86th Western Michigan Yachting Association
Championship Regatta
Hosted by Torch Lake Yacht Club
WMYA Commodore –Casey Christensen Aug 5- Aug. 8, 2015
2015 Notice of Race
Rules: The regatta will be governed by the current Racing Rules of Sailing [RRS] and the Class Rules of the C scow class, the E scow class, the MC scow class, the Melges 17 scow class, the Butterfly class, the Laser class and the Optimist Dinghy class, except as any of these are changed by the sailing instructions. Rule changes will be listed in the Important Additional Information listed below. All rule changes will be listed in the Sailing Instructions.
Advertising: Advertising will be restricted to category A
Eligibility: Participants that are members of a WMYA club must have paid all event fees before becoming official competitors. Non-member skippers will be allowed to race by paying an additional $25.00 fee.
Entry: Entry fee is $30 for Butterflies or Optimist Prams and $60 for all other fleets. On line registration is highly recommended and may be found at http://www.wmya.org .
Schedule:
Online registration begins June 13, 2015
Tuesday 8/4/15 Registration 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
On site registration, sailing info, and meal ticket pick-up
Annual Meeting 7:00pm
Wednesday 8/5/15 Registration 8:30 am to 2:00 pm
Competitors Briefing
All Fleets 9:00 am
Racing Schedule - Posted times are for the warning signal.
E Scow / Optimist 10:00 am
MC and Laser 12:20 pm
Melges17 and Butterfly 2:20 and immediately following 2:20 race
C Scow 2:25 and immediately following 2:25 race
Thursday 8/6/15 Melges17 and Butterfly 10:00 am
C Scow 10:05 pm
E Scow/Optimist 12:20 pm
MC and Laser 2:20 and immediately following 2:20 race
Friday 8/7/15 Melges17 and Butterfly 10:00 am
C Scow 10:05 am
MC and Laser 12:20 pm
E Scow/Optimist 2:20 and immediately following 2:20 race
Saturday 8/8/15 MC and Laser 10:00 am
Melges17 and Butterfly 12:20 pm
C Scow 12:25 pm
E Scow/Optimist 2:20 pm
No races to start after 3:00pm Saturday
Trophy presentation following completion of the last E Scow race.
Sailing Instructions: Sailing instructions will be available at Registration and at http://www.wmya.org
Venue: Courses will be sailed on the waters of Torch Lake.
Judging: On the water judging may be used by the Race Committee.
Scoring: The scoring system shall be the Appendix A 4.1, low point system. Two [2] races must be completed for a class to constitute a regatta. A yacht’s score will be the sum of all her races.
Radio Communication: A boat shall neither make a radio transmission while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats. This restriction also applies to cell phones.
Prizes: Prizes will be given as follows:
E Scow 1 through 4 places, 1 Master
C Scow 1 through 3 places, 1 Master
MC Scow 1 through 10 places, 1 Junior, 1 Grd. Master, 1 Master, 1 Women
Butterfly (Open) 1 place
Butterfly (Jr.) 1 through 10 places and Top 10 Crew
Laser-Radial 1 through 3 places,
Laser- Standard rig 1 through 5 places,
Melges 17 1 through 3 places
Optimist Pram 1 through 4 places
Participants must notify registration for inclusion in the Master, Grand Master, Women and Junior Divisions. Master and Grand Master may also compete for regular and perpetual trophies.
Disclaimer of Liability: 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.
Important Additional Information
WMYA Black Flag Rule: The Black Flag rule of WMYA will be used. This replaces RRS 30.3.
Following the displaying of the Black Flag (WMYA Version), no part of a boats hull, crew or equipment shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the minute before the starting signal, unless the boat restarts, by going around either end of the starting line just like a start under the “One Minute Rule”. If the boat fails to make a proper start she will be notified at the Windward Mark to retire from the race. There will be no notification from any race committee boat that a yacht is OCS. If for some reason the race sailed under the Black Flag does not finish, either because of the time limit or because of abandonment and resail, or other appropriate action, all competitors who may have been initially disqualified by the Black Flag, are again eligible to restart.
Butterfly Junior Division: There must be two [2] people on board each yacht, neither of whom have
reached age 17 prior to the first day of the regatta. Crews may be changed at any time during the regatta. No Minimum weight restrictions. A USCG approved Life Jacket must be worn by each sailor completely zipped or buckled. Failure to comply will result in disqualification.
Optimist Pram: There may be one [1] or two [2] people on board each yacht, neither of whom has reached age 16 prior to the first day of the regatta. Crews may be changed at any time during the regatta. A USCG approved Life Jacket must be worn by each sailor completely zipped or buckled. Failure to comply will result in disqualification. Valid measurement certificates are not required.
MC Junior Division: Not yet 21 years of age on the first day of the regatta.
MC Grand Master Division: 65 years of age by the first day of the regatta.
Master Division: E, C, MC: 50 years of age by the first day of the regatta.
Laser Junior Division: Not yet 17 years of age on the first day of the regatta
A judge’s boat may be used to run the starting line as an aid to competitors in determining the starting
line prior to the start.
Code Flag Y: When code flag Y [Yellow and red stripe] is displayed, all skippers and crews must
wear a USCG approved PFD. If not worn, the yacht will then receive a DSQ for that race.
Boat Weight Compliance Forms must be signed by the owner prior to racing. Boats may be weighed at the discretion of the Race Committee.
USCG approved life jackets must be aboard a yacht for all sailors on all classes and their use is encouraged.
C, E, Melges 17, and MCs are required to have a USCG approved throwable device on board.
Decision to Race: The responsibility for a boats decision to participate in a race or to continue to racing is hers alone RRS 4
Outside Assistance: MC, Butterfly, and Opti classes that capsize may receive outside assistance and may continue to race with out penalty
Decisions of Regatta Committee is final in the awarding of prizes at this regatta
Official Race Committee boats may not pick up or deliver any racing crews, except in an emergency.
Courtesy Broadcasts may be available to all classes except Optimist, Butterfly, and Laser. These broadcasts may report any signals displayed by the race committee. Errors or omissions of these broadcasts will not be considered grounds for redress.
Further Information: contact WMYA Executive Secretary – Brett Hatton hattonb@shapecorp.com