Notice
of Race and Sailing Instructions
Organizing Authority: Eastern Shore Sailing Association
Notice of Race
The Choptank Cup is a long-standing event that tests the
endurance of Skippers and Crews.
The race is a non-spinnaker race from Cambridge Creek to
the Sharps Island Lighthouse and back to Cambridge Creek. The traditional and full course length is approximately
33.2 Nautical Miles.
PHRF non-spinnaker CR ratings will be used to score all
boats using PHRF TOT.
The starting horn sequence will begin at approximately 9:24
AM on Saturday, October 14th, 2023.
The race will begin at 9:30 AM (unless changed by the
Race committee.)
(Bad weather date, Sunday, Oct 15)
PARTICIPATION
Any ESSA member who has paid their annual 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 Skippers must register to race on or before Thursday, October 12, 2023. A minimum of two boats must cross the starting line with at least one boat completing the prescribed course as declared by the race committee.
GOVERNING RULES
The racing rules and regulations of US Sailing shall
govern except as modified by the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association, the
ESSA 2021-22 Yearbook, and these Race Instructions. As always, the most
important rule is to avoid collisions. Sail at your own risk.
No on-shore Skippers meeting will be held. Any final
notices before the race will be made on Channel 72. Channel 72 will be monitored after the race
begins. If light wind or excessive wind or adverse weather is present, the RC will
announce all changes to the fleet on Channel 72. Such announcements may occur
during the race. The pace of the race may also influence course changes.
Sailing Instructions:
CHECK-IN
All boats must check-in with the Race Committee or designated
boat using VHF Channel 72 at least 5 minutes before the starting
sequence. Boats not acknowledged by the
Race Committee Boat within the time frame will not be scored.
The starting line will be between ESSA “A” aka “G3"
and “G1” buoys or as determined by the Race Committee.
When a Race Committee boat or land crew is available,
they will handle starting the race as per normal operating procedures for ESSA
Wednesday nights. If a Race Committee boat or land crew is not available a
designated competitor (typically the fleet captain) can carry Ollie along and
broadcast the start sequence via VHF Channel 72. 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 8 PM the day of the race. The
time of day should be reported: hour, minute, and seconds.
Example: 3:22: 35 PM or 15:22:35 Use GPS time or cell
phone time with seconds please.
The finish line will be the same as the starting line
unless there is need for a shortened course or if the finish is scored by a
land crew. 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 “G1- G3”. A race will be shortened and announced via VHF 72 prior to the start if possible. Always finish on the channel side of the mark.
STARTING SIGNALS
The race will start promptly at 9:30 am GPS time or as announced by the RC.
TIME SOUNDS
Courtesy Warning 6 min 09:24, 5 Short blasts
Starting Sequence
5 min 09:25, 1 Long horn blast
4 min 09:26, 1 Horn blast
1 min 09:29, 1 Horn blast
Start 09:30, 1
Long horn blast
Any postponement will be announced at the Skippers’
Meeting or prior to the starting sequence. Two boats must start to qualify the
race. Boats are expected not to retire
from the race shortly after the start just to achieve the two-boat minimum for
a race.
The first boat must finish the course by 5:00 pm or the
race is abandoned. All boats finishing after 6:00 pm will be scored DNF.
This will be a Non-Spin class only.
All competitors are required to monitor Channel 72 during
the race.
There will be no radio communications unless an emergency
exists, the race is being abandoned or shortened, a boat is abandoning the
race, or reporting bad weather. The Race Committee Boat shall monitor Channel
72 during the race for emergencies or broadcast
other imperative messages. If a Committee Boat is unavailable a lead boat will assume
the RC duty.
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 turn including one tack and one gybe in the same direction.
It is strongly encouraged that skippers consult US
Sailing to review safety requirements for near shore racing. Monohull-SER-2023.0-Nearshore.pdf (ussailing.org)
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. Note: G23 is in a new position. The former G7 remains in position and has been renamed G9.
Outbound |
Inbound |
G3 Port - G1 Starboard (Start) |
G9 Port |
G23 Port |
R10 Starboard |
G19 Starboard |
R16 Starboard |
R16 Port |
G19 Port |
R10 Port |
G23 Starboard |
G9 Starboard |
G1 Port- G3 Starboard - Finish |
Sharps Light Port |
|
|
Course Distance 33.2 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
point etc.) DNF will be scored number of boats started plus 1. Yachts will be
scored according to the PHRF CR/ESSA handicap rating system.
G3>>>R10 port>>>G3
G3>>>Choptank Light starboard>>>G3
G3>>>R14 port>>>G3
G3>>>G19 starboard>>>G3
·
2022 – Blur - Trevor
Carouge
·
2021 – Blur -
Trevor Carouge
·
2020 – Tamarind –
Mark McIver
·
2019 - Whistle
Jacket – Dave Carouge
·
2018 - Whistle
Jacket – Trevor Carouge
·
2017 – Tamarind –
Mark McIver
·
2016 – Lazy Ethel
– Dotty Holoubek
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