Choptank Cup NOR & SI 2023


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.

 SKIPPERS’ MEETING

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.

 START LINE

The starting line will be between ESSA “A” aka “G3" and “G1” buoys or as determined by the Race Committee.

 TIME KEEPING

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.

 FINISH LINE & SHORTENED COURSE

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

 DELAYED STARTS, RACE ABANDONMENT, TIME LIMIT

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.

 TIME LIMIT

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.

 CLASSES / EQUIPMENT

This will be a Non-Spin class only.

 COMMUNICATION

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.

 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 turn including one tack and one gybe in the same direction.

 2) Notify the Race Committee or designate promptly within one hour of the Race Committee boat or designate docking. Protestors should provide a written protest on a standard protest form to the Committee Boat as soon as possible. Protesting vessels must call the Race Committee on VHF Channel 72 to report the protest.

 EQUIPMENT

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)

 THE 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. 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.

 ALTERNATE COURSE OPTIONS - The Race Committee may choose to shorten the course in response to conditions at the start of the race or any time during the race.  A change to the course will be announced on VHF Channel 72.

G3>>>R10 port>>>G3

G3>>>Choptank Light starboard>>>G3

G3>>>R14 port>>>G3

G3>>>G19 starboard>>>G3

 Previous Cup Winners

·         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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