ACA(UK) Sailing Instructions
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SAILING INSTRUCTIONS 2012
To be used at all Open Meetings and Championships in the UK
(subject to any locally issued supplementary Sailing Instructions)
N.B. The responsibility for the overall management of ACA(UK) events, including all safety aspects, rests with the Host Club for the event.
1. RULES
Racing will be governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012 (RRS), the prescriptions of the RYA and the Special Class Rules of the Access Class Association (UK), except as modified by these Sailing Instructions. 2. CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
The safety of a boat and her entire management including insurance shall be the sole responsibility of the owner/competitor racing the boat who must ensure that the boat and crew are adequate to face the conditions that may arise in the course of a race. Neither the establishment of these sailing instructions nor any inspection of the boat under these conditions in any way limits the absolute responsibility of the owner/competitor for his crew, the boat and the management thereof. The host club and ACA(UK) shall not be responsible for any loss, damage, death or personal injury howsoever caused to the owner/competitor or his/her skipper or crew, as a result of their taking part in the races. Moreover, every owner / competitor warrants the suitability of his/her boat for the races. Boats used in ACA(UK) events must have a minimum of £3Million Third Party liability insurance. 3. PERSONAL SAFETY
Nationally approved personal buoyancy shall be worn at all times whether afloat or in the vicinity of the pontoons or jetties. Flag ‘Y’ will not be displayed. This changes RRS 40. The wearing of wet or dry suits does not constitute adequate personal buoyancy.
N.B. Some organising clubs will also require helpers to wear personal buoyancy when on pontoons or jetties. 4. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
4.1. Notices to competitors will take the form of a briefing by the Race Officer to be held ashore prior to racing.
4.2. Any changes to these Sailing Instructions will be notified at the briefing referred to in paragraph 4.1 above.
4.3. In conveying information and signalling, special consideration shall be given to the needs of sailors with special needs, be they physical, intellectual, emotional or sensory.
5. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE AND AFLOAT
Signals made afloat will be displayed on the Committee Boat.Note especially the use of the postponement signal  Flag ‘Answering Pennant’ (AP), e.g. as described in the RRS – Race Signals section at the back of the RRS as published by the RYA. 6. THE COURSE
6.1. Course Instructions – The Course to be used will be described at the briefing by the Race Officer prior to racing. Note that this may change during an event with competitors being notified by the method described at the briefing.
6.2. Start and Finish Line – This will normally be between a Committee Boat flying the appropriate flags and an outer distance mark. A course should be set to ensure that boats already racing do not pass through the area of the Start Line until all classes have started. However, failure to do this will not be grounds for protest against the Race Officer or Race Committee. 6.3. Lead Boat – A lead boat wearing Flag ‘L’  may be deployed in front of the fleet to indicate the course. It will normally only lead for the first lap of the first race to start. Any error by a lead boat will not be grounds for protest against the Race Committee. 6.4. Zone at marks will be as defined in the RRS and will be three hull lengths of the boat nearer to the mark.
6.5. Moving a mark – When it is necessary and possible, the Race Officer may either move a mark, or lay a substitute mark after the start. This change will be made clear by the lead boat or another support boat. This replaces RRS Rule 33.
6.6. Missing mark – RRS Rule 34 will be used. 7. STARTING PROCEDURE
7.1. Races will be started as described in RRS Rule 26. Flag ‘P’ or Flag ‘I’ may be used as the flag for the Preparatory Signal.
7.2. Racing will be organised in four classes with three starts as follows:-
• Liberty (Open Class, and Full-Servo Class if applicable)
(Special Class Flag –White on Purple);  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
• 303[two-person]
(Special Class Flag – White on Red);  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - •303[single-person] (Special Class Flag-Red on White);  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
• 2.3 (Open Class, and Full-Servo Class if applicable) (Special Class Flag – Blue on White);  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The 303 classes will normally be combined in one start with both class flags used together.
7.3. The Start Line will be as defined at the briefing (see paragraphs 4.1, 4.2 and 6.2).
7.4. After a start sequence has commenced, boats not racing and not involved in the start under way shall keep clear of the start area. Failure to do so may lead to disqualification by the Race Officer. Whilst a start sequence is still in progress, boats already racing shall make every effort to keep clear of the start area and boats preparing to start.
7.5. Starting Times - Intended starting times shall be described in the Notice of Race, if issued, otherwise at the pre-race briefing at paragraph 4.1 above. Two, or exceptionally three, race sequences may be held “back-to-back” in any racing period.
7.6. Individual Recalls. These will be made in accordance with RRS Rule 29.1 using Flag ‘X’  with one sound signal. It is the responsibility of every boat to start correctly. Efforts will be made by the Committee Boat and support boats to notify any boats over the line at the start, or infringing RRS Rule 30.1 concerning the use of Flag “I” as the preparatory signal. Failure to be notified of a starting infringement will not be considered grounds for protest against the Race Officer or Race Committee. 7.7. General Recalls. These will be signalled in accordance with RRS Rule 29.2 using Flag ‘First Substitute’  and two sound signals, amended as follows:-
• All boats in a recalled class must retire well behind the Start Line.
• If a General Recall is signalled for a class which is not the last class currently due to start, the recalled class will 'go to the back of the queue’, and the General Recall Flag will be removed at the same time as the Preparatory Flag is next removed.
• If a General Recall is signalled for the last class currently due to start, its restart will be made as in RRS Rule 29.2.
8. FINISHING
8.I. Finish Line. The Finish Line will be as defined at the briefing (see paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2) unless the race is shortened as in paragraph 8.3.
8.2. Time Limit. The race length is expected to be approximately 30 minutes for the leading boat in TT meeting races and 40 minutes for National Championship races. The time limit for other boats will be 15 minutes after the finishing time of the leading boat in their class, unless otherwise indicated at the pre-race briefing, or by the Race Officer who may use his/her discretion.
At the expiry of the time limit, boats which have not finished shall score one point more than the last boat to finish within the time limit. This amends RRS A4.2. If no boat in a particular class is likely to complete the race within 1 hour, the Race Officer may abandon the race in accordance with RRS Rule 32 using  Flag ‘N’ over the appropriate class flag and three sound signals.
8.3. Shortening Course. The Race Officer may shorten the course in accordance with RRS 32 using Flag ‘S’  over the appropriate class flag(s) and two sound signals. The race may be finished at any point of the course by creating a new Finish Line which shall be either the previously designated finish line, or between a boat flying an ‘S’ flag and a mark of the course or a specially laid mark.
9. PENALTIES
The penalty for breaking a rule of Part 2 of the RRS, including touching a mark of the Course, is to make ONE turn in the same direction including one tack and one gybe while keeping clear of all other boats. This amends RRS Rule 44.1. 10. PROTESTS
10.1. RRS Rule 61.1(a) requires a hail of ‘PROTEST’ by any boat intending to make a protest. This will only be waived if no crew member of the protesting boat is physically able to make such a hail. See International Access Class Rule H.4.9. (all Access classes).
10.2. Those with right of way need to take into consideration possible delayed reaction times and possible limited manoeuvrability of other Access sailors. Protest Committees will take this into consideration when hearing a protest involving right of way rules. See International Access Class Rule H.4.2. (all Access classes).
10.3. Protests shall be notified to the Race Officer or other shore based official within 30 minutes of coming ashore and a written protest be lodged within 1 hour of coming ashore.
10.4. The helmsman of a competing boat which is the subject of a protest and who, on coming ashore and taking advice, decides that he or she has indeed infringed a rule of Part 2 of the RRS may agree to take a points penalty equivalent to two places in the relevant race. Agreement to take this 2 point penalty must be done within the time limit set in these Sailing Instructions for the lodging of a formal written Protest. In event of two or more infringements by the same boat, a penalty of 2 points must be taken for each infringement. This will not affect the points awarded to other competitors in the race. In event of such an incident being the subject of a protest or protests, all parties to the protest(s) must agree to the taking of this alternative points penalty. If there is no such agreement, the protest(s) shall be heard. 11. OUTSIDE HELP
RRS 41 is modified to permit any boat to receive help from a support boat for any reason other than for additional propulsion. To request help, arms should be raised and lowered, or repeated blasts made on a whistle, or an approved hand held flag should be waved until acknowledged by a support boat. Any boat being aground, or on a lee shore, and then pulled off by a Support Boat shall not be penalised ON THE CONDITION that no advantage is given to the competitor in making progress towards the next mark of the course. 12. DECLARATIONS No declarations shall be required. 13. SCORING SYSTEM
The ‘Low Point’ scoring system, RRS Rule 90.3 and Appendix A shall apply, except as amended at 8.2 above. The completion of one race will be sufficient to constitute a series. In a race series of four or more races a boat's worst score will be discarded.
14. LOCAL RULES
Any Local Rules are deemed to be part of these Sailing Instructions. Details shall be made available at the briefing (see paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 above). 15. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Retirement from a race. A competitor wishing to retire must inform the Race Officer or a Support Boat of their intentions before leaving the racing area. If communication is not possible, he/she should make every effort to inform an appropriate event official at the earliest possible time after coming ashore. Issued January 2012
Access Class Association (UK)
For an easily printable PDF version click the following link ACA(UK) Sailing Instructions Jan 20112 If you do not have a PDF reader you can download Adobe Reader free. click this link for the download page Adobe Reader 
To be used at all Open Meetings and Championships in the UK
(subject to any locally issued supplementary Sailing Instructions)
N.B. The responsibility for the overall management of ACA(UK) events, including safety aspects, rests with the Host Club for the event.
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