Choptank Cup, Saturday, October 10 , 2020, NORSI

Printable copy of the Choptank Cup NORSI

2020 ESSA CHOPTANK CUP - NORSI

Saturday, October 10th, 2020 (bad weather date, Saturday, Oct 17)

GOVERNING RULES

The racing rules and regulations of US Sailing shall govern except as modified by the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association, the ESSA 2019 Yearbook and these Race Instructions. As always the most important rule is to avoid collisions. Sail at your own risk.

PARTICIPATION

Any ESSA member who has paid their $10.00 racing fee and is sailing a boat that has received a rating from ESSA or a valid PHRF certificate of the Chesapeake may enter the race. All boats must check in with the Race Committee or designate boat at least 5 minutes before the starting sequence. Boats not acknowledged by the Committee Boat within the time frame will be scored DNS.

TIME KEEPING

When a committee boat or land crew is available, they will handle starting the race as per normal operating procedures for ESSA Wednesday nights. In the event of no committee boat or land crew, a designated competitor (typically the fleet captain) can carry Ollie along and broadcast the start sequence via radio. All participants must individually record their GPS finish time and report it by email (essasailing38@gmail.com), or text 443-521-9920 to the Choptank Fleet Scorekeeper George Breig by 8pm the day of the race. The time of day should be reported: hour, minute, and seconds. Example: 3: 22: 35 PM. Use GPS time, please.

SKIPPERS’ MEETING

A skippers’ meeting will be held at the CYC Gazebo at 08:00 hours. The $10.00 race fee can be collected at that time. Any final notices before the race will be made on Channel 72. Channel 72 will be monitored after the race begins.

START LINE

Between ESSA "I –G 25" and the race committee boat or the following; a drop mark, the lighthouse or the CYC flag pole. The above being dependent on race day conditions and availability of volunteers. To be determined at skippers meeting by fleet captain or designate.

FINISH LINE & SHORTENED COURSE

The finish line will be the same as the start line unless there is need for a shortened course. In the case of a shortened course, the finish line is where a boat passes abeam of the new finish mark within six boat lengths on the heading between the last two marks, and on the channel side.

If conditions change drastically after the race begins, the course may be shortened to a designated race mark. The course can be shortened by finishing at a course mark or by turning around at a designated mark and finishing at “I”. It is encouraged that a race be shortened prior to beginning if at all possible. Always finish on the channel side of the mark. 

STARTING SIGNALS

The race will start promptly at 9:30 hours GPS time.

TIME SOUNDS

Courtesy Warning 6 min 09:24 5 Short blasts

Starting 5 min 09:25 1 Long horn blast

Sequence 4 min 09:26 1 Horn blast

1 min 09:29 1 Horn Blast

Start 09:30 1 Long Horn Blast

 

DELAYED STARTS, RACE ABANDONMENT, TIME LIMIT

Any postponement will be announced at the Skippers’ Meeting. Three boats are required to race.

TIME LIMIT

The first boat must finish by 17:00 hrs (5:00 pm). All boats not finishing by 18:00 (6:00 pm) shall be scored DNF.

CLASSES / EQUIPMENT

There will be a Spin and Non-Spin class as long as there are at least 3 boats racing in each class. If there are not enough entries for two classes then all boats will race non-spin (unless all participants are spinnaker boats).

COMMUNICATION

There will be no radio communications unless an emergency exists, the race is being abandoned, shortened or a boat is abandoning a race or other communication from the Committee Boat or designate. The Acting Committee Boat shall monitor Channel 72 during the race for emergencies.

PROTESTS

Any yacht protesting another yacht must follow US Sailing Rules with the following provisions and exceptions:

1) Any yacht may exonerate herself for the infraction of a Rule in Part 2 of “The Racing Rules of Sailing” by getting clear of other boats as soon as possible & promptly completing one 360 degree turn including one tack and one jibe.

2) Notify the Race Committee or designate promptly within one hour of the Committee boat or designate docking. Protestor should provide a written protest on a standard protest form to the Acting Committee Boat as soon as possible. Protesting vessels must fly a red flag. 

EQUIPMENT

It is strongly encouraged that skippers consult US Sailing to review safety requirements for near shore racing. These are the minimum requirements recommended by PHRF of the Chesapeake, Inc., for short races in protected (rivers and creeks) waters.

COURSE

Note: If the course must be shortened, it will be at one of the marks of the course, unless changed by the race committee prior to start, and discussed at the skippers meeting.

 

Outbound	Inbound
I-25 Starboard (Start)	R-10 Starboard
G-19A Starboard	R-12 Starboard
R-16 Port	Choptank Light Port
R-14 Port	R-14 Starboard
Choptank Light Starboard	R-16 Starboard
R-12 Port	G-19A Port
R-10 Port	I-25 Port (Finish)
Sharps Island Port	COURSE DISTANCE 31.90 NAUTICAL MILES

 

SCORING

All scoring will be on corrected time utilizing the PHRF (TOT) Time-Over-Time method with a low point scoring system (first place = 1 pnt etc.) DNF will be scored last place +1. Yachts will be scored according to the PHRF/ESSA handicap rating System.

The recipient of the Choptank Cup will be determined by the best performance in class on corrected time in the following fashion. The time of each class winner will be compared to the average time of the 2nd and 3rd place boats in that class. The class winner with the greatest time differential over the class average will receive the Choptank Cup.

ALTERNATE COURSE OPTIONS

G25>>>R12 port>>>G25 = 22.40 NM

G25>>>Choptank Light starboard>>>G25 = 14.6 NM

G25>>>R14 port>>>G25 = 13.00 NM

G25>>>G19 starboard>>>G25 = 7.00 NM