1 RULES
Racing will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing. For the purposes of these instructions, all boats participating in handicap races, the Crews Race, the 70+ trophy and the Junior Cup are collectively referred to as a class.

2 ENTRIES
Registration for Points Series
Eligible boats will automatically be entered by the sailing committee into a points series once they have competed in one or more races of that points series.

An owner may only enter one boat for a points series. If an owner changes boat ownership during a points series then, with the Sailing Committee's approval, the new boat may compete in that points series with the points from the original boat being carried forward to the new boat. Approval must be sought in writing through the Club Secretary. Once approval has been given only the new boat can score points for its owner/nominated helm.

Substitution of Helm or Owner
If an owner or helm is unable to compete in a series race he/she may nominate one substitute per series who may race in his/her place and score points for the original helm or owner. The declaration of nomination shall be placed on the Class Notice Board before any substitution is made. No substitution is allowed if the original helm or owner is engaged in Race Officer duties.

Nominated helms can only score points in a class's Autumn Weekend Cup competition if during the same season and prior to that competition they have qualified for points as helm or nominated helm in 10 club points races within that class. A member may only sail as nominated helm in one Autumn Weekend Cup competition within any one season.

Registration for Individual Races
Eligible boats must be entered before each individual race in which they wish to compete, by the crew or helm entering their names and the boat details on the appropriate entry sheet for that particular race.

Under exceptional circumstances and for a given race, the Race Officer may permit a yacht to use sails carrying distinguishing numbers other than the boats correct sail number. Permission must be sought from the Race Officer by submitting a completed sail number change form, available from the Race Officer.

Mirror and Firefly helms sailing single-handed shall indicate their intention on the race entry sheet at the time of entry by inserting "single-handed" in the column for crews name.

Eligibility to Compete in Individual Races
In addition to all other ISAF, RYA and Class eligibility requirements, competitors must also observe the following eligibility requirements:
(i) Adequate personal buoyancy shall be worn at all times whilst afloat.
(ii) All boats shall have adequate buoyancy. The Race Committee will disqualify any yacht which, in the opinion of the Race Committee has inadequate or inadequately secured buoyancy.
(iii) All boats shall have Third Party Insurance cover valid for a liability of at least £1 000 000.

Eligibility for Points
To be eligible for points in a particular race the following eligibility requirements must be fulfilled at the time of the race:
(i) The boat must have a valid measurement certificate.
(ii) The boat owner must at the time of that race be a fully paid up member of the Hornsea Sailing Club.
(iii) The boat must be helmed by the owner or nominated alternative helm.
(iv) The crew must be a member of Hornsea Sailing Club unless they have previously raced less than 4 times in that season at the Mere.
(v) The helm must have signed a declaration.

A boat owned by a Race Officer may not score points in a race for which he/she is allocated Race Officer Duty. A nominated helm may not score points for any boat in a race for which they are allocated Race Officer Duty. 'Allocated' Race Officer Duty shall be the date for which a person is named as Race Officer in the official race programme unless they have arranged by prior agreement to change to another date, in which case the new date shall be that for which the person is 'allocated' Race Officer.

All classes except Ospreys may sail single-handed in the Saturday and Sunday competitions and score points. Boats sailing single handed may not score points in an Autumn Weekend Cup competition, nor the crews race, Junior cup or 70+ trophy. Boats sailing single handed may not use a spinnaker.

Eligibility for Crews Race
To be eligible for the crews race the helm must have crewed in no less than 3 Hornsea Sailing Club races prior to the date specified in the official race programme for the crews race and must not have helmed a boat in a club points race, club open meeting or other special club competition during that year prior to the crews race actually taking place.

Minimum Number of Entrants
A minimum of two boats in a Class, providing they qualify as starters, shall constitute a race for that class.

3 NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
Notices to competitors will be;
a) posted on the official notice board located in the Club Room
or b) on a blackboard in the vicinity of the Club Room.

4 CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted as above not less than 15 minutes before the start of the next race where the change will have any affect.

5 SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
Signals made ashore will be displayed on or near the flagpole in front of the Club Room.

6 SCHEDULE OF RACES
The numbers of races scheduled and the scheduled time of the starting signal for each class is published in the Club Year Planner and the Club Information brochure displayed on the Official Notice Board in the Club Room.

7 COURSES
Courses for ‘full Mere races’ will be signalled near the Club Flag Pole. Other courses will be announced to competitors by the use of a course diagram displayed in, or near, the Club Room.

Boundary Lines
There are boundary lines running North-South at the West end of the Mere and in the North East corner of the Mere. These are shown on the race area map. These must not be crossed and are regarded by the Sailing Committee as continuing obstructions in respect of ISAF rule 18.5 and rights of way must be given accordingly.

Shallows
(a) There are three areas of the Mere which are officially designated as shallows. These areas are shown on the race area map. The extremities of these shallows are marked by white buoys which are shown on the race area map. The track of a boat's continuous course must not lie between the buoys within each set. The shallows located to the West of the island are marked by a single buoy and a boat's continuous track must not lie between the end of the island and this buoy. All three shallows are designated by the Sailing Committee as obstructions in respect of ISAF rule 18.2 and rights of way must be given accordingly.

Race Area Map
Not to scale

8 THE START

Starting Signals
This will be by means of the automatic starter and indicated by changes of a sequence of coloured flashing lights on the flagpole. Each change will be accompanied by a sound signal. The sequence of signals is listed on the official race notice board.

Start Line
The starting line will be a transit formed by the Clubhouse flagstaff and a white pole sited on the bank. The outer limit of the start line is marked by a buoy designated as "E" on the race area map, which shall be left to port when starting.

Recalls
(a) Individual recalls will be signalled by one sound signal immediately after the starting signal; no visual signal will be given. It will be up to competitors to judge whether they were guilty of the infringement and return to make a correct start.
(b) General recalls will be signalled by two sound signals immediately after the starting signal; no visual signal will be given. In the event of a general recall, that class will go to the back of the starting sequence. In the event of more than one general recall, recalled classes will re-start in their original rotation.

Starting Time Limit
A boat starting later than 5 minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start.

9 THE FINISH
Shortened Course
Courses may be shortened at the North East buoy by displaying flag S and the appropriate Class signal board on shore. Boats will finish by leaving North East to starboard and crossing the finishing line.

Finishing Line
The finishing line will be between the Club Room flagpole and the East buoy.

10 PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS
Protest forms are available in the Club Room.
Protests shall be delivered to the Race Officer or in his/her absence a Flag Officer of the Club within the protest time limit.

For each class, the protest time limit is 30 minutes after the last boat has finished the last race of the day. [The same protest time limit applies to all protests by the race committee and to requests for redress.]

Notices will be posted to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. Hearings will be held as far as practical at a mutually convenient place, date and time.

Decisions will be displayed on the Official Notice Board.

11 SCORING
The Low Point scoring system of Appendix A of the rules will apply.
Half the number of planned races in a series plus one race, rounded down to the nearest digit, are required to be completed to score a series.

When fewer than the required races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores plus the number of the competitors for the series for each missing race(s).

12 DECLARATIONS
Declarations for each race must be signed on the race entry sheet not later than 30 minutes after the last boat of the same class finishes that race.

13 FIREFLY RUDDERS
Fireflies will be allowed to raise their rudders briefly and temporarily during races for the purposes of clearing weed or if fouled. They are not permitted to sail with rudders held in a raised position.