAGE AND RESPONSIBILITY All trailers for launched boats with assigned slips and or buoys shall be removed from the park (either taken home or stored at a local area storage lot). Space can be obtained for the fenced/locked dry storage at Heron Park Visitors Center for a monthly fee.

Neither the club nor the dockmaster shall have responsibility for any boat, dinghy, trailer, or vehicle (including contents therein) stored or parked in the dry storage parking area, vehicle parking areas, or the area around the marina.
MARINE DOCK ETIQUETTE In general we should practice the Golden Rule.
If you are offended by an activity that is being conducted by fellow members, please ask them to stop.

If a fellow member tells you he or she is offended by something you are doing, please stop.
The club must obey the New Mexico State Park Regulations published in the Membership Directory and Handbook. In addition to these, there are a few commonly accepted rules of courtesy that apply to sailors. They are:
1. Secure you halyards so they are quiet.
2. Request permission to board another boat.
3. Wear proper shoes or remove your shoes when going aboard another person's boat.

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Web sites I sometimes visit... http://www.spa.usace.army.mil/wc/adbb/basinrpt.htm http://www.usbr.gov/uc/elpaso/water/index.html http://www.usbr.gov/uc/albuq/water/SanJuanChama/Reservoirs/rpts/heron_storag e.html http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/cgibin/snowup-graph.pl?state=CO http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/cgibin/snowup-graph.pl?state=NM http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/snotel_climate.htm http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.html (no "www.") http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=87935 http://www.weather.com/activities/other/other/weather/tenday.html?locid=8755 1 http://wwwa.accuweather.com/index-forecast.asp?partner=accuweather&myadc=0&z ipcode=87551&u=1/zipcode=87551&u=1 http://www.srh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?CityName=Los+Ojos&state=NM&sit e=ABQ http://desertsea.blogspot.com (no "www.") http://itsfiveoclocksomewhere.blogspot.com (no "www.") http://www.nmsail.org http://www.rgsc.org
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Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions - DRAFT

These are the draft Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions that I sent to LJ to review. They try to preserve everything that can be salvaged from our obsolete 2001 "Racing Instructions", while making them legal and conforming to the modern racing rules and state laws, and more in agreement with RGSC current practice.

They're still a little rough and clumsy and probably need some tweaking and maybe streamlining. The Race Committee probably will want to decide on whether a couple of things belong and how they should be worded.



Spring and Fall Series
March 10 – April 29, 2007, and September 22 – November 17, 2007
Rio Grande Sailing Club
Elephant Butte Lake, NM

DRAFT NOTICE OF RACE

1 RULES

1.1 The spring and fall series, and all individual regattas and races conducted by the Rio Grande Sailing Club, will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing, 2005–2008, except as modified or supplemented herein.

1.2 Skippers are reminded to review the current edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing, including the opening sections, definitions, and prescriptions. The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions do not limit or reduce the responsibility of individual participants to be solely and entirely responsible for their own conduct and the operation of the boats they sail. Final responsibility for the safe operation of any yacht participating in any activity belongs solely to the skipper of that yacht.

1.3 The use of handicap systems (PHRF, Portsmouth Yardstick, etc.) will comply with the rules and guidelines of US Sailing. Skippers are reminded that class and handicap rules are part of the Rules.

1.4 The Race Committee is authorized, if sufficient interest is expressed, to form a “Club”, “Novice”, or “Cruise” fleet. Special rules may be published for this fleet, and local handicaps may be assigned or adjusted. Results for this fleet will be recorded separately from those for other fleets and will not be reported to handicapping authorities. A skipper may not participate in this fleet and in one of the regular racing fleets during the same race or regatta. The race committee may limit eligibility to participate in this fleet based upon skipper and crew experience levels or other criteria.

1.5 A leeward boat does not have luffing rights over a windward boat after sunset. This changes rule 11.

2 ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY

2.1 Eligibility to Participate:

Skippers desiring to participate in RGSC sponsored races shall: (a) be a current member of US Sailing or a US Sailing-affiliated club; (b) properly complete and submit to the Race Committee the race entry form, including the release of liability, prior to the warning signal of the first race; (c) pay the required registration fee.

The Race Committee may elect to subscribe to the US Sailing differential entry fee and add a registration surcharge, of 10% or $5.00, whichever is greater, on each entry that is made by a skipper who is not a member of US Sailing.

The Race Committee, for any spring or fall series race, may also impose a temporary membership fee of $5.00 from any skipper who is not a member of the RGSC. This fee will be applicable to a club membership if the skipper joins the RGSC within 30 days.
The temporary membership fee is waived for current dues-paid members of the New Mexico Sailing Club.

2.2 Yacht Configuration and Equipment

Each regatta in the spring and fall series is open to monohull keel or cabin sailboats. Eligibility for other types of boats may be offered depending upon sufficient demand and available facilities.
Yacht configuration will be declared by each skipper. The skipper shall provide the necessary handicap information to be entered into the RGSC Yacht Rating Form and is responsible for the accuracy of this information. The skipper is responsible for declaring any modifications to a yacht or its equipment that would affect its rating under handicap or one-design class rules and is subject to penalty for any undeclared modification. Any modification of a yacht’s original design not allowed by class regulations may incur an additional handicap adjustment at the discretion of the Race Committee, and additional penalties as appropriate. Any such modifications shall be reported on the RGSC Yacht Rating Form

Each skipper is responsible for complying with the requirements of handicap rules, class rules, and all other applicable rules. If a yacht is to be raced under PHRF or any other system which requires a certificate for the yacht, then the skipper is responsible for obtaining and providing a valid certificate from US Sailing’s regional sailing association, the Sailing Association of Intermountain Lakes. If a yacht lacks a valid certificate, the Race Committee may, at its option, assign a temporary local handicap number that is valid only locally and within limits determined by the Race Committee.

Each skipper is responsible for complying with local, state, and federal laws and regulations and for carrying safety equipment and other items required by the State of New Mexico.
In addition, the RGSC requires any boats raced at night to be equipped with running lights, spotlights or flashlights, and whistles and lights on PFDs.

Each skipper and crew member will wear PFDs as required by local, state, or federal law. Additionally, except when below decks or for brief periods when changing clothing or equipment, each skipper and crew member will wear PFDs during full white capping conditions, or when the “Y” flag is flown from the committee boat.

Except for night racing, outboard motors may be removed from their usual position and properly stowed prior to the preparatory signal. However, should the outboard motor be moved following the preparatory signal, RRS Rule 51, Moving Ballast shall be enforced.

2.3 Skippers’ Meeting

A skippers’ meeting will be held (See Notice of Race or club publications for location) on the initial day of a scheduled race event, for the purpose of completing entry forms, signing release forms, paying racing fees, and receiving special race instructions.

Eligible boats may enter by sending a representative to attend the skipper/crew meeting at the time and location designated for each regatta in Elephant Butte, paying the $15 registration fee, and signing the registration form and release of liability form.

Pre-registered boats may elect not to send a representative to the skipper/crew meeting, but must pay race fees prior to the first warning signal, sign the registration form and release of liability form, and abide by all applicable rules and instructions.

2.3 Eligible boats will be divided into the following classes for purposes of scoring and awards:
Etchells Class, International Etchells Class Association members
A Fleet, Portsmouth D-PN of 84.0 or lower
B Fleet, Portsmouth D-PN of 84.1 or higher

Full-displacement cruising boats with a D-PN of 84.0 or lower may be entered in the B Fleet at the race committee’s discretion.

2.4 Serving as Committee Boat
All participants in racing are required to provide a boat and crew to serve as Race Committee Signal Boat on an equitable basis. The committee boat and crew are to be present in the center of the race course start area well prior to the scheduled first warning signal on each day of a regatta. The committee boat crew, in consultation with the race committee chairman or designated race committee members, is responsible for registering late entries prior to the first warning signal, setting a starting line, signaling courses and other information, conducting and signaling each starting sequence, recording finish times and all other pertinent information, and doing what is necessary to provide a fair and safe regatta to all racers. As provided for in The Racing Rules of Sailing, a committee boat may postpone the start of any race, if it appears that the sailing conditions would not allow a fair contest among competitors.

If a volunteer cannot be located, the Race Committee will determine the skipper with the largest number of races since last serving as Committee Boat. That skipper will be responsible for arranging a Committee Boat and is ineligible for further racing until the Committee duty is satisfied.

A skipper who does not provide a committee boat as scheduled, is ineligible for further racing until the committee boat duty is satisfied, or unless and until an alternate penalty is imposed upon the skipper by the race committee, protest committee, jury, or club board, as appropriate.

3 FEES

3.1 Required fees are $15 per boat for each regatta within the series.


4 SCHEDULE


4.1 Registration is as follows
10:00 to 10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 10, 2007, at Casa Taco.
11:00 to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, March 24, 2007, at Casa Taco
11:00 to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, April 14, 2007, at the Dam Site
11:00 to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, April 28, 2007, at the Dam Site
11:00 to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, September 22, at the old Dam Site marina at Rock Canyon
11:00 to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, October 13, at the old Dam Site marina at Rock Canyon
11:00 to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, October 27, at the Dam Site restaurant
10:00 to 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 17, at Casa Taco

These times, dates, and places may be changed by prior announcement in club publications, the club website, or by mail or e-mail. Except in extraordinary circumstances, such changes will be announced at least 72 hours in advance.

4.2 Starting Time: The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first race on each Saturday is 2:00 p.m., except for the Spring Series 1 and Fall Series 4 races, which start with a warning signal at 1:00 p.m.

5 SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

The Sailing Instructions will be made available to each boat at the skippers’ meeting.
The Sailing Instructions may optionally be made available prior to a regatta via mail, club publications, electronic mail, or web publication.

6 VENUE

6.1 Attachment A shows the racing area, including the channel marker buoys to be used in racing, designated by number.

7 THE COURSES
The diagrams in Attachment B show the Olympic courses, including the order in which marks are to be passed. All marks are to be left to port.

The courses to be sailed will be as follows: For each race, the race committee signal boat will display flags to indicate the configuration of the course, as designated by letter on the chart of Olympic courses, and the first mark of the course, as indicated by number on the race area map.
8 SCORING

8.1 Individual Events
The scoring system will follow the low-point system in Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing except as follows: For an individual regatta or race that is not part of a series, the race committee will determine whether to allow throw-outs and the number of throw-outs, if any. This changes Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing.

For individual events or regattas, or series of two or fewer events or regattas, the race committee may at its option choose to use the following schedule of throw-outs:
0 – 3 races no throw-outs 4
– 6 races one throw-out
7 – 9 races two throw-outs 10 or more three throw-outs

8.2 Series Scoring
The scoring system will follow the low-point system in Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing except as follows:

A yacht that did not participate in an event (individual race or regatta), but which otherwise qualifies to be scored for a series, will be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of yachts qualifying for the series.

All other yachts, including a yacht that finishes but thereafter withdraws or is disqualified, will be scored points for the finishing place one more than the total number of yachts that are entered in that event.

The number of throw-outs for the series will be set by the race committee, which will allow throw-outs (from scores eligible for a throw-out) equal to 20% of the number of races completed by a boat. This changes Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing.

When a club member serves as or supplies the Committee Boat for a series event, his/her points for that event will be calculated as equal to the average points earned for all races in the series which the member’s yacht finished without subsequent withdrawal or disqualification in other races of the series.

Should the assigned Committee Boat fail to appear at the scheduled start time, the Race Committee may, at its discretion, penalize the assigned Committee Boat or its club sponsor in such a manner that the places awarded the boat or sponsor in series standing will be penalized by not more than 1.5 places for each race completed in the absence of the assigned committee boat.

8.3 One race is required to be completed to constitute a regatta for each spring series regatta.

8.4 A yacht must finish without subsequent withdrawal or disqualification in at least 50% of the races in a series to qualify for overall placement in that series and to be eligible for series awards. Service as committee boat counts as one, but no more than one, regatta for purposes of eligibility for series awards. A yacht that does not qualify for series placement will not be scored for the series.

8.5 A Fleet boats will be scored on Portsmouth handicap with wind modifiers. B Fleet boats will be scored on Portsmouth handicap with the addition of headsail modifiers.

8.6 For any fleets in which headsail modifiers are allowed, each skipper will declare before each event, and before his/her first series race of a season, whether a spinnaker will be used while racing. A non-spinnaker rating will be used for scoring if the skipper waives spinnaker use for an event through a “no spinnaker” declaration on the sign-up sheet. This option is not available for the Etchells or A Fleets.

8.7 Overall awards combined across all fleets may be given for the spring and fall series. The overall series awards will be scored on DP-N only. Overall awards will be scored based on races in which all boats were able to start at the same time. Depending upon how starts are scheduled, this number may be smaller than the number of races that is used for scoring within each class or fleet.

9 PRIZES
Prizes will be given as follows:
Each regatta: trophies for the top two yachts in each fleet.
Series Awards: Etchells Class: top two or three, according to participation A Fleet: top two or three, according to participation B Fleet: top two or three, according to participation

Overall trophies across all fleets may be awarded, at the discretion of the race committee and depending upon participation and interest. If these awards are given, they will be given to the top two boats overall, with the number subject to modification depending upon participation.
The number of awards given for each regatta and for the series may be modified based upon participation.
The Race Committee may use the following general guidelines at its discretion:
Qualifying boats per fleet and number of trophies:
1 – 2 1 trophy or award
3 – 4 2 trophies or awards
5 or more 3 or more trophies or awards

10 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta.

11 INSURANCE
Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance with a minimum coverage sufficient to meet New Mexico State Parks requirements.

12 FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information please contact the following:
Larry Jessee, Race Committee Chairman Pat Byrnes, Vice Commodore
Rio Grande Sailing Club PO Box 13953 Albuquerque, NM 87192
*************** *************** ***************
Spring and Fall Series March 10 – April 29, 2007
September 22 – November 18, 2007
Rio Grande Sailing Club
Elephant Butte Lake, NM
DRAFT SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

1 RULES

1.1 The spring and fall series, and all individual regattas and races conducted by the Rio Grande Sailing Club, will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing, 2005–2008, except as modified or supplemented herein.

1.2 Skippers are reminded to review the current edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing, including the opening sections, definitions, and prescriptions. The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions do not limit or reduce the responsibility of individual participants to be solely and entirely responsible for their own conduct and the operation of the boats they sail. Final responsibility for the safe operation of any yacht participating in any activity belongs solely to the skipper of that yacht.

1.3 The use of handicap systems (PHRF, Portsmouth Yardstick, etc.) will comply with the rules and guidelines of US Sailing. Skippers are reminded that class and handicap rules are part of the Rules.

1.4 The Race Committee is authorized, if sufficient interest is expressed, to form a “Club”, “Novice”, or “Cruise” fleet. Special rules may be published for this fleet, and local handicaps may be assigned or adjusted. Results for this fleet will be recorded separately from those for other fleets and will not be reported to handicapping authorities. A skipper may not participate in this fleet and in one of the regular racing fleets during the same race or regatta. The race committee may limit eligibility to participate in this fleet based upon skipper and crew experience levels or other criteria.

1.5 A leeward boat does not have luffing rights over a windward boat after sunset. This changes rule 11.

2 NOTICES TO COMPETITORS/CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

2.1 The Sailing Instructions will be made available to each boat at the skippers’ meeting. The Sailing Instructions may optionally be made available prior to the regatta via mail, club publications, electronic mail, or web publication.

2.2 Changes to sailing instructions may not be made orally at the skippers’ meeting. Should unusual circumstances require that the SIs be changed, the changes will either be posted at the skippers’ meeting or announced from the race committee signal boat as described below.
Notices to competitors and changes to sailing instructions will be made from the racing committee signal boat. If a notice or change is to be made, the boat will fly flag L, and competitors are to come within hailing distance.

3 SCHEDULE OF REGATTAS:

3.1 Dates of racing: Spring Series: March 10–11, March 24–25, April 14–15, and April 28–29, 2007. Fall Series: September 22–23, October 13–14, October 27–28, and November 17, 2007.
3.2 The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first race on each Saturday is 2:00 p.m. (except 1:00 p.m. for spring series 1 and fall series 4).

3.3 No warning signal will be made after 5:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. for Spring Series 1 and fall series 4) unless the race committee elects to invoke the optional one-hour before sunset limit.

3.4 The race committee may elect to invoke replace the limit stated in section 3.3 with a one-hour before sunset limit by amending the SIs for any race to replace section 3.3 with this section.

If so, no warning signal may be made after one hour before sunset. For convenience, the times of the hour before sunset in Elephant Butte, New Mexico, are listed below for each race Saturday in 2007:
5:13 MST, March 10 (6:13 sunset) (time change 2nd Sunday in Mar.)
6:23 MDT, March 24 (7:23 sunset)
6:39 MDT, April 14 (7:39 sunset)
6:49 MDT, April 28 (7:49 sunset)
6:06 MDT, September 22 (7:06 sunset)
5:38 MDT, October 13 (6:38 sunset)
5:23 MDT, October 27 (6:23 sunset)
4:06 MST, November 17 (5:06 sunset) (time change 1st Sunday in Nov.)
4 CLASS FLAGS

A yellow flag shall be used as the default class flag for a combined start of multiple fleets.
If each fleet is to be started separately, then class flags may be used as designated from the committee boat prior to the warning signal for a race. When feasible, the following flags may be used to designate the separate fleets:

Etchells Class: code flag E or Etchells flag A Fleet: yellow flag, code flag A, or J fleet flag B Fleet: red flag or code flag B
5 RACING AREA

Attachment A shows the racing area, including the channel marker buoys to be used for series races.

6 THE COURSES

6.1 The diagrams in Attachment B show the Olympic courses, including the order in which marks are to be passed. All marks are to be left to port.

6.2 No later than the warning signal, the race committee signal boat will display flags for the letter designating the course and the number designating the first mark as shown on the race area map. The letter flag will designate the course(s) chosen from one of fifteen Olympic Circle courses (see Race Course Sheet).

If a common start is used for multiple fleets or classes that are to have different courses, then the following sequence will apply, displayed from top to bottom: Fleet or class flag for the first fleet or class, first mark number flag for the first fleet or class, course number flag for the first fleet or class; then fleet or class flag for the second fleet or class above its mark number flag and course number flag, and so forth for each succeeding fleet.

If course “E” (“small triangle”) is signaled, the start-finish line will be set for a reaching finish. Boats are to finish upwind, in the same direction and position as used for the original start of the course.

7 MARKS

7.1 Turning marks 1 through 8 are designated channel marker buoys as shown on the race area map. The race committee may, as an alternative, use temporary (“drop”) marks in place of the channel marker buoys.

7.2 The starting and finishing marks will be a staff displaying an orange flag on the race committee signal boat at the starboard end, and a round orange buoy at the port end, looking upwind.
8 TIME LIMITS

8.1 If no boat has finished the first leg within 45 minutes, or a course of four or fewer legs within 120 minutes, the race will be abandoned. This changes rule 35.

8.2 A boat failing to finish within 45 minutes after the first boat within her fleet or class sails the course and finishes will be scored Did Not Finish. This changes rules 35 and A4.

8.3 A race course may be changed, shortened, or abandoned in accordance with The Racing Rules of Sailing.

9 PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS

9.1 Protest forms are available at the race committee signal boat or from the race committee chairman. Protests shall be submitted to the race chairman for review by the protest committee within the protest time limit.

9.2 The protest time limit is 45 minutes after the race committee signal boat reaches the dock. The same time limit applies to protests by the race committee and protest committee about incidents they observe in the racing area and to requests for redress. This changes rules 61.3 and 62.2.
10 SCORING

10.1 Individual Events

The scoring system will follow the low-point system in Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing except as follows: For an individual regatta or race that is not part of a series, the race committee will determine whether to allow throw-outs and the number of throw-outs, if any. This changes Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing.

For individual events or regattas, or series of two or fewer events or regattas, the race committee may at its option choose to use the following schedule of throw-outs:
0 – 3 races no throw-outs
4 – 6 races one throw-out
7 – 9 races two throw-outs
10 or more three throw-outs
10.2 Series Scoring

The scoring system will follow the low-point system in Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing except as follows:

A yacht that did not participate in an event (individual race or regatta), but which otherwise qualifies to be scored for a series, will be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of yachts qualifying for the series.

All other yachts, including a yacht that finishes but thereafter withdraws or is disqualified, will be scored points for the finishing place one more than the total number of yachts that are entered in that event.

The number of throw-outs for the series will be set by the race committee, which will allow throw-outs (from scores eligible for a throw-out) equal to 20% of the number of races completed by a boat. This changes Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing.

10.3 One race is required to be completed to constitute a regatta.

10.4 A yacht must finish without subsequent withdrawal or disqualification in at least 50% of the races in a series to qualify for overall placement in that series and to be eligible for series awards. Service as committee boat is counted for eligibility during one regatta for purposes of eligibility for series awards. A yacht that does not qualify for series placement will not be scored for the series. Service as committee boat counts as one, but no more than one, regatta for purposes of eligibility for series awards.

10.5 A Fleet boats will be scored on Portsmouth handicap with wind modifiers. B Fleet boats will be scored on Portsmouth handicap with the addition of headsail modifiers.

10.6 For any fleets in which headsail modifiers are allowed, each skipper will declare before each event, and before his/her first series race of a season, whether a spinnaker will be used while racing. A non-spinnaker rating will be used for scoring if the skipper waives spinnaker use for an event through a “no spinnaker” declaration on the sign-up sheet. This option is not available for the Etchells or A Fleets.

10.7 Overall awards combined across all fleets may be given for the spring and fall series. The overall series awards will be scored on DP-N only. Overall awards will be scored based on races in which all boats were able to start at the same time. Depending upon how starts are scheduled, this number may be smaller than the number of races that is used for scoring within each class or fleet.

10.6 Boats that serve as committee boat during a regatta will have average scores calculated for purposes of series scoring. Points for an event will be calculated as equal to the average points earned for all races in the series which the member’s yacht finished without subsequent withdrawal or disqualification in other races of the series.

10.7 Boats that are scheduled by the race committee to serve as committee boat, but fail to appear, may be penalized as follows. Should the assigned Committee Boat fail to appear at the scheduled start time, the Race Committee may, at its discretion, penalize the assigned Committee Boat or its club sponsor in such a manner that the places awarded the boat or sponsor in series standing will be penalized by not more than 1.5 places for each race completed in the absence of the assigned committee boat.

11 PRIZES
Prizes will be given as follows:
Each regatta: trophies for the top two yachts in each fleet.

Series Awards: Etchells Class: top two or three, according to participation A Fleet: top two or three, according to participation B Fleet: top two or three, according to participation
Overall trophies across all fleets may be awarded, at the discretion of the race committee and depending upon participation and interest. If these awards are given, they will be given to the top two boats overall, with the number subject to modification depending upon participation.
The number of awards given for each regatta and for the series may be modified based upon participation. The Race Committee may use the following general guidelines at its discretion:
Qualifying boats per fleet and number of trophies:
1 – 2 1 trophy or award
3 – 4 2 trophies or awards
5 or more 3 or more trophies or awards

12 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. Rio Grande Sailing Club will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta.

13 INSURANCE
Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance with a minimum coverage sufficient to meet New Mexico State Parks requirements.



******************** ******************** ********************
COMMENTS AND CHANGES FOR OLD RACE INSTRUCTIONS
General:
Rules have changed since 2001. Telling people that they are required to use the obsolete rules is a big no-no. An unethical racer could try to stir up trouble by deliberately relying upon an obsolete and invalid rule, i.e. trying to get away with “hunting” or some other practice that is now prohibited.
The document is titled “Race Instructions”, but then is called “sailing instructions” in paragraph 2 of the prologue, but doesn’t follow the US Sailing format or requirements for SIs (RRS 89.2, RRS Appendix J, RRS Appendix K).

US Sailing RRS requires NORs and SIs for a race or series and does not recognize a document called “Race Instructions”. See RRS 25, 88.2, 89.2. Having a document that applies to all of our races is cumbersome, makes it hard to meet RRS requirements, and increases the chance of a rules conflict with our practices for non-series regattas and races. Normal practice would be to write separate NORs and SIs for each series or special event, which makes it much easier to make sure we are providing correct, accurate information to racers that follows our current practices and the special requirements of specific events. We could keep a generic set of SIs for the series races, but would still need separate SIs for distance races, Slocum, Sunrise, etc.
Many items in the race instructions duplicate or overlap the racing rules of sailing in whole or part, creating potential confusion and opportunities for a protestee to exploit the confusion in a protest hearing. This greatly increases the risk of a decision by the RGSC protest committee being rejected upon appeal.

The Race Instructions document fails to use the correct practice required by US Sailing to make a change to a racing rule (when that rule is one that is allowed to be changed). The SIs must specifically reference each rule that is to be changed and state each change. “This changes rule xx.x.” Because this has not been done, the changes are not in effect (invalid, null) and any club position or action based on them would be thrown out by US Sailing if any of our decisions were appealed (RRS 86).

NORs and SIs are to be made available to competitors (RRS 25). The “Race Instructions” have not been made available to competitors at any of the regattas we have attended; this violates RRS 25, 88, and 89.

The Race Instructions mentions the Race Committee issuing a DSQ under certain circumstances. This violates the RRS. DSQs can only be issued by a Protest Committee or Jury (RRS Appendix A, A5, Scores Determined by the Race Committee).

The list of equipment required by state law is not complete and also incorrectly includes items not required by state law. Re-write correctly and separate out what’s really required by law, by class rules, and by the club.

The stated PFD requirements are in conflict with state law and have not been followed in current practice.

Several items do not seem to reflect current RGSC race committee practice. The start/finish line is no longer an obstruction. Do we still do 10% differential entry fees, $5 temporary memberships, club fleet, etc.? Do we still do throw-outs for individual regattas that are not part of a series? Do you want to be bound by the trophy formula in 3.4? NORs and SIs should reflect current practice.
The document mentions specific times that are significantly different from current practice (9:30 AM Skippers’ Meeting, 12:15 PM Saturday start, 9:00 AM Sunday start).
The document refers to a Racing Instruction Rule 6, but the copy I saw only went through rule 4.5. Is there more?

Details: See below.

RIO GRANDE SAILING CLUB
RACE INSTRUCTIONS
1-1-2001
The Rio Grande Sailing Club (RGSC) is a member of the US Sailing Association
[United States Sailing Association, “US Sailing” to use correct name]. The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), 2001-2005
[no such RRS ever existed; old ones were for 2001–2004]
[use 2005-2008]
, except as modified or supplemented herein, shall govern the conduct of club sponsored races. Final responsibility for the safe operation of any yacht participating in any activity belongs solely to the skipper of that yacht.
[repeats RRS 4, 3]

The Rio Grande Sailing Club, its officers and members, are not liable for loss of life or injury to persons participating in club sponsored events or for damage to property.
These sailing instructions do not limit or reduce the responsibility of individual participants to be solely and entirely responsible for their own conduct and the operation of the boats they sail [overlaps/duplicates RRS 4]. Skippers are reminded to review the Racing Rules of Sailing, including the opening sections [and definitions].

RULE 1. REGISTRATION, SKIPPERS MEETING

RULE 1.1 SKIPPERS’ MEETING: A skippers’ meeting will be held (See Notice of Race or club publications for location) on the initial day of a scheduled race event, for the purpose of completing entry forms, signing release forms, paying racing fees, and receiving special race instructions. Pre-registered skippers need not be represented; however, skippers without representation bear a responsibility to adhere to any special rules or circumstances applicable to the event which are announced at the meeting.
[Caution: NORs and SIs may not be changed orally during a pre-race meeting. Re-word to keep legal.]
The Race Committee shall not announce changes to the written instructions, except in unusual circumstances. The meeting will begin at 9:30 AM, [Not our standard time. This may be too specific for a document that tries to apply to all RGSC races.] unless specified in the Notice of Race. If a yacht participates in any race during an event, the fee for the entire event is due and payable.

RULE 1.2 ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE: Skippers desiring to participate in RGSC sponsored races shall: (a) be a current member of US Sailing or a US Sailing affiliated club; (b) properly fill out and submit to the Race Committee the race entry form, including the release of liability, prior to the warning signal of the first race; (c) pay the required registration fee; (The RGSC subscribes to the US Sailing differential entry fee policy. Skippers who are not members of US Sailing are subject to an additional 10% of the registration fee.) (d) for a series race, pay $5.00 for a temporary non-voting membership, if the skipper is not a current member of the RGSC. (This fee may be applied towards the full membership fee, if the skipper joins the RGSC within 30 days.)
[Are the differential entry fee and temporary membership still being collected?]

RULE 1.3 HANDICAP SYSTEMS: The use of handicap systems will comply with the rules and guidelines of US Sailing (PHRF, Portsmouth Yardstick, etc.). If PHRF is used to handicap any fleet, handicap ratings for boats participating in that fleet will be established through the recognized regional authority of US Sailing (Currently Sailing Association of Intermountain Lakes). The Race Committee may establish a “Club” fleet. Handicaps and race courses for the Club Fleet may be adjusted and/or adapted for cruise-racing, according to the desires of Club Fleet participants.

RULE 1.4 PRE-REGISTRATION: It is not necessary for skippers to attend the skippers’ meeting, provided: (a) they report necessary information to the Committee Boat prior to the start of the race sequence of the first race in which the yacht intends to participate and sign the race entry form; (b) they pay the race fee prior to the first race of the event in which they intend to participate.

RULE 1.5 FLEETS: Three or more yachts may participate in a regatta or a series as a separate fleet. Fewer than three yachts may participate as a fleet in a given race in a series, if it is anticipated that three or more yachts will qualify for the entire series. Three or more skippers wishing to race as a separate fleet must notify the Race Committee two weeks in advance of the event, to allow for adequate preparations. If at least three yachts are present in a fleet, separate starts may be conducted for that fleet at the discretion of the Committee Boat.

RULE 1.6 SERVING AS COMMITTEE BOAT: All participants in racing are expected to serve as Committee Boat on an equitable basis. If a volunteer cannot be located, the Race Committee will determine the skipper with the largest number of races since last serving as Committee Boat. That skipper will be responsible for arranging a Committee Boat and is ineligible for further racing until the Committee duty is satisfied.

RULE 2. STARTS, COURSES, FINISHES

RULE 2.1 STARTING TIMES: The preparatory signal for the first race of a weekend event will be at 12:15 PM Saturday, unless a different time is announced at the Skippers’ Meeting or in the Notice of Race. Sunday racing will begin at 9:00 AM. Late yachts may start the course upon arrival; however, to avoid disqualification, they must cease motoring five minutes before the start signal for their fleet. No race will be started less than one hour before sundown, unless previously scheduled as a night race. Should the assigned Committee Boat fail to appear at the scheduled start time, the Race Committee may, at its discretion, penalize the assigned Committee Boat or its club sponsor in such a manner that the places awarded the boat or sponsor in series standing will be increased by not more than 1.5 places for each race during the weekend.
[Re-word to make this clear and to conform to desired current practice.]

RULE 2.2 DELAYING THE START: The Committee Boat may delay the start of any race, if it appears that the sailing conditions would not allow a fair contest among competitors.
[This is already in the RRS and therefore need not and should not be stated here.]

RULE 2.3 RECALLS: In the absence of an error in the start procedures, general recalls will be issued only when the Committee Boat is either unable to determine which yachts are over early or so many yachts are over early that the number of returning yachts will create a significant hazard of collision.
[This partly duplicates and partly conflicts with the RRS.]

RULE 2.4 SETTING COURSES: If the Olympic Circle is used for racing (see RI Rule 6), [My copy only goes through RI Rule 4.5!] [and we no longer have the original Olympic Circle] the race course will be designated by International Code Flags and Pennants flown from the Committee Boat or by use of a marker board affixed to the Committee Boat. The number pennant, flown at the top, will designate the first mark of the course to be sailed. The letter flag or flags will designate the course(s) chosen from one of fifteen Olympic Circle courses (see Race Course Sheet).

If multiple letter flags are flown, the letter flags should read from top to bottom , with the first letter flag applicable to “A” fleet, and so forth. If the marker board is used, the number of the first mark and course designation will be spelled out. If course “E” is designated, a yacht shall finish by crossing the finish line in either direction.
[E is the little triangle. Is this either-way rule needed? Or does it cause more trouble to have yachts able to be pointed at each other while finishing and having the possibility of mixed upwind and downwind finishes?]
[Race committee equipment does not include a marker board.]

RULE 2.5 START/FINISH LINE AS AN OBSTRUCTION: After a yacht starts and until that yacht approaches to finish, the finish line or a combined start/finish line shall be considered an obstruction. A yacht prematurely crossing such a line may exonerate herself by retracing her path back across the line. Prior to their fleet start and after finishing, yachts have a duty to remain clear of the line.
[Obsolete – We changed this. We do not treat the line as an obstruction.]
RULES 2.6 CANCELING, POSTPONING, OR SHORTENING A RACE: At any time, races, may be cancelled, postponed, abandoned, or shortened at the discretion of the Committee Boat by flag signal. Races should be shortened at rounding marks of the race course.
[Duplicates, overlaps, and conflicts with RRS 32, 33, 34.]
[The phrase “any time” is not really true and violates RRS in some circumstances. The rules for postponing or abandoning a race, and the rules for shortening or changing races are different and must not be lumped together. Permitted actions vary depending on whether the race has started, where boats are on the course, and whether someone has finished. Get back to the real rules.]

RULE 2.7 TERMINATION OF A RACE: Unless otherwise announced at the Skippers’ Meeting or in the Notice of Race, the time limit for “A” fleet to finish will be 45 minutes after the first boat in “A” fleet has finished. For “B” fleet the time limit for finishing will be one hour after the first boat in “B” fleet has finished. Those yachts still racing may use their motor up to the preparatory signal of the subsequent race, without disqualification, but will be accorded a DNF in the current race.
[We have not been giving the B fleet a separate one-hour limit in current practice.]
[Wording about motoring needs to be written to be clear.]

RULE 2.8 LUFFING AFTER SUNSET: A leeward boat does not have luffing rights over a windward boat after sunset.
[History of this?]

RULE 3. SCORING OF RACES AND SERIES

RULE 3.1 YACHT CONFIGURATION, RATINGS: Yacht configuration will be declared by each skipper. The skipper shall provide the necessary handicap information on the RGSC Yacht Rating Form. [Current practice: is the RGSC Yacht Rating Form something skippers fill out or is it treated as an internal Race Committee document? If the Rating Form isn’t being signed by skippers, then we are at risk. This was demonstrated several years ago when RGSC protest committee actions were not upheld upon appeal.]

If the yacht meets Portsmouth class configuration or one design racer configuration, that will be so noted on the Rating Form. If the yacht is raced under Portsmouth, the Race Committee will assign Wind Dependent Handicap Factors, along with appropriate allowance modifiers. If the yacht is raced under PHRF, the Race Committee will assign as appropriate, through unofficial, rating.
[This simulated rating isn’t valid for reporting scores and wouldn’t conform to PHRF; it would only be locally valid. If we have a PHRF race, why not just make people fill out the proper form and pay the small fee to get a real PHRF certificate?.]
Official PHRF ratings are obtained through application to the US Sailing regional authority, as stated in RI Rule 1.3. The skipper will declare before each event, and before his/her first series race of a season, whether a spinnaker will be used while racing. A non-spinnaker rating will be used for scoring if the skipper waives spinnaker use for an event through a “no spinnaker” declaration on the sign-up sheet.
[Is this current practice to let skippers switch between spinnaker and non-spinnaker during a series?]

RULE 3.2 SCORING A RACE: Unless otherwise indicated in the Notice of Race, each yacht racing in an event or series will be scored using a handicap factor. Points for placing in a race shall be based on the following: 1st: 1 point, 2nd: 2 points, 3rd: 3 points, etc.
[This duplicates RRS Appendix A Low Point System. Simply refer to RRS Appendix. A.]
A skipper who does not provide the necessary information required in R1 Rule 3.1 may race, but will not be officially scored.

RULE 3.3 SCORING A SERIES: A yacht that did not participate in an event will be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of yachts qualifying for the series. All other yachts, including a yacht that finishes but thereafter withdraws or is disqualified, will be scored points for the finishing place one more than the total number of yachts that are entered in that event. A yacht must finish without subsequent withdrawal or disqualification in at least 50% of the races in a series to qualify for overall placement in that series.

When a club member serves as or supplies the Committee Boat for a series event, his/her points for that event will be calculated as equal to the average points earned for all races in which the member’s yacht finished without subsequent withdrawal or disqualification in other races of the series.

A yacht placing below another yacht that does not qualify for a series will have her place in that race adjusted accordingly (as if the non-qualifying yacht had not raced) for the purpose of scoring the series.
[Delete info that overlaps RRS Appendix A and state which parts of Appendix A are changed.]

RULE 3.4 PRIZES: Fleets up to and including three (3) yachts: one (1) trophy. Fleets up to and including five (5) yachts: two (2) trophies. Fleets of six (6) yachts or more: a minimum of three (3) trophies.
[Re-word to give the club and race committee more flexibility in establishing trophies.]

RULE 3.5 TIE RACE: When the corrected times for two or more yachts are the same when rounded to the nearest hundredth of a minute, the yachts shall be considered tied. The points for the place for which the yachts have tied and for the place immediately below shall be added together and divided equally.
[Duplicates/overlaps RRS A7.]

RULE 3.6 TIE SERIES: When two or more yachts accumulate exactly the same number of points for any event, regatta, or series, the following method of breaking ties shall be employed: (a) The boat with the greatest number of first places in individual races shall be awarded the higher place. If first place comparison fails to resolve the tie, second place finishes shall be compared and so forth until all ties are resolved or all potential comparison places are exhausted. (b) If the above fails to resolve a tie, the series shall be declared a tie for the place at issue. If duplicate trophies or other awards cannot be made, a flip of a coin shall decide to whom the awards will be given.
[Mostly duplicates RRS A8, A9, some conflict with RRS. It would be much better to just refer to the RRS.]

RULE 3.7 THROW OUTS: For series of two events or less, the following number of throw outs shall be allowed:
NUMBER OF RACES THROW OUTS
[Are we still using this?]
1 – 3 0
4 – 6 1
7 – 9 2
10 or more 3
For series of more than two events in length, the number of throw outs shall be equal to 20% of the number of races, rounded to the nearest whole number, or the number of races run during the event of the series during which the most races were run, whichever is greater.


RULE 4. EQUIPMENT, MODIFICATIONS

RULE 4.1 MODIFICATIONS: Any modification of a yacht’s original design not allowed by class regulations may incur an additional handicap adjustment at the discretion of the Race Committee. Any such modifications shall be reported on the RGSC Yacht Rating Form.
[Are skippers using Yacht Rating Form or is it an internal race committee document? Make sure this doesn’t conflict with RRS 78, 75 and make sure that skippers sign off on their configuration and class-compliant status. ]

RULE 4.2 EQUIPMENT: All yachts intending to race shall carry the equipment required by the State of New Mexico, including Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices (PFD) for each person on board, a sound device (whistle or horn), an adequate anchor and rode, and fire extinguisher, plus any required class items. Night racing equipment will include whistles and lights on PFD’s, running lights, and spotlights or flashlights.

[This needs to be corrected. List above is incomplete and incorrect. NM also requires a throwable Type IV (cushion, lifering, Lifesling, etc.), paddle, bucket, and rope. The anchor and rode are not required by the state.

The “required class items” should be in a separate sentence from the list of state requirements – as the sentence now reads it appears that the state of NM is who is requiring them as well as the anchor. Club should decide as to whether we require all class-required equipment and, if so, be prepared to enforce such requirements and have a statement to resolve any discrepancy between government, class, and club required equipment.

And, should a competitor be able to protest a fellow competitor for not meeting some of the finer points of class configurations or only those related to performance and/or safety?]

RULE 4.3 WEARING OF PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICES: The wearing of PFD’s as detailed here is, in all cases, mandatory when a person is not below deck in an enclosed cabin. A PFD must be sized adequately for the person wearing it. Infractions will be judged by the Race Committee and, if found in violation, a yacht will be given a DSQ. The wearing of PFD’s is mandatory for (a) all persons under eight years of age under all conditions; (b) all persons when full white capping conditions are present or when the mandatory life preserver pennant (Y flag) is flown by the Committee Boat; and (c) all persons after sunset.

[Conflicts and changes:
State of NM requires wearing of PFDs for children age twelve (12) and under, not eight (8) (though not in a cabin below deck or when the boat is parked at a dock).
State of NM requires PFDs for boat races or regattas. (See State of New Mexico Statues, Annotated, NMSA Chapter 6, Article 12, Section 7; and New Mexico Administrative Code, Chapter 17, Part 2, Boating Operations & Safety, 9 Equipment Required to Operate a Boat Vessel, paragraph 9-1-4).
State of NM and RRS both make an exception for temporarily removing PFDs for clothing changes.
The Race Committee is prohibited by the RRS from issuing a DSQ; DSQ’s must come from a Protest Committee.
Committee Boats volunteers must be trained to fly Y flag during full white-capping conditions. ]

RULE 4.4 KEEL POSITION: The position of a keel comprising less than 10% of the yacht’s total weight may be changed during a race at the discretion of the skipper. Otherwise, the keel shall be kept locked down in accordance with RRS Rule 51, Moving Ballast. [This is confusing; what is its history? Is this meant to apply to retractable centerboards, which are designed to be raised and lowered?]

RULE 4.5 OUTBOARD MOTORS: Except for night racing, outboard motors may be removed from their usual position and properly stowed prior to the preparatory signal. However, should the outboard motor be moved following the preparatory signal, RRS Rule 51, Moving Ballast shall be enforced.