BAY AREA MULTIHULL ASSOCIATION
of San Francisco
presents
 

TWENTY SECOND ANNUAL
DOUBLEHANDED FARALLONES
MARCH 17, 2001

These race instructions, entry form and waiver can be obtained from the web at www.sfbama.org

(MS-Word document/version here)   

Mailed entries must be postmarked NLT March 10, 2001

CONDITIONS FOR THE RACE
 

ELIGIBILITY

Open by formal application to all single and multihulled sailing yachts over 18 feet in waterline and 20 feet overall length.

Yachts entering the race must be of sound, seaworthy construction, capable of safe ocean passages.

Monohull yachts shall be strongly built, self-righting, watertight, and capable of withstanding solid water knock-downs, and have fixed ballast.

Multihull yachts shall have weather-tight enclosed accommodation for the crew and shall have the ability to float in an inverted position indefinitely.

All yachts must also meet all standards set forth herein.

SPIRIT OF THE RACE

It is the intent of the rules to make it possible for sailors to compete in seaworthy vessels of various types and designs on a fair and equitable basis. All questions concerning the interpretation of the rules, including those relating to a yacht's eligibility to compete, shall be decided by the Race Committee in accordance with the spirit as well as the letter of the rules.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

It is the intent of the San Francisco Bay Area Multihull Association to provide a start, finish, and awards to those vessels and crews competing in the Doublehanded Farallones Race. Entrants are advised that the San Francisco Bay Area Multihull Association accepts no responsibilities for the safety or well-being of the yachts, skippers, or crews before, during, or after the Doublehanded Farallones Race.

It shall be the sole responsibility of each skipper and crew to decide whether or not to start or continue to race. Every yacht shall render all possible assistance to any vessel or person in peril when in a position to do so.

MANAGEMENT

The race will be under the management of the Race Committee of the San Francisco Bay Area Multihull Association, which shall have full power to establish and interpret the rules governing the race, to decide protests on eligibility, and to reject the entry of any yacht at any time prior to the preparatory signal for the start. There shall be no appeal from its decision.

ENTRIES

An entry shall consist of a sailing yacht plus a named crew of two people. Persons under the age of 18 must submit with this application a signed release by their legal guardian. Entry fee is $45 for USSA members and $55 for non-members. The fee for entries postmarked or hand delivered after March 10, 2001 will be $55.00 for USSA members and $65.00 for non-members. Entry forms may be obtained from the BAMA web site at www.sfbama.org. Entry forms, signed waivers, PHRF certificates and entry fees should be mailed to :

BAMA c/o Randy Devol
96 Flynn Ave. Unit A
Mountain View, Ca. 94043

Entries shall not be considered as being accepted until the yacht properly checks-in on the morning of the race. The race committee will not accept a request for check-in unless a completed entry form and appropriate fee have been presented.

EQUIPMENT

The following equipment is required:

1. Lifelines or safety lines leading from both sides of the cockpit forward and well secured at each end.
2. Fire extinguisher(s) to meet Coast Guard requirements.
3. Manual bilge pump of at least 10 gallons per minute capacity.
4. Anchor with suitable chain and line.
5. Sea cocks or soft wooden plugs to close all through-hull openings.
6. Navigation lights.
7. Compass.
8. Charts and piloting tools.
9. Lead line or echo sounder.
10. Fog horn.
11. Radar reflector.
12. Waterproof flashlight.
13. First aid kit.
14. At least two gallons fresh water.
15. Life jacket with whistle attached.
16. Safety harness.
17. VHF radio with channels 16 and 68.
18. Day and night distress signaling devices as required by the U.S.C.G.
19. Man Overboard pole. This list does not attempt to encompass all the equipment that is necessary for offshore sailing, and compliance with this list does not relieve the skipper and crew in any way of their sole responsibility for the safety of themselves and their vessel.

INSPECTION

The Race Committee has the right to inspect any vessel and to reject its entry if they find it does not meet the standards of the race rules. The winning yachts may be subject to inspection.

HANDICAP

Corrected times will be computed using PHRF ratings and the time-on-time method.

Each entry must have a current 2001 San Francisco Bay PHRF rating certificate, issued by the YRA of San Francisco: Building E, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, California 94123. Phone: (415) 771-9500.

Any yacht without a 2001 rating certificate will be assigned a rating by the Race Committee, which rating will include at least a six second per mile penalty.

The Race Committee reserves the right to adjust any PHRF rating based on prior performance in the Doublehanded Farallones Race.

DIVISIONS

The Race Committee anticipates the following divisions but reserves the right to revise the divisions at the skipper’s meeting.

Division 1 Multihulls
Division 2 PHRF ULDB below 120
Division 3 PHRF ULDB 120+ above
Division 4 PHRF below 105
Division 5 PHRF 105-129
Division 6 PHRF 130-157
Division 7 Moore 24
Division 8 PHRF 158-210
Division 9M PHRF 158 & above (1 hr motoring)
 
ULDB Rule: 

Skippers not in attendance at the skipper's meeting shall be responsible to check their final division assignments, which will be posted on the BAMA website (www.sfbama.org) at least 24 hours before the start.

MOTORING ALLOWANCE

Division 9M is allowed 2 motoring allowances of 30 minutes each, which may be taken back to back. Once the motoring period is started, each 30 minute motoring period must be taken in its entirety. The motoring allowances may be taken at any time during the race, except that no motors shall be run east of a line between St. Francis YC flagpole and Harding Rock buoy. Yachts entered in Division 9M shall not be eligible for awards, except as winners of their division.
 

TROPHIES


EVENTS

There will be a Skippers' meeting on Wednesday, March 14, 2001, at 8 p.m. at the Oakland Yacht Club. All skippers are requested to attend. Any changes in starting procedures, course limits, division placement, etc., will be announced at this meeting. Each skipper is responsible for acquiring information of such changes. Participation mementos for skipper and crew will be available at the Skipper’s meeting and Trophy presentation.

Trophy presentation will be on Saturday, March 24, 2001, at 8 p.m. at the Oakland Yacht Club.

STARTING TIMES AND SIGNALS

Warning 7:50 a.m. Yellow Shape
Preparatory 7:55 a.m. Blue shape
Division 1 8:00 a.m. Red Shape
Division 2 8:05 a.m. Red Shape
Division 3 8:10 a.m. Red shape
Division 4 8:15 a.m. Red Shape
Division 5 8:20 a.m. Red shape
Division 6 8:25 a.m. Red shape
Division 7 8:30 a.m. Red shape
Division 8 8:35 a.m. Red shape
Division 9M 8:40 a.m. Red shape

STARTING LINE

The starting line is a line between the orange marker on the race deck of the Golden Gate Yacht Club and "X" buoy leaving the "X" buoy to starboard.

Any yacht on the course side of the starting line during the minute before its starting signal shall sail to the pre-start side of the line around the seaward side of the "X" buoy and then make a proper start. The around-the-end rule is in effect.

Yachts without sail numbers are required to display a "hull" number, which will be assigned by the Race Committee, for the start, duration, and finish of the race.

COURSE

To and around the Southeast Farallone Island, leaving it to port, and then to the finish. The calculated distance for handicap purposes is 58 miles.

FINISH

The finish line is the same as the starting line but leaving the "X" buoy to port. Yachts approaching the finish shall hail the Race Committee on Channel 68 as they come abeam of St. Francis YC with the yacht name, and sail number.

After sunset, sail numbers must be illuminated. The race committee may illuminate the "X" buoy to establish location of the finish line, but this illumination does not relieve the finishing yacht from her responsibility to illuminate her sail number. The finish time for solitary yachts which cannot be identified as they cross the line shall be scored DNF. This provision shall not apply to yachts which finished overlapped. Finish times for overlapped yachts shall be recorded as they finish and an attempt made to identify them as promptly thereafter as possible. Each skipper of an overlapped yacht is requested to record his or her own finish time and to note the yacht finishing directly ahead and behind, and shall be prepared to respond to radio hails from the race committee until well clear of the finishing area.

TIME LIMIT

The time limit is 11:59 p.m. Saturday on the day of the race.

RESTRICTIONS

Anita Rock and the South Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge must be left to the south. All San Francisco County rocks INCLUDING Mile Rock are to be left shoreward. Yachts must not interfere with large commercial vessels, naval vessels, or tugs and their tows. Yachts who interfere with such vessels, thereby endangering their own safety and/or that of the commercial vessel, will be subject to disqualification by the Race Committee. The area within 100 yards of the starting line is restricted to all contestants until after their preparatory signal.

POSTPONEMENT

Postponement will be signaled by the hoisting of the answering pennant and the firing of two shots. The postponement period will end with the lowering of the answering pennant and the firing of one shot. One minute after the ending of the postponement period the warning gun and signal will be made, signifying the resumption of the regular starting sequence. Flag "P" will be flown to indicate a postponement has taken place.

INDIVIDUAL RECALL

Individual recall will be signaled by hoisting flag "X" and the firing of one shot. The Race Committee will attempt to notify prematurely starting yachts via VHF Channel 68.

However, nothing contained in these instructions shall relieve a yacht of its obligation to make a proper start.

GENERAL RECALL

Recall of the entire starting group will be signaled by the hoisting of the first repeater code pennant (blue and yellow) and firing of two guns. When recalled, all yachts of the starting time shall immediately leave the starting area, and their starting time is postponed to five (5) minutes after the last scheduled group of starters. If there is more than one general recall, the recalled groups will start in the order of their initially scheduled starts, following the completion of the regularly scheduled starters.

REQUIRED RADIO CHECK-INs

All yachts must check in with the Race Committee on VHF Channel 68 prior to the initial warning signal (7:50 a.m.). The request for check-in shall include (in the following order), division number, yacht name, sail number. The check-in shall not be considered as having been completed until the race committee accepts the entry by repeating the identity of the racing yacht.

Example:

"Race Committee, this is Able. Request check-in for Division 5. Sail number 12345. Over."

"Able, this is Race Committee. Sail number 12345 is checked in for Division 5. Out."

Radio requests for check-in received after the Warning Signal (7:50 a.m.) will not be accepted or acknowledged. Yachts sailing the course without a check-in will be scored as "Did Not Start". For safety purposes, yachts observed to have crossed the start line shall be included in roll calls, to ensure that they are accounted for at the finish. However, inclusion in a roll call shall not be construed as acceptance of any yacht as a properly started racer.

Any yacht withdrawing from the race for any reason must contact the Race Committee via VHF Channel 68, or via telephone (408-483-3627) as soon as possible. All yachts are required to monitor VHF Channel 68 during the race. Withdrawing yachts which fail to comply with this provision shall be denied entry in next year’s race.

ROLL CALLS

A roll call will be held at 10:00 p.m. and half-hourly thereafter for all yachts still racing. The race committee will call each yacht, which shall respond with the yacht's name, position with respect to the Golden Gate Bridge, and speed over ground.

Example:

"Able, this is BAMA Race Committee for a roll call."

"Race Committee, this is Able. My position is 1.4 nm west of the Bridge. Speed over ground 4 knots."

"Able, this is Race Committee. 1.4 west, 4 knots. Out"

The check in shall not be considered as having been completed until the race committee acknowledges receipt of the call by repeating the information received from the racing yacht.

RACING RULES

The 1997-2000 Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) as adopted by the United States Sailing Association and as amended by these instructions shall govern the race. Rule 44.2, the 720° rule is allowed. Between the hours of sunset and sunrise the Steering and Sailing Rules from COLREGS (International Rules for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea) shall replace Part 2 of the RRS.

In accordance with the purpose of the race, those sections of the RRS, which prohibit practices or equipment, which are or may prove useful to the short-handed ocean sailor, may be waived at the discretion of the Race Committee. Specifically, the following will be allowed:

  1. Twin headsails set on two poles for downwind sailing.
  2. A whisker pole of suitable size for the largest rated headsail may be carried without penalty, but may not be used with the spinnaker.
  3. Asymmetrical spinnakers as included in the PHRF rating.
  4. Self-steering and autopilots.

PROTESTS

Protests shall be submitted in writing according to the form prescribed by the RRS and delivered to the Race Committee within two hours of the finish time of the protesting yacht. Penalties for infringements of the rules shall be in accordance with Appendix A and Rule 44.3. All skippers involved will be notified by phone. If needed, the protest hearing will be 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 21’st, at the Oakland Yacht Club.

A yacht may not protest a yacht for an alleged breach of RRS 75.2 with respect to ISAF Regulation 21.1(b). This changes rule 60.1(a).

Yachts observed by the Race Committee to be not in compliance with any provision of these instructions shall be protested by the Race Committee.

BAY AREA MULTIHULL ASSOCIATION
Randy Devol – Regatta Chairman
www.sfbama.org
randyd@rahul.net
408-483-3627

TWENTY SECOND ANNUAL DOUBLEHANDED FARALLONES RACE

Results | Entry List | Race Instructions | Entry Form | Waiver

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