1.1 The regatta will be organized by Stage Harbor Yacht Club (SHYC) in Chatham, MA.

1.2 The regatta is limited to 65 competitors in total. Registration is on-line only on a first come, first serve basis. On-line registration will close at 1200 hrs. Tuesday June 25th, 2024, or when 65 sailors have registered, whichever comes first. Register on-line at: http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/26663.

1.3 The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing (2021-2024) (RRS).

1.4 RRS 40 All competitors shall wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved Type 111 Personal Flotation Device (PFD), inherently buoyant (ie. not inflatable) while on the water, except for brief periods while changing clothing.

1.5 Discharge of trash into the water by any boat involved in the regatta is prohibited. Doing so by a competitor is grounds for Disqualification (DSQ) from the regatta.

2.1 The regatta will include a Championship Division comprised of White, Blue, and Red fleets and separately, a Green Fleet Division.

2.2 The Green Fleet will hold a separate skippers meeting after the general skippers meeting.

3.1 Age - a skipper can only race Optimists until December 31st of the year in which they turn 15. On December 31st of that year they “age” out and are no longer to eligible to race Optimists. In all fleets, the determining date is the skipper’s age on the first day of the regatta not the skipper’s age at the end of the current year.

3.2 White Fleet is for Skippers who are 10 and under. Blue fleet is for skippers 11 or 12. Red fleet is for Skippers who are 13,14,or 15. Green fleet is a special fleet for beginner racers and does not have any age limitations.

4.1 Changes to the Sailing instructions and other notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located on the terrace of the SHYC.

5.1 Signals made ashore will be displayed on the official signal mast at the end of the pier.

5.2 When Code Flag Postpone Signal (AP) is displayed ashore, this indicates “races postponed, do not leave the beach". When Code Flag AP is lowered ashore, the warning signal will be made not less than 45 minutes later. 

                Sailor Check In Via Club Coach 0800-0900

               Skippers Meeting 0900

               Coach/Parent/Support Boat Mtg 0915 (Mandatory) 

SNACK Provided on the water Awards & LUNCH 1700 (approximately) Green fleet sailors’ schedule will be the same through the Skippers Meeting at which point a separate Skippers Meeting for Green Fleet will be conducted. Green fleet will leave the beach after the Championship fleet has left.

7.1 Each support and coach boat must carry a VHF radio, monitoring the following channels: Championship Fleet - Channel 71, Green Fleet - Channel 67.

7.2 Unless safety dictates otherwise, coaches, team leaders, and all other support personnel shall avoid entering the racing course for the Championship Fleet.

7.3 Coaching for the bottom half of the Green fleet will be allowed with the main objective of helping those sailors who are struggling or considerably behind.

The racing area for the Green Fleet will be located inside the harbor or outside weather permitting. The racing area for the White, Blue, and Red fleets will be located outside the cut through to the west. The race area location can be altered for any fleet at the race committee’s discretion. 

9.1 The following are courses that may be sailed:

Green Fleet: Windward/Leeward, Triangle

Championship Fleet: Windward/Leeward, Triangle, Modified Olympic 

10.1 The rounding marks are as follows:

Championship Fleet – pink, orange or yellow marks

Green Fleet - pink, orange or yellow marks

11.1 The Championship fleet will be started according to RRS 26.

11.2 The Green fleet will be started according to US Sailing prescription Appendix S - Sound Signal Starting System (3 min rule)

11.3 The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the Race Committee boat and a yellow cylinder (both Green and Championship)

11.4 There may be a boat positioned at the pin end of the line identifying boats over early.

11.5 At the discretion of the Race Committee, a ball buoy may be floated off the stern of the Race Committee before the start of a race. No competitor shall pass between this float and the Race Committee.

11.6 A ‘U’ flag has been added to the Preparatory Signals. It means ‘Rule 30.3 is in effect’ so you can expect to see it, sometimes, displayed on the starting vessel as the preparatory signal four minutes before a start. Rule 30.3 (the ‘Uflag rule’) is a new rule: ‘If flag U has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull, crew or equipment shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, but not if the race is restarted or resailed.

11.7 RRS 29.1 and Rule 30.1 are changed to permit the hailing of recall numbers. The failure of any boat to hear the hail, an untimely hail of On Course Side (OCS) boats, failure to hail any boats, and the order of the boats in the hail shall not be grounds for granting redress.

11.8 A boat starting later than 5 minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Finish (DNF) without a hearing. This changes RRS 35, A4 and A5.

12.1 To change the position of the next mark, the Race Committee will lay a new mark (or move the finish line) and remove the original mark as soon as practicable. The change will be signaled before the leading boat has begun the leg, although the new mark may not yet be in position. Any mark to be rounded after rounding the new mark may be relocated without further signaling to maintain the course configuration. When in a subsequent change a new mark is replaced by an original mark.

13.1 The finishing line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the finish boat and an inflatable mark on the starboard side of the finishing boat. 13.2 At the Race Committee’s discretion, one or more boats that are well behind may be scored as finished in order to conserve time.

14.1 The time limit for the first boat to sail the course is 90 minutes. Boats finishing more than 30 minutes after the first boat will be scored DNF.

15.1 RRS 61.1 (2) is changed to require a boat to display a protest flag if she intends to protest.

15.2 RRS 61 is changed to require a boat to inform the Race Committee finish boat immediately after finishing of its intention to protest another boat and provide the sail number of the protested boat.

15.3 Protest forms are available at the check-in desk located in the SHYC clubhouse.

15.4 Protests shall be delivered to the check-in desk within 30 minutes after the Race Committee finish boat docks. The protest time limit and a list of protests received will be posted on the official notice board. Hearings will be held as soon as possible after racing in the SHYC clubhouse.

16.1 A Low Point Scoring System of Appendix A will apply.

16.2 One race is required to constitute a series.

16.3 Each boats total score for the regatta will be the sum of her scores for all races excluding her worst score when 6 or more races have been completed.

16.4 Ties will be resolved in accordance with Rule A8 (Series Ties)

16.5 It is the intent to run as many races as practicable. No warning gun will be made after for 3:45PM.

17.1 Each competitor shall ensure that their boat complies with the USODA Safety Equipment Checklist, which is posted on the registration site under “Event Documents”.

17.2 Each competitor must submit provide the signed Safety Checklist to Club coach to submit to the check-in desk the day of the event prior to leaving the beach.

17.3 Each competitor shall have a whistle attached to their PFD while on the water.

17.4 Each boat shall have a secure loop in the end of its bowline.

18.1 An adult (parent, guardian, or designated adult) is responsible for the safety of the sailor during the regatta. It is the sole responsibility of the adult to decide if the sailor is to sail in the sea and weather conditions that may arise during the regatta. The adults supervising the competitors are ultimately responsible for the risks.

18.2 Each competitor shall follow the following Check-out/Check-in procedure a) Prior to launching: each competitor shall check out by signing their name on the check out board located adjacent to the SHYC beach. b) Once on the race course: each competitor shall check in with the Race Committee by passing astern of the committee boat and hailing their sail number until acknowledged. c) After returning to shore: each competitor shall check themselves in by signing the checkin board located adjacent to the SHYC beach. If a competitor intends to leave the race area and not return to SHYC, they must have their coach or support boat radio the Race Committee on channel 67 (Green fleet) or 71 (Champ fleet) to complete an on the water check-out. Failing to follow the above procedure may be grounds for DSQ for the day’s racing.

18.3 A boat that retires from a race shall notify the Race Committee as soon as possible. 18.4 Competitors who require assistance should so signify by blowing a whistle or waving one arm. To indicate a sailor is not in need of assistance when approached, please place hand on head to signify "all set".

To be given as follows:

Championship Fleet 1st Overall

White Fleet 1st – 3rd

Blue Fleet 1st – 3rd

Red Fleet 1st – 3rd

Green Fleet 1st – 3rd Green Fleet Participation Awards for All

Sportsmanship Award for Championship & Green Fleet

20.1 Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See Rule 4, Decision to Race. 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 regatta.

Chris Beard - Event Chair 508-945-1542

Drew Carlson - Principal Race Officer 508-944-6686

Stage Harbor Yacht Club,7 Champlain Road, Chatham, MA 508-945-1542

If Regatta is cancelled as a result of weather and can’t be rescheduled proceeds will be donated to local charity