Race Team Checklist & Guidance on Race Duties 2025

On the day

• All members of the duty team must check that they have the equipment and information they need to perform the duty. Re-read the detailed notes for race duties as a refresher.
• Everyone leaves for the club in good time – it’s best to get there early.
• Patrol boat crews:
  • Ensure you are properly dressed
    • Remember that at least one of the patrol boat crew in each boat should be dressed for the possibility of having to enter the water.
  • Prepare the 2 patrol boats / RIB for launch
    • Make sure they are fully
    • for your duty and the weatherequipped and fuelled
    • Ensure the engines are securely fixed
  • Launch the boats using the winch
  • Ensure the engines are running properly
  • Confirm the radios are working
  • Be afloat at least 15 minutes before the first start
  • The OOD may ask you to check that the buoys are in the proper positions and to move them if necessary.
  • Make sure that both ends of the lake are patrolled and that the area between is observed by both patrol teams
  • Your main concern is people not boats
  • When assisting, at all costs avoid propeller contact with people and trailing ropes
• At the club, Duty OOD Organise duty team members to
  • Get the keys you need from the committee room:
    • Race hut
    • Clubhouse computer cabinet
    • Rescue shed
    • Petrol store
    • Course board
• Raise the large club flag on the race hut main mast
• In the race hut set up the computer and race clock(s) for race starts
• Sort out the flags you might need:
  • Class flags
  • Preparatory flag
  • Individual recall flag
  • General recall flag (hopefully you won’t need it)
  • U flag (you would only need it after a general recall)
  • Postponement flag AP (your best friend if things go wrong)
  • Shortened course flag
• Attach the flags to the halyards ready for the start sequence
• Open the clubhouse computer cabinet and set up the computer for the relevant race session.
• Check the wind direction and strength
• Set start and finish line (same line for both). Generally this should be an up wind start / finish line and ideally the start / finish line would be at right angles to the direction of the wind. This is not always possible but try to get it as near as possible.
• Ensure that the black and white start line pole is located in the correct position so that the transit from the race hut main mast through the start line pole is the same as the start line indicated on the course board.

Set a course

• • Usually this will be a standard course
  • If not, get agreement for the course from the Sailing Secretary or a Class Captain
  • Laps – Set number of laps so that the time taken by the leading boat will be approximately as shown in the table of information and start times in the programme. In normal winds leading boats will do a lap in around 15 minutes. If in doubt set more laps rather than less, it is always possible to shorten in accordance with SI 11.1
  • Comet, Topper, Heron, Mirror and other boats with PY more than 1190 at the discretion of the OOD will normally race one lap less than other classes only if there are two or more laps for a 45 minute race, or three or more laps for a 75 minute race. Optimists will normally race one less lap than Comet, Topper, Heron and Mirror again subject to OOD discretion.
• Mark up the course, start/finish line, number of laps and 10 minute signal times on the course board by the clubhouse entrance at least 20 minutes before the 10 minute signal of the first start (CSC SI 3.2 & SI 8).
• Suspend the course mark board located in the race hut on the railings in front of the race hut and slide in the mark letters, making sure you have the port (red) and starboard (green) colours the right way round, and the number of laps.
• CSC uses a 10-5-go for club series. 5-4-1 start sequence is used for other club non-series events (CSC SI 9.4 & 9.5).
• Always remember that if you are running late or you have a problem during the start sequence you can easily postpone the start until you are ready. That is better than having a disputed start.
  • To Postpone: Make two sound signals. Raise answering pennant ‘AP’ (red and white stripes).
    

    

  • To restart: Make one sound signal. Lower ‘AP’.
  • 1 minute later: make one sound signal, raise appropriate class flag as 10 minutes signal.

Running The Race

• Starting the race
  • Make sure that the race team know the sequence of raising and lowering the flags
  • It is vital that the flags are raised and lowered on time
  • Remember that the race starts on the flags – the sound signals are to bring the competitors attention to the flags
  • Watch for and record OCS (on course side – i.e. over the line) boats
  • Individual Recall: When you can identify all the boats over the line at the start then:
    • Sound a signal and raise Flag ‘X’.(Competitors will hear 2 signals including the start signal

• • • Tick-off early starters as they return and re-cross line.
    • Mark non-returning starters on race sheet as “OCS” (on course side), they are disqualified.
    • 4 minutes later, or once all OCS boats have re-crossed the start line; lower ‘X’ (prepare for next start).
    • As a courtesy, and if possible, call out the numbers of the OCS boats as soon as possible as Flag X has been raised and call each boat clear when it has properly re-crossed the line. Note that it is the duty of the OCS boat to know if they are OCS and so need to re-cross the line.
    • General Recall: If you cannot identify all the premature starters then: 2 sound signals and raise “First Substitute” (‘FS’). Thus competitors will hear 3 signals including the start signal.
  • 
• During the Race

  • Print off lap sheets immediately after the race has started. Strictly speaking these should not be printed until after the 5-minute signal for the race and may be all together after the race sequence, however it is the practice at CSC to do this after the start.

  • As each boat completes a lap, note times on lap sheets. A record of individual lap times is important in deciding if a race should be shortened and when to do so. (See SI 11.1 and notes on shortening, below). Furthermore, individual lap times may be needed to determine the results of boats not finishing within 30 minutes of the leading boat. (See SI 12.2 and notes on finishing, below)
  • If you have “lost” a boat, radio the patrol boats and check foreshore for retirements.
  • Check weather, wind and lap times. Continue to estimate finishing times for race leaders and tail-enders and consider need to shorten course (CSC SI 11.1 & 12.2).
• Shortening

  • Generally the leading boat in each class should race for approximately the time expected in the CSC Programme (CSC SI 11.1(a)).

  • After the leading boat has started its final lap, if it becomes apparent that some boats are unlikely to finish within 30 minutes of the leading boat, then consider shortening the course before such boats start their final lap (CSC SI 11.1 (b)).
  • You can also shorten the course to allow other scheduled races to be sailed, or for other reasons such as foul weather or insufficient wind (RRS 32.1)
  • Selective Shorten Course: for specific classes only, 2 sound signals, raise ‘S’ and the relevant class flag(s).
  • General Shorten Course: for all classes racing, 2 sound signals and raise ‘S’. (CSC SI 10.3)

• Finishing (CSC SI 10, 11, 12)
  • When finishing the race, make sure you record how many laps each boat has completed, their finishing order and finishing times. 1 sound signal for each boat as it finishes.
  • The first boat to finish may not necessarily be the leading boat in the race if the race has been shortened under SI 11.1(b)
  • Once any boat in a race has finished, all other boats in that race should be finished the next time they cross the finishing line (SI 10.3). This includes boats in the race which may have been lapped (SI10.3).
  • The two points above replace the “Grand Prix” finish approach described in previous versions of the SI and OOD guidance.
  • Note time limits (CSC SI 12.2, 12.3 & 12.4), in particular 12.2 which means that any boats not finished within 30 minutes of the leading boat finishing will be finished on the water with their position calculated from their time at the end of their previous lap.
• Foul Weather
  • See statement at the end of this guidance
• Protests (CSC SI 15)
  • In the event of a protest the protesting helm must advise the OOD of his intention to protest immediately on coming ashore and complete the protest form within 30 minutes of the last boat finishing the race.
  • The OOD is responsible for assigning someone to organise the protest hearing, they do not need to be on the protest committee themselves.
  • Please note that the Arbitration and Advisory hearings of the RYA Rules Disputes procedure will be available. This is generally the preferred initial pathway for resolving a dispute. (SI 1.1)
• Results (CSC SI – Appendix A)
  • Enter the times exactly as recorded into the club computer. – you do not need to adjust manually to allow for offset start times.
  • General recalled fleets will require manual calculation.
  • Enter number of laps completed for handicap fleets
  • Check results for accuracy and perform a ‘sanity check’ to make sure they make sense against your observation of the race.
  • If there are any Veterans and Ladies races scheduled, refer to the Sunday Morning Helpful Hints
  • If any boat ends with a corrected time less than a boat which completed more laps but has the same or higher PY, then the final position of the boat which completed fewer laps will be adjusted to be behind the boat that did more laps (A.2). Other relative positions will remain in the same order as in A.1.
• Complete the log book entry for your duty
• If you are the last duty team of the day make sure that everything is packed away properly:
  • Patrol Boats
  • Race hut
  • Race board
  • Computers
• If you are a morning duty team, make sure you leave everything as you would wish to find it.

Foul Weather – thunder storms etc
In general it is the responsibility of the individual helm of a dinghy to decide whether they should or should not to sail in foul weather. (SI safety statement 16.3)

However, the OOD should bear in mind the welfare of all who are on the water and so in the case of a nearby thunder storm, if thunder is heard nearby or lightning seen, the race officer should make themselves aware of their options.

If before the start of racing the nearby lightning appears to be getting closer, the race officer could consult with other OODs or class captains at the club to consider postponing the start of racing until it is apparent that the storm is moving away upon which racing could be started.

If racing has commenced and the lightning suddenly gets closer, consideration should be given to be abandoning the race on safety grounds and all boats brought ashore as soon as possible.

To Abandon: Make three sound signals. Raise Flag N

• • To restart: Make one sound signal. Lower ‘N’.
  • 1 minute later: make one sound signal, raise appropriate class flag as 10 minutes signal

There may be other safety reasons for deciding to abandon a race. Although these reasons are most unlikely to occur, they could include:-

• • Outside interference with the race
  • Failure of the patrol boats
  • Extreme wind conditions occurring which cause more capsizes than can be dealt with by the patrol boats on duty.

In the event that a race is abandoned, you may score a race that is abandoned based on the last lap completed before the race was abandoned.

Remember, the safety of all sailors and safety crews is paramount. Also, at all times be prepared to ask for help and advice. There are always many helpful people around at the club and on the phone.

Racing is for enjoyment, so do everything possible to make the race a pleasant experience for competitors. Open and friendly but firm communication with competitors before, during and after the race is most helpful towards this objective.

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