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General Instructions for MBYC Ocean Races, 2007

including Regattas (single or consecutive days of racing)
and Series (races composed of multiple regattas)

MBYC is the organizing authority

Rules

All races will be governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008 (hereafter referred to as "Racing Rules") published by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), along with its U.S. sailing prescriptions, the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) rules, and these instructions.

Handicaps

Southern California PHRF ratings will be used, including area adjustments and type of course adjustments (RLC unless otherwise noted).

For individual ratings, boats should have a current So Cal Rating certificate on file at MBYC or use the "Ratings by Manufacturer" chart. Boats that have no current certificate, are not listed in the manufacturers list, or are listed but are not configured as listed, may be given a provisional PHRF rating by a committee appointed by the race committee comprised of the PRO and two other people that are familiar with PHRF ratings. This rating will be good for three months & then the boat must apply for an official rating. If this boat wins three consecutive races, the rating will be adjusted. To be eligible for a race prize, a boat's handicap must be entered on the race signup sheet prior to the end of the skipper's meeting.

Classes

If 6 or more boats participate in an event, the fleet will be split into two or more fleets based on PHRF. Daily prizes and placements will be awarded for each of the fleets. The corrected race time, regardless of fleet, will be used for determining the winner of the permanent trophies.

At the discretion of the organizing authority, trophies will be awarded as follows:

1^st place trophy if 2 or more boats in a fleet

1^st and 2^nd place trophies if 3 or more in a fleet

1^st, 2^nd , and 3^rd place trophies if 4 or more in a fleet

Communications

All boats should monitor channel 9 throughout the race.

Notices to Competitors and Changes to Race Instructions

Any changes to written racing instructions or notices to competitors shall be by the PRO (or the PRO's designee) verbally hailing each boat and receiving each boat's acknowledgement.

Courses and Marks

The course(s) will be briefed before the skippers' meeting is over. A general location and description of all marks follows. Courses may be shortened by briefing time limits for the first boat to pass a certain mark or the PRO communicating a shortened course. (This amends rule 32 of part 3.)

Location of Usual Race Marks

MB	N 35° 21.60'	Constantine	N 35° 26.2
	W 120°52.83	(1CR)	W 120°56.7'

18-EB	N 35° 23.10'	Mouse (3MR)	N 35° 26.300
	W 120°53.20'		W 120°54.50'

MBYC	N 35° 22.50	Buchon	N 35° 14.45'
	W 120°55.00'	(16PB)	W 120°54.58'

Starting Sequence and Order of Starts

All times will be based on GPS or the Race Committee (RC) official time clock to be made available at the skippers' meeting. This amends rule 26 of part 3. The starting signal for the first class of each day will normally be at noon, specific start times & starting sequence will be briefed at the skippers' meeting.

Start Type A (committee boat present)
All boats will start as described in section 26 of part 3 of the Racing Rules. If the committee boat is not present at the finish, each skipper will record and report the boat's finish time to the race committee.
Any of the race signals as shown on the back cover of the racing rules may be used when applicable.
Start type B (no committee boat present)
All boats will start at the designated start time with no flags or sounds. For racing rule purposes, boats will be racing after four minutes before their start time. Each skipper will record and report the boat's finish time to the race committee ASAP.
Start Type C
Each boat will receive a start time based on the boat's PHRF handicap and the course distance. The highest handicap will normally start at noon. For racing rule purposes, boats will be racing after four minutes before their start time. The skipper of each boat shall record the boat's order of finish and finish time and report these to the race committee.

Start/Finish Line

The start line will normally be either between Morro Bay buoy ("MB") and the light at the end the Morro Bay breakwater or between the Committee Boat and "MB" buoy. If fog obscures the light, start on a line perpendicular to "MB", within 130' of "MB", while on proper course.

The finish line will be between MB buoy and a point approximately 130 feet westward from the buoy on a line extending from the breakwater light through MB buoy. If fog obscures the light, finish on a line perpendicular to "MB" within 130' of "MB" while on proper course. Don't forget to log your time.

Time Limit

If no boat has finished within 5 hours of the first start, the race is abandoned. Any boats finishing later than 8 PM will be scored as DNF. (This amends rule 35 part 3.)

Scoring

The Low Point Scoring System of Appendix A of the Racing Rules will apply. There will be no throw-outs in regatta or series scoring. If a regatta is part of a series, all individual races will be used in scoring the series (this amends Section A2). Series races will be considered to last longer than a regatta and thus rule A9 will be applied.

Protests

Protests and requests for redress must be filed with the PRO in writing on the form provided by the club within one hour of the finish of the last boat in the last race of the day. The PRO must be hailed immediately concerning your intent to file a protest upon finishing the race in which the incident occurred. (This amends rule 61.3 part 5.)

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General Instructions for MBYC Bay Races

including Regattas (single or consecutive days of racing)
and Series (races composed of multiple regattas)

MBYC is the organizing authority

Rules

All races will be governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008 (hereafter referred to as �Racing Rules�) published by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), along with its U.S. sailing prescriptions and class rules. Bay races will be arbitrary unless two or more boats of the same design are racing (a �match� is two boats of the same design; a �class� is three or more boats of the same design). Class and/or match races will have separate starting times. Match rules of racing will be changed by Appendix C of the Racing Rules. Each day's races shall consist of three races unless reduced by the Pro or the racing instructions.

Handicaps

If the regatta, series, or class has been designated as arbitrary, the 2006 table of North American Portsmouth Numbers (D-PN) for centerboard classes shall be used.

Notices to Competitors and Changes to Race Instructions

Any changes to written racing instructions or notices to competitors shall be posted on the official notice board located on the lower deck of MBYC no later than 20 minutes before the first warning signal of the first class to race each day or verbally by hailing each boat and receiving acknowledgement prior to her warning signal.

Courses and Marks

The course(s) will be posted on the official notice board before the skippers� meeting is over but no later than one hour and fifteen minutes before the first race start. A general location and description of all marks is attached as a part of these instructions. When a race is shortened, the finish line will be marked by the committee boat (safety boat) and the next mark.

Starting Sequence and Order of Starts

The warning signals (flag raise and horn sound) for the first race of each day will occur at 11:00 a.m. Multiple (four) horn blasts will be sounded one minute before the first warning signals of each race (10:59 a.m.). The first race will begin at 11:05 a.m.

Time Limit

The time limit for individual races will be 2 hours for the first boat to finish. Any boats finishing later than 30 minutes after the first boat will be scored as DNF. (This amends rule 35 part 3.)

Start/Finish Line

The start line will be between an orange flag mounted on top of a white MBYC guest-mooring buoy located west of MBYC and the mast on the upper level of MBYC. The finish line will be between mark number 14 and the mast on the upper level of MBYC.

Safety

Life jackets are required to be worn at all times when on the water. Whenever the wind reaches 20 knots or gusts to 23 knots, the PRO should consider abandoning racing if boats smaller than Day Sailers are competing. Channel 9 will be used for communications between the safety boats and deck crew.

Scoring

The Low Point Scoring System of Appendix A of the Racing Rules will apply. There will be no throw-outs in regatta or series scoring except when a competitor in a series serves as PRO in a single regatta in that series, he or she is entitled to substitute the average of his/her scores for all races completed in that series for any race(s) missed while serving as PRO. If a regatta is part of a series, all individual race scores will be used in scoring the series. Section A8 will be used when scoring both regattas and series when multiple races are completed. (This amends Section A2.)

Race Signals

Any of the race signals as shown on the back cover of the racing rules may be used when applicable.

Protests

Protests and requests for redress must be filed with the RC in writing on the form provided by the RC within one hour of the finish of the last boat in the last race of the day. The RC must be hailed immediately concerning your intent to file a protest upon finishing the race in which the incident occurred if the racing rules do not require the flying of a protest flag. (This amends rule 61.3 part 5.)

Trophies for Regattas and Series

At the discretion of the organizing authority, trophies will be awarded as follows:

1^st place trophy��if 2 or more boats compete

1^st and 2^nd place trophies��if 3 or more boats compete

1^st, 2^nd , and 3^rd place trophies�� if 5 or more boats compete

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Starting Sequence and Flags Normally Used

5 Minutes before start� Class Flag UP 1 Sound	4 Minutes before start Preparatory UP 1 Sound	1 Minute before start Preparatory DOWN 1 Long Sound	0 Minutes (START) Class Flag DOWN 1 Sound



Individual Recall 1 Sound Up� No Sound Down	Total Recall �2 Sounds Up 1 Sound Down	Postponement 2 Sounds Up 1 Sound Down	Abandonment 3 Sounds Up 1 Sound Down

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