Hello all,

This Saturday and Sunday at Redhouse we race for the Bailey Southwell and Island Cup.

With a moderate SE breeze forecast and a good high tide the racing this weekend is going to be good for all sailors.

The Bailey Southwell Trophy Race is this Saturday afternoon with a scheduled start time of 2.00pm. This is a pursuit start (same as what we had for the Max Lippstreu trophy) where the head start you are awarded depends entirely on your personal handicap.

There will be a compulsory skippers briefing at 13h30 for all sailors on Saturday so please be certain to time your arrival at the Club to allow plenty of time to rig your boat and get ready for the race before the skippers briefing.

The winner of the Bailey Southwell takes home the prestigious and historic Southern Cross Trophy so this is one race not to be missed!

The Island Cup on Sunday also enjoys a 2.00pm start time and it too is a pursuit race. As with the Bailey Southwell the Island cup is to the Motherwell bridge and back again except that it also includes a specific course around the islands prior to the home run.

Due to the complexity of the course for this race there will also be a compulsory skippers briefing ahead of the start at 13h30.

Sailing School - There will be a full session of sailing school this Sunday for both junior and seniors. All sailors desiring instruction are ask to please be at the Club by 9h30 and have their boats rigged and ready so coach Steve and his assistants may start the training 10h00 sharp.

The 2010 East Cape Interschool Regatta is to be sailed at RYC on 13 & 14 March. This year we celebrate the 34th Interschool Regatta and by all indications it is going to be one the biggest and best ever!

There will be no organised club sailing the weekend on the interschool regatta but all members are asked to please make themselves available for duty one or more mornings / afternoons that weekend. We are still needing volunteers for galley duty, bar duty and admin. If you are able to volunteer (before I volunteer you on your behalf) please let me, Di or Esme' know at the club this weekend.

Any members able to sponsor small items such as dohnuts, pies, coldrinks, etc.. for the sailors are also asked to please let me know what they can sponsor this weekend.

So that you may prepare for the skippers briefings ahead of time Frank Collier has drafted the following brief but important technical summary pertaining the two races this weekend:-

The races to the Islands are always sailed on an incoming and very full tide. Typically, we look for a high water height of 1.95m to 2.00m. Channel marks are laid at low tide and if the fleet sticks to the channel there is not much chance of going aground.

Skippers Meeting

There will be a meeting lasting no more than ten minutes starting half an hour before the scheduled start, at which the course and starting procedure will be explained, and the final handicaps and starting times disclosed. Boats will start launching immediately after the meeting.

Starting Procedure for Both Races

These races are pursuit starts (i.e. beginners start first, “stars” start last, first boat home wins the trophy) and the starting procedure is as follows:

• Competitors MUST launch and proceed up-river of the Start Line (2) BY at least ten minutes before the first start e.g. if the race starts at 15h00, you must be well above the start line by 14h50. the reason for this is that the Bridge need a clear view of the water down-stream of the Start Line in case boats are over the line at the start;
• NOTE: Any boat seen downstream of the Start Line after the five minute signal will be disqualified.
• At 5 minutes to the first start, the Laser Class (J) flag will be hoisted, with a short sound signal.
• At 4 minutes to the first start, the Blue Peter (P) will be hoisted, with a short sound signal.
• At 1 minute to the first start, the Blue Peter will be dropped, with a long sound signal.
• At the first start, the J flag will be dropped, a GREEN flag will be hoisted with a short sound signal. The first group of boats start racing.
• At this point, the Bridge Captain will decide if a boat needs to be recalled; if so, the Recall flag will be hoisted, with a short sound signal. The Bridge Crew will note whether or not an offender returns to restart correctly; if not, the offender will be disqualified. There will be no General Recall.
• 30 seconds after the start, the GREEN flag will be dropped.
• 1 minute after the start, the GREEN flag will be hoisted, with a short sound signal, signaling the second start. The Recall flag will be hoisted as described above, if necessary.
• This process (i.e. the previous two steps) will be repeated until all boats have started.
• There will be no numbers displayed. It is the responsibility of skippers to determine their start times according to the list of handicaps displayed on the Club Notice Board, and to synchronize their watches with Bridge Clock.
  
  

Handicaps

Handicaps are set according to individual past results, adjusted to the state of wind and tide on the day, and taking into account the length of the course. Handicaps are subject to the sole jurisdiction of the Hon. Handicapper.

Fleets & Course(s)     

A Fleet – Laser, RS Vision, RS Vareo, RS Feva, Finn, Sprog, Dolphin, Hobie 14 Turbo, Xtra
B Fleet  -  Gypsy, Mirror
Junior Fleet – Optimist, RS Tera       

Bailey Southwell Trophy (A / B Fleet)

The course will follow channel markers – “G” at the end of Blackburn Reach at the entrance to the Islands (taken to starboard), “H” at the western end of the east-west channel (taken to port); the fleet then sails towards the Bridge and rounds “L” to port situated close to the bridge, then sails for home; there is no obligation to round the channel markers on the leg to Finish. First boat home in each of the designated class wins the trophy allocated to that class.

Bailey Southwell Trophy Junior Fleet

The Junior Fleet will sail to “G” at the end of Blackburn Reach at the entrance to the Islands (taken to starboard) and return to Finish.

Island Cup (A Fleet)

The course will follow channel markers – “G” at the end of Blackburn Reach at the entrance to the Islands (taken to starboard), “H” at the western end of the east-west channel (taken to port); the fleet then sails towards the Bridge where a triangular course will be sailed, as follows:

Round 1

• Round “K” (on the starboard bank heading downstream) to port;
• Round “L” (at the Bridge) to port;
• Round “M” (on the port bank heading downstream) to port;

Round 2

• Round “K” (on the starboard bank heading downstream) to port;
• Round “L” (at the Bridge) to port;
• Round “M” (on the port bank heading downstream) to port;

Round 3

• Round “K” (on the starboard bank heading downstream) to port;
• Round “L” (at the Bridge) to port;
• Round “M” (on the port bank heading downstream) to port;
• Round “K” to starboard;
• Sail to Finish;
• First boat home wins the Island Cup.

Island Cup (B Fleet)

As per A Fleet course, except that only Round 3 is completed.

Island Cup (Juniors)

The Junior Fleet will sail to “G” at the end of Blackburn Reach at the entrance to the Islands (taken to starboard) and return to Finish.

Now, if you have read Franks summary above then you will understand why both skippers briefings are compulsory and why you need to attend them and pay attention!

That's about all the news for this week so other than reminding you that racing starts at 14h00 on both Saturday and Sunday I wish you all a great weekend of sailing at Redhouse and look forward to you joining us on the water and racing this weekend.

Yours in sailing

PAUL PETTITT
Commodore
041 581-5394