Presidio Yacht Club (PYC) Racing Instructions

The International Sailing Federation 2009-2012 Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) as amended by the 2009-2012 U.S. Sailing (USS) Prescriptions and the Standing Sailing Instructions of the Yacht Racing Association of the San Francisco Bay Area (YRA) are the base rules for all races. In addition, the following apply:

An entry fee of $5 is required from boats sailed by skippers who are not PYC members. Boats skippered by PYC members do not pay an entry fee.

Course will be announced at the skipper's meeting. There is no prior notice of the course. Race delays for weather or other reasons will also be announced at the skipper's meeting. No flags will be used to signal delays or changes. If the race is delayed or canceled after the skipper's meeting, the race committee will make a broadcast announcement on marine radio.

All boats will monitor marine channel 71. This is the channel the race committee will be using. (Boats must also monitor channel 16 while on the bay as required by law.)

All crewmembers must wear personal flotation devices (PFDs) at all times while under way. The Yankee flag will not be displayed.

Spinnakers may not be used.

The Northern California Performance Handicap Rating Factor (NCPHRF) will be used to handicap all races.

Racers are reminded to read YRA rule 2.0. Always remember “Safety First”. Do not race so aggressively that you create a dangerous situation.

Racers are also reminded to read YRA rule 1.0. Remember that racers do not have priority on the bay and the Unified Inland Rules apply equally to all boats.

Skippers are required to ensure their boat is seaworthy and have all the equipment required to meet United States Coast Guard regulations. (See also YRA rule 2.1.) Each skipper is expected to inspect the boat and all safety equipment, including individual PFDs, prior to getting under way.

Racers are reminded to read YRA rule 3.0. Skippers are ultimately responsible for deciding whither or not to start a race or continue racing based on conditions.

Timing will be based on the U.S. Naval Observatory Master Clock Voice Announcer (1-719-567-6742) corrected for timezone.

Any boat that starts early must clear the opening of Horseshoe Cove, wait for all of the other division boats to pass, return to the starting line, and recross to start. Note, this will create a substantial time penalty!

The start and finish line is a straight line drawn from the racing committee flag pole on the breakwater to the dolphin (three wood pylons) southeast of the Coast Guard dock and northeast of the fishing pier.

The time limit for all races will be twenty minutes after the third boat crosses the finish line, but in no case over four hours. After the time limit, any boat not yet across the finish line will be listed as “did not finish”.

The RRS and USS protest systems will not used. Instead, any skipper desiring to make a protest will do so by notifying the racing committee in person as soon as possible after the end of the race.

Time line for all races (Pacific Time):
11:00 Mandatory Skipper's Meeting
12:00 Start for Division 1, Corrected NCPHRF 214 and above.
12:10 Start for Division 2, Corrected NCPHRF 174 to 213.
12:20 Start for Division 3, Corrected NCPHRF 173 and below.
Note: the racing committee may move boats from one division to another during the skipper's meeting. This move does not affect the boat's handicap.

Useful Information:

Presidio Yacht Club Racing Entry Form
FORM

International Sailing Federation, The Racing Rules of Sailing for 2009–2012
http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/RRS20092012with2010changes-[8222].pdf

2009-2012 US Sailing Prescriptions
http://www.ussailing.org/rules/documents/2009-2012%20Prescriptions%20FINAL_CLN.pdf

Sailing Instructions for the Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay
http://www.yra.org/racing/docs/yra_standing_sailing_instructions.pdf

Northern California Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (NCPHRF)
http://www.yra.org/PHRF/docs/ncphrf_baserates.pdf

YRA Chartlet of the Central Bay
http://www.yra.org/racing/docs/central_bay.pdf

YRA Description of Marks:

• A – Yellow sphere “A” Outer Buoy St. Francis Yacht Club
• K – Temp YC Buoy 0.3 nm West of YRA04 in line with YRA 12
• N – Daymark “2” Fl R on channel East of Sausalito
• L – Temp YC Buoy 0.31 nm West of Windmill in line with YRA 04
• X – Yellow/Blue sphere “X” Golden Gate Yacht Club
• 2 – Alcatraz Island
• 4 – R “2” Fl 4s Pt Knox
• 5 – Temp YC Buoy Approx. 0.6 nm SW of Alcatraz
• 6 – Yellow Sphere “M” 200 yd North of Ft Mason Docks
• 7 – R “2” Fl 6s nm Northwest of Treasure Island
• 8 – R “4” Fl 4s Horn 1 nm East of Point Blunt
• 10 – Temp YC Buoy approx 0.6 nm ESE of West end Berkeley Pier ruins
• 12 – G “1” Fl G4s, Little Harding Rock
• 13 – Crissy Field Buoy
• 15 – Approx. 0.5 nm East of Yellow Bluff (Sausalito vicinity)
• 16 – Yellow Cylinder “C” 0.2 nm East of Ft Point - “Blackaller”
• 17 – RG “HR” Fl (2+1) R Harding Rock
• 18 – RG “BR” Fl (2+1)G6s Bell, Blossom Rock
• 21 – G “1” Fl G6s Approx. 0.65 nm NE of Alcatraz