WILD GOOSE RACE, September 19,(20), 2020

 

2020 Wild Goose Chase – Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions 

September 19th, 2020 (rain/wind date September 20^th, 2020)

 www.essasailing.com

http://essasailing.blogspot.com/

Governing Rules

The racing rules and regulations of US Sailing shall govern except as modified by the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association, the 2020 Choptank ESSA rules, and these Race Instructions.  As always the most important rule is to AVOID COLLISIONS.

 Description of Race

This is pursuit style race in which a reverse PHRF format is utilized. The race will begin at ESSA mark ‘I’, continue towards the Choptank Light, and return to Cambridge. Boats with larger handicaps will start first.  Starting times are based on average speeds over the current or prior season(s). This is due to the fact that there may be ESSA boats who wish to participate who have not been actively racing during the current season. The utilization of average speed provides the slower vessels with a realistic head-start. To win, the boats ahead must be passed.  First across the finish line is the winner.

 Participation

Any ESSA member who has paid their membership fee and is sailing a boat that has received a rating from ESSA or in possession of a valid PHRF certificate of the Chesapeake may enter the race. You must be registered by Thursday, September 17th 9pm.

 This year we are not having a skipper’s meeting prior to the race. However there is still a $10 race fee needed from each boat to pay for trophies. Please mail a check to ESSA, P.O. Box 374, Salisbury, MD, 21803, or provide the payment to the Fleet Captain prior to Thursday deadline. Make sure to include the boat name with payment.

 All boats must check in with the assigned Race committee boat or ‘designee’ in the vicinity of the starting line prior to the starting sequence of the first boat. The committee boat will announce any changes to the course on Channel 72. Once the race begins, competitors shall monitor channel 72 for announcements from race committee, however, communication from competitors should be kept to a minimum.

 Classes

There will be a combined spinnaker and non-spinnaker class. The average speed method compensates for the faster spinnaker boats. This method has been proven successful during prior races. The first boat will start at 0900. It will be important to know your start times. Check the ESSA blog site https://essasailing.blogspot.com/ or ESSA email chain. Start times will be posted on the day prior to race, unless the course is shortened on the day of, in which case new times may be provided.

 Communication

Radio communications should be limited unless an emergency exists. Should a boat chose to retire due to weather or adverse conditions they should announce their intent to the assigned committee boat, and make every attempt to verify the message was received. All boats shall monitor Channel 72.

 Protests

This is a fun race which is meant to promote sailing and friendly competition amongst the fleet. As per tradition, no protests allowed. However, boats that knowingly commit a foul should make every attempt to cure via a penalty turn(s) as laid out by ESSA sailing rules.

 Starting Line

The start line will be between ESSA mark ‘I’ and a drop mark.

 Finish Line

The finish line will be between ESSA mark ‘Z’ and the race committee flag on the CYC bulkhead. Racers will pass through the finish line keeping ‘Z’ to port. Skippers shall record their GPS finish time including seconds, and email it to George Breig at essasailing38@gmail.com after the race. Phone: 443-521-9920 Text or voice. Radio calls can also be used if in range: Channel 72.

 Starting Signals

The first start will be promptly at 0900 hrs. September 19, 2020 GPS time. The first start will have the entire sequence of horns.

		Time	Sounds
Courtesy Warning	6 min	8:54 am	Few short blasts
Start Sequence	5 min	8:55 am	One long horn blast
	4 min	8:56 am	1 horn blast
	1 min	8:59 am	1 horn blast
	Start	9:00 am	1 long blast

STARTING TIMES WILL BE SENT ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18. Just as last year, start times will be based on modified PHRF’s, and depend on the distance raced.

The intent of the “average speed” method of handicapping is to improve the competitiveness of all vessels. Average speed will be used to predict the time required by a vessel to complete the course. This is a pursuit race, unless the length of the course is shortened. The first boat across the finish line is the winner as correction times are equal to the staggered start times. Since average speed can only be calculated for the class in which the vessel has competed, spinnaker boats can use their spinnakers.  In other words, spinnaker boats will be amply delayed given their speed advantage.

Postponed starts, race abandonment, shortened courses & time limit

Races postponed due to weather will be automatically delayed in 30 minute increments up to 2 postpones. A race shall be considered abandoned if 50% of the boats starting the race and/or The committee boat elect to abandon the race. Three boats must start for the race to be official. Each competitor is solely responsible for his or her personal safety. The sighting of lightning alone will not cancel the race, again sailors should familiarize themselves with Choptank ESSA sailing rules regarding inclement weather. All boats must finish by 16:00 hrs (4pm) unless the start is delayed. The course will be shortened to the passing of G19A on the return leg; if the lead boat does not accomplish that by 1400. In this event the winner will be determined by elapsed time and distance to that point adjusted by the average speed and course length. For this reason each boat should record its elapsed time from its start to G19A on the return and to the finish at ‘Z’ if the race is not shortened.

Course Marks

LEAVING	RETURNING
START          "I"	Mark             R 14                      STARBOARD
Mark             G 23                    PORT	Mark             R 16                      STARBOARD
Mark             G 19A                 STARBOARD	Mark              G 19 A                 PORT
Mark             R 16                    PORT	Mark             G 23                      STARBOARD
Mark             R 14                    PORT	Finish Line    “Z”                        PORT
CHOPTANK LIGHT                  STARBOARD