DQ Dinghies

Racing will be governed by the "rules" as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing.

Notices to competitors including changes to the Sailing Instructions will be posted on the official notice board in the Clubhouse.

The Club will provide such safety facilities as it is able and does not warrant that any facilities provided are adequate. Each competitor is solely responsible for deciding whether or not to start or to continue racing and also is responsible for wearing personal buoyancy and clothing adequate for the conditions. This changes rule 40, Personal buoyancy

Entries may be made in the clubhouse at any time before the warning signal unless otherwise specified in the notice of the race.

Signals will be ashore or on the Committee Boat in accordance with the rules, but flags may be replaced by signal boards.

6.1 A minimum of two boats is required to constitute a valid race or series. In a trophy series race where fewer than two boats of a class have signed on 20 minutes before the first gun, then these boats will join the start of another class (see 6.2 and 6.3).

6.2 If there are fewer than 2 entries for a class race, these should join the Handicap class race. If there are fewer than 2 entries for the Handicap class race (including any other class boats ), the Laser/Solo class start will be delayed and the two started together at the start time for the Handicap Class as per the Sailing Instructions. If there are still fewer than 2 entries, the Laser 2000 class start will be delayed and all boats started together at the start time for the Handicap class start.

The course will be displayed in the Clubhouse or on the Committee Boat together with the number of laps. Courses displayed on the Committee Boat will supersede all others.

The marks will be orange inflatable buoys marked DQ1, 2, 3 and 4 and/or the yellow harbour racing marks and/or dan buoys.

The Committee Boat will fly an orange flag on the main mast. The start line will be between the main mast of the Committee Boat and an end mark or designated race mark. An inner distance mark may be laid but will not necessarily lie on the start line.

The starting line is the extension of a line joining the striped post on the DQSC starting box and a striped post on the edge of the quay. Inner and outer distance marks may be used.

9.5 A boat starting later than 10 minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start (DNS). This changes rule A4.1, Scoring.

In the event of a general recall in multi-class events, the sequence will be suspended and will recommence with the new start of the recalled fleet.

The Committee Boat will fly a Dell Quay burgee and a blue flag on the main mast. The finish line will be between the main mast of the committee boat and an end mark or designated race mark.

The finishing line is the extension of a line joining the striped post on the DQSC starting box and a striped post on the edge of the quay, forming a line approximately 90 degrees to the end of the Quay.

Shortened courses will be indicated by flying Code Flag S, accompanied by 2 sound signals. This signal will be made from the Committee Boat (Committee Boat finish) or DQ race box (Club Line finish). Boats shall continue to round marks of the course in the required order until the Finish Line is reached.

(c) when a patrol/committee boat is displaying a red (Port) or green (Starboard) flag below the S flag, competitors will proceed to the next mark of the course, round it by leaving it on the side corresponding to the coloured flag below the S flag and then proceed directly to the club finishing line, crossing it in the direction of the course from that mark.

The Finish line shall be between a staff on the patrol/ committee boat displaying flag ˜S" and either

(ii) a nearby buoy. In either case, boats shall finish by sailing through such a line in the direction of the course from the previous mark.

Classes to be shortened will be indicated by the class flag or insignia. If no class flag or insignia is shown, all races are shortened.

Boats failing to finish within 30 minutes after the first boat sails the course and finishes will be scored Did Not Finish (DNF). This changes rules 35, Time limits and scores and A4.1, Scoring.

"competitors agree to compete and behave in compliance with the rules and take a penalty when required by the rules. When involved in a genuine dispute, both the parties to the dispute and those deciding the matter will use the established procedures for achieving resolution to show courtesy and respect to other competitors and officials, and to other users of the water. They should expect to be provided with racing that, as far as is possible, is fair, enjoyable and safe and to be provided with prompt services to resolve any disputes". The established procedures referred to above include the 2009 RYA Rules Disputes Procedure: The Exoneration Penalty and the Advisory Hearing and RYA Arbitration procedures of the RYA Rules Disputes Procedures will be available. See the Official Notice Board for details. The complete document can be seen at www.rya.org.uk/racing/charter and www.rya.org.uk/general/rulesdisputes

Boats are required to sign-off within 20 minutes of finishing or retiring. Failure to do so will result in the boat being scored DNS. The time limit may be extended at the Race Officer's discretion.

Scoring system is as in accordance with rules A4 Low Point system, A7 Race Ties and A8 Series Ties except that:

DNF/RTD scores one point more than the number of starters for that race.
DSQ scores two points more than the number of starters for that race.
DNS scores one point more than the number of starters for the series

Boats not displaying a valid harbour dues sticker will be scored DNS. Some races may also be scored with PYs modified by a personal performance factor. (See Addendum A3). For the Creeks, Harbour and Harding races any boat not more than one length over the line at the start and not returning will be scored with a 10% time penalty.

The number of races to count in any series will be half the number of races started plus one, rounded down.

Prizes will be awarded at the discretion of the Race Committee depending on the number of entrants.

Competitors participate in the event entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The organising authority will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the event.

Each participating boat shall be insured with adequate valid third-party liability insurance.

A1.1 When boats in different handicap groups (or a boat very far behind) sail a different number of laps the elapsed time of each boat shall be divided by the number of laps sailed and then corrected according to the appropriate handicap number.

A1.2 All laps must be identical. The course may be shortened only at the end of a complete lap.

A2 Helm/crew combinations If two people sail together for a whole series either may helm without affecting their qualification for the series; the same name should appear on the entry forms and the Sailing Secretary must be notified. This ammendment does not apply to trophy series.

A3 Handicap numbers The Sailing Committee reserves the right to award club handicap numbers to craft not listed in the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick numbers for the current year and to amend any values in the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick numbers for the current year at its discretion.

A4 Points for races missed when on duty Helms unable to take part in club racing when on duty or when taking part in open meetings held at CYC will be awarded average points as follows:

The points for that days racing will be calculated as the average of the points for all of the races started by that helm in that series. Up to one days racing may be scored in this way for any one series.

A5 Scoring for joint starts In a trophy series race where fewer than two boats of a class are present, and these boats join the start of another class, their positions will be the handicap calculated positions from that joint start. Classes from that joint start with two or more boats will have their positions calculated as if there were no other boats in that start.

A7 Protests as per RYA Racing Charter Rules dispute resolution will follow the ˜RYA racing best practices “ rules disputes" with the following exception; redress is available to the loser only of an arbitration decision by proceeding to a full protest. The time limit for submission of protest forms will be extended to 30 minutes following completion of the arbitration in such circumstances.