SAILBOAT RACING RULES & PROCEDURES
All scheduled races will be governed by International Yacht Racing
Rules as adopted by US Sailing Association. Following are the underlying
basics of the rules:
Fundamentals: Help anyone in danger, and avoid
collisions whenever possible.
1. Opposite Tacks: Starboard has right of
way.
2. Same Tack: Leeward or clear ahead have
right of way.
3. Changing Tacks: Boats tacking or jibing
keep clear.
4. Limits: Right-of-way boats changing course
or when gaining right of way
must at first give
others room to keep clear.
A target starting time for the race is decided upon at the skippers
meeting (9:00 AM the day of the race in the clubhouse). Final decisions
are made out on Lake Michigan before the race by communicating via VHF channel
69. All times are referenced to GPS time and if there is no committee boat,
each racer must keep a record of his finish time and report it to the race
manager after the race. Races are handicapped using Lake Michigan PHRF
ratings (non-spinnaker) with Time-On-Time scoring.
The race course consists of a race from a starting latitude to a 2nd
latitude and back. There are NO buoys. You record your time when you
reach the 2nd latitude and then again when you come back and cross the
starting latitude. Latitudes 3 minutes (3 nautical miles) apart are
usually chosen. There are NO limitations as to where you cross the
latitudes.