CWC Adult Open

Welcome to open championships if you have any questions then please get in touch with us at admin@clydewindsurfing.co.uk

 SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

1. RULES

1. Events run by Clyde Windsurfing Club (CWC) will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024 (RRS) including Appendix B (Windsurfing Competition Rules), the prescriptions of the RYA, these sailing instructions (SIs), and the rules of the classes sailed (as amended by these sailing instructions). When there is a conflict these SIs take precedence.

1. Club bylaws apply if displayed on the premises of the host club.

1. CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

2.1 Insurance

Each competitor is required to hold adequate insurance, and in particular to hold insurance against third party claims in the sum of £1,000,000

2.2 General Safety

Competitors participate in CWC events entirely at their own risk. See RRS Rule 4, Decision to Race. CWC will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during or after an event.

Competitors are entirely responsible for their own safety, whether ashore or afloat, and nothing reduces this responsibility. It is for competitors to decide whether their board is fit to sail in the conditions in which it will find itself. By launching competitors confirm their board is fit for those conditions and that they are competent to sail and compete in them. Nothing done by CWC can reduce the responsibility of the owners and / or competitors, nor will it make CWC responsible for any loss, damage, death or personal injury; however it may have occurred as a result of the board taking part in the racing.CWC encompasses everyone helping to run the event. The provision of patrol and / or safety boats does not relieve owners and competitors of their responsibilities. Parents or guardians of minors have an additional responsibility for their children and to make the decision as to whether he or she is fit to race in the conditions that prevail or are forecast.

2.3 Personal Safety

Each competitor while racing shall wear a wetsuit and a buoyancy harness or buoyancy aid. All competitors who will be aged 17 or under on 31.12.21 shall wear a buoyancy aid at all times when racing, this includes leaving the shore to get to the designated course area and returning to shore upon completion of the race. At certain race venues it will be a requirement that all windsurfers when afloat shall wear a buoyancy aid IN ADDITION to a buoyancy harness. Events where this is a requirement will be identified at that event’s Race Briefing. Failure to adhere to this requirement will result in disqualification from the race concerned.

(For the purposes of these SIs a wetsuit is a one or two piece neoprene garment covering at least the torso, upper legs and shoulders.)

Each competitor shall carry at all times when afloat a SOLAS approved whistle, failure to comply will result in the following penalty;

• · Failure to carry a whistle will result in disqualification from the race concerned.
• · Carrying a “non SOLAS” approved whistle 50% scoring penalty.

(Whistles available for purchase at each event at a cost of £1.50 each)

2.4 Sail Numbers

Each competitor shall display their personal sail number clearly in a contrasting colour ideally on both sides of the sail, starboard side uppermost above the boom. If displayed on only one side of the sail, the number shall be displayed on the starboard side.

2.5 Entry

Each competitor shall before the commencement of racing have paid the required entry fee and signed on for the event at the race registration point and confirmed in writing that they hold the appropriate level of insurance identified in 2.1 above.

1. CLASSES

Classes to be sailed at each event shall be as follows,

• Raceboard (max 9.5m) / RSX

• Club Class – competitors new to competition.

• Techno One Design 6.8/7.8m

• Team 15/Junior &Youth classes determined by sail size – 5.8m, 4.5m, and 3.5m.

1. CATERGORY GROUPS

There will be category groups as follows:

• Juniors (aged 16 or under as at 31.12.22)

• Youths (aged 19 or under as at 31.12.22)

• Seniors (aged 35 or over as at 31.12.21)

• Masters (aged 50 or over as at 31.12.21)

• Veteran (aged 60 or over as at 31.12.21)

Competitors shall declare their intended group or groups when entering.

1. COMMUNICATION WITH COMPETITORS

5.1 Communications

Competitor communications shall be via a WhatsApp group, all competitors will be added to the group from there entry details. In the case that U16s are competitors parents will be added to the group to represent the competitor.

5.2 Briefings

If Covid compliance allows Initial briefings shall be held at approximately the following times unless otherwise advised by the Race Officer,

Sunday racing – 10.45am

Otherwise the briefing will be detailed by the competitors WhatsApp group.

5.3 Start Time

Racing shall commence at such times as notified by the Race Officer at the initial briefing. There will be a break between each race unless notified otherwise by the Race Officer.

5.4 Order of Events

The order of events will be determined by the Race Officer depending upon the prevailing conditions.

5.5 Amendments to Sailing Instructions

Warnings or briefings and unscheduled race times shall be made by loud hailer and / or public address system if available and via the WhatsApp group.

Oral instructions that amend these SIs shall be given only by the Race Officer.

1. COURSE RACING

6.1 Course

Course diagrams and marks of the course shall be displayed and / or explained at the pre-race briefing.

6.2 Start Line

The start line is defined as the line between the point bearing the NEWS flag (plain blue) on the Committee Boat or ashore and the leeward or nominated pin mark. Alternatively a “gate start” will be used where required as detailed at the Race Briefing.

6.3 Starting Signals

• 5 minutes – Class flag plus sound signal.
• 4 minutes – Flag P – preparatory flag, (blue background with white centrally located square), plus sound signal.
• 1 minute – One long sound signal, P flag lowered
• Start – Sound signal and Class flag lowered.

6.4 Recalls

• Individual – Flag X (white background, with large blue cross) plus sound signal.

• General – “First Substitute” displayed (blue triangular pennant with yellow inset triangle) + 2 sound signals.

6.5 One-Minute Rule

Flag I (yellow with black centre circle) will be displayed. This automatically applies after one general recall. After the one-minute signal but before the start signal, any board, which crosses the start line, must return to the correct side of the start line by rounding either end of the start line.

6.6 Shortened Course

When Flag S (white background with inset blue central square) is displayed together with 2 sound signals the race shall finish between the race control boat/point and the nearest mark.

6.7 Touching Marks

A board may touch any mark except the Race Control Boat or the Gate Start Pathfinder.

6.8 Finishing

The finishing line will be identified at the pre-race briefing. The finishing line shall be between the mast/point displaying a plain blue flag and the finishing marker buoy.

A board has finished the race when any part of the board crosses the line. A “grand-prix” finishing system may be used at the Race Officers discretion.

6.9 Misconduct

The Race Officer may disqualify a competitor for misconduct without a hearing.

6.10 Protests

The protester shall notify by calling at the first reasonable opportunity the other board(s) involved at the time of the incident the word “protest”. If an infringement of “the right of way rules” has been made the protested party may exonerate themselves by completing a 360 degree turn.

If no penalty is accepted or fulfilled the protester shall notify the Race Officer immediately upon finishing and notify the other party(s) to the protest once again.

The protest shall be heard outdoors at the first opportunity after the race and shall be conducted by the Race Officer and two other competitors not involved in the incident.

6.11 Scoring
Scoring will be as per RRS Appendix A.

One races are required to be completed to constitute a series.
(a) When fewer than 4 races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores.
(b) When 4 or more races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score.
(c) When 8 or more races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst two scores.

1. PRIZES

Prizes will be awarded in each class providing there are 3 or more entries in the class. Category prizes will be awarded at the discretion of CWC. To provide for a wide a spread of prizes as possible no competitor at an individual event shall be eligible to receive more than one prize.

CWC events shall be run in a fair a manner as possible to find the best windsurfers competing and to ensure competitors enjoy the experience. The attention of all competitors is drawn to the fundamental principle that competitors must not attempt to win through procedural or legalistic means.