CBSA 2015 Race Committee
Check wind forecast using bigwavedave.ca on race day
What to take with you in the Committee Boat
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code flags (at least Red, Blue with white square, and Individual Recall & General Recall – both marked on handles)
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course indicators (W-T-B-2)
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a whistle or air-horn (please bring)
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a stopwatch or digital watch (please bring)
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recording sheets, clipboard & pens (in shed)
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4 mark buoys, their lines and weights (3 yellow spar marks & 1 red ball for start line)
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things to keep you warm and dry (please bring. Expect wet feet)
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You need to be on the water by 5:30 to have the time you’ll need – earlier if you are new at this.
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If you are unfamiliar with the boats, a video cam to record the finishes can be helpful. (in the shed) *
Setting up the Course
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In really light air select a windward – leeward course. When estimating how long it should be, aim for twenty-five minute races. If there is any breeze at all, it won’t take long for the boats to make it around the courses B & T.
Course T(triangle) Course W(windward-leeward) Course B (Bermuda)
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Set the course in the windiest area of the bay. Look at the Triangle course above. Set up spar buoys in the W, L & G positions. As the night progresses you can choose any of the courses above provided the wind directions doesn't shift too much.
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Set the Windward or Leeward mark buoy first, whichever one ends up being closest to the CBSA shore. Stop the committee boat to test the true wind direction with one of the flags. The imaginary line between “L” and “W” should be in line with the wind.
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Drive the boat straight upwind (or downwind) and place the other end of the course. It should take at least 10 minutes to sail upwind from the Leeward mark to the Windward mark.
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Next set the Gybe mark buoy wide on the left side of the course, looking to windward. This will be used for the B & T courses.
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Be sure to leave enough room between the shore and the marks for a safe port side rounding.
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For the start line - Set the Pin end of the start line with the red mark buoy between windward and leeward as shown above.
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Lastly, anchor the Boat to make a start line perpendicular to the wind. The committee boat should be on the right hand side of the start line, looking to windward. To determine the start line length, estimate one boat length per racing boat. Check that the start line is at right angles to the wind and adjust if needed.
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Start to record the boats coming to the start area. Highlight them on the score sheet. Do a count. If a boat does not show up on the list, add the sail numbers and do your best to get the name/s of the skipper.
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If you've recorded all the boats in the start area, and your watch is ready, and you have the flags ready, then you are ready to move onto announcing the course and starting the sequence. (see page 2)
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Note: The first sequence can start at, but not before, 6:00 pm on Tuesday nights. You do not have to wait for the latecomers to make it to the start area. In fact, late boats may not start if the lead boat in a race has already rounded the windward mark. Mark that boat with a DNS for that race.
Announcing the Course and the Start Sequence
Use the W, T, and B course indicators to announce which course is to be raced. You can indicate twice around by adding the “2” (only for W and T courses).
Long courses make the work of the race committee easier because the finishers will be more spread out. A short course often results in several boats closing in on the finish together; much harder to record.
A Westerly generally forces you to set the windward - leeward leg across the bay which is rather short. This is a good time to select courses with long reaching legs like a Triangle or Bermuda.
Do a final check of sail numbers, skipper names, and boat types (Laser, Fireball) in the start area are on your score sheet. Double check the sail numbers for possible duplicates. If you don't know who is sailing a boat, hail them and record names and numbers.
On Tuesday nights all boats will start together the sequence below. For a two start sequence see Note **
One person should have the watch while the other sounds the whistle/horn and raises the flags. The person with the watch should give count downs to the flag/horn person. Example: “15 seconds to the Red flag and horn” or “10 seconds to Blue flag down and horn”.
The following events must be as exact as possible. The flag takes priority even if the horn doesn’t work or if it's not completely synchronized. (Mistakes do happen – you can always restart if you must)
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For count up times for a watch set to chronos; the sequence starts at 0.
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For count down times – on a countdown - chronos watch; set it to 3 minutes
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When you’re ready for a start, give three blasts on the horn or whistle, wait 20 or 30 seconds, then start the sequence
Count Up Count Down
Red Flag up with horn........... 0 minutes ..... Start your watch 3 minutes
Blue Flag up with horn.......... 1 minute 2 minutes
Blue Flag down with horn...... 2 minutes 1 minute
Red Flag down with horn..... 3 minutes ….This is your START 0 minutes
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If no boats are over the start line early, call “all clear”.
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If one or more identifiable boats are over early, give one blast of the whistle, raise the individual recall flag (it’s labeled) and hail them by their sail numbers. If too many boats are over early to call back individually or if you can't tell which boats were over early, blow the whistle three times, raise the general recall flag (it’s labeled). Reset your watches to start a new sequence.
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If over early boats do not return to restart, please mark them as OCS. They get no whistle as they cross the finish line.
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Once a fleet's lead boat has already reaches the windward mark, it's too late for others to start that race. Assign a DNS.
Recording the Finishes
Watch the boats as they round the last mark and try to identify them long before they get to the finish line because it'll get busy. If you brought a video cam this is the time to start it.
Locate the boats closing in on the finish. RC person #1get ready on the score sheet. As a boat crosses, RC person #2 blows the whistle and calls out the elapsed time in minutes and seconds. RC person #1 notes it neatly. ie “Here comes Steve # 011 ....................it's going to be 21 minutes and...................16 seconds.”
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If you have the Video Camera - you may choose to record the finishes with it. In this case the recorder would have the watch and record as many times as possible. Any times or boats missed can be filled in from the video replay. To see the offset times hit replay then pause and then > . This way the time will show at the bottom. Test it before you count on it.
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Neatness counts. The fleet captain shouldn't have to guess at what was written. This is a challenge sometimes but please do your best to be legible and sort out any mix-up before moving on to the next race.
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Don’t forget to indicate at the bottom of the score sheet whether the time is actual elapsed time, or whether minutes needs to be subtracted from the recorded time to get actual elapsed time.
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Do you need to adjust any marks or the line? The dinghy sailors can often help you do so to save time.
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Decide what course you will declare next and put up the new course indicator (W, W2, T, T2, B).
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Start the next race sequence.
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While the boats are sailing race #2 take the time to clean up any results if required from race #1. You may have to consult the video replay.
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Bring the score sheet in and give it to the fleet captain or executive representative or place it in the Race Results Folder for pick-up.
Note * Time and flags for a two start sequence.
This sequence may be used on Dinghy Saturdays if there are at least five boats in a fleet. Each division will have a 3 minute sequence one following directly on the other. Set watch to chronos. The times shown are count up times. In a one design start no times have to be recorded; only the order of finish. In a mixed start, times will need to be recorded.
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When you’re ready for a start, give three blasts on the horn or whistle, wait 20 or 30 seconds, then start the sequence
DIV 1
Red Flag up with horn........... 0 minutes .................... Start your watch
Blue Flag up with horn.......... 1 minute
Blue Flag down with horn...... 2 minutes
Red Flag down with horn..... 3 minutes …............... This starts DIV 1
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If no boats are over the start line early, call “all clear”.
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If one or more identifiable boats are over early, give one blast of the whistle, raise the individual recall flag (it’s labeled) and hail them by their sail numbers. If too many boats are over early to call back individually or if you can't tell which boats were over early, blow the whistle three times, raise the general recall flag (its labeled). In a general recall the recalled fleet goes to the bottom of the sequence.
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If over early boats do not return to restart, please mark them as OCS on the sheet. They get no whistle as they cross the finish line.
Red flag goes back up once again when most or all of DIV 1 has cleared the line
Blue Flag up with horn.......... 4 minutes
Blue Flag down with horn...... 5 minutes
Red Flag down with horn..... 6 minutes …............... This starts DIV 2
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If no boats are over the start line early, call “all clear”.
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If one or more identifiable boats are over early, give one blast of the whistle, raise the individual recall flag (it’s labeled) and hail them by their sail numbers. If too many boats are over early to call back individually or if you can't tell which boats were over early, blow the whistle three times, raise the general recall flag (its labeled). In a general recall the recalled fleet goes to the bottom of the sequence.
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If over early boats do not return to restart, please mark them as OCS on the sheet. They get no whistle as they cross the finish line.
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A recalled fleet would go through the same sequence and start at 9 minutes ( 3 minutes after the last start)
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NOTE – When boats start as a single division ( ie a Laser start) you need only to record the order of finishes not the times.
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Elapsed times must be recorded for mixed starts – indicate if the Fleet Captain will have to subtract 3 or 6 etc.
Updated 2015/04/1