Punzi SI

2026 Roger Punzi Memorial Regatta,

Fleet 24 Championship,

1st Leg of the Connecticut Cup

September 26 and 27, 2025

Candlewood Yacht Club

7 Shore Drive, New Fairfield, CT

Sailing Instructions

1      RULES

This event is governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) and the FSSA Class Rules, except as altered by the NoR or these Sailing Instructions.

2      COMMUNICATIONS WITH COMPETITORS

A)   The official notice board is located at the Sail Loft.

B)    All boats shall carry a VHF radio capable of communicating on channel 68.

C)    The Race Committee intends to communicate with competitors and hail OCS boats using VHF radio.

3      SIGNALS MADE ASHORE

A)   Signals made ashore will be displayed from the flagpole at the south end of the lawn.

B)    When flag AP is displayed ashore, ‘1 minute’ is replaced with ‘not less than 20 minutes’ in the Race Signals AP.

4      SCHEDULE OF RACES

A)   On Saturday, the warning time for the first race is scheduled for 11:30. Three races are scheduled. If the forecast for Sunday is not good, we will attempt a fourth race.

B)    On Sunday, the warning time for the first race is scheduled for 11:00. Two races are scheduled.

5      CLASS FLAGS

The class flag will be the Flying Scot class emblem.

6      RACING AREA

The racing area will be part of Candlewood Lake, as shown in the chart below.

7      COURSES

A)   The course diagrams and identifying course letters are illustrated on the last page of these SI's.

B)    All marks shall be left to port.

C)    No later than the warning signal, the RC will display the course and the approximate compass bearing of the first leg.

8      MARKS

A)   The windward and leeward marks will be large yellow inflatable tetrahedrons.

B)    The offset mark will be a small yellow tetrahedron.

C)    The starting mark will be a large, round, red buoy.

D)   The finishing mark will be a small, round, red buoy.

E)    If the RC changes the windward mark for the next race, it will be an orange inflatable tetrahedron.

9      OBSTRUCTIONS

You may not sail between Skull Island and Vaughn's Neck.

10 THE START

A)   The starting line will be between the staff displaying the blue Race Committee (RC) flag on the RC Boat at the starboard end and the course side of the port-end starting mark.

B)    The RC will attempt to hail the sail number(s) for OCS boat(s) on VHF channel 68. Failure to make a hail or to time it accurately will not be grounds for a request for redress.

11 THE FINISH

A)   The finish line will be between the staff displaying the blue RC flag on the RC Boat and the course side of the finishing mark.

B)    The first boat to finish will be given a horn, and all following boats will be given a whistle.

12 TIME LIMITS

A)   The target time for each race will be 45 minutes.

B)    The time limit for the first boat to finish a race shall be 75 minutes from its starting signal. The race shall be abandoned if no boat completes the race within the limit.

C)    Any boat that has not finished within 30 minutes of the first finisher shall be scored TLE (Time Limit Exceeded) without a hearing.

13 PROTESTS

A)   A boat intending to protest or request redress shall inform the RC promptly after finishing.

B)    Hearing request forms are available in the rack in the sail locker. Protests and requests for redress shall be delivered to the RC within the time limit.

C)    The time limit for filing protests and requests for redress shall be 1 hour after the RC Boat reaches her dock.

D)   Appendix T: Arbitration applies. This allows quick resolutions of protests without a full protest hearing.

14 SAFETY REGULATIONS

A)   All boats intending to race shall check in with the RC before their first race of the day, either by radio on VHF channel 68 or by sailing past the RC Boat on starboard tack and hailing their sail number. They must receive an acknowledgment from the RC. Any boat that has not checked in will be scored DNC.

B)    A boat that retires from a race shall notify the RC at the first reasonable opportunity by hailing the RC on VHF 68 or by sailing by the RC Boat or Chase Boat and hailing.

C)    All boats must carry the following safety equipment: suitable anchor and rode, hand-bailer or pump, paddle or motor, whistle or horn, and a Type IV throwable flotation device. All boats must have a US Coast Guard approved PFD for every person on board.

D)   All boats must have a working VHF radio.

15 RISK STATEMENT

RRS 3 states: ‘The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue to race is hers alone.’ By participating in this event, each competitor agrees and acknowledges that sailing is a potentially dangerous activity with inherent risks. These risks include strong winds and rough seas, sudden changes in weather, failure of equipment, boat handling errors, poor seamanship by other boats, loss of balance on an unstable platform, and fatigue resulting in increased risk of injury.

16 INSURANCE

Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance.

17 RACING AREA

18 COURSES

All marks will be left to port. The number indicates the number of laps around the course. 1 is once around, 2 is twice around. The leeward mark is not a mark of the course for the first and final leg.