Sweetheart Race

1. RULES
This race will be governed by the 2005-2008 Racing Rules of Sailing, the rules of the Southern California PHRF Fleet, and applicable Class Rules (except as any of these are altered by these sailing instructions), and by these sailing instructions.

2. ENTRIES
Participants may enter by submitting a completed race entry form to the Santa Barbara Yacht Club no later than 1030 hours on the day of the race. All entries must conform to S.I. 10 (CREW). Race entry forms are available in the back hallway of the clubhouse. Exceptions are at the discretion of the Race Committee.

3. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located on the SBYC lower deck.

4. SKIPPER’S MEETING
A skipper’s meeting will be held at 1030 hours on the upper deck of the SBYC Clubhouse.

5. CHANGES IN SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Any change in the sailing instructions will be posted before 1030 hours on race day.

6. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
Signals made ashore will be displayed from the SBYC yardarm.

7. SCHEDULE OF RACES
One race will be held on February 11th, 2007. If conditions do not permit a race, the race may either be rescheduled, or abandoned. The warning signal for the race will be at 1130 hours.

8. CLASS DESIGNATIONS
Classes will be determined at the skippers meeting based on race entries submitted. It is the intent of the Race Committee to most equally and fairly divide the yachts into three competitive fleets. If participation does not warrant three fleets, the Race Committee may reduce the number of fleets.

9. SPINNAKERS
All boats must sail non-spinnaker. PHRF offsets will be used for corrected time calculations. Poles may be used.

10. CREW
Amendment 1.
Sailing Instruction 10 is modified such that crew need not be comprised of “significant couples.” The crew may also include pairs of family members or other members with interest provided that 50% of the crew are women.

Previous version (amended by the above revision): Crew members must be significant couples. For purposes of this race, a couple is defined as one male and one female. The intent of the Sweetheart Race is to promote sailing by significant couples (husband and wife, significant others, partners, etc.). The crew should consist of an equal numbers of men and women on a boat, no restriction on how many couples per boat. Children under 16 years of age are not counted.

11. RACING AREA
The racing area shall be as referenced on the 2007 SBYC Course Chart.

12. THE COURSE
Courses will be taken from the 2007 SBYC Course Chart. The course for each race will be posted from the SBYC deck with the preparatory signal for each class. Courses may be shortened at the discretion of the Race Committee.

13. MARKS
Marks will be as designed on the 2007 SBYC Course Chart. In the event of missing marks, boats shall return to the starting line as soon as possible for a restart.

14. THE START
The start will be between marks F and G as shown on the 2007 SBYC Course Chart. The race will be started using rule 26 with the warning signal given 5 minutes before the starting signal. The class flag for all fleets shall be a red flag with a white ‘A’. The CHRF Fleet may have their own staggered start with a preparatory signal at 1300 hours.

15. CHANGE OF COURSE AFTER THE START
15.1 The race committee may shorten a course. A shortened course will be signaled from the SBYC deck. The change will be signaled before the leading boat has finished the shortened leg.

15.2 When a course is to be shortened for a class, the shortened course will be signaled by the display of code flag ‘S’, accompanied by two sound signals, and the display on the Santa Barbara Yacht Club deck of the class placard for the class. Only classes whose placard is displayed on the Santa Barbara Yacht Club deck will have their courses shortened. The shortened course will be finished at the next gate or mark required by the course chart. For legs to mark X, the finish will be between mark X and the SBYC flagpole.

16. THE FINISH
The finish will be between marks F and G, as shown on the 2007 SBYC Course Chart.

17. TIME LIMIT
The first boat in each class must finish within 2 hrs of that class’ starting time or the race will be abandoned.

18. PROTESTS
Protests are discouraged except in the event of a collision. If you must protest, a round of drinks must be purchased for all competitors before filing your protest with the Race Committee.

19. PRIZES
Trophies will be awarded to the PHRF and the handicap fleet winners. The number of trophies will be awarded depending on participation. Three boats in a class (fleet) will receive one trophy award; five or more boats in a class (fleet) will receive two trophy awards.

Participants in this event compete entirely at their own risk. See Rule 4, Decision to Race. The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta.

Sweethearts’ Regatta
Amendments to Sailing Instructions

Amendment 1.
Sailing Instruction 10 is modified such that crew need not be comprised of “significant couples”. The crew may also include pairs of family members or other members with interest provided that 50% of the crew are women.

February 7, 2007, Dana Jones