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Race documents

Abstract

This chapter deals with the Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions, two important race documents. The Notice of Race can be seen as a formal offer to a potential competitor. It has to be drafted with great accuracy as it specifies the conditions for entry, the classes and the rules to govern the event. The Sailing Instructions are most important to the success of a regatta, as they provide additional information to the competitors and may change some Racing Rules that shall apply to the event.

Contents

5.1 The Notice of Race
5.2 The Sailing Instructions

5.1 The Notice of Race
The Notice of Race is an extremely important document. At first sight it would seem just a simple brochure with some useful information about the regatta, tourist information, etc. In legal terms, however, it can be seen as a formal offer to a potential competitor with the conditions under which he or she will be allowed to participate in the regatta. If the competitor enters the regatta on the basis of the Notice of Race, he must be assured that the event will be held at the time and place and for the class(es) specified. He must also be assured that participating in this regatta will not bring him in conflict with the ISAF eligibility rules (see RRS Appendix 2), and the Notice of Race must tell him whether or not he will be permitted to display advertising on his boat or sails (see Appendix 1).

Drafting the Notice of Race is a job that must be done with great accuracy. Outside help from a legally trained expert or the use of existing Notices from other major regattas as examples may prove useful. Make sure to be very clear and specific and avoid anything that could be ambiguous. Once it has been published, it will be very difficult to change anything in the Notice of Race.

Since it is possible that not everyone receives the revised text in time, in general it is strongly recommended not to change anything in the Notice of Race that might have changed anyone's decision whether or not to compete, had he been aware of the change. Once the event starts and the competitors arrive, it will be possible to make certain changes by amending the Sailing Instructions. Here again, utmost care should be taken that nothing is altered that will change the nature of the regatta and the basic rules for it.

The Notice of Race should include the designation of the advertising category of the event. Appendix 1 20.3.3 to 20.6.2 establishes the rules applicable as to which advertising category is used. RRS86.1 lists RRS Appendix 1 in the category of unalterable rules.

The ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS J1) includes a list of the items that must be included in a Notice of Race. Some National Authorities have standard models of a Notice of Race which can be used. These can be very useful for local and national regattas because they often include reference to the National Authority prescriptions that will apply. Remember that if prescriptions of the National Authority are to apply to an international regatta, a copy of each prescription must be included in the Sailing Instructions in English.

Example of Notice of Race

5.2 The Sailing Instructions
The Sailing Instructions are extremely important and must be prepared with great care. The effective operation of the regatta, the responsibility and authority of the officials and the all-important link to the Racing Rules and, if appropriate, the Appeal Authority, are governed by these instructions. It is equally important that the Race Officer and all the officials associated with the actual conduct of the regatta be thoroughly conversant with them.

Appendix 5B (as taken from RRS K) contains a set of standard Sailing Instructions with alternatives to meet various situations. There are also notes to guide Race Committees in the selection of appropriate alternatives. An expanded version of the guide is available on the ISAF website (www.sailing.org) and contains provisions applicable to the largest and most complicated multi-class events, as well as variations on several of the sailing instructions recommended in this appendix. Compiling the Sailing Instructions for an event is the task of the Race Committee (see RRS 88.2). The compiling should not be looked upon as an opportunity for displaying originality or creative ingenuity.

The standard Instructions should be used unless there is good reason for deviating from them. Local harbour by-laws may have to be considered, or special launching and retrieving requirements. Class Rules may prescribe some aspects of the regatta.

Sailing Instructions must be written so as not to conflict with any Class Rules and, when applicable, Class Championship Rules. The use of standard Sailing Instructions is a valuable service to competitors worldwide, who should not be confused by each Race Committee confronting them with its own version.

The introduction to RRS K - Sailing Instructions Guide, lists the principles on which all Sailing Instructions should be based. One is that they should be concerned only with racing. It follows that any other instructions should be described in a separate section.

If the Sailing Instructions proper are labeled Part A, and the non-racing inscriptions Part B, the Race Committee can still protest competitors who infringe Part B rules (or report them to the Jury), but it can prevent competitors protesting each other under this section by adding: "Instructions of this Part B shall not be grounds for a protest by a competitor."

Instructions that go into this section may concern:

* safety;
* insurance;
* sail numbers (what to do if the number in the sail is not that of the certificate);
* sail stamping;
* trailer parking;
* prohibited areas (e.g. other Race Courses) etc.

In addition, there may be matters which, although they do concern racing and therefore belong in the Sailing Instructions, competitors should not be able to protest each other for.

Examples are: advertising on hulls required by the Organizing Authority, hauling out restrictions, support and coach boat prescriptions, etc. This can be taken care of in a subsection of the Sailing Instruction that deals with Protests: "Infringements of Sailing Instruction .., .., .. and .. shall not be grounds for a protest from one competitor against another, but may result in action by the Protest Committee (in alteration of RRS 60)."

In fairness to competitors the Sailing Instructions should be available in time for them to be studied before racing begins. It is common practice to have them available as part of the registration packet. That is fine, provided there is a time interval of some hours, preferably twenty-four or more, before the first race. For major and international events it may also assist competitors to publish the sailing instructions on the host web site well before the event. The Skippers Briefing is not the appropriate time to give out the Sailing Instructions (see also Section B, Chapter 7.3).

Example of Sailing Instructions