Summer Breeze Series Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions

New Mexico Sailing Club

Heron Lake, New Mexico

Summer Breeze Race Series, June – August, 2008

NOTICE OF RACE

1 RULES

1.1 The Summer Breeze Race series, and each regatta, will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing, 2005–2008 (RRS).

1.2 Handicaps will be Portsmouth Handicap, with wind range modifiers. The race committee may alter handicap numbers if it believes a boat or equipment have been altered or do not meet class requirements.

1.3 Class and handicap rules apply except where modified by this Notice of Race or by the Sailing Instructions. Class rules requiring class membership do not apply. The race committee may grant a waiver, at its discretion, to any class rules that in its judgement do not affect the safety or fairness of competition.

1.4 Measurement of boats or sails will not be required as a condition of entry.
Sails are not required to bear a royalty stamp as a condition of entry. The race committee reserves the right to measure and inspect a boat, sails, or equipment at its sole discretion.

1.5 Advertising is restricted to Category A.

2 ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY

2.1 Each regatta in the 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. The race committee reserves the right to restrict entries for reasons of safety and to group entries into such classes as it sees fit.

2.2 Eligible boats may enter by sending a representative to attend the skipper/crew meeting at the time and location designated for each regatta at the Heron Lake Marina, paying the registration fee, and signing the registration sheet.

2.3 Eligible boats will be divided into the following classes for purposes of scoring and awards. The race committee may re-assign or re-classify boats at its discretion. Cruising boats may be entered in the B Fleet at the race committee’s discretion.

Spinnaker (A) Fleet, Portsmouth D-PN of 84.0 or lower;
Cruising (B) Fleet, Portsmouth D-PN of 84.1 or higher;
Multihull (C) Fleet (if a safety boat is available or conditions are appropriate, and if entries suffice to complete a class);
Dinghy (D) Fleet, monohulls without a cabin or fixed keel (if a safety boat is available or conditions are appropriate, and if entries suffice to complete a class);

3 FEES

3.1 Required fees are $10 per boat for each regatta within the series. A discounted fee of $5 applies to current dues-paid members of the NMSC, US Sailing, or reciprocal clubs.

4 SCHEDULE

4.1 Summer Breeze series regattas will be held on the following dates in 2008:
June 14, Flags of Our Fathers/Summer Breeze I
July 12–13, Osprey Festival Regatta/Summer Breeze II
July 19, Full Moon Regatta/Summer Breeze III
August 9–10, Summer Breeze IV

Other NMSC regattas or events during 2008 are not part of the Summer Breeze series:
May 25, Memorial Day Weekend Long Race
June 15, Introduction to Match Racing
June 21, Solstice Fun Cruise
July 4–6, Youth Regatta, 4^th of July Weekend Long Race, Dinghy Daze, Match Fun
August 16, Full Moon evening cruise, Match Fun
August 30–21, Buccaneer Rodeo and Labor Day Weekend Buoy Bash
September 27, End of Season Fall Harvest Regatta

4.2 Registration will be held at the Heron Lake Marina prior to each regatta.

4.3 Starting Time: The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first race on each Saturday is 1:30 p.m. The first warning signal on Sunday is at 12:00 p.m.

5 SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

The sailing instructions will be available during registration periods.

6 VENUE

6.1 Attachment B shows the racing area.

7 THE COURSES

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 courses, and the first mark of the course, as indicated by number on the race area map.

8 SCORING

8.1 The scoring system will follow the low-point system in Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing except as follows. The number of throw-outs for the series will be set by the race committee, which will allow approximately one throw-out (from scores eligible for a throw-out) for each five races completed by a boat. This changes Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing.

8.2 For each summer series regatta, one race is must be completed to constitute a regatta.

8.3 A boat must compete in at least two regattas to be eligible for series awards.

8.4 All boats will be scored on Portsmouth handicap with wind modifiers except for the overall series awards (combined across fleets), which will be scored on base handicap number (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 used for scoring within each fleet.

9 PRIZES

Prizes will be given as follows:

Each regatta: awards will be made for the top two yachts in each fleet.

Series Awards: awards will be made for the top three yachts in each fleet.

Overall (Combined Fleets) Series: awards will be made for the top three yachts overall.

The number of awards given for each regatta and for the series may be modified based upon participation, and may be increased if more than five yachts are eligible in a group, and decreased if three or fewer yachts are eligible in a group.

10 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

Competitors participate in the regatta and series 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.

Neither the establishment of the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions, nor their use by the Organizing Authority, Race Organizers, or Race Committee, in any way limits the absolute responsibility of the skipper/driver. Each skipper is responsible for the safety of any yacht operated by him or her and for all aspects of the yacht’s operation. The skipper shall ensure that the skipper and crew have sufficient experience and are physically fit to face all conditions.

Crew members are advised to satisfy themselves as to the experience of the skipper and to familiarize themselves with all safety and insurance arrangements.

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 OTHER RESTRICTIONS

All participating boats, skippers, and crews are required to follow Federal, State, and local safety regulations. Any skippers born after January 1, 1989 must meet New Mexico boating safety requirements. The race committee may, at its sole discretion, terminate participation by any yacht that is not safe or seaworthy, or that is operated in an unsafe or illegal manner.

Skippers and crew may not use a radio or mobile telephone (cell phone) or other electronic device to receive assistance not freely available to all yachts. A VHF radio may be used to receive information from the race committee or for safety-related and distress communications, but may not be used in a manner that interferes with regatta operations or safety.

13 FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information please contact Pat Byrnes, 505 265-6741, rgsc@zianet.com.

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New Mexico Sailing Club

Heron Lake, New Mexico

Summer Breeze Regatta Series, June – August, 2008

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

1 RULES

1.1 The summer series, and each regatta, will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing, 2005–2008 (RRS).

2 NOTICES TO COMPETITORS/CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Notices to competitors and changes to sailing instructions will be made from the race 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:
June 14, Flags of Our Fathers/Summer Breeze I
July 12–13, Osprey Festival Regatta/Summer Breeze II
July 19, Full Moon Regatta/Summer Breeze III
August 9–10, Summer Breeze IV

Other NMSC regattas or events during 2008 are not part of the Summer Breeze series:
May 25, Memorial Day Weekend Long Race
June 15, Introduction to Match Racing
June 21, Solstice Fun Cruise
July 4–6, Youth Regatta, 4^th of July Weekend Long Race, Dinghy Daze, Match Fun
August 16, Full Moon evening cruise, Match Fun
August 30–21, Buccaneer Rodeo and Labor Day Weekend Buoy Bash
September 27, End of Season Fall Harvest Regatta

3.2 The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first race on each Saturday is 1:30 p.m. The first warning signal on Sunday is at 12:00 p.m. These times may be modified for reasons of weather, safety, or logistics.

3.3 No warning signal will be made after 6:00 p.m. on Saturday or 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.

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 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 fleets:

Spinnaker (A) Fleet: yellow flag, code flag A
Cruising (B) Fleet: red flag or code flag B
Multihull (C) Fleet: blue flag or code flag C
Dinghy (D) Fleet: green flag or code flag D

5 RACING AREA

Attachment B shows the racing area, including the drop buoys to be used in racing.

6 THE COURSES

6.1 The diagrams in Attachment A show the 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.

7 MARKS

7.1 Turning marks 1 through 3 are designated drop buoys as shown on the race area map. The race committee may, as an alternative, use additional temporary (“drop”) marks in place of the previously placed buoys, or may use local navigational marks or the wind warning island.

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 START

8.1 Starts will follow the RRS. If resources or participation are limited for a race, the race committee may, at its option, allow a “rabbit start” in which a pin buoy is positioned and the signal boat opens a starting gate by sailing a reach past the pin buoy while on port tack. During such a start, all other boats must keep clear of the signal boat and start astern of it when it opens the gate. The starting boat, after opening a gate of sufficient width to allow other boats to start, may then participate in the race.

8 TIME LIMITS

8.1 Except for designated distance races, if no boat has finished the first leg within 60 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.

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 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 The scoring will follow the low-point system in Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing except as follows: The number of throw-outs for the series will be set by the race committee, which will allow approximately one throw-out (from scores eligible for a throw-out) for each five races completed by a boat. This changes Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing.

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

10.3 A boat must compete in at least two regattas within the summer series to be eligible for series awards.

10.4 All yachts will be scored on Portsmouth handicap with wind modifiers except as noted for the overall series awards (combined fleets), which 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.

10.5 Boats that serve as committee boat during a regatta will have average scores calculated for purposes of series scoring and will be credited with participation in that regatta for purposes of determining eligibility for series awards.

11 PRIZES

Prizes will be given as follows:

Each regatta: Awards will be made for the top two yachts in each fleet.

Series Awards: Awards will be made for the top three yachts in each fleet.
Overall (Combined Fleets) Series Awards: Awards will be made for the top three yachts overall.

The number of awards given for each regatta and for the summer series may be modified based upon participation. Awards may be be increased if more than four yachts are eligible in a group, and decreased if three or fewer yachts are eligible in a group.

12 SAFETY

When the race committee hoists the code flag R (Romeo) prior to boats reaching a free leg of the course, no spinnakers may be flown on a free leg of the course.

When the race committee hoists the code flag Y (Yankee) at any time during a regatta, all participants must don and wear a life vest except when in an enclosed cabin or during brief periods while changing clothing. This modifies the RRS, including RRS 40.1 and race signal Y.

All participating boats, skippers, and crews are required to follow Federal, State, and local safety regulations. Any skippers born after January 1, 1989. must meet New Mexico boating safety education requirements. The race committee may, at its sole discretion, terminate participation by any yacht that is not safe or seaworthy, or that is operated in an unsafe or illegal manner.

Skippers and crew may not use a radio or mobile telephone (cell phone) or other electronic device to receive assistance not freely available to all yachts. A VHF radio may be used to receive information from the race committee or for safety-related and distress communications, but may not be used in a manner that interferes with regatta operations or safety.

13 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The New Mexico 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.

Neither the establishment of the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions, nor their use by the Organizing Authority, Race Organizers, or Race Committee, in any way limits the absolute responsibility of the skipper/driver. Each skipper is responsible for the safety of any yacht operated by him or her and for all aspects of the yacht’s operation. The skipper shall ensure that the skipper and crew have sufficient experience and are physically fit to face all conditions.

Crew members are advised to satisfy themselves as to the experience of the skipper and to familiarize themselves with all safety and insurance arrangements.

14 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. Any boats berthed or moored at the Heron Lake Marina must meet any requirements imposed as a condition of the marina’s insurance policy.