1.1 The Regatta will be governed by these sailing instructions and by the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), the prescriptions of the U. S. Sailing Association (U. S. Sailing), the rules of the Class Associations of boats entered in this regatta, except as any of these are changed by these sailing instructions.

1.2 The Regatta is designated category A in accordance with RRS Appendix G.

2.1 Eligible competitors shall be members of a recognized yacht club or sailing association.

2.2 Completed entry forms shall be in the hands of the Race Committee by the end of the Skippers’ Meeting or, on a day when there is no Skippers’ Meeting, before the Committee Boat leaves the dock.

2.3 A competitor who will not have reached his/her 19th birthday by December 31 of the current year, may race as a Junior by indicating on the entry form that he/she is racing as a Junior.

3.1 A boat shall carry all equipment required by her class rules. If not so specified, she shall also carry one USCG-approved PFD for each person on board.

3.2 A yacht requesting assistance should attempt to signal by waving an extended arm.

4.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the Official Notice Board located inside the FBYC Clubhouse.

5.1 Any change to these sailing instructions will be posted by the end of the Skippers’ Meeting on the day it will take effect or, on a day when there is no Skipper’s Meeting, at least 30 minutes prior to the first warning signal.

6.1 Signals made ashore will be displayed on the Committee Boat at the FBYC Dock or on the flagpole on the Fishing Bay Dock.

6.2 Flag AP hoisted with two sound signals means "The race is postponed." The warning signal will be made not less than 30 minutes after AP is lowered (with one sound).

6.3 Flag N hoisted over flag H with three sound signals means "The races are abandoned."

6.4 Flag B fully hoisted with one sound signal means "Protest time has begun." When lowered half way it means "There are less than 30 minutes remaining before protest time ends." When lowered it means "Protest time has ended."

7.1 The current year schedule of events is printed in the Sailing Events book and is available at www.fbyc.net/Events/

7.2 The time of the first Warning Signal for the first race of each day shall be as designated in the Notice of Races for that event.

7.3 The Warning Signal for subsequent races each day shall follow the preceding race, unless otherwise stated in the applicable Notice of Race.

8.1 Class names may be displayed from the race committee boat approximately one (1) minute before the warning signal of the first class to start and, after the first start, approximately one (1) minute after the start of the previous class. This is not a timed signal. This modifies RRS 26.3.

8.2 All Juniors will start with their respective classes except as noted in the Notice of Races for an individual event.

9.1 The racing area(s) will be in the Fishing Bay area and the mouth of the Piankatank River as shown in the chart in Appendix C. They are in the vicinity of the circles designated "A", "B" and "C" on the chart.

10.1 The diagrams printed in Appendix D show the course including the approximate angles between legs, the order in which marks are to be passed, and the side on which each mark is to be left.

10.2 The course for each class will be designated by displaying the appropriate letter on the race committee signal boat. If a "W" course is designated, a number following the "W" will designate the number of laps (if more than one) of the course. Example: "W" is windward/leeward, "W2" is windward/leeward/windward/ leeward, etc.

10.3 If the course letter is shown in red, the rounding marks are to be left to port. If the course letter is shown in green, the rounding marks are to be left to starboard.

10.4 The committee boat may or may not be moved for leeward finishes with courses "W" and "G" depending upon conditions. The finish is between the committee boat and the adjacent mark in either case.

10.5 For courses "W", "T", "G" and "O", the Start Line may be set to leeward of the Leeward Mark of the course to facilitate multiple fleets racing on the same course. If this is used, the Leeward Mark will not be a mark of the course during the first leg of the course and, in the event of a downwind finish, during the last leg of the course.

11.1 The rounding marks for all classes may be inflatable marks set by the Race Committee or government marks.

11.2 New Marks, as provided in RRS 33, (Changing Course After the Start) will be inflatable marks.

11.3 The starting and finishing marks may be inflatable or cylindrical marks.

12.1 Races will be started using RRS 26.

12.2 The starting line will be between the staff from which an orange flag is displayed on the RC signal boat and the starting mark.

12.3 Boats starting later than four (4) minutes after their starting signal may not be scored.

13.1 A change of course after the start will be signaled before the leading boat has begun the leg, although the new mark may not then be in position. Any mark to be rounded after rounding the new mark may be relocated without further signaling to maintain the original course configuration.

14.1 The finishing line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on a committee boat and the finishing mark.

15.1 The time limit will be ninety (90) minutes unless stated otherwise in the Notice of Races.

15.2 Boats failing to finish within thirty (30) minutes after the first boat finishes or within the time limit, whichever is later, will be scored "Did Not Finish." This changes RRS 35.

16.1 Protests shall be written on forms available from the Race Committee and delivered to the committee boat within the Protest Time, which will begin when the committee boat docks and end one hour later. The protest time may be announced as described in section 6.3 above.

16.2 The Protest Committee will hear protests in approximately the order of receipt and as soon as possible.

16.3 A boat may not protest a boat for an alleged breach of RRS 75.2 (Eligibility) with respect to ISAF Regulation 21.1(b).

17.1 The Low-Point scoring system, Appendix A2, RRS, will apply except for the Spring and Fall Series, Appendix A5, RRS, will apply.

17.2 Each boat’s total score will be the sum of her scores for all races, excluding her worst score if six or more races are sailed.

17.3 When scoring overall results, Juniors and adults will be scored together. Juniors will also be scored separately.

17.4 The Portsmouth Yardstick D-PN Handicapping System will be used to score classes comprised of unlike boats.

18.1 Awards will be presented as follows:

One for three starters

Two for four starters

Three for five starters

Four for six or more starters

18.2 Awards or recognition will be given for each day of a series or multi-day event as well as for the overall series. Every effort will be made to give out awards immediately after each event.