NOTES FOR RACE OFFICERS
@
GREENWICH YACHT CLUB
Introduction
Thank
you for volunteering to be a Race Official. As Race Officer, you will be
responsible for ensuring that the day’s event is run smoothly and enjoyably for
all those taking part.
This
manual is intended to help you through all aspects of managing a race at
Greenwich Yacht Club, from start-up to delivering a completed set of results to
the crews and the Club website.
The
manual is broken into several sections, dealing first with pre-race
preparation, then running the race itself, followed by the post-race
activities. There are also a series of appendices which cover procedures for
re-starts, shortened courses, postponements, time limits and protests.
Also
included are copies of the basic forms, the signing-in sheet and protests form,
these you can use to make copies, although master copies can also be found on
the race hut computer for printing off.
Enjoy your day.
Before
the Race.
Preparation
q Check to see if the race is for
Cruisers or Dinghies and note the proposed start and briefing times from the
published programme shown on the Club notice board or the GYC website.
q Determine the intended course from the
published Notice of Race.
q Arrange for access to the Race Hut with
a key-holder (usually the Dinghy or Cruiser Captain or Committee member)
q Try to check the weather forecast
before the event. Monitoring the forecasts from the day before will give you a
better idea of what may be presented to you on race day, and make a note of the
tide times, including the range, to get an idea of current strength. You can
access the Club’s weather station online via the Club site, [greenwichyachtclub.co.uk]
where there are also links to tidal data.
q Things you might find useful to bring
with you:
A pair of binoculars
Sandwiches and drink
Mobile phone
Pens or pencils
On Race Day
q Try to arrive at least 1.5 hours before
the published race start.
q Review the weather conditions and decide if any modifications will be required to the proposed course or start times.
q Access the Race Hut and check the
equipment that you will need.
SEC Race controller (in drawer)
Electronic weather station
Fixed VHF radio
Air Horn battery and battery charger,
backup air horn
Handheld VHF radios (below desks)
Computer printer paper (spare paper in
drawer)
Starting lights (spare bulb in drawer)
Race flags (if to be used) Class flag,
“P”, “X”, “N”, 1st Substitute, “S”
q Prepare the Race hut for the race.
Turn on mains power at the wall socket,
this will power-up the fixed VHF transformer and SEC plug.
Get out the SEC controller and connect
power plug (screw in) remote horn button (jackplug), computer link (jackplug)
and horn controller (twist plug)
Connect crocodile clips to battery
terminals for horn.
Connect master plug for start lights
and check all are operating.
Switch on Computer screen and printer
(computer always stays on)
Link SEC controller to computer by
clicking on “Race Timer” icon, and then double click “options”, followed
by “controller clock”. This ensures that
any activity on the controller is logged. Switch on the SEC controller (black
rocker at back).
Make sure that computer time is the
same as the weather station radio clock.
Turn on fixed VHF and tune to race
channel (usually 37) tune one hand held VHF to London VTS (channel 14).
For open meetings, or if sufficient
volunteers available, ready start sequence flags on the flagpole.
q Contact London VTS at Barrier Control
by telephone [020 8312 7671] to give them notice of the intended race,
detailing start/finish times and course. Give number of boats involved if
known, otherwise call again after Race briefing. Check if any river activity is
expected which might affect race. Give them a contact telephone number so they
can contact the Race hut outside of channel 14.
q For short races, use river chartlets
(in back of bible) to plan the course and plot position of racing marks. Bear
in mind that there should always be an up-wind leg if possible. Discuss
proposed course with safety boat crews and organise them to place the buoys.
q Complete Race Briefing sheet. (see
appendix)
At Race Start – 1
hour
q Do race briefing to crews on the
pontoon or slipway.
Outline proposed course and any changes
from published notice of race.
Run over start sequence and other
reminders such as penalty turns.
Remind cruisers about engines off at
start – 5min. and barrier procedures.
Get crews
to sign in.
q Contact London VTS with boat details if
required and arrange barrier clearance if passing through.
Get yourself organised in the Race hut.
q For cruisers, do a radio check on
channel 37.
q Check everything is still switched on
and ready, make sure you have paper and pens for notes.
q If staff numbers permit, prepare the
results spreadsheet on the computer, or make a manual spreadsheet to record lap
times and events.
Visit the comfort facilities, get yourself a drink, switch
on the heater and relax.
The Race,
Starting.
The SEC controller is set to run a start sequence of
5,4,1,0, which begins the race start countdown at – 5 minutes.
q Use the radio weather station digital
clock for starting times.
At Race start
minus 6 minutes.
q Check the start line and prepare for
start sequence. [check flags and spare
horn]
q Alert safety boat crews on VHF
At Race start – 5
minutes.
q Start race sequence on SEC controller
by pressing red “Auto” button (horn will sound) [break out class flag]
q Turn on one light at switch panel.
Remember that cruisers should have
engines off.
At Race start - 4 minutes.
SEC controller will make a sound signal.
q Turn on second light at switch panel.
(the controller gives a nine second warning bleep to get ready) [break out “P”
flag]
At Race start -1
minute.
SEC controller will make a sound signal.
q Turn on third light at switch panel.
[haul down “P” flag]
At RACE START.
SEC controller will make a sound signal.
q Turn off all lights at main switch.
[haul down class flag]
Observe the start line for boats crossing early.
q Individual
Recall. If
one or two boats are over, make a single sound signal on the hand horn button
and switch back on one light.
§ Note the details of infringing boats
and radio if necessary. [break out “N” flag]
(boats must re-cross the line to enter
the race)
q General
Recall. If
too many boats are over, make two sound signals and turn on two lights.
§ Note the details and radio if
necessary, [break out “1st sub” flag] go to “General Recall” notes.
If there is a clean start, or after a general recall, switch
off the SEC controller to prevent another sequence starting.
q On the controller press the “Auto” red
button. (Message in window says ‘stop sequence?’)
q On the controller press the “Menu”
black button for ‘Yes’ (Message in window says ‘stop clock?)
q On the controller press the “Auto”
button again for ‘No’
Controller will now continue to record times and send them
to the computer.
For a “round the cans” race, you can record individual lap
times on your manual spreadsheet using the weather station clock. This will
assist in determining the finishing order and can be useful in cases of
dispute.
q Note the times of the slowest boat in
case you need to shorten the course or reduce the number of laps. (see appendix
“Shortening course or abandoning”)
Enjoy the race and get ready for the
finish.
Finishing.
For longer cruiser races, it is helpful to have contact with
the Cruiser Captain or another yacht by mobile phone to monitor progress when
outside VHF range, to anticipate potential finish time.
Station yourself behind the finish line with the hand held
horn button.
q As each boat crosses the line, make one
sound signal. (the time will be recorded on the computer as “default1, 2, 3
etc.)
q Record the details of the boat on
paper.
q When all boats have finished, call
London VTS (020 8312 7671) to notify them the race is over.
q Get the Safety Boats to recover the
racing marks.
After
the Race.
q Edit the race timer file to change each
“default” entry to the name of the finishing boat.
q Save the file as date/month/year
“00:00:00” and print off a copy.
q Calculate the corrected times of all competitors. This can be done by Manual Calculation c=(e*1000)/r or by using the "Sailwave" or "Halsraceresults". Both are loaded on the Racehut computer but can also be downloaded free of charge and tried on your home computer before the event (to familiarise yourself with the programs, try to rescore a previous race or series to see whether you get the same results).
q Make a few of copies of results, (One must stay in the racehut, one for Cruiser/Dinghy Captain, one for Web-Editor and one for Notice board)
q Close down all computer programmes, switch
off and disconnect the SEC controller, turn off the VHF radios, switch off the
power plugs [BUT NOT THE COMPUTER] Disconnect the horn battery.
q Put away flags if used, tidy up any
rubbish, turn off heater.
q Arrange for the closure and alarming of
the Race Hut.
q Deliver the results to the crews in the Bar and ensure a copy goes to Web-editor.
q Don’t forget to thank your Assistants,
Safety Boat Crews and anyone else!
~ And thanks very
much for all your help.
Appendix 1
General
Recall.
(Racing rules of sailing Part 29.2
refers)
If there are too many boats over the line at the start, or
they are difficult to identify, or you have made a mistake in starting, then
you should make a General Recall.
q You should make two sound signals and
display two lights, (fly 1st substitute flag if possible) and make a
VHF announcement.
You can then proceed to re-start the race sequence, by
returning to the “Race Start” section of the manual.
Timing:
Normally allow at least 10 minutes before the next start to
allow boats to re-position.
q One minute before the new start
sequence, turn off the two lights and haul down the 1st substitute
flag and make a VHF announcement to crews and safety boats.
Postponement
On race day, conditions may not permit you to start as
scheduled.
q If you decide to delay or postpone a
start for whatever reason, you should fly “AP” pennant if possible.
NOTE. It is always possible to postpone a
start, but you can never bring it forward.
Appendix 2.
Shortening
the Course or Abandoning the Race
(Racing Rules of Sailing Part 3.2
refers)
Shortening the
Race
Sometimes it is necessary to shorten the Race Course. This
is usually because the wind has failed and it looks likely that all boats will
not be able to finish within an acceptable time.
q For a round-the-cans course, monitor
the lap time for the slowest boat.
q For a longer cruiser race, contact the
race boats and determine how the race is progressing.
The options open
to you are:
q Reduce the number of laps to be sailed.
q Shorten the final leg.
q Designate a different turning or
finishing mark.
For all these options, you must be guided by the Racing
Rules, which state in brief: