SI’s M32 Class Thursday night racing Series page 1 of 6
Sailing Instructions
Marstrom 32 (M32) Class - Thursday Night Racing
South Narragansett Bay – June through August 2013
Organizing Authority – Ida Lewis Yacht Club
Race Committee – Ida Lewis Yacht Club
1. Rules
1.1 The M32 2013 Season Series will be governed by the rules as defined in 2013-2016 Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).
1.2 M32 class association rules shall apply to this series.
2. Notice to Competitors
2.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located at Ida Lewis Yacht Club dock.
2.2 The Race Committee may display Code Flag “L” before a race, indicating that boats are to come within hailing distance to receive an announcement prior to the Warning Signal. This may include a change to these Sailing Instructions.
3. Changes to Sailing Instructions
The organizing authority may change these sailing instructions. Changes to the schedule of races will be posted by 2000 on the day before it will take effect.
4. Signals Made Ashore
4.1 Signals made ashore will be displayed at Ida Lewis Yacht Club.
4.2 If racing is abandoned prior to the Race Committee leaving the dock, Code Flag “N” over Code Flag “A” will be flown from the flag pole at Ida Lewis Yacht Club. Competitors may call the ILYC Launch or Dock Office on VHF Channel 78A or phone (401) 846-1969 for information.
4.3 When flag AP is displayed ashore, ‘1 minute’ is replaced with 'not less than ten minutes’ in the race signal AP.
5 Schedule of Races
5.1 Dates of racing:
Races will be on Thursday evenings starting June 27, 2013 and continue until August 29, 2013 (i.e., the last Thursday in August). There will be no racing on July 4, 2013.
The fleet will decide if a race is to be held on any given Thursday of the series. The fleet representative shall notify the Race Committee via the ILYC dock office that the fleet would like to race by 1600 on the race day.
5.2 Number of races: There will be one race per night.
5.3 The scheduled time of the Warning Signal for the first race each day is 1745.
6 Class Flag
The class flag will be either the M32 class flag provided by the M32 fleet or the signal flag “T”.
7 Racing Area
Races will be conducted in Narragansett Bay and surrounding waters as selected by the Fleet. Races will generally be started south of Rose Island in Narragansett Bay. The racing area described in by the South Bay Race Chart will be the primary area for racing. However, a larger area may be used if conditions permit. The South Bay Race Chart is available at Sail Newport’s main office.
8 The Courses
8.1 The courses for the regatta will be selected from the numbered courses on the South Bay Race chart or will be based on the racing marks contained on the South Bay Race chart. Courses may also use government marks or marks dropped by the Race Committee. Government marks that are not on the South Bay Race chart may also be used.
8.2 The course designation will be displayed on the Race Committee Signal Boat.
8.3 The course will be selected by the fleet and provided to the Race Committee. However, the finish shall be designated by the Race Committee.
9 Marks:
The marks will be Government Marks or Special Racing Marks as described on the South Bay Race Chart. Other government marks may also be used.
10 Areas that are Obstructions
The following areas are designated as obstructions:
(a) The starting and finishing line, except when starting or finishing.
(b) Any starting or finishing line being used by the J/24 fleet, except when it is also the finishing line of the M32 fleet
(c) The area inside the rocks known as the “Dumplings”.
11 The Start
11.1 Races will be started by using rule 26.
11.2 The Race Committee may, as a courtesy, make a series of sound signals 1 minute prior to the Warning Signal to alert the competitors of an impending starting sequence
11.3 The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the race committee signal boat on the starboard end and the course side of the port-end starting mark. The port-end starting mark may be a staff displaying an orange flag on a race committee boat or an inflatable mark.
12 Change of the next leg of the course
To change the next leg of the course, the race committee will post the new mark designation from the racing chart at the prior mark accompanied by code flag C and repetitive sounds. This changes RRS 33.
13 The Finish
The Finishing Line will be between two marks designated by the Race Committee. The competitors shall cross the finish line in the direction from the last rounding mark of the course. The Race Committee may substitute a signal or mark boat for one or both marks on the finish line by displaying an orange signal on a staff.
If the Race Committee is not on station at the finish line the competitors shall record the time and place of their finish.
All government marks shall be observed when sailing between the last mark and the finishing line.
If the Race Committee has left the racing area for the evening before M32 racing has finished, the M32 fleet safety boat shall retrieve any marks dropped for the M32 finish and return them to the dock office at ILYC.
14 Time Limit
14.1 The race committee may depart the racing area at the conclusion of J24 racing that is also being conducted during the evening. J24 racing is concluded when the last j24 has finished.
14.2 Boats failing to finish within fifteen minutes after the first boat sails the course and finishes will be scored Did Not Finish without a hearing. This changes rules 35, A4, and A5.
15 Protests and Requests for Redress
Protests will be followed in accordance with RRS, Part 5. Protests shall be written on a US Sailing Standard Protest Form and lodged with the Fleet. A copy of the protect form shall also be filed at the ILYC dock office before 12 noon on the day following the incident. The form may be delivered to ILYC by hand or by fax, or by email to (). The protest committee shall convene at Sail Newport each Monday at 6:30 PM and shall hear protests from all local fleets in the order received. Subject to availability of judges and competitors, the protest will be heard on the first Monday following the incident. Confirmation of a hearing will come from the Protest Chair.
16 Scoring
16.1 The scoring system is the Low Point Scoring System described in Appendix A of the Racing Rules of Sailing. Rule A9 applies to the scoring.
16.2 Four (4) races are required to be completed to constitute a series.
17 Assistance to the Race Committee
The M32 shall provide a safety boat to support the M32 fleet and assist the Race Committee. The safety boat may be required to pick up marks dropped by the Race Committee.
The safety boat shall check in with the Race Committee at least 5 minutes before the warning signal. The Race Committee may cancel the evenings racing for the M32 fleet if the safety boat is not present and on station for the evening at the required time.
The safety boat shall provide the Race Committee with the evening’s course via hand delivery or at via VHF Channel 69 at the request of the Race Committee. (The safety boat shall not broadcast the course unless asked to by the Race Committee. The course shall be communicated to the Race Committee at least five minutes before the scheduled warning signal.
18 Safety, Safety Regulations
18.1 M32 will provide a safety boat that will be on station at the start and will follow the fleet during the race to assist in capsizes and breakage and for general support.
18.2 Prior to the Warning Signal for the First Race of each evening, every boat shall sail by the stern of the Committee Signal Boat, hail its sail number and receive an acknowledgement from the race committee.
18.2 A boat that retires from a race shall notify the race committee as soon as possible in person or via VHF 69.
18.3 Competitors are reminded that Narragansett Bay is a Restricted Channel. Sailing Vessels do not have the right of way over a vessel under power which is restricted in her ability to maneuver. Competitors witnessed or reported to the Race Committee to have run afoul of commercial vessels before, while, or after racing may be subject to protest by another competitor or the Race Committee. If the protest is upheld, the infringing boat will be disqualified from the race and scored DSQ, and will be banned from racing in the next countable race. We play where others work; please respect those who are working and do not impede their progress in any way.
18.4 Competitors are reminded that while Narragansett Bay is a deep body of water, some of our race courses bring the fleet close to navigation hazards
Including but not limited to marked and unmarked rocks and pilings, islands, bridges, concrete bulkheads, and rock breakwaters.
18.5 Please note that the Fleet has decided that sailing inside the rocks known as the “Dumplings” is prohibited
18.6 In accordance with RI Boating Regulations, all boats must stay at least 50 feet away from a diver-down flag, unless doing so would prevent safe navigation.
18 Trash Disposal
Boats shall not put trash in the water.
19 Radio Communication and Data Transmissions
Except in an emergency, a boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats. This restriction also applies to mobile telephones. In addition, except in an emergency, a boat shall neither make nor receive data transmissions while racing.
It is the intent of the Race Committee to utilize VHF CHANNEL 69 as its primary method of communications during racing. Competitors may listen to all RC communications on channel 69 in the hopes that a clearer understanding of the Committee’s intentions will result in better racing. These broadcasts are available as a courtesy only. Failure to receive or properly interpret these communications shall not be grounds for redress under RRS 62.
20 Prizes
Prizes will be awarded at the discretion of the Fleet. The organizing authority may award a separate prize.
21 Disclaimer of Liability
Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The M32 Fleet and Ida Lewis Yacht Club will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta. Please sail safely and responsibly within your own limits, at your own risk.
22 Insurance
Each participating boat shall comply with the insurance requirements contained in the Notice of Race for this series.