HOW TO BE A RACE OFFICER

1
HOW TO BE A
RACE OFFICER
2
DONT PANIC
3
General Principals

• You are responsible for the SAFE and efficient
  management of the race - remember the lifejacket
  Y flag for smaller boats
• There are some very experienced staff on hand -
  dont be afraid to ask for advice
• Always consider what the competitors want - you
  are there to serve them, not vice versa - nobody
  appreciates an arrogant RO who ignores sensible
  requests
• You are the manager of a team. Utilise their
  strengths - cover for their weaknesses
• Making no decision is generally worse than making
  a wrong call and correcting it
• Communicate your intentions / instructions
  clearly
• Aim for a race - not perfection

4
Why Me??

• All sailing members will have to do R.O. duty at
  some time or other
• As a sailor you learn a huge amount about racing
  from being on the committee boat
• Without an R.O. scheme we have no racing
• Might make you think twice before criticising the
  Race Officer next time

5
What If I Cant Make That Date?

• It is your responsibility to find an alternate -
  co-ordinate with the sailing office
• It is a serious disciplinary matter if you simply
  dont turn up
• Follow up with your alternate to ensure he is on
  schedule

6
Where Do I Find Out More

• You will receive a detailed e-mail from the race
  office as to what is required from you on the day
• Take the time to read these as they contain
  pretty much all you need to know.
• If in doubt - call the sailing office
• Refer to the Resources section at the end of
  this presentation

7
The Team

• Race Officer - In overall charge with full
  responsibility for the race (Member)
• Assistant Race Officer - Works closely with the
  Race Officer - overall responsibility for Marine
  staff (Coxswain)
• Recorder - Keeps an accurate record of the race
  (Member)
• Results - Records competitors sail numbers and
  times at designated mark roundings and finish
  positions and times (Member)
• Mark Layer / Communications - Will direct
  coxswains to the appropriate mark laying
  position. In charge of communicating fleet
  movement to the Race Officer and ensuring safety
  is observed (Member)
• Sounder/Timer - Makes all sound signals and
  counts down sequence of start (Coxswain)
• Flagman - In charge of raising and lowering all
  flags (Coxswain)
• Mark Setter - Physically lays the marks/anchors
  in the water (Coxswain)
• Coxswain - Drives Cheoy Lee support boat
  (Coxswain)

8
Pre Race Preparation

• Familiarise yourself (again) with the relevant
  parts of the Racing Rules of Sailing
• Read (and re read) the Clubs Standard Sailing
  Instructions and any Class NORs / L notices
• Speak to the Class Secretaries concerned about
  what they require
• Speak with the sailing office who can advise if
  there are any special requirements
• Communicate any special requirements that you may
  have to the Sailing Office

9
The Morning Of The Race

• Call round and ensure your team is in place and
  clear about their role(s)
• Check with the sailing office to see if there
  have been any last minute changes
• Get to the committee boat early
• Check all equipment with the coxswain - ensure
  GPS and VHFs etc are functioning correctly and
  that you are familiar with their operation
• Ensure any crew who might suffer from sea
  sickness have appropriate medication

10
Before You Leave The Dock

• Final check on food and drink supplies - if a
  long hot day ahead of you ensure you have enough
  water on board - you may need to supply some to
  the competitors in an emergency
• Check who might require a tow to the race start
  area and task a Cheoy Lee accordingly
• Aim to be out on the race track in plenty of time
  - at least 1 hour before the preparatory signal!
• Do you have enough racing marks?
• If very heavy or light wind, consider holding the
  fleet at the dock and sending out a boat to check
  conditions

11
On The Way To The Race Track

• Team briefing
• Watch what the wind / shipping / tide is doing
• Clear instructions to coxswain where you want to
  station the committee boat
• Remember when under way even at low speeds you
  are seeing apparent - not true wind - be
  stationary to get true wind readings
• Get all paperwork organised - synchronise watches
  with the Rolex race clock

12
On The Race Track

• Stop the boat in the middle of the track
  initially - start taking wind readings - every 5
  minutes from now on. Make sure wind recorder has
  an unobstructed location on the boat
• Try to get an overall view of the race track /
  what geographic / tidal / traffic effects do you
  need to consider
• Imagine yourself sailing - what do you want from
  the RO
• Develop a race plan once you have a few wind
  readings and a better understanding of the
  conditions
• When happy - move boat to start area

13
Laying The Course

• Majority of races will be W/L. But if triangle
  needed consider adjusting the leg angles to suit
  the type of boats and wind conditions. The
  lighter the winds, the shyer the reaches should
  be. Planing boats (M25 FFs) prefer shyer
  reaches than non planing
• Try to make leg lengths for 10 - 12 minute beat
• Always aim for port hand course unless geography
  / shipping prohibits this
• Display bearing to A from boat on white or chalk
  board at upper deck

14
Old Olympic (Tri)Angles

• The Race Officer instructs the Course-setting
  boat to proceed from Mark A on the compass
  bearing required for Mark B.
• To calculate this, take the direction from Mark C
  to Mark A and subtract 135 for a 45-90-45 course
  (subtract 120 for a 60-60-60 course and 105 for
  a course with a close first reach with a 75
  angle).
• Use GPS with the centre of the line as a a
  waypoint. With the GPS on the mark laying boat
  the mark layer always knows what the leg lengths
  and bearings are.

15
Laying The Gybe Mark (B)

• The Course Setter continues on this course,
  looking back to Mark A every now and then to
  verify his bearing and, if necessary, correcting
  for waves that push him further inside the
  triangle. He proceeds until Mark 3 lies on the
  correct bearing from his new position.
• On the standard right-angled isosceles triangle,
  the Course Setter has reached his new position
  when he sights Mark C at a 90 degrees angle to
  his left, i.e. when he subtracts 90 from his
  current bearing. From the Starting vessel the
  bearing should be checked (the direction from
  Mark C to Mark A minus 45). Keep in mind that the
  Race Officer on the Starting vessel is probably
  not lined up with the two marks, so the position
  of Mark B will always look slightly off to you.

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Angles / Shifts
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Start Line

• Line length around 1.1 x total boat length of
  starters
• Line either square to wind, or slight (5 degree.)
  pin end bias. Bearing from boat to pin bearing
  from boat to A less 85 degree. (or 90 for square
  line).
• Lay IDM last - never more than 1 boat length to
  leeward of line
• Hoist blue flag when on station
• Start recording boats who will be racing - this
  is a critical record for race management as well
  as safety.

18
ISAF Guide To Laying Start Line

• Position of the Starting vessel and the leeward
  Mark
• If the wind is steady, move to a leeward location
  within the designated racing area.
• Locate the position on the chart by means of
  compass bearings, back-bearings, and transits,
• from identifiable features.
• Record the average wind bearing and transfer it
  to the Starting vessel position on the chart.
• Remember that a wind vane must always be used in
  clear air, not where air flow is disturbed
• by a part of the Starting vessel. The best place
  is usually the bow.
• Place the course shape described above on the
  chart to define the course and possible
• changes, to determine suitability with regard to
  foul ground, headlands, shipping channels, etc.
• When satisfied, anchor the Starting vessel and
  recheck position. Note that the Starting vessel
• is always positioned at what will become the
  starboard end of the line.
• When anchoring consideration should be given to
  letting out a little extra anchor line as this
• will give you the opportunity of making minor
  last minute adjustments to the starting line
• (before the preparatory signal) by either pulling
  in or letting out further anchor line.
• Advise the other Committee vessels and the
  other Race Officers, if any immediately of
• your anchoring position and your wind direction.
  This information will help the other
  on-the-water-managers to establish their own
  courses and will avoid conflicts between
  neighbouring race areas.
• Continue to check wind direction.

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Postponement Signals

• These can be used for ANY REASON WHATSOEVER!
• Use them as the panic button - a cry for help
• Reasons can include
• buoy drifting
• major wind shift leading to heavily biased line
• mistiming between signals
• misfiring of sound signals
• broken halyards
• etc. etc.

20
Course Flags

• The Race Officer must signal or otherwise
  designate the course with the use of a numeral
  pennant in conjunction with a red or green flag
  to indicate whether port or starboard hand.
  Normally to be hoisted with the class flag at the
  warning signal, though may be hoisted at any time
  before the warning signal.
• If the course flag has been displayed prior to
  the warning signal the Race Officer may remove
  and substitute a new course signal but it is
  safer to avoid this practice

21
Before the Preparatory Signal

• The Race Officer may shift a starting mark any
  time before the preparatory signal
• This allows the Race Officer to fine tune the
  start line.
• This is best done by a combination of compass
  bearing to wind and by watching the fleet as they
  look at the start line. Watch their angle of
  approach to the start line.

22
Before the Start

• The Race Officer may
• postpone, to designate a new course before or
  with the new warning signal, or for any other
  reason
• - AP
• postpone for a set period of time
• - AP over a numeral
• postpone and send the fleet into harbour
• - AP over H
• postpone to a later day
• - AP over A

23
Start

• The Class flag is removed at the start and the
  warning flag course numeral pennant for the
  next fleet hoisted
• When eyeing the line - stand back around 1 mtr.
  from the line marker
• Ensure crew wear ear protectors
• Be ready for individual or general recalls -
  signal within 7 seconds of start

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After the start - Safety

• To remain in control of the race, the Race
  Officer must, at regular intervals, check
• Safety
• the weather conditions (that the crews can handle
  stronger winds)
• that rescue craft are still operational and radio
  comms OK
• that rescue craft know of vessels which appear to
  be in trouble
• that priority is being given to people and not
  boats

25
After the start - Keeping Track

• To remain in control of the race, the Race
  Officer must, at regular intervals, check
• Recording of boats
• ensure that recorders have positions of each boat
  at end of each round
• keep track of leaders of each fleet
• keep track of 'tail-end charlies' of each fleet
  relative to leaders

26
After the start - Timing

• To remain in control of the race, the Race
  Officer must, at regular intervals, check
• Time
• by timing boats on various legs of the course
• calculating the approximate finishing time for
  the first boat and how that relates to any time
  limits
• Making decisions regarding shortening course to
  make time limits

27
Course Changes

• Differentiate between oscillating and shifting
  wind. If the wind has shifted more than 20 degree
  you may have to change the course - make sure you
  have all in order before attempting to move the
  marks
• You need a boat to move the mark (or lay an
  alternate) plus you must advise all competitors
  of the course change at the preceding mark - do
  you have enough boats?
• Know where everyone is on the race course before
  you start moving marks
• You can also move marks closer whilst not
  changing the bearing.

28
Shorten or Abandon?

• You may Abandon a race for any of the following
• foul weather - If Typhoon signal 3 is hoisted
  before the Warning signal you MUST abandon and
  return ashore. If the signal goes up when the
  race is in progress you may continue and complete
  the race, but only if you judge that it is safe
  to do so.
• insufficient wind, making it unlikely that any
  boat will finish within the time limit
• a mark missing or out of place
• any other reason affecting the safety or fairness
  of the competition
• You may Shorten the course for all the above
  plus
• to allow another scheduled race to be sailed

29
Shorten Course

• At Club Race Officer level, the most important
  thing is knowing when to shorten course
• The position of the leading boat must be known
• If the race is a close one, with the leader
  covering the second boat, it is essential that
  the boats all see and hear the shorten course
  signal, as this may affect their tactical sailing
  to the finishing line. You can use a boat to
  verbally advise boats as they round the last mark
  before the finish if you wish.
• The signal is normally displayed when the leader
  is approaching the finish and can reasonably be
  expected to see the flag / hear the signals.
• You need to display the class flag for the class
  you are shortening together with the S flag - you
  may not wish to shorten all classes!

30
Abandonment

• The race that has started is Abandoned, return to
  the starting area.
• N displayed alone CANNOT be used BEFORE the
  start
• N over H and N over A can be used BEFORE and
  AFTER the start

31
Abandonment

• N over H
• "further signals will be made ashore"
• i.e. go back to the beach/harbour

• N over A
• no more racing today

32
Preparing for the Finish

• Set a finishing line
• Normally much shorter than the start line (12 -
  15 boat lengths) and should be set at 90 degree.
  to the last leg, NOT square to the wind. Anchor
  in good time so as to allow the boat to lay to
  her anchor and then make small adjustments if
  needed
• If a port hand course has been set, then the
  boats should pass through the line so as to leave
  the ODM of the finish line - a mark of the course
  - to port
• Oversee the race team setting up for the finish
• Gunner with sound signals
• Timekeeper ready to record finishing times
• Recorder ready to record sail numbers and times
• if operating from a Committee Boat
• display a blue flag

33
The Finish

• Remember that boats must cross the finishing line
  in the direction of the course from the last mark
• Ensure you record the finish time of the last
  boat for protest time limit purposes
• In case of close finishes get several pairs of
  eyes and recorders on the job
• Accuracy is essential so check, check and double
  check
• Count all the boats - it is crucial for safety to
  ensure all boats are accounted for. Your job is
  not complete until all boats are accounted for
• Make a fair (and accurate) copy of all results -
  check

34
Evaluation

• Always evaluate your performance
• Talk to the sailors in the bar after the race
  about the course you set
• Always seek advice when necessary
• Use the resources offered by our Coxswains - they
  do this job most weekends
• Talk to the more experienced Race Officers to see
  where you can improve

35
FINALLY

• Be prepared to give out and receive protest
  forms, noting relevant times
• Deliver the fair copy of the results to reception
  at KI unless otherwise instructed by the sailing
  office - ensure they are legible and accurate.
• Keep any notes in case of dispute later
• Prepare, if required, a brief report on the race
  for the Press Officer
• Report any defects in the equipment to the head
  Coxswain
• GO TO THE BAR AND RECEIVE PRAISE FOR A GOOD JOB
  WELL DONE!!!

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Contents of the ROs Briefcase

• The Racing Rules of Sailing
• RHKYC Standard Sailing Instructions
• Notices of Race
• Any L Notices
• Laminated sheet of emergency/first-aid procedures
• Laminated sheet of communication procedures
• Recorders notepad (spiral stenographer book)
• Recorders sample
• Boat name/sail number/skipper lists
• Clipboard(s) with lined paper
• Results sheets and Press Results sheet

• Race programme/calendar
• Laminated sheet showing Class insignias
• Laminated flag sequence
• Start times
• Sign-on sheets
• Mark rounding/finish time sheets
• Communications Folder containing-
• a) How to use a GPS
• b) How to use a radio
• Mark rounding/finish time sheets
• Laminated sheet showing Class Insignias
• Ball point pens / pencils / eraser / rubber bands

37
Resources

• RO and ARO guidelines for Harbour, Lamma and Port
  Shelter can be found at http//www.rhkyc.org.Hk/sa
  iling/guidelines.htm
• Standard Sailing Instructions and L notices can
  be found at
• http//www.rhkyc.org.hk/sailing/ssi.htm
• ISAF Race Management Guide is available from
  http//www.sailing.org/menu.asp?MenuIDt,78GXkszMR
  st0z/uCxVx5R7a3?SMekLESPF?LTVgFsFMolxKWru2EC7EUynX
  uZghyCevgx
• ISAF home page is at http//www.sailing.org
• In a Google search for sailing there were 10,100 hits!