Changes to Club Racing in 2025

Published 17:37 on 16 Dec 2024

In advance of club racing in 2025 a substantial re-write has been carried out on the Club's Race Documentation. As phase 1 of this a new Annual Club Notice of Race and Club Standard Sailing Instructions have been issued to replace the previously issued Club Sailing Instructions. The new Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions cover the whole of 2025 and take effect on 1^st January 2025, they are viewable here. Phase 2 will see the existing Race Management Guidance Documentation reviewed and re-published. This work has been undertaken for several reasons:

• To ensure alignment with the RRS 2025-2028 which take effect from 1^st January 2025
• To follow best practice as far as reasonably possible according to the Royal Yachting Association and World Sailing
• To simplify and ensure the documentation reflects how club racing is run in practice
• To provide greater instruction to Race Officers and competitors where previously there was none e.g. requirements for a Junior Class Start

Key Changes:

Aside from a total re-numbering of NoR and SI Rules a number of the key changes to how racing is to be run are below. This list is not exhaustive, and all racers and race management volunteers are encouraged to read the new documents in their entirety.

• NoR2.2 The Standard Sailing Instructions will apply as the default for all Club Racing. However, there is the option for event specific Sailing Instructions to be issued written into the Notice of Race. It is envisaged this could apply to events such as the Easter Sunday Regatta, Late May Bank Holiday Regatta etc.
• NoR3.1 The restrictions on which craft can race have been expanded to include all currently raced craft, with this in future being based off RYA Recommended PY Numbers.
• NoR3.1 There were rules on our website and in the Member's Handbook saying trapezing is not permitted during club racing, this has been incorporated into the Notice of Race.
• NoR3.4 The rule around who is eligible to race in the Junior Class has been tidied up and refined.
• NoR4.1 Historically it has been requested that sailors make a donation to take part in some races, this has been written into the NoR.
• NoR5.1 The rules around who can race based on the Club's Byelaws have been added to the Notice of Race for ease and clarity.
• NoR6.1 The programme and schedule of racing is now determined by a single PDF on the Club Website.
• NoR8.4 Replica sails are permitted as long as they comply with the spirit of class rules
• NoR11.3 In general a series will still be scored with 50% of races to count, however, in a series of less than 6 races this has been changed to reduce the likelihood of series ties.
• SI6.3 We have added a new rule about the latest a race may start on any given day in relation to the first scheduled race of each day, giving greater definition to when racing is expected to finish at the latest.
• SI7&11 As we have not used Class Starts (e.g. separate ILCA, Solo and Firefly starts) for several years this option has been removed from the SIs. There will only be Handicap and Junior starts.
• SI8.1 The course must now be displayed 10 minutes before the first race each day, not 15.
• SI8.4 There is an option to remove Inner Distance Mark after the start, as this has been used by some Race Officers to increase the options for how a sailor passes through the line at the end of each lap.
• SI10.1 We have refined the definition of fishing equipment as an obstruction to include the water within 25m of a fishing swim.
• SI11.6 The default position in all races will now be for a Junior Class Start if a certain number of juniors are racing (there is some flexibility written into this rule).
• SI14.1 The Target Time for each race can now be found on the Race Programme PDF, as for 2025 we are trialling races of different lengths.
• SI14.2 The Race Time Limit (for the first boat to finish) is now proportional to the Target Time.

Further Advice and Support:

Further advice is available from members of the Sailing Committee. In particular the work on the new documents has been done by Robert Marshall, Keith McQuillin, John Driscoll and James Oborne and they are happy to provide advice.

On Wednesday 29^th January we will be holding a Racing Rules Evening looking at the changes for the Racing Rules of Sailing in 2025, and some elements of this evening will involve the changes to certain definitions, in particular what it means to "finish."

On the morning of Sunday 9^th March James will be running a training session for existing and aspiring Race Officers and Assistant Race Officers looking at a mixture of best practice for how to run club racing at Spinnaker Sailing Club, and tips to make life as easy as possible for the Race Management Team, whilst providing good quality, fun, club racing. James is also the Race Officer for that day and anyone who wishes to observe and learn a bit more is welcome to.

All changes will also be discussed and highlighted at the Pre-Season Evening on Wednesday 26^th March 2025.

Last updated 15:50 on 12 January 2025