All races will be governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing, the prescriptions of the United States Sailing Association (except as any of these are altered by these sailing instructions) and by these sailing instructions. The racing program is designated Category C.

2. Entry

Participation in this regatta is by invitation only.

3. Notices to Competitors

4. Changes in Sailing Instructions

Any change in the sailing instructions will be delivered in written form to each team at the North Cove docks.

5. Crew

Unlimited crew addition, subtraction or substitution regardless of weight is allowed during the regatta as long as crew rules are not violated.  Following are the crew rules:

• No more than 6 total people may sail on a boat.
• No less than 4 total people may sail on a boat.
• Yacht clubs must be represented by amateur crews who are not paid to participate in this event.
• At least 2 members of each crew must be members for one year or more of the yacht club they represent.
• At least 3 members of each crew must permanently reside in the country of the yacht club they represent and must travel from that country to New York City for this regatta.

In addition to the yacht club crew, 1 Local Representative will sail aboard each boat. The Local Rep will stay with each boat while racing teams rotate.   The Local Rep will provide local knowledge, operational knowledge of boat equipment and a VHF radio to communicate with the Race Committee.  The Local Rep will also serve as an impartial judge and help determine possible rule infractions.  The Local Rep may assist the racing team in racing, except that the Local rep may not steer the boat or trim any of the sheets (main, genoa, job or spinnaker).

6. J/24s & Equipment

Manhattan Sailing Club will provide race-ready J/24s plus sails for all teams.  Teams shall use the J/24s as provided by the club and shall not bring any extra or special equipment with them while racing.  Teams shall not adjust the sidestays, backstays or lifelines.  Teams shall sail with all equipment on the boat and shall not remove any extra equipment or sails from the boat.  Teams shall not apply any tape or make any marks or writing on the boat, spars or poles.   Teams are not permitted to scrub the bottoms or rudders of the boats.  The engine must remain on the engine bracket and is considered a part of the boat.

7. Personal Flotation Devices ("PFDs" of "Lifejackets")

Personal Flotation Devices must be worn by all sailors before they depart the dock and until they return to dock. PFDs shall be worn according to manufacturers direction.  PFDs worn around the waist shall not satisfy the purpose of this rule.  The sailing club will provide PFDs for all sailors.

8. Schedule of Races

Tuesday, August 19, 2008
1000-1700 - Welcoming & registration of teams
Practice sailing by previous appointment
Motorboat rides to have a champagne toast in front of the Statue of Liberty.
1800-2000 Welcoming Reception & Dinner on the Honorable William Wall, the floating clubhouse in the harbor. Please catch launch at 1715 or 1745.

Wednesday, August 20, 208
0900-1000 - Final registration of teams
1045 - Skippers Meeting
1200 - Practice Race followed by Race 1 & 2.
1830 - Friendship Dinner for all sailors

Thursday, August 21, 2008
1200 - Race 3
1500 - Race 4
1830 - Dinner & Regatta Party on Clubhouse in Harbor

Friday, August 22, 2008
1200 - Race 5
1500 - Race 6
1800-2300 - To Be Announced

Saturday, August 23, 2008
1100 - Race 7
1300 - Race 8
1600 - Awards Ceremony at docks after sailing
2000-2400 - Champagne Celebration of International Goodwill

9. Racing Area

The racing area will be in the lower Hudson River and Upper Bay of New York Harbor.

10. Courses

The courses will be windward - leeward around two inflatable marks set by the race committee.  The start and finish will be from the Clubhouse, named the "Honorable William Wall."  Mark 1 will be set in the Hudson River in an upward or downwind direction from the Clubhouse and further from the Clubhouse.  Mark 2 will be set in the cove near or behind the Clubhouse and will be closer to the Clubhouse.  Races always sail to Mark 1 first.  The first leg may either be upwind or downwind, depending on wind direction.  The Race Committee will announce the course number over VHF CH 69 before the warning signal.

10a. Gate.

If the first leg of a race is downwind and the Race Committee deems it appropriate, a "Gate" may be used in place of the single Mark 1.  Mark 1 is an orange inflatable cylindrical buoy 4 foot high.  If a gate is used, the southern mark of the gate will be a yellow inflatable cylindrical buoy 4 foot high.  The Race Committee will announce a "Gate" when announcing the course number.  When there is a gate, boats shall sail between the gate marks from the direction of the previous mark and round either gate mark.

11. Clubhouse Stand Off Buoy

A white stand off buoy is anchored on the north end of the Clubhouse.  Boats shall not pass between the buoy and the Clubhouse.

12. Communication & Assistance from Race Committee

The Race Committee will monitor VHF CH 69.  The Race Committee is allowed to respond to any questions from sailors even after the race has started and any such answers from the race committee will not be considered outside assistance.   However, sailors are responsible for knowing the rules and incorrect or misinterpreted information from the race committee on the water is not grounds for protest and does not circumvent the sailing instructions.

13. Sail Limitations

Code Flag "Y" flown from the committee boat before the warning signal means "150% genoas may not be used."

Code Flag "Z" flown from the committee boat before the warning signal means "Spinnakers may not be used."

14. The Start

The starting line will be between a yellow inflatable buoy dropped by the race committee and an orange flag on the Honorable William Wall.  The Starting Sequence shall be as follows:

10 minutes before start - Yellow flag raised with 1 long sound signal - Race Committee calls this the "Warning Signal"
6 minutes before start - Yellow flag lowered

5 minutes before start - Blue flag raised with 1 long sound signal - Race Committee calls this the "Preparatory Signal"
1 minute before start - Blue flag lowered

Start - Red flag raised with 1 long sound signal - Race Committee calls this the "Starting Signal"

The finish line will be the same as the starting line.

17. Change of Course and Shortening Course After the Start

The Race Committee reserves the right to move or reposition any mark during the race.  If a mark is moved, the Race Committee will announce this by VHF radio. 

The Race Committee reserves the right to shorten the number of legs of a course at any time.  When the race will be shortened, the Race Committee will signal with two horns blasts and fly Code flag "S."   The Race Committee will also announce the change over VHF CH 69.

18. Cancellation of Race in Progress

The Race Committee has the authority to cancel any race at any time.

19. Time Limit

All boats not finishing within 20 minutes of the first boat to finish will be scored as "Did Not Finish." 

20. Retirement

A yacht that retires from a race is asked to notify the race committee before leaving the race area. 

21. 360 Degree Turn

A boat that may have broken a rule of Part 2 while racing may take a penalty at the time of her incident.  The penalty must be taken immediately and the infringing boats shall get clear of other boats and take the penalty without continuing to sail forward in the race.  If there was no contact, her penalty shall be one consecutive 360 degree turn including 1 tack and 1 jibe.

22. No Touching Rule & 360 Degree Turn

Contact can result in damage to boats and should be avoided.  If two boats touch, the offending boat shall do a 720 degree turn.  The boat in the right must also do a 360 turn for allowing the contact to occur.   A touch is defined as any contact between boats, including rigs, sails, crew, etc.  Failure to honor this "No Touching Rule" will result in the boat being disqualified from the race.  If a boat touches the clubhouse, it shall retire from the race immediately. 

23. Right of Way for Commercial Traffic

All commercial vessels shall have right of way over all racing sailboats. If a racing sailboat crosses the bow of a commercial vessel and that vessel alters course or speed as a result, the sailboat may be disqualified by the race committee.  If any sailboat decides to take the stern of a commercial vessel, all sailboats in the same location or subsequently arriving on the scene must also take the stern of the commercial vessel unless sufficient proof can be provided by a sailboat that taking the stern would have caused increased risk.  If a commercial vessel slows or comes to a stop when approaching sailboats, sailboats must still continue to take the stern so as to clear a path for the commercial vessel to move forward and clear.  The race committee may disqualify a yacht at its discretion without a hearing for any interference with commercial vessels.

24. Breakdowns

Breakdowns during a race are scored the same as DNFs.

25. Security Zones

There are security zones established around Ellis Island and Liberty Island.  The zones are indicated by white buoys which are placed at far intervals.   Drawing an imaginary line between these buoys indicates the boundary of the security zone.  No boat is allowed to sail inside the security zones.  Breaking the boundary of the imaginary line between two security zone buoys means you have entered the zone and you will be disqualified from the race.

26. Protests

Protests are not encouraged as this is a regatta to promote "international goodwill through friendly competition."  We request each teams use sportsmanship to communicate and decide situations among themselves without the need of a third party.  However, if team wishes to file a protest, protest flags are not required but the race committee must be notified in the proper manner.

27. Scoring & Standings

The Low Point Scoring System will be used.  Any boat scoring DNF, DNS, BKDN, DSQ or other special finish will be given one more point than the number of finishers with no additional penalty points assigned (i.e. if only 1 boat finishes the race, everyone else will be scored as 2nd).   If 5 or more races are completed, teams may drop their worst score. All scores, including DNF, DNS, BKDN & DSQ may be dropped.

28. Prizes

The Dennis Conner International Yacht Club Challenge is being raced for honor.  In addition, prizes will be awarded to teams.