Everything you need to know about

Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions
Templates

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HERE'S A QUICK AND EASY WAY TO WRITE YOUR NOTICE OF RACE

PREVIEW

COPY template, SELECT options, PRINT and DISTRIBUTE! Be assured your NOR contains everything a prospective competitor needs in order to choose whether or not to attend your Event. Just make sure you do it at least a month before the Event ... and then not change it!

This is a template or an example of what a NOR might look like. If you think of something that might help a competitor decide whether or not to attend, go ahead and add it to this NOR. If you're planning an Event Series, just include all the dates, alternate dates and Event titles in one NOR.

1 Title, Place, Date(s) and LOA Name.

Place Title, Place, Date(s) and LOA Name in bold letters at the top of your NOR. Then copy the following statements and select the options you want. (Options are always separated by the word "OR").

2 Event Statement.

Place this statement under the Title(s), Place(s), Date(s) and LOA Name: "This Event shall be governed by International Sailing Federation's Racing Rules for Sailing including Appendix B4, the prescriptions of (Your National Sailing Association, if applicable, i.e. US SAILING), any Class Rules, (Your National Windsurfing Association Event Manual, i.e. the US Windsurfing Event Manual), this Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions."

3 Category and Level of Event.

"This Event is a (Select the Category and Level of Event according to your National Windsurfing Association Event Manual, i.e. Category I, Sanctioned OR Category II, Fun OR Category III, Other Event [not Category I or II but covered by US SAILING / US Windsurfing Insurance) Event" and if a Category I, Sanctioned Event, then "at (Select ONE of these options: Level A, International Championship OR Level B, National Championship OR Level C, Regional Championship OR Level D, Points Regatta OR Level E, Recognized ).)"

4 Place and Time of Registration, Entry Fee and any Special Fees.

"The Place and Time of Registration shall be (state site and time). The Entry Fee for this Event shall be (state amount)."

5 Requirements of and Restrictions to Entry, if any.

"All competitors must be current (state your National Windsurfing Association) members (you may add the following: "except novices who need not be members if they've sailed in three Events or less). If this Event is a Regional, National or International Championship, add: "All competitors must display their (state your National Windsurfing Association) registered sail number (or the sail number of their chartered equipment), on both sides of their sails, starboard uppermost. Competitors within a family unit must either fly a streamer or register and display a temporary extra "1" or other number on their sails."

6 (State your National Windsurfing Association) approved changes to any rules in Part 1 or 3.

"None" (or list your National Windsurfing Association approved changes you've made to the Event Manual. Remember, you must usually have prior approval from your National Windsurfing Association to make these kinds of changes).

7 Competition Groups

"This Event shall offer the following Competition Groups: (Select from options like these: Olympic Racing OR Classic Sailing OR Olympic Racing and Classic Sailing) Fleet(s); (Select ONE or MORE from options like these: Open, Open Sport, Limited, Limited Sport, International OR International Sport) Classes ; and (Select ONE or MORE from options like these: Age [for Open Classes], Weight [for Limited or International Classes], and Sex [for all Classes] Divisions.)"

If this Event is a Points Regatta or an International, National or Regional Championship, then add: "All competitors in one of the Open Classes must register in their own Age Division as determined on the first day of the Event."

8 Competition Format

"The Competition Format shall be (Select ONE of these options: All Race OR By Fleet OR Fleet by Class OR Fleet/Class by Division.)"

9 Scoring system.

"The Scoring System shall be (Select ONE of these options: Low Point Scoring OR Low Point / Reverse Scoring OR Low Point / Relative Scoring OR Low Point / Conversion Scoring OR other scoring system.)"

"The First Place value shall be (Select 1, OR .75, OR .7 )"

"The Discard Rule shall be: (Select ONE of these options: one discard for a 4 race or round Event, 2 for 7 and 3 for 11 [recommended for International, National, and Regional Championships and Points Regattas] OR 1 discard for a 9 race or round Event [recommended for IMCO Intl. Event] OR 1 discard for a [Select 4 or 5] race or round Event, 2 for 9+ [recommended for Olympic Event].)

"The Penalty Score value shall be: (Select ONE of these options: NRacers [recommended for Slalom Racing] OR NRacers + 1 [recommended for Course, Course/Slalom and Long Distance Racing]).

"The Tie Breaking protocol shall be: (Select ONE of these options: Olympic Rules 2 & 3 [has greater number 1sts, 2nds, 3rds, etc. and has best place in race last sailed] [recommended for Olympic Events] OR IMCO Rule 1 Only [beat other most number times] [for IMCO Intl Events] OR Rule 2 Only [has greater number 1sts, 2nds, 3rds, etc.] OR Rule 3 Only [has best place in race last sailed) OR Rules 1 & 2 Only [beat other most number times & has greater number 1sts, 2nds, 3rds, etc.] OR Rules 1, 2 & 3 [beat other most number times, has greater number 1sts, 2nds, 3rds, etc. & has best place in race last sailed] [Recommended for all non-Olympic and non-IMCO racing] OR Rules 1, 2 & 4 [beat other most number times, has greater number 1sts, 2nds, 3rds, etc. and who has better larger group score] OR Rules 1, 2, 3 & 4 [beat other most number times, has greater number 1sts, 2nds, 3rds, etc., has best place in race last sailed, & who has better larger group score] [Recommended for all non-Olympic and non-IMCO racing when Conversion Scoring used].

10 Regatta or Season Recap Tabulation Method.

"The Race Committee shall transfer (Select ONE of these options: Points [Recommended] OR Percentages [Recommended] OR Ranking OR Totals) earned at the Event, to the (Select ONE: Regatta OR Season) Recap."

For an Event Series, add "For (Select Regatta OR Season) Recap Ranking, the RC shall use the (Select High Scores [Recommended] OR Cumulative) Tabulation Method and tally the top (Select ONE: 3 [Recommended] OR 4 OR 5) scores."

11 Local Wind Minimum

"The Local Wind Minimum shall be 5 OR 6 OR 7 OR 8 knots for (state discipline: Course OR Course Slalom OR Long Distance) Racing AND/OR 10 OR 11 OR 12 knots for (state discipline: Slalom Racing OR Wave Performance.)"

12 Abandonment Procedures

"For (DISCIPLINE), the race (flight) or start (heat or match) will be abandoned when the wind drops below __ knots for ___ (Select seconds OR minutes) before there is a proper finisher."

13 Additional compulsory safety obligations, if any.

For example, "Competitors will be required to wear a P.F.D. at all times when sailing" OR "None".

14 Obligation, if any, to carry advertising for the Event sponsor on one side or both sides of sail.

For example, "Competitors (Select will OR will not) be required to carry advertising for the Event sponsor (if will, then "on [Select one side OR both sides] of sail".)

15 If applicable, the amount, method of apportioning and method of payment of prize money.

16 Awards to be given.

For example, "First, Second and Third Place competitors (Select competition group, i.e. in each Fleet OR in each Class within each Fleet, OR in each Division within each Class within each Fleet) shall be recognized (Select time and place) and receive (Select, e.g., appropriate windsurfing accessories [Recommended] OR a trophy OR a plaque, etc.)

Your NOR is a "contract" between you and the racer, who decides whether or not to attend your Event based on how you say you'll conduct it. If you change the NOR after you distribute it, you're being unfair to your prospective participants. Therefore, select your options carefully and conduct your Event exactly as you say!

HERE'S A QUICK AND EASY WAY TO WRITE YOUR SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

PREVIEW

It's easy and quick! COPY template, SELECT options, PRINT and DISTRIBUTE! Be assured your SI contain everything a prospective competitor needs to know in order to compete. You can change the SI by written notice on the Official Notice Board at least one hour prior to the start of the race or heat to which the change applies (For Points Regattas, Fun and Other Events, one/half hour).

This is a template or an example of what the SI might look like. If your National Association Event Rules and Guidelines (or Event Manual) or International Class Rules stipulate that the SI may not alter the Racing Rules of Sailing, the International Class Rules or your National Association's Event Rules and Guidelines (or Event Manual) unless you have prior approval from both the International Class and/or the National Association and publish the changes in your NOR ... then please make sure you do so.

If you're planning an Event Series, you may include all the dates and alternate dates in one SI.

1 Title, Place, Date(s) and LOA Name.

Place Title, Event Site, Date(s) and LOA Name in bold letters at the top of your NOR. Then copy the following statements and select the options you want. (Options are always separated by the word "OR").

2 Event Statement.

Place a statement like this under the Title, Event Site, Date(s) and LOA Name: "This Event shall be governed by International Sailing Federation's International Racing Rules including Appendix B4, the prescriptions of (your National Sailing Association), any Class Rules, the (your National Windsurfing Event Rules and Guidelines or Event Manual), this Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions ."

3 Schedule of competition

"Races are scheduled as follows: (Insert the days, dates and times.)"

4 Description of the competition area(s) and course(s) and any special signals you plan to use.

"The competition area: (Insert description, chart or map.)."

"The course, including approximate angles between the legs, the order marks are to be rounded, and the side each mark is to be left: (Insert chart or map and if applicable, add: Mark 1 will be approximately ___ Meters from Mark 3. The first and last legs will be approximately ___ Meters longer than the distance from Mark 3 to Mark 1.)"

"Marks 1, 2 and 3 (or A, B, and C) will be [insert color, size or shape]. New marks, when used in accordance with instruction ___, 'Change of Course after the Start', will be [insert color, size or shape]. The starting and finishing marks will be___ [insert color, size or shape]."

5 A description of the starting line, the starting system and any special signals you plan to use.

"The starting line will be between the [insert color or shape] flag on the Race Committee boat at the starboard end and the port end starting mark."

"The FLAG starting sequence will be [if Course, Course/Slalom or Long Distance, select from:]

6 minute start sequence [recommended by IMCO Intl] (6 min, Warning Flag; 3 min, Preparatory Flag; 1 min, One Minute Flag; 0 Start) OR

6 minute start sequence [recommended by US Windsurfing] (6 min, White Warning Flag up; 4 min, White down; 3 min, Blue Preparatory Flag up; 1 min, Blue down; 0 Start Red up).

[if Slalom Racing when heats are used, select from:]

3 minute start sequence (3 min, White Warning Flag up; 2 min, White down; 1 min, Blue Preparatory Flag up; .5 min, Blue down; 0 Start) OR

2 minute start sequence (2 min, White Warning Flag up; 1.5 min, White down; 1 min, Blue Preparatory Flag up; .5 min, Blue down; 0 Start Red up).

"The SOUND starting sequence will be (Select ONE of these options: one long blast at raising of Warning, Preparatory and Start flags OR three blasts at raising of Warning, two blasts at raising of Preparatory and one blast at raising of Start flags)." In addition, consider adding these courtesy sound signals: "Just prior to the Start, 3 short, 30 second before; 2 short, 20 second before; 1 short, 10 seconds before; then 1 short, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 second before."

If you plan to use Fleet Starts, then add: "The interval between the Starting Flag of one fleet and the Warning Flag of the next fleet will be x minutes."

6 The procedure for individual and general recalls and any special signals you plan to use.

"After a general recall, the warning signal for the recalled group will be made with the lowering of the First substitute flag and one minute before the Preparatory Signal, for that group (note change from IRR 4.1).

"The procedure for individual recalls shall be as follows: the RC shall promptly display Code Flag "X", accompanied by one sound signal and the hailing of the sail number(s)."

"The procedure for general recalls, when there is a number of unidentified premature starters, shall be as follows: The RC shall promptly display First Substitute - General Recall Flag, accompanied by one long sound signal."

"In case of general recall, the Start countdown will begin 1 minute after the lowering of the "Code and Answering Pennant" flag."

7 A description of the finishing line and any special instructions for finishing a course shortened after the start.

For example, "The finishing line shall be between the orange flag or shape on the RC Boat and Mark 1 at the port end."

8 Time limit, if any, for finishing.

For example, "The time limit will be ___ minutes for the Olympic Racing Fleet and ___ minutes for the Classic Sailing Fleet. Boards failing to finish within ___ minutes after the first board finishes or after the time limit, whichever is greater, will be scored "Did Not Finish"(DNF).

9 Scoring system.

"The Scoring System shall be (Select ONE of these options: Low Point Scoring OR Low Point/Reverse Scoring OR Low Point/Relative Scoring OR Low Point/Conversion Scoring OR other scoring system.) For information on the First Place value, Discard Rule, Penalty Score values, and Tie Breaking protocol, see the NOR."

10 Location of the Official Notice Board.

"The location of the Official Notice Board shall be at ___."

11 Any special safety information.

12 Protests.

"Protests shall be written on forms available at ___ and filed there within ___ minutes of the last finish."

And there you have it. Jut follow this template and you'll have your official Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions done before you know it! Best wishes for a successful racing season!

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