The regatta will be governed by the current Racing Rules of Sailing.

Yachting Australia Special Regulations, Part 2, Off The Beach Boats will apply.

The Class Rules of the International Hobie Class Association (IHCA) will apply.

Racing rule 40 will be changed as follows:

Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located at the clubhouse.

Changes to the Sailing Instructions will be posted before 09:00 hours on the day they will take effect. Schedule changes will be posted by 20:00 hours on the day before they are to take effect.

There will be a sailors meeting at 0930 hours on Wednesday December 31st 2014. Other skippers’ meetings may be scheduled as required.

Competitors must be aware of other classes racing, and keep clear of boats racing when sailing to and from the course.

Signals made ashore will be displayed on the Flag pole in front of the clubhouse.

When flag AP is displayed ashore, ‘1 minute’ is replaced with ‘not less than 20 minutes’ in race signal AP.

Registration and Weigh-in:

30th December 2014

31st December 2014

Briefing:

31st December 2014

Dates of racing:

31st December 2014

1st January 2015

2nd January 2015

3rd January 2015

4th January 2015

Presentation of Trophies
The presentation night will be held at Koombana Bay Sailing Club at 1900 Sunday 4th of January 2015.

Racing may be back to back (max of 4 races) with a maximum of 16 races for the series.

When back-to-back races are to be held, the Race Committee Signals Vessel will display the Answering Pennant at the finish line. The warning signal for the next race will be made as soon as practicable after the finish of the preceding race.

On the last day of the regatta, no warning signal will be made after 16:00 hours.

All Hobie 16 Divisions

All other classes

Between the power-house groyne and the spit post marking the powerhouse intake pipe

Commercial Shipping: The Pilot will sound one long blast on the ships whistle to indicate to yachts that the ship is entering the channel. Yachts may NOT enter the shipping channel ahead of a ship in the channel and must leave two ship lengths astern of the ship before passing.

Boats that fail to comply with Instruction 7 are subject to protest by the Race Committee.

The International Hobie Cat Class Courses will be used as shown in Attachment A.

All marks, except gates are to be left to port.

When there is a gate, boats shall sail between the gate marks from the direction of the previous mark and round either gate mark.

The offset mark, if used, is defined as a mark located approximately 50 to 100 metres from the windward mark at right angles to the wind direction. It applies both at the beginning of downwind legs and at reaches.

Each race is to take approximately 45 minutes.

Marks A, B, will be large red buoys, marks C & G will be large inflatable yellow Day-Glo buoys. Mark O will be a small orange pimple buoy.

New marks, as provided in instruction 10.1, will be an orange buoy.

The starting and finishing line port end mark will be a white buoy with red flag.

A Race Committee boat signalling a change of course is a mark as provided in instruction 11.2.

Races will be started by using rule 26 with the warning signal given 5 minutes before the starting signal.

The starting line will be between a staff displaying an Orange flag on the Race Committee Signal Vessel at the starboard end and the port end start mark.

Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area.

A boat starting later than 4 minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start. This changes rule A4.2.

Start line obstruction: The start line shall rank as an obstruction for classes previously started while other classes are starting and in sequence until after the last class has successfully started.

Minimum wind conditions: No race will be started in under 5 knots of wind at all marks of the course as determined by the Race Committee.

To change the next leg of the course, the Race Committee will lay a new mark (or move the finishing line) and remove the original mark as soon as practicable. When in a subsequent change a new mark is replaced, it will be replaced by an original mark.

Except at a gate, boats shall pass between the Race Committee boat signalling the change of course and the nearby mark, leaving the mark to port and the Race Committee boat to starboard. This changes rule 28.1.

The finish line will be between a staff displaying an Orange flag on the Race Committee Signal Vessel and the finish mark.

Finish Line Obstruction: The finish line shall rank as an obstruction when a blue flag or shape is displayed on the Race Committee Signal Boat at the finish line.

Protest forms are available at the sailing office. Protests shall be delivered there within the protest time limit.

For each class, the protest time limit is 60 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 Protest Committee and to requests for redress.

Notices will be posted within 30 minutes of the protest time limit to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties. Hearings will be held in the Koombana Bay Sailing Club clubhouse beginning at the first reasonable opportunity after the completion of racing.

The Low Point scoring system of Appendix A4.1 of the Racing Rules of Sailing will be used.

1 race is required to be completed to constitute a series.

When fewer than 4 races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of its race scores.

When 4 to 11 races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score.

When 12 or more races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her two worst.

All boat weight, crew weight, and equipment violations will be scored Disqualification Not Excludable. Whenever possible, competitors should be warned of potential equipment violations on the beach before racing when observed by other competitors, the protest committee, or regatta officials.

The Low Point scoring system of Appendix A4.1 of the Racing Rules of Sailing will be used.

1 race is required to be completed to constitute a series.

When fewer than 4 races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of its race scores.

Crew substitution will not be allowed without prior written approval of the Race Committee under the provisions of General Class Rule 17

For substitution of sails, General Class Rule 12.3 applies.

Substitution of other damaged or lost equipment shall not be allowed unless approved by the Race Committee. Requests for substitution shall be made to the committee at the first reasonable opportunity.

It is the competitor's decision to enter an event or to start and continue in any race. Competitors shall accept that their participation in an event is at their exclusive risk in every respect. Attention is drawn to Fundamental Rule 4 – Decision to Race. The Organising Authority, and the respective host class association(s), their officers, members, servants and agents accept no liability in respect of loss of life, personal injury or loss or damage to property which may be sustained by reason of their participation or intended participation in an event or how so ever arising in connection with an event.

The sponsors, organising authority and their officers, members, servants and agents and all parties involved in the organisation and conduct of the regatta shall not be liable in respect of loss of life, personal injury or loss or damage howsoever caused which may occur whether ashore or afloat during or in conjunction with the regatta.

The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions do not limit or reduce the complete and unlimited responsibilities of each competitor for the management and care of a boat that he or she has entered in the regatta.

All boats competing shall have third party insurance cover of not less than AUD$5,000,000 or equivalent thereof in any other currency for any accident.

All owners/competitors who sign the Entry Form are deemed to have made a declaration that they hold such cover. Competitors may be required to produce evidence of such insurance and any competitor not holding this cover shall withdraw their entry. Adequate race insurance is also recommended for this event.

Race Committee boats shall rank as obstructions.

The Race Committee will not answer any questions on the water.

Any boat receiving ‘hands on’ assistance from a Race Committee boat will be scored Did Not Finish. The Race Committee may decide when a boat or crew needs assistance.

27.1 If wind, wave or water conditions make you doubtful of your ability to handle the conditions, retire from the race.

Before raising the mast and always whilst sailing, check for and avoid low overhead electrical power lines. If you see a power line, avoid it. A mast coming in contact or even near an electrical power line can cause serious injury or death to people on or touching the boat.

Advertising will be as defined by ISAF Regulation 20.

Boats shall be provided with, and required to display and maintain Hogs Breath stickers on port and starboard hulls, in a location acceptable to the organizing authority.