Club Sailing Instructions
CLUB SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
1. RULES
1.1 Races will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing.
2. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
2.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located in the entrance hall of DRSC and may also be published on the official Club Website.
3. CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
3.1 Any duly authorized change to the sailing instructions will be posted at least 90 minutes before the scheduled time of the race when it will take effect.
4. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
4.1 Flag signals made ashore will be displayed on the club flagpole.
4.2 When flag AP is displayed ashore, '1 minute' is replaced with 'not less
than ten minutes' in the Race Signal AP. This changes Race Signals.
4.3 Light signals from the DRSC race office may be used for racing, in accordance with S.I. 11.5. This adds to Race Signals.
4.4 Special Flags which may be flown from the Clubhouse mast. These add to Race Signals and their meaning.
Code Flag "R" Restricted area for sailing as detailed on the official notice board.
Red Flag Inexperienced helms and crews advised not to venture on the water.
Black & Red Flags Experienced windsurfers only. No dinghies.
Black Flag. No Sailing.
5. SCHEDULE OF RACES
5.1 The schedule of races will be as published on the DRSC official notice board and the Club website.
5.2 Changes to the schedule of races will be posted by 20.00hrs on the day before it will take effect, or at least 30mins prior to the race they apply to on the official notice board and/or Club website.
6. CLASS FLAGS
Class Flags
Flying Fifteen Naval Numeral 9
Handicap Numeral Pennant 6
7. SAILING AREA
7.1 Courses will be set on Derwent Reservoir. Excluding the Nature reserve.
8. THE COURSES
8.1 Courses will be displayed on the notice board under the balcony, or on the Committee Boat.
8.2 The order of marks, rounding hand and number of laps will be stated.
8.3 Average lap times may be used to determine the finishing places and a boat race score, when the course has been shortened and some boats have completed less laps than the leading boat at the finish. This adds to A3.
9. MARKS
9.1 Fixed DRSC marks located in the Racing area.
9.2 Other rounding marks will normally be orange pencil, black inflatable type marks or Dan Buoy marks.
9.3 The starting and finishing mark will be a spherical Dan buoy with a flag, a pencil mark or a mark of the course.
10. THE START
10.1 STARTING ON THE WATER
10.1.1 Races will be started using the following sequence for each Class, with all signals normally at two minute intervals:
Warning Signal
Preparatory Signal
Start
10.1.2 Starting Order:
Mins | Warning Signal (Class Flag) Hoisted | Preparatory Signal | Start Signal (Class flag lowered) |
0 | Flying 15 – NN 9 | ||
2 | Handicap Pennant 6 | Flying 15 | |
4 | Handicap | NN 9; Flying 15 | |
6 | Pennant 6; Handicap |

10.1.3 Times will be taken from visual signals; the failure of sound signals will be disregarded.
10.1.4 The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the starting vessel and the starting mark or a Line between the centre of the race office and "Club" mark, labelled "C" on the map, or another mark as may be detailed on the official notice board.
10.2 STARTING FROM THE RACE OFFICE:
10.2.1 Races will be started using the following sequence of light signals displayed from the DRSC race office, as follows:
Lights Showing | Warning Signal | Preparatory Signal | Start Signal |
Red on | Flying Fifteen | ||
Red off; Amber on | Laser | Flying Fifteen | |
Red & Amber on | GP-14 | Laser | Flying Fifteen |
Red & Amber off Green on | Mirror, Topaz, Tera, Optimist & Handicap | GP-14 | Laser |
Red & Green on | Mirror, Topaz, Tera, Optimist & Handicap | GP-14 | |
Red off Amber & Green on | Mirror, Topaz, Tera, Optimist & Handicap | ||
All off |

10.2.2 Lights will normally go on and off at TWO MINUTE intervals.
10.2.3 Times will be taken from visual signals; the failure of sound signals will be disregarded.
10.2.4 Individual recall(s) will be signalled with one long sound signal. No visual signal will be made and the onus is on the offending boat to return and start correctly
10.2.5 A general recall will be signalled by two long sound signals. The recalled fleet will start two minutes after the last class scheduled to start. The recall procedures modify
RRS 29.1, 29.2
11 THE FINISH
11.1The finish line will be the same as the start line described in SI 10.3
or between a Committee Boat and a temporary mark forming a gate
or the club line between mark "C" and centre of the Race office, provided that "C" is a mark of the course.
This adds to RRS 32.2
11.2 A shortened course may be signalled by the display of the flag on a committee boat or ashore.
12. TIME LIMITS
12.1 Time limits are as follows:
12.1.1 All Races 60 minutes.
12.2 Boats failing to finish within 30 minutes after the first boat sails the course and finishes, will be scored 'Did not Finish'. This changes rule 35 and A4.
13. PROTESTS
13.1 Protest forms are available from the race office and shall be delivered to the race office or a committee member within the protest time.
13.2 For each class the protest time is 90 minutes after the last boat has finished the race, or in the case of two or more races sailed back to back, after the last race of that sequence. The same time limit applies to protests by the race committee and protest committee, about incidents they observe in the racing area, and to requests for redress.
13.3 Parties to a protest or request for redress will be informed of the time and place of the hearing within 24 hours.
13.4 The Exoneration Penalty [and the Advisory Hearing and RYA Arbitration procedures] of the RYA Racing Disputes Procedures will be available. Decisions from RYA Arbitration can be referred to a protest committee but cannot be reopened or appealed. See the official Notice Board for details.
14. SCORING
14.1 The Low Point Scoring System of Appendix A will apply, except as amended hereunder:
14.2 When fewer than four races are completed, a boats series score will be the total of her scores.
14.3 When four or more races have been completed, a boats series score will be 50% of her race scores, plus one (or ½ to nearest whole number), excluding her worst scores.
14.4 Handicaps:
14.4.1 Corrected finish positions will be calculated using the Portsmouth Yardstick System, which may be modified by the DRSC Sailing Committee.
15. SAFETY
15.1 Each boat crewmember shall wear a personal flotation device whilst racing. This changes RRS 27.1 and Race Signals.
15.2 Boats shall not race unless a safety boat is on station
16. EQUIPMENT OR MEASUREMENT CHECKS
16.1 A boat or equipment may be inspected at any time for compliance with class rules and these sailing instructions.
16.2 Boats shall produce a valid measurement certificate if required by the Race Committee.
17. OFFICIAL BOATS
17.1 Official Safety Boats are RIB's or an orange Rigiflex
17.2 No motorboats are allowed on Derwent Reservoir, other than official boats.
18. Rubbish Disposal
18.1No rubbish of any kind shall be put into the reservoir
18.2 Rubbish may be placed aboard official boats.
19. RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
Other than for safety reasons a boat shall neither make radio transmissions nor receive radio communications not available to all boats racing. This restriction also applies to mobile telephones.
20. PRIZES
20.1 Club Trophies will be presented on an annual basis.
20.2 The club committee may, at their discretion, award additional prizes if appropriate.
21. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
21.1 The safety of a boat and her entire management, including insurance, shall be the sole responsibility of the owner/person in charge who must ensure that the boat and crew are adequate to face the conditions that may arise in the course of the race. Neither the Sailing Instructions nor any inspection the boat limits or reduces the absolute responsibility of the owner/person in charge for the crew, the boat and her management. The race organisers shall not be responsible for any loss, damage, death or personal injury howsoever caused to the owner/person in charge or crew as a result of their taking part in the race or races. Moreover, every owner/person in charge warrants the suitability of the boat for the race or races.
22. INSURANCE
22.1 Boats must sign the Club Declaration Form, including a declaration that their boat(s) will be covered by valid third party liability insurance with a minimum cover of £2,000,000, before sailing.
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Last updated 19:29 on 8 November 2018
