Updated Theater Style Sailing Instructions

Top Level Goals

• Good and fair competition for all competitors.
• Fun for athletes and spectators.
• Challenge the competitors and produce a worthy champion.
• Simple format for spectators to follow
• Be easy to produce media – tv / video, tracking, commentary, written, live viewing.
• Culminate in a Final race in which the winner takes a gold medal.
• Enjoyable and engaging for all.
• Emphasis on safety and avoiding collisions!
• Teams are allowed to hit the boundary (unlike a mark of the course) but there is no ability for redress if they get caught, damaged or stuck.
• All teams must use ‘flag’ mainsails, exceptions can be applied for if a boat has extensive other marking or advertising that make them clearly identifiable.
• Debrief afterwards:
  • Questionnaire after for sailors
  • A full debrief will be conducted following each test – sailors, referees, race officials, and spectators are invited to make comments and suggestions – focus is to improve racing
• RIBs (5 total are required) + media
  • 1: Race Officials = Start races, coordinate setting course boundaries and marks.  Keeps track of score and the official scoreboard.
  • 2: Marks, windward and boundaries.  This should be assigned to coaches for the trials or if RC volunteers are to be used then have a coach designated to consult with the RC officials.
  • 3: Marks, leeward and start.  This should be assigned to coaches for trials or if RC volunteers are to be used then have a coach designated to consult with the RC officials.
  • 4: Referee 1, must have a driver for them in the boat so they can concentrate on the referee job.  Media are invited onto the boat.  Port sideline.  Coaches can be used if there are no judges able to volunteer.
  • 5: Referee 2, must have a driver for them in the boat so they can concentrate on the referee job.  Media are invited onto the boat. Starboard sideline + behind pre-start area.  Coaches can be used if there are no judges able to volunteer.
  • Media: as per required.
• Marks and tackle:
  • Start/Finish pin
  • Windward mark
  • Leeward Mark x 2
  • Width limit demarcations (supplied by 49er class)
• 7 off radios minimum, 5 for RIBs + RC, 2 off for referees.
• 2 off megaphones, for referees.
• Flags for referees: all clear – Foul – Disqualification Foul

Sailing Instructions

Briefing Notes for Trials

Logistics

Equipment & Jobs

Event Manuel

Course

Course is a windward-leeward with a restricted zone past which boats shall not sail.

• Target length to width ratio is 3 : 1
• The length should range between 300m and 100m
  • Target time for each race is equal to the number of boats competing, but not less than 6 minutes.
• The races are 2 laps long.
• There will no abandonment of races, movement of marks will be carried out in the normal way, if necessary.
• The windward mark shall be left to Port
• The leeward gate shall be passed to the inside of the two buoys.
• The start and finish line will be set below the leeward marks and be big enough for all boats to start on starboard if they wanted to.
• The leeward marks will be 15-20 meters apart from each other.  It is desired to keep them close to each other so that either can be selected by a sailor with minimal bias.
• Time limit for the fleet racing session is 101 minutes no more races to start after 90 minutes
• Coach boats, media boats and spectators and referee boats shall operate out side the racing zone. There shall be a specific lane left to the out side of the zone for media and referee boats to use.

Start

The start shall be run on a 3 – 2 – 1 system, where each number denotes minute until “Go”  A marker system denoting 3, 2 and 1 shall be displayed on the starting boat. (By all means be creative, but if you want to use a red flag at 3 minutes and orange flag at 2 minutes, a yellow flag at one minute, and then a green flag at “go” then go for it).  Each flag change at the minute should be accompanied by a sound signal.

Scoring

• Placings shall be carried forward from the qualifying event.

• Low point scoring with first getting 1 point, 2^nd getting 2 points, etc., letter scores getting points = to the number of boats competing
• Black flag on all starts. Boats starting over the line shall be scored OCS/DNS and be awarded points equal to the number of boats racing.
• Scores will be displayed after each race on a board on the start finish boat.
• No drops

Schedule

The race will start at on time – no delays – no rule 42.  This means that no matter the wind conditions, racing will start.  Rule 42 will be discarded allowing for pumping and boat rocking, etc

• If it is too windy small rigs would be used but for test we hope it is ok, this would be a future fleet purchase.
• 5 races are scheduled per fleet.  The top 4 competitors will move to the next round.
  • 3^rd place and 4^th place in the rankings sail against each other.  The person in 3^rd place must win 1 race to win the bronze, the person in 4^th place must win 2 races to win the bronze.  If necessary, the second race is held immediately after the first race.
  • 1^st place and 2^nd place in the rankings sail against each other.  The person in 1^st place must win 1 race to win the gold, the person in 2^nd place must win 2 races to win the gold.  If necessary, the second race is held immediately after the first race
• At least 2 referees will be in place in at least 2 RIBs, one on each side of the course.  Referees will be required to use megaphones to describe their decisions immediately as they occur.
• The referees will focus their attention on the boats in contention in the last few races.
• There will be no protests, the referees will decide on water situations with green or red flags.  (In the future we will likely allow ‘challenges’ to decisions, but without technology for instant replay and quick decisions, we’ll just have to go along with the referees decisions for now.
• Competitors are still required to exonerate themselves if they have fouled regardless of whether the referees have spotted the infraction.
• Penalty shall be a 270 degree turn for a self imposed penalty for an infraction.  The penalty for a jury imposed infraction is a 540 degree turn.  Referees have the ability to disqualify teams for excessive fouls and competitors have the right to retire from races for any reasons they see fit.
  • Sailor must immediately begin the exoneration in order to qualify for 270 degree turn, otherwise be at risk of a 540 turn being imposed.

Referees

Rules for match racing are as follows

Each rule has precedence over its successor

1. Port gives way to Starboard
2. Inside boat has room
3. Modification to RRS: The windward boat to have right of way over leeward boats when on downwind leg of the course.
4. The boundary is to be considered a continuous obstruction with regard to the RRS.

Definitions

• A boat is on a tack until its sails are filled and the boat is moving on the new tack. A spinnaker or a jib would have to be filled and pulling.  Main sail battens do not have to be popped.
• Boats must anticipate another boat requiring right of way.
• A large yacht with a stabilized camera would be ideal for trials, along with the on boat footage and RIB footage.  If the RC can coordinate with a volunteer for their boat that would be ideal.
• Full media plan to follow
• 5 Large Signs should be prepared, laminated, 1 for each RIB, they should say:
  • “Keep wake down – Racing in Progress”
  • “Leave room for media and jury to follow race”

Media

Spectators

General Spectators