This series aims to give people the opportunity to race, have fun, and enjoy sailing!
2024-2024 Adult Dinghy Regatta
Notice of Race
September 2024
RULES
The series will be governed by the ‘rules’ defined in the 2021-2024 edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing.
ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY
The series is open to all current Na Hoa Holomoku Sailing Club members, including junior members whose coaches approve of sailing and pending boats available.
You must know your basic right-of-way rules to participate. Who has the right of way if you are on the same tack as another boat? If you are on different tacks, who has the right away? You need to know the answers to be permitted to race – this is a safety issue.
Eligible sailors shall sign up for a boat via the club website. Boats will be released for signup to adults 2 weeks before racing and to juniors on the Thursday before racing.
All sailors must compete in boats provided by Na Hoa Holomoku or approved by the race committee. For Na Hoa Holomoku or private boats, sailors can only be assigned to boats for which they have prior approval to sail. (Beginners may be restricted to the older laser hulls).
The number of boats available strictly limits the number of entries. Entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Sailors who signed up for a race and did not show up will be considered “last come, last served” for next month’s racing.
For scoring purposes in this series, we will have two Laser fleets, Laser A and B, and a topper fleet. The A fleet is considered the advanced fleet, while B is regarded as the beginner fleet. Sailors can select the fleet they feel most comfortable in; however, they must stay within their fleet designation for the whole season. Sailors will verbally communicate their fleet designation to the race committee on their first day of racing. Junior sailors (under 18 years old) may participate in this series with the approval of the head coach or race committee. Juniors who are US Sailing Level 1 Instructors are pre-approved to sail in this series.
FEES
There is a $10 entry fee for each sailor participating). This fee is used to purchase prizes at the end of the year. This fee can be waived based on financial hardship.
SCHEDULE
The Dinghy Series will consist of 3 days of racing open to everyone, followed by a trophy day. These will all be qualifying races for a final day of racing, the Trophy Race Day, on the 5th month. We will attempt six races for each day of racing.
Racing will be held the fourth Sunday of each month. October, November (December skipped for winter/new years holiday), January, with a final in February .
The Trophy Race Day will be invitational, with places reserved for the lowest-scoring finishers through the season. Slots will be assigned to sailors who came in first place for one of the race days during the open sailing series for their fleet, then to 2nds and 3rd until all boats have been assigned. Notice of who qualified for the Trophy race day will be made available within a week of the 4th race day; sailors will be asked to communicate their availability/interest in participating in the trophy early so boats can be reassigned if the sailor chooses not to participate. On the Thursday before the Trophy race, if boats are available, signup will be opened to members who didn’t otherwise qualify.
Please note that because we are sailing with three fleets, every race day will produce three first-place boats: one for Laser A, one for Laser B, and one for toppers.
There will be a skipper’s meeting at 10:30 am each race day. Final confirmation of boat assignments and final racing instructions will be provided. If you miss the skipper’s meeting without communicating with the race committee ahead of time, you will be considered a no-show, and your boat may be reassigned.
Rigging of boats will begin at approximately 11:00 am.
The first race will begin after the marks are set and all boats are in the starting area. We will get the first race underway by 12:00 pm.
We will attempt to run multiple races each day. No races will be started after 3:00 pm.
The Race Committee and skippers on the water may jointly decide to cancel further racing for the day based on weather too heavy or too light.
A skipper is not required to sail all races. If conditions change and the skipper is uncomfortable, the skipper may retire for the day. The Race Committee needs to be notified. There may be other skippers waiting for the opportunity to sail.
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Written sailing instructions will not be posted at the sailing venue. Changes to these instructions will be posted as a reply to this email or communicated orally by the race committee at the skippers’ meeting.
The Race Committee will call the course from the Committee Boat before each race. Shorter courses for light wind, longer courses for higher wind. The goal is that most boats finish in around 20-30 minutes.
All boats must check in with the Committee Boat before the day’s first race. The Lima flag will be raised when the Race Committee is ready for check-ins. The Race Committee will record your name and sail number for that race and inform the skippers of the first course to be sailed.
Lowering the Lima flag after check-in indicates that the Race Committee is ready to begin the start sequence.
The course for the next race will be posted on the Committee Boat by the time the Start Sequence begins.
Penalties – right-of-way violations, two-turn penalty. Hitting the mark, one-turn penalty.
The skipper’s meeting will announce further instructions and changes.
VENUE.
All races will be conducted within Hilo Bay between the beach and the shipping channel.
THE COURSES
The race committee will announce the course before each race. The start line will be between the windward and leeward marks. The Committee Boat will mark the starboard side of the start/finish line.
Courses will generally be Triangles (start, windward, reaching, downwind, finish) or Hotdogs (start, windward, downwind, finish). One or more triangles or hotdogs may be specified. The start/finish line is not restricted, and sailors may transit through it when traveling on the legs of the course. The fleets may have common or separate starts/courses at the race committee’s discretion. Courses will be indicated on the stern of the committee boat, with participating fleets indicated via class flags flying.
THE START/FINISH
The race start sequence will follow Appendix U of the ‘Rules’. This consists of a series of audible (whistle) sound signals. The signals are as follows:
◦ Attention! – multiple short whistles indicate the start sequence is about to begin ◦ 3 minutes to start (Warning): 3 long whistles
◦ 2 minutes to start (Preparatory): 2 long whistles
◦ 1 minute 30 seconds: 1 long, 3 short whistles
◦ 1 minute: 1 long whistle
◦ 30 seconds: 3 short whistles
◦ 20 seconds: 2 short whistles
◦ 10 seconds: 1 short whistle
◦ Last 5 seconds, 1 short whistle per second (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)
◦ 0 seconds (Start): 1 long whistle
The start/finish line will be between a pole displaying the NNH bergie (or alternative flag described at the skipper’s meeting) on the Race Committee Boat marking the starboard side of the line and a buoy marking the port side of the line.
Other buoys may be set to provide a buffer zone around the Committee Boat. The race committee will describe these at the skipper’s meeting.
Once finished, boats must stay clear of the finish line and not interfere with racing boats until all other boats have finished or the race has been called due to time.
TIME LIMITS
Boats failing to finish within 10 minutes after the first boat sails the course and finishes will be scored based on the position on the course, as determined by the Race Committee. Races will have a 30-minute time limit. If the first boat finishes within the time limit, it is extended to 10 minutes for the rest of the fleet.
Three long horn blasts will signal the end of the current race. All boats on the course should return to the start area as quickly as possible to prepare for the next race.
PROTESTS
Protests will be allowed. Protests must be presented to the Race Committee within 30 minutes of the Race Committee returning to shore. If you plan to protest, please inform the race committee on the water if possible. You will be shown where the protest forms are during the skipper’s meetings.
Equipment failure that requires a skipper to abandon a race, which is not the competitor’s fault at the breakage, will be grounds for redress. The skipper will not be scored for the race; their low score standing will only be computed based on the scores in races they completed. The damaged boat is counted to compute the score of the other skippers participating in that specific race.
SAFETY REGULATIONS
All competitors shall wear passive personal flotation devices at all times.
A competitor that retires from racing for the day shall notify the Race Committee as soon as possible.
SCORING
The Low Point Scoring System will be used for each day of racing.
Your worst score will be excluded each day if 6 races are completed for the day ranking.
Results for each day’s races will be published after the race.
Results for each class will be broken out each day.
The daily results will be used for slots in the Trophy Race.
RADIO COMMUNICATION
Radio transmissions are limited to communication on Channel 69 between racers and the Race Committee. Communication on channels other than 69 or with parties not involved in the race is forbidden. Cell phones may not be used on the course.
PRIZES
The Ha Hoa Holomoku Sailing Club perpetual trophy will be awarded to the lowest-scoring laser sailor in A fleet during Trophy Race Day. Additionally, awards may be given to the top finishers in the Laser A, Laser B fleets, and topper fleets.
DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage, personal injury, or death sustained in conjunction with, before, during, or after the series.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information, please get in touch with Ben Berkey at bberkey@gmail.com
Additional information and changes to this Notice will be announced at the morning skipper’s meeting.
This series aims to give people the opportunity to race, have fun, and enjoy sailing.
2024-2024 Junior Laser and Topper Regatta
Notice of Race
September 2024
RULES
The series will be governed by the ‘rules’ defined in the 2021-2024 edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing.
ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY
The series is open to all current Na Hoa Holomoku Yacht Club junior members. Juniors may sign up for either toppers or lasers.
You must know your basic right-of-way rules to participate. Who has the right of way if you are on the same tack as another boat? If you are on different tacks, who has the right away? You need to know the answers to be permitted to race – this is a safety issue.
Eligible sailors must sign up for a boat via the club website. Boats will be released for signup two weeks before racing.
All sailors must compete in boats provided by Na Hoa Holomoku or approved by the race committee. For Na Hoa Holomoku or private boats, sailors can only be assigned to boats for which they have prior approval to sail. Lasers vs toppers.
The number of boats available strictly limits the number of entries. Entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Sailors who sign up for a race but do not show up will be considered “last come, last served” for next month’s racing.
We will have separate topper and laser fleets for scoring purposes in this series.
FEES
There is a $5 entry fee for each sailor participating). This fee is used to purchase prizes at the end of the year. This fee can be waived based on financial hardship.
SCHEDULE
The Dinghy Series will consist of 4 days of racing open to everyone, followed by a trophy day. These will all be qualifying races for a final day of racing, the Trophy Race Day, on the 5th month. We will attempt six races for each day of racing.
Racing will be held on September 29 (the 5th Sunday) and the second Sunday of each of October, November, December, and January.
The Trophy Race Day will be invitational, with places reserved for the lowest-scoring finishers for each series day through the season. Slots will be assigned to sailors who came in first place for one of the race days during the open sailing series for their fleet, then to 2nds and 3rd until all boats have been assigned. Notice of who qualified for the Trophy race day will be made available within a week of the 4th race day; sailors will be asked to communicate their availability/interest in participating in the trophy early so boats can be reassigned if the sailor chooses not to participate. On the Thursday before the Trophy race, if boats are available, signup will be opened to members who still need to qualify.
There will be a skipper’s meeting at 10:30 am each race day. Final confirmation of boat assignments and final racing instructions will be provided. If a sailor needs to communicate with the race committee ahead of time to attend the skipper’s meeting, they shall be considered a no-show, and your boat may be reassigned.
Rigging of boats will begin at approximately 11:00 am.
The first race will begin after the marks are set and all boats are in the starting area. We will attempt to get the first race underway by 12:00 pm.
We will attempt to run multiple races each day. No races will be started after 3:00 pm.
The Race Committee and skippers on the water may jointly decide to cancel further racing for the day based on weather too heavy or too light.
A skipper is not required to sail all races. If conditions change and the skipper is uncomfortable, the skipper may retire for the day. The Race Committee needs to be notified. There may be other skippers waiting for the opportunity to sail.
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Written sailing instructions will not be posted at the sailing venue. Changes to these instructions will be posted as a reply to this email; or communicated orally by the race commitee at the skippers meeting.
The Topper and Laser fleets may either have different start times or sail to different windward marks. This decision will be left to the race committee’s discretion; and instructions on combined/separate starts and shared/sperate windward marks for the topper and laser fleets will be communicated at the 10:30am skippers meeting.
The Race Committee will call the course from the Committee Boat before each race—shorter courses for light wind and longer courses for higher wind. The goal is that most boats finish in around 20-30 minutes.
All boats must check in with the Committee Boat before the day’s first race. The Lima flag will be raised when the Race Committee is ready for check-ins. The Race Committee will record your name and sail number for that race and inform the skippers of the first course to be sailed.
Lowering the Lima flag after check-in indicates that the Race Committee is ready to begin the start sequence.
The course for the next race will be posted on the Committee Boat by the time the Start Sequence begins.
Penalties – right-of-way violations, two-turn penalty. Hitting the mark, one-turn penalty.
The skipper’s meeting will announce further instructions and changes.
VENUE.
All races will be conducted within Hilo Bay between the beach and the shipping channel.
THE COURSES
The course will be announced before each race by the Race Committee. The start line will be between the windward and leeward marks. The Committee Boat will mark the starboard side of the start/finish line.
Courses will generally be Triangles (start, windward, reaching, downwind, finish) or Hotdogs (start, windward, downwind, finish). One or more triangles or hotdogs may be specified. The start/finish line is not restricted, and sailors may transit through it when traveling on the legs of the course. The fleets may have common or separate starts/courses at the race committee’s discretion. Courses will be indicated on the stern of the committee boat, with participating fleets indicated via class flags flying.
THE START/FINISH
The race start sequence will follow Appendix U of the ‘Rules’. This consists of a series of audible (whistle) sound signals. The signals are as follows:
◦ Attention! – multiple short whistles indicate the start sequence is about to begin ◦ 3 minutes to start (Warning): 3 long whistles
◦ 2 minutes to start (Preparatory): 2 long whistles
◦ 1 minute 30 seconds: 1 long, 3 short whistles
◦ 1 minute: 1 long whistle
◦ 30 seconds: 3 short whistles
◦ 20 seconds: 2 short whistles
◦ 10 seconds: 1 short whistle
◦ Last 5 seconds, 1 short whistle per second (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)
◦ 0 seconds (Start): 1 long whistle
The start/finish line will be between a pole displaying the NNH bergie (or alternative flag described at the skipper’s meeting) on the Race Committee Boat marking the starboard side of the line and a buoy marking the port side of the line.
Other buoys may be set to provide a buffer zone around the Committee Boat. The Race Committee will describe these at the meeting.
Once finished, boats must stay clear of the finish line and only interfere with racing boats once all other boats have finished, or the race has been called due to time.
TIME LIMITS
Boats failing to finish within 10 minutes after the first boat sails the course and finishes will be scored based on the position on the course, as determined by the Race Committee. Races will have a 30-minute time limit. If the first boat finishes within the time limit, it is extended 10 minutes for the rest of the fleet.
Three long horn blasts will signal the end of the current race. All boats on the course should return to the start area as quickly as possible to prepare for the next race.
PROTESTS
Protests will be allowed. Protests must be presented to the Race Committee within 30 minutes of the Race Committee returning to shore. If you plan to protest, please inform the race committee on the water if possible. You will be shown where the protest forms are during the skipper’s meetings.
Equipment failure that requires a skipper to abandon a race, which is not the competitor’s fault at the breakage, will be grounds for redress. The skipper will not be scored for the race; their low score standing will only be computed based on the scores in races they completed. The damaged boat is counted to compute the score of the other skippers participating in that specific race.
SAFETY REGULATIONS
All competitors shall wear passive personal flotation devices at all times.
A competitor that retires from racing for the day shall notify the Race Committee immediately.
SCORING
The Low Point Scoring System will be used for each day of racing.
Your worst score will be excluded each day if 6 races are completed for the day ranking.
Results for each day’s races will be published after the race.
Results for each class will be broken out each day.
The scores of the first four race days will determine slots in the Trophy Race.
RADIO COMMUNICATION
Radio transmissions are limited to communication on Channel 69 between racers and the Race Committee. Communication on channels other than 69 or with parties not involved in the race is forbidden. Cell phones may not be used on the course.
PRIZES
TBD
DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage, personal injury, or death sustained in conjunction with, before, during, or after the series.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information, please get in touch with Ben Berkey at bberkey@gmail.com
Additional information and changes to this Notice will be announced at the morning skipper’s meeting.
This series aims to give people the opportunity to race, have fun, and enjoy sailing.