March 22nd – March 29th 2025

2025 SARW Inshore Series – Sailing Instructions

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS – Inshore Series

TUESDAY, MARCH 25th & WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26th 2025

The First Coast Sailing Association (FCSA) is the Organizing Authority
The St. Augustine Yacht Club is the Host
Rev. 03.20.2025

www.StAugustineRaceWeek.com

NOTE – These Sailing Instructions are for Inshore Races – Boats up to a nominal 34 ft. However, boats 24 ft. & under are pre-ferred, since boats over 24 ft. are encouraged to participate in the offshore events.

1. RULES
1.1 The event is governed by the “Racing Rules of Sailing” (RRS); the PHRF rules of the First Coast Sailing Association (www.sailjax.com); and class rules for any One-Design class established.
1.2 Entrants in this Event shall at all times not obstruct the passage of a vessel not involved in the Regatta and in violation of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. All boats must comply with Navigation Rules of the Road when in and near the Tolomato River. This is considered a narrow channel by commercial vessels such as barges, river cruise line boats, etc. and are thus vessels constrained by draft or restricted in their ability to maneuver. Hence all entrants herein become the give way vessel. Failure to comply with this Rule may be considered misconduct and may be penalized up to and including dismissal from the Event.
1.3 REGATTA BURGEES – While racing, each boat shall fly from her backstay or her starboard shroud (if no backstay) the official Race Week burgee, to be distributed along with each Skipper’s Bag when registering.
1.4 USE OF ENGINE – 1.4.1 [DP] In accordance with RRS 42.3(i) – In an emergency, an engine or other means of propulsion may be used when appropriate to avoid collision or in grave emergency. Full details shall be given to the Protest Committee who, after a hearing, may impose a penalty.
2. CHANGES TO THE SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted before 0900 on the day it will take effect, except that any change to the schedule of races will be posted by 2000 on the day before it will take effect.
3. COMMUNICATION WITH COMPETITORS
3.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board (ONB) located at YachtScoring (https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/16982).
3.2 On the water, the Race Committee will monitor VHF 78A, and may, as the circumstances dictate, communicate with a boat(s) while racing. For this and safety reasons boats must monitor both Ch 16 and 78A while racing. Failure of the RC to make an an nouncement or of any competitor to receive same will not be grounds for redress. This changes RRS 62.1(a).
3.3 [DP]From the first warning signal until the end of the last race of the day, except in an emergency or to inform the Race Committee of retirement, a boat shall not make voice or data transmissions and shall not receive voice or data communication that is not available to all boats.
4. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
No signals will be made ashore. The Race Committee will make announcements, if any, on VHF 78A starting at 0900 each day. Official announcements will be posted to the ONB. Failure of the RC to make an announcement
or of any competitor to receive same will not be grounds for redress. This changes RRS 62.1(a).
5. CODE OF CONDUCT
[DP] Competitors and support persons shall comply with reasonable requests from race officials.
6. SCHEDULE
6.1 The Competitors Meeting will be held at 9:00 am on Tuesday, March 25th in the St. Augustine Sailing Conference Room at the Windward Camachee Marina.
6.2 The first warning signal for each day’s racing is scheduled for 1025. Up to three races will be held each day.
6.3 Winners’ trophies for each day will be presented on Wednesday, March 26th during the Offshore Skippers’ Meeting at the St Augustine YC (SAYC).
6.4 Overall trophies will be presented at the Awards Party on Saturday March 29th at the Municipal Marina Party Tent.
7. CLASS FLAG(S)
7.1 If only one class, Class flag will be a red star on a white background.
7.2 If there is a Class 1, the flag will be Numeral 5
7.3 If there is a Class 2, the flag will be Numeral 6
8. RACING AREA
The racing area will be on the Tolomato River (ICW), north of the Vilano Bridge.
9. COURSES
Races will be sailed on courses between Markers 54 and 57 as shown on the attached diagrams. Starting and finishing will be between the Committee Boat and a mark in the vicinity of Marker 55. The courses will be selected the day of the race depending on wind conditions and may vary between races.
10. MARKS
See Attachment 1.
11. CLASSES
Boats will race in one PHRF fleet unless there is a sufficient number of boats to form two classes. Daysailors and sport boats are encouraged to participate. Boats will be assigned a PHRF rating by the race committee if they do not already have one. Boats can elect to fly a spinnaker but must declare so before the start of each race and hence will use a lower handicap for that race.
12. THE STARTS & STARTING SEQUENCE
12.1 The starting line for both classes will connect between an orange flag displayed on the RC boat and a mark in the vicinity of Government Marker 55.
12.2 Once the RC boat is on station at the start line, each boat shall check in with the Race Committee prior to the warning signal of the first class by sailing past the stern of the RC boat and hailing its boat name. Alternatively, boats may hail the RC boat on HF 78A for this purpose. Boats failing to check in may be scored DNC.
12.3 [blank]
12.4 Start Sequence – The start order will be Class 1 followed by Class 2 if there is one.
12.5.1 Races will be started using RRS Rule 26:

12.5.2 The warning signal for succeeding starts will be made after the preceding class last boat clears the line.
12.5.3 Boats that have not started within 10 minutes of their class start may be scored DNS.
13. THE FINISHES
The finish line is between a solid orange flag displayed on the RC boat and the course side of the designated finish mark, a mark in the vicinity of Marker 55. This changes Race Signals – blue flag.
14. TIME LIMITS
The time limit for each race is 2 hours after the start of each race for the first boat to finish.
15. PENALTY SYSTEM
Appendix V applies. A boat that has taken a penalty under Appendix V1 shall report such to the Race Committee immediately after finishing by hailing the RC boat.
16. HEARING REQUESTS
16.1 A Boat intending to file a protest shall notify the Race Committee of that intent immediately after finishing by hailing the RC boat.
16.2 Protests, requests for redress, and scoring inquiries shall be filed on the YS event website by logging into the owner’s corner and filling out the online form (a diagram may be brought to the hearing; Protest / Hearing Request and Acceptance of Post-Race Penalty forms are available on the ONB and at the regatta office and may be submitted on line or at the office not more than 2 hours after the final boat finishes the final race of the day (RRS 61.3).
16.3 Notices will be posted on the YS ONB no later than 15 minutes after the protest time limit to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. Hearings will be held as soon as practical after 17:00 each day. Hearings will be held in the Municipal Marina / Event Tent area.
16.4 A notice fulfilling the requirements of RRS 63.2 will be posted not later than 15 minutes following the expiration of the protest.
17. SERIES SCORING
17.1 Race and Series scoring will be in accordance with RRS Appendix A, Low Point System as changed below.
17.2 Two races are required to be completed to constitute the Series.
17.3 Each day’s scored racing will be combined to count for that day’s class awards.
17.4 (a) When fewer than five (5) races have been completed, a boat’s series score is the total of her race scores.
(b) When five (5) or more races have been completed, a boat’s series score is the total of her race scores excluding her worst score.
18. RACE RESULTS
Results will be posted on the regatta registration website and on www.sailjax.com. Overall Regatta Results will also be e-mailed to the addresses given on the registration documents. Any request for clarification of the results shall be raised as soon as possible, and in any case, within 5 days of e-mail publication.
19. RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY
19.1 RRS 3 states: ‘The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue to race is hers alone.’ By participating in this event each competitor agrees and acknowledges that sailing is a potentially dangerous activity with inherent risks. These risks include strong winds and rough seas, sudden changes in weather, failure of equipment, boat handling errors, poor seamanship by other boats, loss of balance on an unstable platform and fatigue resulting in increased risk of injury. Inherent in the sport of sailing is the risk of permanent, catastrophic injury or death by drowning, trauma, hypothermia or other causes.
19.2. The regatta organizers (organizing authority, race committee, protest committee, technical committee, host club, sponsors, or any other participating organization or official) will not be responsible for damage to any boat or other property or the injury to any competitor, including death, sustained as a result of participation in these events.
19.3. By participating in this event, each competitor agrees to release the regatta organizers from any and all liability associated with participation in this event to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Attachment 1:

2025 ST AUGUSTINE RACE WEEK – INSHORE COURSES
NORTH COURSE	SOUTH COURSE

1. The start/finish line will be between the Orange Flag on the Committee Boat (CB) and a pin end mark in the vicinity of Marker 55.
2. All temporary turning marks will be positioned east of the main channel.
3. Boats will start heading either north or south.
4. The race committee will identify Mark A and Mark B prior to starting. They will be suitable temporary marks.
5. The race committee will specify the number of laps to be sailed.
6. Boats may not pass west of the Committee Boat, or east of the pin end of the start/finish line while racing. In other words, the start/finish line must be crossed each time it is passed. Therefore, the committee boat and the pin end are marks of the course, as such RRS 18 applies. They should not be considered obstructions.
7. All other marks shall be rounded to port.
As an example, the race committee might make the following radio announcement: “Today’s race shall be Course – South, once around. Mark A is in the vicinity of Government Marker 57. Mark B is a yellow tetrahedron approximately 0.75 miles north of Government Marker 55.”
This should be interpreted and sailed as follows: (i) Start between CB and Mark heading south (ii) round Mark A to port (iii) head north, leaving Mark to starboard and CB to port (iv) round Mark B to port (v) head south, finish with CB to starboard and Mark to port.
Race committee may shorten course for one or more classes according to RRS 32.2 and may finish boats between CB and the mark at the other end of the start/finish line.

2025 SARW Inshore Sailing Instructions – First Coast Sailing Association
(Rev. 03.20.2025)

Download the “.pdf” file
2025 SARW Inshore Series – Sailing Instructions (4 Pages)