FCYC GENERAL SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Applicable to Club Events (Closed and Joint with RFYC)

01.0 RULES
01.1 Club Races will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 2021-2024.
01.2 The prescriptions of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) national authority will apply.
01.3 Forth Yacht Clubs Association (FYCA) Safety Regulations for Yachts will apply.
A copy of these safety regulations may be found at http://www.fyca.org.uk
01.4 These are general sailing instructions.
01.5 Specific event rules, detailed within the FCYC Handbook, may over rule any of the rules.
02.0 ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY
02.1 Closed Club events are open to all yachts belonging or chartered to and under the control of members of FCYC.
02.2 Joint Club events are open to all yachts belonging or chartered to and under the control of members of FCYC and members of Royal Forth Yacht Club (RFYC).
03.0 FEES
03.1 There is no entry fee for full FCYC or RFYC members unless stated in the individual race Sailing Instructions.
04.0 SCHEDULE OF RACE
04.1 Dates and times of racing will be as detailed in Sailing Events Programme 2023 and each event’s detailed Sailing Instructions within FCYC’s handbook.
05.0 HANDICAPS
05.1 Handicaps allocated by the FCYC Sailing Committee will be used for closed club events.
05.2 The Sailing Committee reserves the right to adjust any Handicap at any time.
05.3 Yachts not included in the Handicap List may apply for allocation of a Handicap by contacting the FCYC Sailing Secretary.
05.4 White Sail Allowance. On declaration in writing to the OOD at least 24 hours prior to the start of a race, a boat will be given a 4% allowance of her FYCA Handicap (Open Handicap) added to her Club Handicap for the duration of the declared race provided this allowance has not already been allowed within the boats current Handicap. Such boats must not fly spinnakers, cruising chutes or more than one headsail at any one time. Headsails may be poled out. There will not be separate starts for “whitesail” boats. They should start in their correct printed handicap class, excluding any white sail allowance.
06.0 THE COURSES
06.1 The courses will be as detailed in each event’s Sailing Instructions within FCYC’s handbook.
07.0 NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
07.1 Notices to Competitors will be posted on a notice board located at the Bell Block in the North Yard.
08.0 CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
08.1 Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted prior to the event and no later than 1 hour before the start time on the day it will take effect.
08.2 Any late changes to sailing instructions will be indicated by flying the flag ‘L’ with one sound signal, either at the flag staff on the corner of the Bell Block or on the committee boat. It is up to the competitor to communicate with the race officer to receive these new instructions.
09.0 SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
09.1 Signals will be displayed at the flag staff at the corner of the Bell Block.
10.0 CLASS FLAGS
10.1 Class flags will be as detailed in each event’s detailed instructions of racing within FCYC’s handbook.
11.0 RACING AREA
11.1 The racing area for races covered by these Regulations extends from Rosyth through to Dunbar (Bass Rock).
11.2 Admiralty charts Nos. 160, 175, 190, 734, 735, 736, and 737 are recommended for use in this area.
12.0 MARKS
12.1 See FCYC 2023 Handbook page 46.
13.0 AREAS THAT ARE OBSTRUCTIONS
13.1 While racing in the circumstances covered by these regulations any yacht which is unable for reason of lack of wind or any other cause to sail clear of a large power driven vessel shall start her engine and/or paddle in order to get clear and thereafter resume racing only (a) from a position no nearer to the next mark than the point at which the engine was started without gaining any measurable advantage as regards wind or tide and (b) on completion of a 360º turn after stopping the engine. In the event of the Race Officer observing that a yacht has apparently obstructed the safe passage of power driven vessel in the channels, the Race Committee may proceed against the yacht in accordance with RRS (2021-2024) 60.2.
14.0 USE OF MAIN ENGINE
14.1 If an engine is used to enable a yacht to motor clear of a large power driven vessel, to recover a man overboard, to render assistance, or in any other emergency, full details must be reported to the Race Officer.
14.2 An engine may be used for charging batteries, pumping or supplying power for weighing anchor, or hauling off, but in all such cases the part of the mechanism between the gearbox and the propeller must remain stationary.
15.0 THE START
15.1 The starting line will be between the mast of a Committee Boat displaying an Orange Flag and a large Orange Buoy (Mark Q) or RFYC Racing Mark (H) or any other line specified by the Race Officer of the day.
15.3 Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area.
15.4 A boat shall not start later than 30 minutes after her starting signal.
16.0 THE FINISH
16.1 Where no committee boat is on station flying a blue flag and forming a finishing line, a line formed between the Blue and White Transit Mark on the North East corner of the FCYC Race Officer’s Box on the East Breakwater and an Orange Topped Pillar Buoy (Mark Q) or RFYC Racing Mark (H), according to individual racing instructions in the 2023 FCYC handbook or specified by the Race Officer of the day..
Where no committee boat is present at the finish line, a declaration form must be completed and returned within one hour of the last boat finishing. Forms are available at the Notice Board and should be returned as instructed.
16.3 Yachts finished should identify themselves to the Officials particularly during the hours of darkness and ensure that the Officials have checked them in as having finished. They should also check and record their own time as they cross the finishing line, in case they may not have been seen by Officials due to darkness, severe weather, or line unmanned. Where possible, record the names of yachts, which finish immediately ahead and astern. Should a yacht finish when the line is not manned, these details of finishing should be sent to the Sailing Secretary within 48 hours of finishing.
17.0 TIME LIMITS
17.1 Time Limits will be as detailed in each event’s detailed instructions of racing within FCYC’s handbook.
18.0 ABANDONED RACES
18.1 If no yacht in a class finishes within the time limit the race shall be abandoned. However, a result may be obtained using times taken at a rounding mark. This alters RRS (2021-2024) 32.
19.0 PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS
19.1 Protests shall be intimated to the Race Officer at the finishing line. Protest Forms are available from the Race Officer. Completed Protest Forms shall be delivered to the Race Officer or if the Race Officer is not on duty, to the Bell Block within the protest time limit.
19.2 For each class, the protest time limit is 120 minutes after the last boat has finished the last race of the day.
19.3 Notices will be posted within 7 days of the protest time limit to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. Hearings will be held in the Bell Block at a date and time to be advised.
19.4 Notices of protests by the race committee or protest committee will be posted to inform boats under rule 61.1(b).
19.5 A list of boats that, under instruction 14, have acknowledged breaking rule RRS (2021-2024) 42 or have been disqualified by the protest committee will be posted before the protest time limit.
20.0 EQUIPMENT AND MEASUREMENT CHECKS
20.1 Yachts shall comply with the “FYCA Safety Regulations for Yachts” to the category stated in the Sailing Instructions for each race.
20.2 A boat or equipment may be inspected at any time for compliance with the class rules and sailing instructions. On the water, a boat can be instructed by a race committee measurer to proceed immediately to a designated area for inspection.
21.0 RADIO COMMUNICATION
21.1 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.
22.0 PRIZES
22.1 Prizes for each race or series will be:
1 prize for 2 entrants
2 prizes for 3 – 5 entrants
3 prizes for more than 5 entrants
22.2 In addition, trophies as detailed in each event’s Sailing Instructions will be awarded
23.0 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
23.1 Competitors participate in club races entirely at their own risk. See rule 3, Decision to Race (RRS 2021-2024). The organizing 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 race.
24.0 PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICES
Attention is drawn to FYCA Yacht Regulation 5.01, which specifies that each crew member has a correctly fitted flotation device with crotch straps, whistle and marine grade retro-reflective material. The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 2021 to 2024 rule 40.1 provides for their compulsory use at the discretion of the Race Officer by the flying of Flag Y with one sound signal.
25.0 INSURANCE
25.1 Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance with a minimum cover of £3,000,000 per event or the equivalent.