Open Meeting Race Officers Certificate

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CLUB RACE OFFICER COURSE
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Race Management

• Club Race Officer (CRO)
• RYA Club Race Officer Plus (CRO)
• RYA Regional Race Officer (RRO)
• RYA National Race Officer (NRO)
• ISAF International Race Officer (IRO)

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Race Management

• Club Race Officer
• One day seminar (level 1 course)
• Endorsed by suitable experience

• National Race Officer
• RRO
• 2 day seminar with written test
• Appropriate experience
• (4 major events) - submit CV
• 2 References
• VHF, PBL2, ISAF Manual

Club Race Officer 2 day seminar written test
Regional Race Officer Club Race
Officer Appropriate experience (4 events) -
submit CV 1 Reference VHF
International Race Officer (ISAF
appointment) NRO 4 principal events - submit
CV National Authority Nomination 3 References
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RYA Website
www.rya.org.uk/raceofficials
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RYA Website
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Weather

• Chart Forecasts
• BBC
• Met Office
• Free Forecasts
• XC Weather
• Windguru
• Subscription Forecasts
• Windguru Pro
• PredictWind
• ProGrib

Weather Stations BrambleMet Cowes Harbour
Weather WAP Weather Bramblemet/wap
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Terminology

• A signal (flag) is always DISPLAYED
• A signal that is displayed is at some time
  REMOVED
• These are the terms used in the preamble to Race
  Signals
• Shall - mandatory action
• Will - intended action
• Should - best endeavours
• May - optional action
• Use these terms at all times!

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Race Committee

• PRO
• RO
• DRO
• ARO
• Visual Signals
• Gunner
• Timekeeper

Recorders Pin end crew Finish boat crew Mark
Layers Beach Master Safety Officer
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Layout of Flags and Halyards
Minimum flag size 3x2 (90cm x 60cm)
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Personal Equipment
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Signals
Flag Displayed Tells what is going to
happen Flag Removed (Executive Signal) Order is
carried out Sound Signal Draws attention to
visual signal
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The Wind
No tide or current
Ground Wind (or Gradient Wind) Measured from a
fixed point on the ground (or anchored committee
boat)
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The Wind
No gradient wind at all! A still sunny day But
the tide is running
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The Wind
Sailing Wind Wind experienced by a free floating
boat stopped in the water
Then the gradient kicks in
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COURSES
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Courses
Important factors affecting race management

• Clean winds
• Even depth of water
• Minimal tidal currents
• Enough space
• Course areas not overlapped

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Windward-Leeward Course

• Alternatives for this course are
• More rounds
• Finish upwind of mark 1
• No gate at Mark 2
• Gate laid square to the sailing wind

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Sausage Triangle Course

• Course angles can be
• 600
• 450 (900 at mark 2)
• 700 (to give both a close reach a broad reach)
• The finish can also be
• located downwind of mark 3

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Trapezoid Course

• Two parallel W/L courses
• 70o for boats without spinnakers
• 60o for boats with spinnakers

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Round the Cans Course

• Uses fixed marks /- laid marks
• Provides a mix of courses in one
• Interesting courses
• Restricted depending on the position of fixed
  marks
• May not produce a great beat because of fixed
  position of marks
• May not produce a great run because of fixed
  position of marks

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Top Tips for Round the Cans
Research previous courses for length Check marks
are in situ Mark roundings - same for all
classes Avoid channel marks No looping of
marks Common final marks to enable
shortening Allow for tide
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The Downwind Leg

• Accuracy is very important
• Especially with increasing wind speeds when the
  boats will sail very deep

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Tidal Compensation - Windward Leg

• A rule of thumb guide is
• in gt10kts wind 1kt of tide set the windward
  mark downtide 150 of the ground wind
• in lt8kts wind 1kt of tide, the offset is 200 or
  more
• for tides diagonal to the wind, halve the
  allowance
• for 2kts tide double the allowance

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Tidal Compensation - Leeward Leg

• The adjustment of the running leg to the tide is
  critical for a good race
• Rule of thumb
• No matter what the wind strength, set the leeward
  mark 5o downtide of the ground wind for every 1
  knot of cross tide

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Tidal Compensation - Solutions
Use an offset mark to create a tidal correction
leg)
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Tidal Compensation - Solutions
Wind
Current
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Tidal Compensation - Compromise
When you only have 2 marks Set up on the Sailing
Wind Equally skewed upwind and downwind
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Laying the Start Line
Always stream parallel to the committee boat!
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Start Line Length

• Number of boats x length of the boat plus 10 to
  50

ISAF recommendation multiplying factor 1.3 to 1.5
Other factors are size and manoeuvrability of
boats sea conditions wind strength current
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Line Bias for Tide
Set line at 90o to Sailing Wind
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Line Bias for Tactics
Mark 1
Wind

• Factors to consider across the course are
• wind angles
• wind velocity
• waves
• current

Weak tide in Bay
Strong tide
Starboard bias on the start
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The Gate
Minimum width 1 zone 1 boat length 1
zone (When zone is 3 boat lengths, minimum width
7 boat lengths) Usual width 8-10 boat lengths
Angle between gate same principles as a start
line Bias for tide Bias for tactics
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STANDARD PROCEDURES
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Pre-Start Procedures
Race team briefing Record as many boats in the
start area as possible Monitor the wind direction
and strength Set up the boat to ensure that all
systems are in place and working - sound signals,
flags tied on securely etc. Communicate with
other race courses and commercial traffic to
ensure no issues are pending Radio checks and
time checks
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Starting Systems
Attention signal
All timings and associated actions may be altered
from RRS default by SIs
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Starting Procedures
Time keeper is the most important person!
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Starting Procedures
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Starting Procedures
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Starting Procedures
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Starting Procedures
WARNING SIGNAL When? at the advertised
time Method class flag displayed one sound signal
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Starting Procedures
PREP SIGNAL When? warning 1 Method papa
displayed one sound signal
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Starting Procedures
ONE MINUTE SIGNAL When? warning 4 Method papa
removed one long sound signal
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Starting Procedures
START SIGNAL When? warning 5 Method class flag
removed one sound signal
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Starting Procedures
ASSOCIATED ACTIONS
At or before warning signal Display course
Before preparatory signal Set the start
line Make attachments to the committee boat
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Starting Procedures
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Starting Procedures
DURING 1 MINUTE BEFORE START
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Starting Procedures
DURING 1 MINUTE BEFORE START
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Starting Procedures
DURING 1 MINUTE BEFORE START
Add 20 of number of boats entered to her score
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Starting Procedures
Black rule 30.3 applies black flag rule during
1 min before start
DURING 1 MINUTE BEFORE START
Disqualified
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Starting Procedures
Line officer commentates on the start Line
recorder records boats movements from
commentary Race Officer communicates with line
officer on committee boat and pin end line
officer Line officers use tapes to record
observations Its the Race Officers decision re
clear line, individual recall or general recall
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Monitoring the Race
Observe the fleet throughout Where are they? Is
the course what you intended? Time legs/laps and
calculate finish times You may want to
shorten Watch for casualties Watch for commercial
traffic Are they sailing the correct course Do
not protest unless it is a blatant offence and
affects the fairness of the race leave
protesting to the competitors! Prepare for the
next race
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Finishing Procedures
Finish line is defined in the SIs - usually
between the mast flying the orange flag and the
last mark of the course
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Finishing Line
7 boat lengths long At 90o to last mark for
round the cans At 90o to sailing wind for beats
or runs To be crossed from the direction of the
last mark
LAST MARK OF COURSE 5
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Finishing Procedures
Two finishing records Collect independently One
design only requires the time of 1st and last
finisher with an order of finishing Only record
what you see Do NOT cheat/crib Cross check during
lulls and at the end Two second disparity is
acceptable on timed records Taped records can be
very useful
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OTHER PROCEDURES
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Postponement
These signals can be used for any reason
whatsoever! Even use them as the panic
button Reasons can include
buoy drifting major wind shift leading to heavily
biased line mistiming between signals misfiring
of sound signals broken halyards on the committee
boat etc. etc.
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Postponement
Display AP
All races not started are postponed Can only be
used before the start
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Postponement
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Individual Recall
Identify those boats that are OCS (On the Course
Side of the line)
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Individual Recall
Identify those boats that are OCS (On the Course
Side of the line)
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Individual Recall
Display X
Record OCS Watch the boat(s) to see if they
return Leave displayed for 4 minutes if they do
not return When all returned remove X (without a
sound signal) and delete OCS from record
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General Recall
Identify those boats that are OCS (On the Course
Side of the line)
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General Recall
Display 1st Sub
To be used when there are several unidentified
OCSs or if there is an error in procedure
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Abandon Racing
Display N
The race that has started is Abandoned, return to
the starting area. N displayed alone cannot be
used before the start Use for errors in the
course, dangerous or foul conditions, major wind
shifts, late recognition of errors in start
sequence, wind vanished, etc Beware multiple
class starts!
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Abandon Racing
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Shorten Course
Display S
Displayed at a rounding mark finish between the
rounding mark and the staff displaying the S
flag
In multi-class races display over class flag(s)
if not shortening all classes
Use when wind dies, another race needs to be
fitted into the day, etc
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Course Change
Display C
Displayed at the mark before the leg to be
changed - on a RIB
Must be displayed as each boat approaches this
mark
Displayed with associated signals Red square,
green triangle, , -, bearing
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Mark Missing
Display M
Displayed in the position a mark was expected to
be - on a RIB
Must be displayed before the leader is in the
vicinity preferably before that leg starts
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Restarting
After Postponement
Remove AP
Remove 1 minute before warning signal
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Restarting
After General Recall
Remove Ist Sub
Remove 1 minute before warning signal
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Restarting
After Abandonment
Remove N
Remove 1 minute before warning signal
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After Racing
Protests
Be helpful to competitors even if they are
requesting redress from the race committee Ensure
that protest time limits are observed Tell the
truth in the protest room Do not argue, challenge
or question the competitors in the protest
room Leave it to the jury!
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After Racing
Debrief
Personal assessment Group assessment Get feed
back from competitors
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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KEEL BOATS AND DINGHIES
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Safety
Dinghy
Keel Boat
Many youngsters (consents) Safety boats Safety
briefing Tally system Buoyancy aids often
compulsory Compliance with instruction compulsory
Few youngsters Skippers responsibility Y flag
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Racing Conditions
Dinghy
Keel Boat
Limited by risk of injury Limited by risk of
damage Ability of fleet to be considered Consider
pressure on youngsters
Limited by committee boat Skippers responsibility
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Courses
Dinghy
Keel Boat
One design Short course geography Windward/Leeward
Trapezoid
One design handicaps Extensive
course Windward/Leeward Fixed racing marks
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WHEN IT GOES WRONG
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When it Goes Wrong

• Big wind shifts
• Committee boat moves at start
• Competitor tangles around committee boat
• Container boat approaching the beat at start
• Course incorrectly displayed
• Cruiser or fishing boat on the line at the start

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When it Goes Wrong

• Finish line too shallow
• Flags dont go up
• Flags fall down
• Mark is moved
• Mark not present
• Mark walks

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When it Goes Wrong

• Visual Signals Mistimed or Absent
• Results confused / omissions / lost
• Sea Sickness
• Sound signals are mistimed or absent
• Timing error noticed after the start

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When it Goes Wrong

• Recognise problems
• Admit your mistakes
• Have contingency plans
• Deal with issues