CANDLEWOOD YACHT CLUB
Race Committee Best Practices
This document provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to the best practices for running races. It is comprehensive, offering all the information you need to run races, even if you have never done it before. It includes many tips that experienced PROs may find beneficial. It follows the requirements of the Racing Rules of Sailing and recommendations from US Sailing.
The goal is to improve the level of race management while making the job easier for the volunteers. We want to make the races safe, fair, and enjoyable, and to run in a consistent manner whenever possible.
These are the key points:
It is important to have the course and starting line square with the wind direction.
The stewards will take wind readings before the race, so that the PRO can lay a course square to the wind.
We will use the Bouy Zone app to help the stewards lay the marks accurately. It helps the PRO select the course and see what it will look like before the race.
For the cruisers, record the time of the warning signal and the finish times with the clock stored in the RC port storage compartment.
The equipment is now stored in the RC Boat, so you don’t have to carry it down from the Sail Loft. The equipment section details where everything should be stored.
We have new flag poles made of PVC, which are lighter than the old wood ones. They can get wet and can stay in the RC Boat.
Other documents
Read the Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions. These are the club’s rules for races.
Read the Sailor’s Guide to the Racing Rules. This is US Sailing’s summary of the Racing Rules of Sailing, which govern all sailboat races.
Review the Steward Manual to understand what the stewards are expected to do. It was written for people with minimal boating experience, so it is very detailed. The first third covers safety: Person In Water (PIW), capsize recovery, and towing. The second third covers race operations. The last part outlines the training program for the stewards.
Preparation
You should check the weather the day before the race. If a severe storm is forecast, consider cancelling the race. If you do cancel, you must notify everyone on the WhatsApp chat.
Arrive at the club half an hour before the skipper’s meeting (normally 11:30). This is when the stewards will arrive, you will need to unlock the Sail Loft for them and give them the key to the Chase Boat from the lock box.
Exchange phone numbers with the stewards as a backup for the radios.
They will start inflating the marks and preparing the Chase Boat. They will get the mark anchors from storage on the RC Boat.
You should check the wind conditions and start planning which course you will use and where to position the start. See the Bouy Zone chapter.
Start preparing the RC Boat so that it is ready to go right after the skipper’s meeting. See Equipment and Operation.
RC Boat Equipment and Operation
The equipment you need to run the races is stored in several storage compartments on the RC Boat. The radios are stored in their charging cradles in the Sail Loft.
Wind Readings
Ideally, the windward mark should be positioned directly upwind from the start at the RC Boat. This creates the largest possible sailing area or playing field, allowing boats to spend approximately the same amount of time on each tack. This makes the race more competitive and interesting for participants.
Since the wind constantly changes, the stewards will take several readings before the start to get an average direction. US Sailing recommends adjusting the course orientation if a persistent wind shift exceeds 20°. With a shift this large, about 70% of the windward leg will be on the favored tack. Tacking on a modest header may not make sense since it would still be the favored tack. If the wind has shifted that much before the start, the race should be postponed, and the stewards should reposition the windward mark.
It is very important for the start line to be square with the wind. If one end of the line is favored, sailors starting on that end will potentially have a several boat-length lead over those starting on the other end of the line. If there is a persistent wind shift of more than 10° before the start, you should have the stewards reposition the starting pin.
Selecting a Course
Selecting the type of course and the number of laps depends on the wind bearing, speed, and the lake’s geography.
Bouy Zone app
We will use the Buoy Zone app to help the stewards accurately position the marks. This app is an invaluable tool for the PRO, allowing them to see the precise locations of each mark on a map and the lay lines between them. This is an excellent tool for planning what course to use and where to anchor for the start. It is available for both iPhone and Android devices. The app’s goal is to make the race committee’s “lives easier, by taking out the guesswork when laying a course.
Starting Races
Procedures for starting a race.
Finishing Races
Procedures for scoring at the finish.
Abandoning Races and Changing or Shortening Course
Procedures for Abandoning Races and Changing or Shortening Course.
