You should make yourself aware of the weather forecasts, and of any significant changes that have been forecast, and also times of high and low water. Weather information is available from the Waterways Authority of NSW, ph 131 235, at local call charges, radio frequencies in kHz 4426, 8176, 12365, 16546 (7am-6pm) 2201, 6507, 8176, 12365 (6PM-7AM).

You should be on the water setting the courses, at least one hour prior to the agreed starting times.

Check boat at boat shed
Before leaving the boat shed ensure that you have sufficient fuel for the day. Check the oil in the motor and that you have all the necessary equipment on board (including the race reporting sheets, marker buoys, anchors, see check list). Before putting the boat in the water ensure the four drain plugs are in place and securely tightened.
 

Lights
Should the stern light be required it is stored under the drivers seat.  Affix it to the rear starboard gunwale fitting and plug in the cable.
Canopy
Should the canopy be fitted to the boat it should not be raised when driving the boat at high speed or in high winds.
Ensure the canopy and mast are lowered prior to returning the boat to the boat shed

Warnings:
The new rescue boat trailer is more difficult to reverse than the previous trailer because the boat is bulkier and obscures your vision. You should use an extra person to guide you and control traffic.
To prevent the trailer brakes being applied, while reversing, you need to apply the brake cut out lever (behind the tow ball)

Ensure all equipment is stowed to prevent any of hitting the boat shed roller door, e.g. flag mast, canopy

If you are unsure as to what course to set, you should discuss and obtain advice from the Sailing Secretary, a committee member, or any experienced club member.

Move clear of the land and note direction and strength of wind and sea, and establish approximately where your top mark will be and drop the A mark.
Set your B mark about 90o.from the A mark then the C mark directly down wind of the A mark. Adjust the size of the course to suit the wind strength, i.e. short for light wind and vice versa.
Set the start line pin end between the A and C mark, and will be at right angles to an imaginary line drawn between the A and C mark. Drop your pin end mark (the mark with the cubic float) and flag it with the Green PBSC flag.
(This is a basic triangle course but more experienced members may wish to set more challenging courses)
Course areas for different wind directions are attached to these procedures.

Decide what your courses will be and at this point hoist the Answering Pennant (Red and white verticals), then proceed back to the beach to give your briefing.

Once your briefing has been completed advise members of your starting time (and keep to it). Return to your start line.  Anchor the start boat at the starboard end of the start line, and check that you maintain the right angle. Adjust the length of the start line depending on the fleet size, e.g. the larger the fleet the longer the line. Drop the barging buoy (large red buoy) off the end of start boat, tying to one of the rear crucifixes.

Bring the boat head to wind/tide, and stop upwind/tide of your intended anchoring position, taking into allowance a wind or tide effect to ensure you end up at right angles to the course to A mark. Once stopped and making a little sternway drop your anchor and once on the bottom pay out more cable, hold briefly to ensure the flukes dig in then pay out more rope allowing approximately 4-5 times the depth of water depending on weather conditions.

Once the boat is brought up, check you are not dragging using shore transits.  If dragging then pay out more cable until dragging has ceased.  Put out the barging buoy and lower the AP flag.
(If heavy weather and you have dragged well past the start line you will have to re-anchor.)
Note:
The length of the anchor rope is approximately 45-metres including about 6-metres of Chain, and is marked off in 6-metre lengths with blue tags.

Refer to the sticker placed in the cockpit of the start boat.
Prepare the boat crew and flags for your starting sequences ensuring you start the race on time. In difficult sailing conditions it is recommended that the rescue boat moves off station and follows the fleet, returning to the finishing line in ample time to record the finish. (Buoy the anchor as instructed in point 13)

Starting Sequence:

Time	Action	Sound	Flag
PBSC     Prior to sequence	Several short horn blasts to attract the attention of fleet, if not done before raise course flag (red or green), club flag, wear life jacket (Y flag). The Y flag is used as the on station flag, i.e. no boat to pass through the start line during racing		Or
5 min	Start 5 min countdown, long blast on horn, raise yellow flag
4 min	Short blast on horn, raise blue peter (P) flag
1 min	Short blast on horn, lower blue peter (P) flag
0 min	Start race time, long blast on horn, yellow flag down

Note the elapsed time for the first race and this will give you an idea, (subject to weather etc) of how many races you can run. (Be aware of changing weather conditions)

In the event of a capsize one of the boat crew should keep a careful watch on the capsized boat (using binoculars) to ascertain if there are any problems with the crew resurfacing.  A decision to assist will be dependent on the experience of the skipper in the capsized boat, the prevailing weather conditions, how close he is to the shore or moored boats, and whether there are obvious problems in righting the boat, or crew injury. If in any doubt immediately go to assist them.

Buoy the anchor by attaching the barging buoy to the anchor rope, then slip the anchor and proceed to the rescue, on your return pick up the anchor rope and you will be anchored on the same start line.
(Sister clips are fitted to the barging buoy, the end of the anchor rope, and at the 24-metre mark of the anchor rope).

Fly the yellow and black squared flag, code flag “L” on a pole and advise boats of the new course.

Stand off a mark where you wish to finish the race and fly code flag “S” (Blue rectangle on white) on a pole.

Fly the Answering Pennant (Red vertical strip on white) if the race start is postponed.
 

Fly code flag “X” (Blue cross on white) on flag mast accompanied by one sound signal, use megaphone to advise sail number or name of offending sailor. It is NOT REQUIRED TO ADVISE THE EARLY STARTER.  The onus is on individual to restart; failure to do so results in “On Course Side at Start”  (OCS) disqualification.

Fly code flag “1st Substitute”, (Yellow and blue triangle) on flag mast accompanied by two sound signals. The flag is lowered with one sound signal, one minute before starting another start sequence.

Generally speaking, it is okay to commence the next starting sequence for subsequent races before the last boat or boats have passed the finishing line, provided their finishes can be timed and they can easily start the next race.

8/17/2006