Youth Squad - Racing Information

Series: The Youth Squad Championship will comprise 5 series, with approximately 34 races (total number to be confirmed depending on number of races in NWJTT and topper events). The Youth Squad Champion will be determined using the normal low-scoring system over the 34 races, with ties broken as per usual club rules, i.e. highest number of firsts, highest number of seconds, etc and if that does not split positions, position in last race in which both boats competed. The number of races to count will be n/2+1 where n is the number of races sailed. Therefore if 34 races are sailed then each helm’s best 18 results will count towards the championship.

Results: All results will be based on fleet handicap. Average lap times can be used at the discretion of the race officer.

Eligibility: each helm (and crew for double handed boats) must be Under 19 years of age on 31^st December of the year in which they are sailing. Similar rules for U15 and U13 prizes.

Since this is the first season we have run the Youth Squad, there may be revisions to the sailing programme, e.g. possibly two races on each day of the Sunday Series or add in a few more Saturday races. Any changes will be posted on the website and Club House Notice Board at least one week before the change takes place.

On the water coaching was specifically requested at the meeting held in January. For series 4 and series 5, general on the water coaching and assistance (e.g. following a capsize) will be permitted at the discretion of the race officer who will nominate specific people to give the coaching. It is hoped that this allowance will be utilised as intended and will not be abused, e.g. by coaching only one boat. For these races there will also be a pre-race briefing where the course and start procedure will be explained to all competitors.

For the other series, normal sailing rules apply, e.g. no on-the-water coaching.

After each of the races, there will be discussions about any incidents on the water, explaining who had right of way, what could be done in the future to avoid such incidents etc.

The start times given in the sailing programme should be interpreted as follows:

For Series 3 and 4 which start on Sundays and Saturdays respectively, race participants should have their boats rigged and ready to sail by the time given, but should not be on the water. The pre-race briefing will start at the time given and race participants should congregate at the club flag pole at that time.

For all other races, the start time given in the racing programme is the actual race start time. Therefore make sure you are at the club in plenty of time to set up your boat and get on the water.

Any suggestions, queries or complaints about the races in general should be directed to Rhonwen Bryce. Any suggestions, queries or complaints about a specific race should be directed to the OD for that race. We will endeavour to resolve any disputes amicably, but may invoke the RYA Advisory Hearing, Arbitration or Protest Hearing if necessary. See the leaflet issued with the handbooks for details of these procedures.

Bassenthwaite Youth Squad – Starting and Finishing Races

The races making up the Bassenthwaite Youth Squad Championship are as follows:

Series 1 – Thursday Night Jar A
Series 2 – Thursday Night Jar B
Series 3 – Saturday Series
Series 4 – Sunday Series
Series 5 – Join in Series - Where the Youth Squad start with normal club racing

Before races in series 4 and 5 take place, there will be an on-shore briefing which will go through the start procedure and course. The NW Junior Traveller and Topper Traveller events will have their own briefing approximately 1 hour before the start. There will not be any briefings before the Thursday night series. However, the following is a general guide to starting and finishing races. There is a lot of info here so I have highlighted the bits to get you started in bold type. Also, I’ve tried to simplify some of the explanations so they are easy to understand. If you find that procedures differ from those here, just ask and someone will explain.

Starting All races

The start line is between the mast of the committee boat and the flag on the buoy at the other end of the start line. The flag on the buoy at the other end of the start line will be flag ‘Z’ (see diagrams at end of this document for what the flags look like).

If there is no mast on the committee boat, the start line will be between the person holding the flags on the committee boat and the flag on the buoy at the other end of the start line.

Usually (but not always) there will be a buoy with a flag quite close to the committee boat. You are not supposed to sail between this buoy and the committee boat. This is to stop people crashing into the committee boat and causing damage. This flag will be ‘Y’.

You will cross the start line heading into the wind, i.e. beating.

If there are one or two boats over the line before the start of a race, flag ‘X’ will be raised and another hoot of the horn will be sounded. The boats which have been over the line before the start is sounded must re-cross the start line and start again. Watch out in Open events – you may have to go ‘round the end of the start line’ to start again. This will be briefed before the race.

If most of the fleet is over the line, the ‘1^st Substitute’ flag will be raised and there will be another 2 hoots of the horn. This means that all boats have to start again. For club races, the start will be 3 minutes after the false start so make sure you are ready to start again! Make sure you attend briefings for open events so that you know the procedure if this happens.

Starting Series 1 and 2

6 minutes before the adult club race starts, there will be a single hoot of the horn and flag ‘7’ will be raised. 3 minutes before the start of the adult club race there will be another hoot of the horn and flags ‘P’ and ‘5’ will be raised (three flags are now flying). When the adult club race starts, there will be another single hoot and flag ‘7’ will be lowered. 3 minutes later, there will be another hoot and flags ‘P’ and ‘5’ will be lowered – this is when the Youth Squad race starts.

Starting Series 3 and 4

6 minutes before the race starts, there will be a single hoot of the horn and flag ‘5’ will be raised. 3 minutes before the start of the race there will be another hoot of the horn and flag ‘P’ will be raised (two flags are now flying). When the race starts, there will be another single hoot and both flags will be lowered.

(This is also the start sequence for normal club handicap racing.)

Starting Series 5

Finishing All Races

Most races will be finished on the water and the finish line will be the same as the start line, i.e. between the mast of the committee boat (or person on the committee boat) and flag ‘Z’ on the buoy at the far end of the line.

When the Officer of the Day (OD) decide to finish the race, he/she will sound 2 hoots of the horn and will raise flag ‘S’ and the Blue flag. The next time each boat crosses the finish line, there will be a hoot which means that boat has finished.

Not all boats will do the same number of laps, we will calculate an average lap time for each boat to work out the results, so don’t worry if you have only done one lap.