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- The purpose of the Race Committee (RC) is to conduct sailing races in accordance
with the "Vancouver Lake Sailing Club Racing Guidelines" and "The Racing Rules of Sailing".
- To manage the RC, VLSC uses a Primary Race Official (PRO) who is responsible for:
- Contacting the RC volunteers to confirm their assignment.
- Coordinating the actions of the RC during the race day.
- Notifying racers of any changes to race instructions.
- Ensuring that all race equipment is used properly and stored after
the races.
- Documenting the race result data on the race information forms.
- The Race Committee is responsible for:
- Setting up and taking down the race-course.
- Conducting the race using defined race signals and rules.
- Scoring the race for all eligible competitors.
- Ensuring safety for the race and responding to boaters in distress.
- On the day of the race, the members of the RC should arrive at the club
at least one hour prior to the start and prepare the course and display the "AP" flag at the predetermined start
time.
- In preparing the course, the RC sets the race buoy's to
provide a fair race in the existing conditions, using the recommended race course variations, and sets a starting line of at least 100 feet long which is perpendicular
to the first windward mark, using the orange flag to represent the boat end of line. The race-course sequence shall be posted on the course board of the committee boat, facing away from the starting line,
prior to the race warning signal.
- The committee boat shall be anchored at the starboard or port end of
the start and finish line and act as a mark of the course. At the discretion of the RC, a limit mark
may be set on the line to prevent race boats from getting too close during the start or finish of a race.
- Unless otherwise notified, the flag sequence will be controlled using the orange timer control box.
The timer control box has two switches: one activates a single horn blast,
the other switch initiates an automated 4-minute starting sequence.
When the race-sequence switch is activated, the 15-second pre-start audio alerts will begin immediately, as follows:
- 5 quiet beeps
- 5 LOUD horn blasts
- 5 quiet beeps
- 1 LOUD horn blast
Pre-race time sequence:
- 5 minutes before start - drop red and white "AP" flag if one is being used by RC
- 4 minutes before start - With the last single horn blast at the end of pre-start audio alerts, hoist class flag for the fleet that will start next
- 3 minutes before start - hoist blue and white "P" flag (with the horn blast)
- 1 minute before start - drop blue and white "P" flag (with the horn blast)
- At the start - drop class flag (with the horn blast)
- The RC shall make note of any boats on the course side (OCS) "over early" at the start, between the orange flag and the start mark.
If there are not OCS boats, the RC should hail "all clear!".
If there are OCS boats, the RC shall immediately hoist the blue and white "X" flag (individual recall) for individual OCS boat(s)
accompanied by a single horn, using the horn switch on the timer control box, hailing all OCS sail numbers
In the event the OCS are too numerous or the committee cannot individually identify all the OCS boats, then
the RC shall immediately hoist the blue and yellow "general recall" flag
accompanied by 2 horn blasts using the horn switch on the timer control box.
- As boats finish the race, the RC records the finish position of each boat in the Race Results Notebook.
For PHRF or other mixed fleets (white fleet),
the elapsed time from their start to finish should also be recorded for each boat.
As boats finish, any protest flags should be acknowledged and recorded.
- If the RC leaves the start/finish line during a race, a mark shall be
left on the boat anchor line to be a mark of the course in place of the committee boat.
In this event, each boat finishing shall note their finish position, and then notify the RC at their next opportunity, or back on shore.
- If the RC has need to communicate with the racers, such as making changes to the course or sailing instructions, the RC will
hoist the black and yellow "Come within Hail" flag and activate a single horn blast using the timer control box switch.
- The normal steps to running a race:
- Launch the RC boat with race equipment on board - including flags, timer control box, and Race Results Notebook.
- Set up the race-course and start/finish line - using the solid orange flag to represent the boat end of line.
- Post the mark and fleet sequence for the race on the race course board, facing away from the start line.
- Write down sail numbers and types of boats competing on the Race Log Form.
- Hoist "AP" flag before start and drop 5 minutes before start. (1 short horn blast).
- Run through flag sequence to start races. (see above).
- For each start, record the start time on the Race Log Form, and record all uncleared OCS boats.
- Record finish position of each boat crossing the finish line, and record each boat's finish time for mixed fleets (PHRF, etc.).
- Run the next race or take down race-course if finished.
- Put the RC boat away and store the race equipment.
- Record a day of Race Committee assignment in the club Work Hours Log Book.
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