Committee Boat, Guidelines and Instructions
PHRF Racing Series - 2000 Season
General Tasks:
Check weather conditions and marine forecast, it is at your option to cancel or postpone the race for
- Wind in excess of 20 knots or less than 3 knots.
- Thunder storms or squalls imminent.
- Small craft advisory posted by NOAA
Determine the race course, set up the buoys, retrieve the buoys after the race
Keep the clock for starts, finish, and record elapse times.
Hail boats over early; raise and lower flags; sound the gun/horn
Give yourself plenty of time to set the course and line, take inventory of boats racing, prepare signals and set time.
If the committee is not ready or conditions change don’t be afraid to postpone the start by displaying the POSTPONEMENT flag.
Before the Race (setting the line and marks):
Once you have determined the forecast and actual wind conditions choose a course and set the marks and starting line. All races should be started to windward with the starting line situated so that the first leg is a beat into the wind. When wind conditions allow set the starting line just outside the harbor leaving enough room for boats to maneuver behind the starting line.
Place the marker for the non-committee boat end of the line.
Place the first marker (windward mark) approximately half an hour sailing time directly to windward of the starting line.
If the course is a triangle set the second mark (or use buoy #2) approximately 45 degrees away from the windward mark.
Anchor the committee boat 90 degrees off the wind from the “pin” end of the starting line. Create a starting line approximately twice as long as necessary to accommodate all the boats racing if they all reached the line at the same time. Recommendation: if 10 boats are racing the starting line length should equal 10 boat lengths.
After the anchor sets check to see if the line is square to the wind, make minor adjustments with the anchor line to make the line square.
Post the chosen course plaque A, B, C, D, E, or F.
Take an inventory of the boats preparing to race.
Prepare the start clock, horn/gun, and flags.
Start Sequence:
Warning signal @ 6:20PM on Thursdays and 11:50AM on Saturdays, display the POSTPONEMENT flag if you are not going to start on time.
| 15 minutes before the Start | 1 horn/gun blast & Post course plaque | |
| Warning | 10 minutes before the Start | 1 horn/gun blast & Raise yellow flag |
| 6 minutes before the Start | Lower yellow flag | |
| Preparatory | 5 minutes before the Start | 1 horn/gun blast & Raise blue flag |
| 1 minute before the Start | Lower blue flag | |
| Start | 0 minutes | 1 horn/gun blast & Raise red flag |
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If multiple fleets are racing. |
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| Warning | 4 minutes after the Start | Lower red flag |
| Start (fleet 2) |
5 minutes after the Start | 1 horn/gun blast & Raise red flag |
At starting gun attempt to hail all boats over early. If any boats are over early sound horn or gun and raise INDIVIDUAL RECALL flag. If most of the fleet is over early you may elect to raise the TOTAL RECALL flag and re-start the race.
Blast four sounds to indicate a total recall/restart.
After all boats are clear move committee boat to opposite side of the mark end of line (depending on the selected course).
To shorten the course: The RC may shorten the course for any reason by raising the COURSE SHORTENED flag and sounding one blast; try to hail boats when they pass by.
Record elapsed time of each finisher as they cross the finish line.
Time limit: The time limit for the first boat to finish is 2 hours, if no boats finish within two hours of starting, cancel the race. Any boat not finishing the race within 3 hours of the start will receive a DNF.
To signal a race cancellation the committee boat should sound four blasts and raise ABANDONMENT flag.
Identify the First Boat to Finish with one horn/gun blast when that boat crosses the finish line.