HISF Sailing Instructions - 2012

General Sailing Instructions

1. Rules: The current edition of the Racing Rules for Sailing, the prescriptions of the
US Sailing Association, and these Sailing Instructions will govern the races
unless otherwise noted by special sailing instructions.

2. Entries:

2.1. Competition: Competition is open to all HISF registered sailboats that meet the standard sail
and equipment specifications and the special regulations governing minimum
equipment and accommodation standards of category 6P as required by PHRF of the
Chesapeake, unless otherwise noted as to category in a special HISF Sailing
Instruction, or unless waived as to equipment or accommodation by the HISF Board of Appeals
upon application by a skipper because of undue hardship.

2.2. Competitors: Competitors must be a HISF member or registered guest to enter a sailboat
in one or more of the HISF racing classes. Competitors may enter by completing a registration
form with the Herring Island Sailing Fleet. (Fee schedule provided on membership form.)

2.2.a. RACING CLASS is designated for PHRF (or equivalent) sailboats.

2.2.b. JAM - Jib and Main Racing Class - The intent of the JAM races is to
provide PHRF style boats a format for more casual racing. Jib and mainsails only are permitted,
and special racing formats are included, including "Lemans Start" and "Pursuit" formats.

2.3. Handicaps: are taken from certificates issued by PHRF of the Chesapeake, or if
not available, PHRF handicaps in other regions will be averaged to provide one. If none
are recorded, the Barracuda will assign a handicap. If a competitor is not satisfied with the assigned
handicap, a PHRF certificate must be supplied.

2.4. Safety. It is the responsibility of the skipper to assure the safety of his/her boat and crew.
HISF generally will not start races in conditions which would jeopardize either, but conditions
change in this area. It is a strong recomendation that boats with one or two persons aboard
wear personal flotation devices, and it is also suggested that participants in boats without lifelines
wear personal flotation devices.

3. Notices to Competitors:

3.1. Notices of any changes to these sailing instructions or instructions for the
special races will be communicated by email to all members not less than 24 hours
before the race.

3.2. For notice of whether a race has been cancelled due to weather or any other
reason, call the RACE COMMITTEE at 847.772.1439 prior to the race.

4. Schedule of Races:

4.1. Series Races. There are four RACING CLASS series per year: Spring, Summer,
Fall and Frostbite series. The schedule is distributed to all members and is available on the
HISF website. Starting times are 12 noon unless other wise noted. Racing Class Series are
held on Saturdays.

4.2. JAM Races. There are five JAM races held each year on Friday evenings or
Sundays. Some special formats included in JAM include the LeMans start and Pursuit
start races. (JAM races will start in the vicinity of Miles River mark Green "5" Daymark near
Leeds Creek.)

4.3. Special Races.

4.3.a Herring Run Regatta. This race is officiated by the Miles River Yacht Club Sail
Committee - with special sailing instructions and trophies. It's starting time is 11:00 AM in the vicinity of
Herring Island Mark "E". It is run under Herring Island rules with a single class and adjustments for spinnaker/crusing spinnaker selection.

4.3.b Long Distance Race. May be run using one of the longer courses from the Herring
Island courses, or may use the Annapolis to St. Michaels race (held over Memorial Day weekend).
If an entrant does not want to be scored as a Herring Island series entrant, he/she must notify the
Herring Island Shark prior to the race.

4.3.c Cruise Race. A Cruise Race is customarily scheduled in the summer or fall.
It is not part of any series. Boats race to a destination (generally
on the western shore) on Saturday, raft-up on Saturday night, and cruise or
race back to St. Michaels on Sunday. There are special instructions communicated to
the membership. This race is run under JAM rules.

5.0. Racing Area. The racing area is as shown on course sheets distributed to all
members, or down loaded from the HISF web site. Herring Island Mark "A" is the rendezvous for all
races unless otherwise specified.

6.0 RACING CLASS SERIES Sail Limitations.

6.1.Sail Specification. The standard sail specifications and definitions of PHRF of the
Chesapeake shall apply. Provision is made for competitors to race with or without
spinnakers, with handicap adjustments, as defined in 15.1. Only one head sail may be
flown while racing in any class except for cutter rigs flying headsails in a normal configuration.
Two headsails may be flown during a sail change, which must be completed in a
seaman-like manner.

6.2. Class Selection: For any RACING CLASS race, a boat may elect to
compete in a Non-Spinnaker or an Asymmetrical Spinnaker configuration, by hailing the
committee boat prior to the 10-minute alert, and clearly displaying a dark blue flag or
a yellow flag, respectively, during the race. Asymmetrical Spinnakers and/or Gennakers
must be tacked to the bow to receive this credit. The flag must be large enough to be
readily seen by the Race Committee and other competitors. It must be flown throughout the
race on the backstay or on any boom that overhangs the stern.

7. The Course: A course number will be displayed on the committee boat prior to the
Warning Signal. The course is selected from the list of numbered courses distributed to
all members, unless special race instructions showing the course have been distributed.
Marks “A”, “B”, and “C” shall always be passed on the channel side.

8. The Start: There is a single start for all classes unless noted by special sailing
instructions.

8.1. Starting Line: The starting line will be between the orange flag on the
committee boat and a goverment mark.

8.2. Timing: Races will be started according to Rule 26, with the modification that the
committee boat will fly code flag “F” and sound a horn or gun as an ALERT, or PRE
WARNING, 10 minutes before the start.
Races will be started as follows:

STARTING SIGNALS:	TIME	Flag	SOUND*
Pre warning	10 min	“F” flag up	1
Warning	5 min.	“F” flag removed CLASS FLAG (HISF BURGEE) Up	1
Preparatory	4 min.	“P” FLAG* Up ,(I, Z, Z with I,) or black flag	1
One-minute	1 min.	“P” FLAG removed	1 Long
Start	0 Min.	Class FLAG removed	1

“F” Flag is white with a Red Diamond
“P” Flag is white with a blue border
*Gun or horn sounded at this time

9. Shortened Course: Boats will be alerted for a shortened course. Shortened course
is signified by the committee boat flying code flag “S”,(Blue flag with wide white
border) proceeding up the course and anchoring to establish a finishing line in
accordance with Instruction 11. The committee boat SHALL hail competitors and/or
announce the change on VHF Channel 11 when practical.

10. Twice Around:

10.1. Signal: The race committee may signal that a course is to be sailed twice around
by the following:
(a) Flying code flag “R”(Red with yellow cross);
(b) Two blasts from the horn or gun, repeated as necessary;
(c) Notifying competing boats by hail and on Channel 11 broadcast.

10.2. Second Lap: If the committee boat has remained on station, boats shall begin
the second lap by crossing the starting line in the same direction as they did when
starting. If the committee boat is not on station, boats shall pass the starting mark on
the same side as when starting.

11. The Finish: The finish line will be between an orange flag on the committee boat
and:
(a) the starting mark, or
(b) any mark of the course in the direction of the course from the last mark, or
(c) a line of adequate length, (90) degrees to the direction of the leg on which the course
is being shortened. If possible, a "drop" mark shall be used to identify the "pin" end of
the line and competitors shall be notified by radio.

12. Time Limit: Three and a half (3 ½) hours. Boats finishing more than 60 minutes
after the first boat finishes, or more than 3 ½ hours after the start, whichever is later,
will be scored “Did Not Finish” (DNF).

13. Protests:

13.1. Procedure: The protesting boat shall fly a red protest flag through the
completion of the race and inform the race committee via hail or VHF Channel 11, and
shall obtain an acknowledgment from the committee. A complete written protest shall
be delivered or e-mailed to the Red Herring, copy to the Head Herring on the day of
the race. A protest hearing will be scheduled by the Red Herring. The Red Herring may
also call a hearing under section 69.1 of the Racing Rules.

13.2. Protest Committee: The Red Herring may choose any two disinterested sailors
to join him/her to form the protest committee. As most members are racers, this shall
not constitute a conflict of interest. The decision of the Red Herring or the protest
committee may be appealed to the appeal board within 7 days of its decision by
delivering or e-mailing a notice of appeal to the Head Herring.

13.3. Appeals: The appeal board will be a group of not less than three members
appointed by the Head Herring. Their decision will be final.

14. Penalties:

14.1. HISF uses the Two Turns penalty turn to clear a rule penalty. A protested
competitor may exonerate him/herself by promptly completing two complete turns, in
the same direction, each turn each consisting of a tack and a gibe, except when there
is injury or serious damage, then the competitor shall retire. Hitting a mark of the course
shall require a one turn penalty.

14.2. Penalty without hearing: At any time before a protest hearing has been
scheduled, if an infringing boat (which has not performed a two turns penalty),
acknowledges its infringement, its penalty will be the greater of 20 percent of the boats
which started the race (all fractions rounded up) or three (3) places.

14.3 Penalty after hearing: If the infringing boat does not acknowledge its
infringement and if found to be at fault in a subsequent hearing, its penalty will be the
greater of 30 percent of the boats which started the race (all fractions rounded up) or
five (5) places.
.
14.4 Boat Collisions: If a boat is found by the protest committee to be involved in,
and at fault, in a collision causing injury or serious damage, it shall be disqualified from
that race. Such disqualification shall not be excluded under 15.3.

14.5. Outside Help: A boat receiving outside help, either from another competitor or
any other boat for safety purposes, such as a crew member falling off the boat or leaving
the boat which appears to be sinking, will not be penalized. This changes Rule 41(a).
Rule 41(a) now reads "help for a crew member who is ill, injured, or in danger". (Note
that the boat must still pick up the crew at or behind where they fell off so they do not break
Rule 47.2).

15. Scoring:

15.1. The Time on Distance (TOD) method will be applied. Each boat’s elapsed
time is computed according to its PHRF rating taking into account the total distance of
the race.

15.2. Class Selection. For scoring purposes, a boat in any RACING CLASS race
choosing to race Non-Spinnaker and upon signaling the race committee accordingly,
shall receive an increase in its PHRF rating of 15%. Any boat choosing to race
Asymmetrical Spinnaker and signaling accordingly, shall receive a rating increase of 7.5%.
There is no adjustment if all competitiors are sailing in Non Spinnaker configuration.

15.3. Racing Class and JAM Series Throw outs:
(a) 3 races are required to be completed to constitute a series (two in frostbite);
(b) When fewer than 4 races have been completed, a boat’s
Series score will be the total of her race scores;
(c) When more than 3 races have been completed, a boat’s
Series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her
Worst score;
(d) All efforts will be made to make up and complete each race
scheduled for the series.

15.4. Committee Boat: Any boat acting as committee boat will be awarded points
corresponding to its total points for the series (prior to the throw-out), divided by the
number of races in the series. A boat will be awarded committee boat
points only once in each series.

15.5. Points: Low point scoring will be used. The winning boat will be awarded one
point, second will get two points, and so forth. DNS, DSQ and DNF boats will receive
one point more than the number of boats in that race. DNC boats will receive one point
more than the number of boats in the series.

16. Communications: Boats should be equipped to communicate with the race committee
via VHF Channel 11.

17. Awards and Trophies.

17.1. Series Awards: Prizes will be given to the first three boats in each RACING CLASS
series, based on the points earned in each series.

17.1.a. JAM Awards. The JAM class follows the above.

17.2. The Hugh Kabler Inka Cup Award: Season Awards are given to the first three boats based
on their overall positons in the Spring, Summer and Fall series. The Hugh Kabler Inka Cup is
awarded to the season winner.

17.3. Gordon Miles Past Commodores Perpetual Trophy: This trophy is
awarded annually to best performance in all the RACING CLASS regular races (excluding Frostbite)
races, based on the greatest number of first places in all the RACING CLASS events.
A tie will be decided by comparing the number of second place finishes,
third place finishes, and so on.

17.4. Douglas Abbott Sr. Perpetual Trophy: This trophy is to be awarded annually
to best overall performance based on points earned in the JAM series.

17.5. Yachtsman of the Year Award: This trophy is to be awarded annually to a
member who has demonstrated great sportsmanship and exceptional contribution to
HISF during the year.

17.6. Frye Memorial Trophy: Jack Cane donated this trophy to HISF in honor of the
late Jack Frye an avid sailor, a former Head Herring, and tireless friend of all sailors. It
is awarded to the fastest boat of the season in the regular races (excluding Frostbite).
The fastest boat is the boat, which finishes first across the line more often than any other
boat, regardless of handicap. A tie will be decided by comparing the finishing time margins
of each first-to-finish boat over the next-to-finish boat for each race.

17.7. Special Race Prizes: Prizes will be awarded to the first three boats in each of
the following "special" races:
- Herring Run Regatta. The MRYC Sail Committee awards special trophies for the
Herring Run for each PHRF class represented in the race, which could include class A, B, C
and non-spinnaker.
- Night Race.
- Long Distance Race. In 2011, The Long Distance Race competitors could be earning
trophies from MRYC in PHRF classes and be eligible for HISF trophies as well.
- Cruise Race.

17.8. Earle Pierce Bassett Memorial Trophy: This trophy is awarded to
1st place in the Long Distance Race.

17.9 Other Prizes: Other trophies or awards may be awarded by the HISF
officers at any time.. All prizes and trophies will be presented at the annual awards
dinner.