YSC Club Rules

CONSTITUTION

1. The objects of the Yare Sailing Club will be: a. to organise matches, regattas and rallies for River Cruiser Class (RCC) yachts and b. to further, on its own account and in association with other clubs and organisations, the interests of RCC owners.

2. Membership of the Club will be open to any individual who owns a RCC yacht, or who has an interest in the sailing or maintenance of RCC yachts. Couples and children under the age of eighteen or in full time education will be eligible for Family Membership.

3. All Members shall pay subscriptions as agreed by the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Subscriptions shall be due on 1 January each year, save that the initial subscription for any member joining on or after 1 October shall run until 31 December the following year. Any subscriptions unpaid by 30 April shall be deemed in default and the membership terminated, unless there is a Standing Order in place. Only paid-up members will be entitled to vote at meetings or be eligible to win Club Trophies.

4. A Committee to manage the day-to-day affairs of the Club will be elected at the AGM. It will consist of a Commodore, a Vice Commodore, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Treasurer and a minimum of two and a maximum of ten Ordinary Committee Members. Four Committee Members will constitute a quorum. The Committee will be empowered to co-opt members; Co-opted Members will have no voting rights. In pursuance of the authority vested in the Committee by members of the Club, members of the Committee are entitled to be indemnified by the members of the Club against any liabilities properly incurred by them on behalf of the Club, whenever the liability is of a duly authorised nature or could reasonably be assumed to be of a duly authorised nature and entered into on behalf of the Club. The limit of a member's indemnity in this respect shall be a sum equal to one year's subscription at the current rate.

5. An AGM will be held during the winter at which all Members and Family Members over the age of eighteen will be eligible to vote.

6. On receipt of notice and agenda, signed by twenty paid-up members, the Honorary Secretary shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting.

7. This Constitution may be changed only by a two-thirds majority vote of those present and entitled to vote at a General Meeting held fourteen days after notice to the Membership of any proposed change.

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Races will be governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing (ISAF Rules), the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) prescriptions where they apply, the RCC Rules and these Sailing Instructions. Competitors are reminded of their obligations under the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, particularly Rule 9, Narrow Channels, clause (b).

2. All competing yachts must have third party insurance of at least £1,000,000 and a current Broads Authority Licence.

3. The safety of a yacht and her entire management including insurance shall, at all times, be the sole and inescapable responsibility of the owner or his representative who is in charge of the yacht. The establishment of these sailing instructions in no way limits or reduces the complete and unlimited responsibility of the owner or his representative for the yacht, her crew and her management.

4. All entrants must sign in at race briefings to indicate their intention to compete, confirm their handicap and declare they have adequate insurance cover.

5. Only yachts registered with the River Cruiser Class are eligible to race. All such yachts are eligible to win Open trophies, provided they have a ratified handicap. Only yachts owned or raced by a fully paid up club member are eligible for Club trophies.

6. Races will be scored using the low points system, i.e. 1 point for 1st place, 2 points for 2nd place, 3 points for 3rd place, etc. Yachts which start but do not finish a race will be awarded points equivalent to the number of starters plus one. Yachts which are disqualified will be awarded points equivalent to the number of starters plus two. Non-starters and boats disqualified before the start will not be scored.

7. Unless otherwise notified, there will be a 10 minute warning signal for each start, followed by a 5 minute preparatory signal. Yachts should be off their mooring and not under engine power by their 5 minute signal.

8. For safety reasons, split starts will often be the norm; divisions to be determined by handicap. When it is thought appropriate, e.g. in light wind conditions, slower yachts may be started first. All yachts should endeavour to stay clear of the starting area until after their 5 minute signal.

9. Late entries will only be accepted at the discretion of the Officer of the Day and such yachts may be placed in any start, not necessarily the one appropriate for their handicap.

10. In the interests of safety, RRS rule 44.1 on taking one or two turn penalties is replaced by time penalties of one or two minutes respectively added to the yacht’s elapsed time, to be acknowledged by the said yacht flying a green rectangular flag. It is the responsibility of the helm to declare to the Race Officer, within the prescribed time limit for protests, which penalty or penalties the yacht is taking. A yacht that fails to make a declaration will be assumed to have retired. It is the responsibility of other competitors to ensure that these provisions are enforced.

11. Every effort will be made to avoid any yacht being timed out of a race, but a cut-off time may be set at the discretion of the Officer of the Day. Any such time will be announced at the briefing.

12. Skippers are reminded that when so called “honesty marks” are used, such as Rockland Dyke, normal port and starboard rules apply, rather than mark-rounding rules.

13. It is the sole responsibility of the yacht owner or their representative who is in charge of the yacht to ensure that club members and their guests either racing or participating in water based YSC organised activities wear an appropriate life jacket or adequate personal buoyancy if more appropriate to the task in hand. This sailing instruction includes volunteers assisting in the running of races or activities.