... come sail with us
... come sail with us
... come sail with us
Sunshine Coast Yacht Club
British Columbia
Winter Series race #7 March 8th
Skippers meeting at 11:15
First Waring signal at 12:10
AGM - March 22nd at the Gibsons Public Market
Education sessions
Have an idea for interesting education, training, and entertainment events. Email us and we will try to organize it!
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Hello Sailors,
Happy spring and a new season on the water!
After some requests to explore the Racing Rules of Sailing and how they work in practice, Geoff Baile consulted AI and has come up with a plan for a renewal of our old “Tuesday Sailors’ Soirees” that we haven’t done since Covid closed things.
Geoff has offered to organize 3 seminar-type get-togethers to discuss and learn more on not just what the rules and definitions say, but how they work and how they are used tactically: how do you respond to situations, what are your options, and why?
We have members with fleet racing experience who can help and, for the higher level session, we may get more expert consultants to talk with us.
See the attached outline of the planned Basic, Intermediate and Advanced discussions. Each session will build on the previous. Choose which session(s) you would like to attend and …IMPORTANT…register with Geoff, by email, so we can organize the venue according to numbers planning to attend.
The first Basic Rules session:
· Tuesday, March the 10th at 19h00
· Kim’s place in Roberts Creek (coordinates and directions supplied on registration)
· If we have more folks register to attend than the place will handle, we will move it to the Blackfish Pub
· Registration or question: contact Geoff at bc444@me.com
Looking forward to spending some time discussing the rules with old friends and competitors and seeing some new faces who would like to race with us on Sundays.
Beginner seminar: Discussion of the Basic Definitions and Rules and what to do with them on the water. These are the absolute essentials for club racing.
1. Port vs. Starboard (Rule 10)
If boats are on opposite tacks, port-tack keeps clear of starboard.
2. Windward vs. Leeward (Rule 11)
On the same tack and overlapped, the windward boat keeps clear of the leeward boat.
3. Clear Astern vs. Clear Ahead (Rule 12)
If boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, the boat clear astern keeps clear.
4. Tacking (Rule 13)
While tacking, you must keep clear of all other boats until on a close-hauled course.
5. Mark-Room Basics (Rule 18–simple version)
If boats are overlapped at the zone (3 hull lengths from the mark), the outside boat gives inside boat room to round.
if you only know these five, you can safely start racing.
Intermediate seminar: Discussion of the next step up from the basic 5 rules. These start to affect tactics.
1. Proper Course (Rule 17)
If you establish overlap from clear astern within two hull lengths, you cannot sail above your proper course.
2. Changing Course (Rule 16)
Right-of-way boats must give the other boat room to keep clear when they change course.
3. Acquiring Right of Way (Rule 15)
When you gain right-of-way, you must initially give the other boat room to keep clear.
4. Avoiding Contact (Rule 14)
Even if you have right-of-way, you must avoid contact when reasonably possible.
5. Obstructions & Room to Pass (Rule 19)
When approaching an obstruction (e.g., anchored boat), overlapped boats must give room similarly to mark-room situations.
These rules are where protests commonly happen at club level.
Advanced seminar: Discussion of rules that affect tight fleet racing situations.
1. Mark-Room Details (Rule 18 – full nuance)
Understanding when Rule 18 turns off (e.g., on opposite tacks on a beat to windward).
2. Room to Tack at an Obstruction (Rule 20)
Hailing for room to tack and the required response — powerful in close quarters.
3. Penalty Turns (Rule 44)
When and how to properly take a One-Turn or Two-Turn penalty.
4. Exoneration (Rule 43)
When you are freed from penalty because another boat broke a rule and forced you to.
5. Protest Procedures (Part 5)
Hailing“Protest,” displaying the flag (if required), filing within time limit, and how hearings work.
At higher levels, knowing these often matters more than boat speed.