Governor's Cup SI

2008 GOVERNOR’S CUP

OFFSHORE RACING FOR SAILBOATS

SATURDAY JUNE 14, 2008

HOSTED BY:

VENTURA YACHT CLUB

1755 SPINNAKER DRIVE
VENTURA, CALIFORNIA 93001

(805) 642‑0426

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

1. RULES

This sailing event will be governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008 (RRS), the prescriptions of the United States Sailing Association, the rules of the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet, the Notice of Race (except as any of these are changed by these sailing instructions) and by these sailing instructions, which shall prevail in cases of conflict. The PHRF Marine Industry Racer (MIR) Rule is not in effect.

2. ENTRIES

2.1 Eligible boats may be entered by completing registration with the Ventura Yacht Club, including the payment of all required fees, before the filing deadlines prescribed in the Notice of Race.

2.2 Spinnaker, Non-spinnaker, and Multihull classes are planned with class breaks determined by entries. Yacht club affiliation and a valid PHRF rating certificate are required for Spinnaker class entries. PHRF and yacht club membership are not required for Non-spinnaker or Multihull class entries. Boats without a valid handicap will be assigned a temporary handicap for this event by the race committee.

2.3 Each skipper is solely responsible that his/her yacht and sails are in conformance with the PHRF Rules (or ORCA Rules for Multihulls).

3. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS

Notices to competitors will be posted on the Racing Notice Board located in the lower patio of the Ventura Yacht Club.

4. CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

4.1 Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted before 0945 hours on the day it will take effect.

4.2 To indicate that a change to the sailing instructions has or will be posted, code flag “L” will be displayed from the club flagstaff before 0945 hours on the day it will take effect.

5. SCHEDULE OF RACES

The warning signal for the first class is scheduled for 1155 hours.

6. CLASSES

6.1 Class breaks will be determined based on the number of entries and their respective ratings. Classes will be announced at the Skipper’s meeting.

6.2 Class flags:

Class A: red

Class B: white

Class C: blue

Class D: green

7. THE COURSES

7.1 Courses will be selected from the attached 2007 VYC Governor’s Cup Course Chart.

7.2 Designation of the course to be sailed will be signaled from the Race Committee boat before or with the warning signal for the first starting class. For subsequent classes, the course will be displayed with or soon after their class warning signal.

7.3 When an oil platform is a mark of the course, its associated mooring buoy(s) will also be considered marks of the course. Such buoys are to be rounded on the same side as the oil platform is to be rounded (i.e., to port or to starboard).

8. TIME LIMIT

If any boat in a class finishes before sunset, the race is valid for that class. If no boat in a class finishes before sunset, the race is abandoned for that class and will not be re-sailed. Sunset on June 16, 2007 will be considered to be 2011. The official time reference of the RC shall be GPS time.

9. CHECK IN BEFORE THE START

Before the first warning signal, each boat shall hail her sail number and class, on VHF Channel 72, which will be acknowledged by the Race Committee.

10. THE START

10.1 Races will be started in accordance with RRS 26. The order of starts will be announced at the skipper’s meeting.

10.2 The starting line will be located between the “Mandalay” mark as the port end mark, and an orange flag or shape mounted on the Committee Boat as the starboard end mark.

10.3 Boats whose preparatory signal has not been made shall keep clear of the starting area and of all boats whose preparatory signal has been made.

10.4 To draw attention that the race starting sequence is about to begin, several sound signals will be made approximately one minute before the warning signal for the first class.

11. RECALLS

11.1 Individual recalls will be signaled in accordance with RRS 29.1 [code flag "X" and 1 sound signal].

11.2 General recalls will be signaled in accordance with RRS 29.2 [code flag "First Substitute" and 2 sound signals]. When a general recall has been signaled, the starts for the succeeding classes will be postponed accordingly.

11.3 After the starting signal, the Race Committee will attempt to hail the sail number(s) of the recalled boat(s) on VHF Channel 72.

11.4 The following shall not be grounds for granting redress:

A) Failure of a boat to hear the recall hail or broadcast.

B) A boat's position in the sequence of hailed numbers or broadcast numbers.

C) Failure of the Race Committee to hail or broadcast numbers.

12. RETIREMENT

A boat that retires from a race after checking in shall notify the race committee before leaving the racing area or, if that is not possible, notify the Ventura Yacht Club as soon as possible. The Race Committee will monitor VHF Channel 72. The phone number for the Ventura Yacht Club is: (805) 642‑0426.

13. CHECK IN DURING THE RACE

13.1 All competitors racing after sunset (2011) shall contact the RC on VHF Channel 72 and provide approximate location and expected finish time. Competitors who fail to contact the RC by 2045 shall be scored DSQ. At the discretion of the RC the USCG may be contacted to perform a Search and Rescue mission for any competitor that fails to check-in as specified in this paragraph.

13.2 The first finisher is requested to notify the Race Committee when approximately 30 minutes from the finish. If the Race Committee is not on station, boats shall record their finish times. The Race committee will monitor VHF Channel 72 throughout the race.

14. THE FINISH

14.1 The finish shall be on a line from the Ventura Yacht Club balcony to the green light standard (#3) near the southern end of the detached breakwater.

14.2 Spinnakers shall be struck before passing a line extending from the elbow of the detached breakwater to the light on the south jetty. Any boat sailing beyond this point with a spinnaker set may be scored DSQ by the race committee.

14.3 If poor visibility conditions (fog, rain, etc.) exist when finishing at the Ventura Harbor entrance and/or when finishing after sunset, racers shall notify the RC when approximately ½ mile from the finish and shall record their own finish times when crossing the finish line. Boats shall record their own finish times by GPS time reference and report their finish to the race committee within 30 minutes of finishing.

15. PROTESTS

Protests shall be written on forms available at the VYC office and shall be filed there with the Race Committee within 1 hour of the finish time of the protesting boat (or within 1 hour of her return to harbor if she retires).

16. SCORING

The Low Point Scoring System (Appendix A of the RRS) will apply.

17. ALTERNATIVE PENALTIES

Reminder: The two-turns penalty, RRS 44.2, applies.

18. RADIO COMMUNICATION

The Race Committee will monitor VHF Channel 72.

19. SAFETY

This is a PHRF Category 3 event. All boats shall carry the equipment specified by PHRF for Category 3 races, except when these conflict with specific class rules. The Race Committee reserves the right to inspect any participating boat for compliance with safety equipment or class requirements, and to disqualify nonconforming boats. Racers are reminded that they are bound by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea when encountering vessels that are not racing.

20. NON-SPINNAKER CLASS DEFINITIONS

20.1 No spinnakers or spinnaker-like sails such as flashers, cruising ‘chutes, MPSs, gennakers, etc. are allowed. All headsails must meet the measurements of RRS 50.4.

20.2 Only one spinnaker pole or whisker pole may be used at one time and, when in use, shall be attached to the foremost mast.

20.3 Use of headsails larger than 155% LP carries a 6 second per mile penalty unless the boat is already handicapped for such larger sail.

20.4 More than one headsail may be carried set, and the headsails need not be attached to the forestay.

21. CREW LIMITS

The minimum number of persons aboard shall be 2.

22. AWARDS

Individual "take-home" awards will be presented after racing at Ventura Yacht Club. The perpetual trophy will be awarded with winners’ names inscribed at the Annual Awards Dinner Meeting at Ventura Yacht Club in January 2008. The perpetual trophy shall remain at Ventura Yacht Club.

Number of boats in class	Awards given
2-3	1st place
4-6	1st and 2nd place
7 or more	1st, 2nd and 3rd place

23. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY:

Competitors in this event are participating entirely at their own risk. See RRS 4, Decision to Race. The race organizers (organizing authority, race committee, protest committee, host club, sponsors, or any other organization or official) will not be responsible for damage to any boat or other property or the injury to any competitor, including death, sustained as a result of participation in this event. By participating in this event, each competitor agrees to release the race organizers from any and all liability associated with such competitor's participation in this event to the fullest extent permitted by law.