Herring Island Sailing Fleet – 2007   
General Sailing Instructions

(Click Here to Download General Sailing Instructions In Adobe PDF Format)

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.

2. Entries.

2.1. Competition is open to all 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 Appeals Board upon application by a skipper because of undue hardship.

2.2.  Competitors may participate in one or more of the HISF racing classes, which include:

1.  PHRF RACING CLASS - SPINNAKER
2.  PHRF RACING CLASS - NON-SPINNAKER

3.     JAM   RACING CLASS   - NON-SPINNAKER    The intent of the JAM races is to provide a format for Cruising sailors, Novice Sailors, as well as Racing Sailors, to sail and race together in a relaxed, non-aggressive, casual manner.  Jib and Min sails ONLY.  Spinnakers are prohibited.

2.3. Handicaps will be taken from certificates issued by PHRF, 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. Eligible boats may enter by completing registration with the Herring Island Sailing Fleet.  See www.hisf.org for form and fee.

2.5. It is suggested that participants in boats without lifelines wear personal floatation devices.

3. Notices to Competitors. Notices to competitors and any changes to the Sailing Instructions including instructions for the special races will be communicated to all members not less than seven (7) days prior to a scheduled race.

4. Schedule of Races.

4.1. Series Races. There are four PHRF racing class series per year; Spring, Summer, Fall, and a Frostbite series.  There are two JAM racing class series per year.  The schedule is distributed to all members and is available on the HISF website, www.hisf.org.  Starting times are 12 noon, unless otherwise noted.  HISF racing class races will be held on Saturdays, and JAM races will be held on Sundays unless otherwise noted.

4.2. Special Races. The special races include: THE HERRING RUN REGATTA, THE LONG DISTANCE RACE, THE NIGHT RACE, and the CRUISE RACE.

4.3. Cruise Race. An annual Cruise Race is customarily scheduled on a summer or fall weekend. The Cruise Race is not part of any series. Boats race to a destination (usually on the western shore), raft-up on Saturday night near the destination, and cruise or race back to St. Michaels on Sunday.  Dates and course will be communicated to all members by Special Sailing Instructions. This race is declared as ‘non-spinnaker’.

5. Racing Area. The racing area is as shown on course sheets distributed to all members, or down loaded from the HISF web site.  Mark “X” is the rendezvous for all races.

6. Spinnaker class, Non-spinnaker class, JAM Races

6.1. Spinnaker and Non–Spinnaker limitations; Single Headsails; Prohibitions: The standard sail specifications and definitions of  PHRF of the Chesapeake shall apply. The use of spinnakers, whether symmetrical, asymmetrical, or cruising, or gennakers is prohibited in the non-spinnaker class , and JAM races .Only one (1) headsail may be used at a time while racing in any class except for cutter rigs flying headsails in the normal configuration. Two (2) headsails may be flown during a sail change, which must be completed in a seaman-like manner.

6.2. Class Selection. For any rac in any series, a boat may elect to compete in the HISF Non-Spinnaker Class, by hailing the committee boat prior to the 10-minute alert, and shall clearly display a dark blue flag during the race.  The flag must be large enough to be readily seen by other competitors and the race committee and flown throughout the race at the stern on the backstay or on the end of any boom that overhangs the stern.  Ribbons and articles of clothig may not be substituted.  The committee boat should have blue flags available for emergency use.

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.    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 the starting mark. The starting mark will be a Club 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:

* "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”, 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 one or more of the following:
     (a) Flying code flag “R” (Red with Yellow cross) along with the “Class” and ‘P” flags;
     (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, or (c) a line 50 yards in length, ninety (90) degrees left of the direction of the leg on which the course is being shortened.

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 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 complete the protest committee. As most members are racers, this shall not constitute a conflict of interest. The decision of 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 720-degree turn to clear a penalty. A protested competitor may exonerate him/herself by completing two complete turns, each consisting of a tack and jibe.

14.2. Penalty without hearing. At any time before a protest hearing has been scheduled, if an infringing boat (which has not performed a 720 degree turn), 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 teh 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 disqualifications shall not be excluded under section 15.2.

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. Series Throw-outs and Scoring. 

    (a) Three races are required to be completed to constitute a series.

    (b) When fewer than four races have been completed, a boat's Series score will be the total of         the boat's race scores.

    (c) When more than three races have been completed, a boat's Series score will be the total         of the boat's score excluding the worst (highest) score.

    (d) All efforts will be made to make up and complete each race scheduled for the series.

15.3. 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, plus one point. A boat will be awarded committee boat points only once in each series.

15.4. 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 so equipped may 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 PHRF racing class for the series, based on the points earned in each series.  There must be three or more boats competing in the series in each class for a 1st place Trophy, five or more boats are required for a 2nd place trophy and seven or more boats are required for a 3rd place trophy.  Previous year series winners, except JAM Class, (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) and the current year series winners are not eligible for JAM trophies in the current year.

17.2. Season Award. The Season Trophy is awarded to the first three boats based on the points earned overall in the Spring, Summer, and Fall series.

17.3 Gordon Miles Past Commodore Perpetual Trophy. This trophy is to be awarded annually to best overall performance  in the racing series.

17.4 Douglas Abbott Sr. Perpetual Trophy. This trophy is to be awarded annually to best overall performance 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 effort 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. 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, Bloody Point Night Race, Long Distance Race, and Cruise Race.

17.8.  Earle Pierce Bassett Memorial Trophy. This trophy is to awarded to

1^st place in the Long Distace 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.