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The Bylaws of the Harwich Haven Authority apply, as do the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea as between competitors and any vessel not racing. Any competitor found to have infringed these bylaws or regulations may be subject to Protest Committee action under Rule 69.1 (Gross Misconduct).

Competitors should be aware that a boat sailing a converging course with a large or unwieldy commercial vessel may be held to have impeded its safe passage by approaching within its restricted visibility zone, even without having encroached within the deep water channel.

Competitors are required while racing (unless specifically stated otherwise by these Sailing Instructions or the applicable course definition) -

a) To avoid passing on the Channel side of any mark to seaward from the Guard buoy inclusive, that is indicated in current Admiralty Charts or designated by Harwich Haven Authority Notices to Mariners as a mark of the Harwich Deep Water Channel (and including the Landguard buoy which is not so indicated).

b) To avoid navigating within the limits of the Deep Water Channel to seaward of the Guard buoy, as defined by straight lines joining consecutive such channel marks including the Landguard Buoy. For the purposes of the RRS such lines are to be regarded as a Continuing Obstruction.

Any boat which being disabled or out of control encroaches into the Deep Water Channel shall promptly advise Harwich VTS on VHF channel 71 of her situation.

Any boat which while racing suffers damage or gets into difficulties but does not require assistance shall advise Thames Coastguard of her situation by normal VHF procedure or by telephone (01255 675518), to avoid unnecessary emergency action should she be reported in difficulties by a third party. She shall then if possible advise the Race Officer of her situation by the means provided below (“Communications”).

Any competing boat which touches a moored or anchored boat shall retire immediately unless she claims that she was wrongly compelled to touch it by another competitor in which case she shall protest.

Competitors in danger of obstructing or being involved in a collision with a commercial vessel may start their engines in order to keep clear, provided that they inform the Race Officer immediately after finishing. In such case the race committee shall adjust the competitor’s elapsed time as it considers in its absolute discretion to be fair and equitable. This changes Rule 42.1.

In the event of a Notice to Competitors (including changes to the Notice of Races or Sailing Instructions) IC flag Lima will be displayed prior to the start of the first race affected and competitors should pass within hail of the Committee Boat in order to be notified. For this and all subsequent races, IC flag Lima will be displayed with a numeral pennant denoting the serial number of the new notice, and competitors already aware of that and all previous notices may ignore the signal.

When appropriate and if time permits, notices may in addition be mailed to all known competitors and/or posted on the Series website, but inability or failure to do so shall not be grounds for redress.

Competitors are required to monitor VHF channel 37 from 1 hour before the published start time to their finish of the last race of the day.

The committee boat may display a mobile telephone number, if one is available for that day. In emergency, or for purposes stipulated in these Sailing Instructions, competitors may communicate with the Race Officer using VHF channel 37 or the above mentioned telephone number.

Intending competitors must hail the Race Officer from the side of the committee boat that is outside the starting line prior to their warning signal, declaring the number of crew on board, and obtain an acknowledgement. Only boats declaring a crew count and receiving an acknowledgement will rank as starters.

COMPETITORS IN A SECOND OR LATER START MUST KEEP WELL CLEAR OF THE STARTING AREA AFTER THE WARNING SIGNAL FOR THE PREVIOUS START.

For Points Series races, boats must display their class flag on their backstays at all times while racing. Any boat failing in this will incur a 5% time penalty and shall have no claim to redress if she is unobserved and not recorded when finishing. An alternative to the stipulated class flag may be permitted provided that it is declared to and approved by the Race Officer prior to each race.

For Mercator, Britannia and Stroombank races boats must display either IC flag Hotel or IC flag Charlie on their backstays.

A boat using any sail bearing a sail number other than that stated in its entry must declare the fact and obtain dispensation from the Race Officer prior to each race. Yachts with poorly contrasting sail numbers will not be eligible for redress in the event of mis-identification. Redress can only be given where there is no fault on the part of the yacht claiming redress. (RRS 2.1)

A boat wearing an ensign after her preparatory signal will be deemed not to be racing or to have retired.

The starting line will be a line drawn between the Harwich Town Sailing Club’s Beacon Hill racing mark (located approximately 2 cables north of the seaward end of the Dovercourt breakwater) and a staff with an orange flag (if displayed) or otherwise the foremast of a committee boat anchored approximately 2 cables in an approximately easterly direction from this buoy. The committee boat when on station may wear a Haven Series ensign. The starting line is to be crossed in a southerly direction.

An alternative start mark may be used, which may be a navigation mark or a laid mark such as a dan buoy or anchored dinghy. The committee boat will fly IC flag Lima, and the location and identity of the start mark, and any variation to the course to be sailed or the start time(s) will be announced by VHF and/or communicated verbally or by a board from the committee boat. A postponement will be made to the starting times specified in the Notice of Race section 11 to give competitors sufficient time to reach the new start line before their class warning signal is made.

If a course is shortened and a subsequent race is to be sailed, that race may be started at or near the finish of the first race, using the procedure described above.

If the official committee boat fails to arrive on station a substitute committee boat may be appointed. If this is a competitor that boat will be awarded race points in compensation at the absolute discretion of the Race Officer.

A dinghy or dan buoy or other mark, which may be wearing a flag, may be anchored close to the committee boat as an inner limit mark. Competitors shall not pass between the inner limit mark and the committee boat at any time except when finishing. The zone on the prohibited side of the inner limit mark is not an obstruction for the purposes of RRS 18 and 19 when approaching the line to start or when starting.

A ball or other mark extending on a staff from a Committee Boat, or a dinghy or other floating object secured alongside, shall be regarded as a part of the starting mark and not as a temporary or accidental attachment for the purposes of RRS 18 and 19. This affects the definition “Mark” in RRS.

An attention signal (IC flag F with one sound) will be made 5 minutes before the warning signal for the first class to start, and removed at that warning signal.

Time shall be taken from the visual signals; the timing or absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded.

15. AREAS THAT ARE OBSTRUCTIONS – the limits of the Harwich Haven Authority deep water channel, as described in Section 3 (Additional Safety Responsibilities) of these Sailing Instructions.

For all races, the general requirements and restrictions in the Course List regarding mandatory marks, passing sides and no-go areas in the Stour, Orwell and Harwich Harbour shall apply.

Courses will be either “Fixed” or “Flexi-courses” as described below. In the event that separate courses are set for different classes, each course display will be prefixed or accompanied by the applicable Class letter by flags or otherwise as appropriate.

(1) FIXED COURSES – The committee boat will display the numeral pennant(s) and/or a number giving the number of the course to be sailed, suffixed with “R” if the course is to be reversed. The course will be set from the current Harwich Area Course List appended to these Sailing Instructions.

(2) FLEXI-COURSES –The course to be sailed will be indicated by a display board and/or announced by VHF, as follows:

A display board will show each mark of the course in turn (including the finishing mark) using the two-letter abbreviations set out in the “Abbreviations” section of the Course List, and indicating the side to which each is to be left.

A VHF announcement (if used) will be preceded by a warning of at least one minute, not more than 30 minutes before the start, and will list the same information as set out above. At least one repeat broadcast will be given, and further repeats to all competitors may be made on request by any boat if and when convenient but not during any starting sequence.

If a course that has been displayed and/or broadcast is subsequently changed, displaying IC flag L together with a sound signal will signal this event. The change of course signal will be made at least 5 minutes before the Warning Signal. The signal flag L will be removed at the Start Signal. In the event of a discrepancy between the displayed course and that broadcast, the displayed course will prevail.

16.2 Mercator, Stroombank and Britannia Trophy Races - see Supplementary Sailing Instructions below.

For a fixed course the finishing line will be as described for the starting line (but may be shortened) and is to be crossed from the last mark in a northerly direction.

For a flexi-course the finishing line will be between the indicated finishing mark and an adjacent committee boat, leaving the finishing mark on the indicated side.

In exceptional circumstances the committee boat may be off station at the finish, in which case the following procedure (Timing In) should be used.

If the committee boat is not on station the finishing line is reached when the finishing mark bears 90 degrees to the rhumb line from the preceding mark, within 1 cable on the correct side.

In this event competitors shall take their own finishing times and report them to the Race Officer by VHF (or telephone if available) or to the Haven Series Secretary (07960 337430) as soon as possible and not later than mid-day on the following Monday, together with the names of the boats finishing immediately ahead and astern of them, if visible. Times shall be corrected to GPS time indicating BST or GMT as applicable.

The course may be shortened to finish at any mark of the course for any reason at the discretion of the Race Officer (this changes Rule 32). A Committee Boat will display IC flag S and the line shall be crossed from the direction of the last previous mark, on the proper side as prescribed by the course definition. The finish line will be defined by the mark in question and an orange flag (if used) or otherwise by the fore mast of the Committee Boat (this changes the definition of IC flag S under “Race Signals” in RRS).

A course may be shortened for some but not all classes, in which case the class flags affected will be displayed along with IC flag S

Any boat retiring, or withdrawing from a subsequent race the same day, must report to the Race Officer that it is so doing by hailing, or by VHF or telephone as above (Communications), at the earliest opportunity and obtain an acknowledgement.

Any boat significantly delayed while racing but not requiring assistance should report her situation and estimated finishing time to the Race Officer by the means indicated above (Communications).

NOTE THAT ANY BOAT NOT ACCOUNTED FOR AT THE END OF RACING MAY BE REPORTED TO THAMES COASTGUARD AS OVERDUE.

Declarations are not required for Points Series and Cutler Trophy races. For others, see Supplementary Sailing Instructions.

Any race that is abandoned may be re-sailed. If practicable and if circumstances so permit, the Race Officer shall have power to re-sail an abandoned race on the same day, or (for a Points Series Saturday race) to sail an additional race on the Sunday immediately following. Otherwise a Points Series race shall if practicable be re-sailed on the Saturday, or failing Saturday the Sunday, of the next following Haven weekend. For races other than Points Series, re-sailing arrangements (if applicable) shall be individually notified to all known entrants.

These are to be notified verbally to the Race Officer at the finish or by telephone or VHF radio within two hours thereafter, and confirmed in writing to the Haven Series Secretary, 6 Upper Fourth Avenue, Frinton on Sea, Essex CO13 9JS at the earliest possible time. In any event, protests should be posted first class and postmarked no later than last post on the Monday following the race. Protests will be heard on the Friday following the race at 20.00 BST at the RHYC, or failing this at a time and place appointed by the Chairman.

An “ Afloat Race Officer” will be designated to receive declarations and/or protests, and for co-ordination and communication purposes. Details will be announced via VHF channel 37 before the start.

Cliff Foot (P), Landguard (P), Medusa (P), N.E. Gunfleet (S), Longsand Head (S), Finish.

The finishing line at Oostende is formed by a line bearing 180 degrees magnetic from the Binnenstroombank buoy, leaving the buoy within 2 cables to port.

The finishing line at Nieuwpoort is formed by a line bearing 045 degrees magnetic from the Weststroombank buoy, leaving the buoy within 2 cables to starboard.

– are required, and must be made on the annexed declaration form to the Afloat Race Officer by 09.00 BST on the Saturday, or within one hour of finishing if later. Competitors must note their own finishing time, together with the names of the boats finishing ahead and astern of them if in sight. Times shall be corrected to GPS time indicating BST or GMT as applicable.

Any boat retiring MUST report the fact at the earliest possible moment to the Afloat Race Officer or to the Haven Series Secretary (telephone 01255 674074, mobile 07960 337430)

These are to be made in writing to the Afloat Race Officer by 09.00 BST on the Saturday or within one hour of finishing if later.

The entry fee for both races includes the first night berthing fees at the destination. If you intend to stay longer please inform the harbourmaster after arrival.

The Oostende port authority is taking strict action against boats infringing port signals and is imposing heavy on-the-spot fines. Competitors should ensure that they enter and leave the harbour only when the signals allow.

Competitors are reminded that a courtesy ensign should be hoisted to the starboard crosstree before entering harbour and should be above and at least as large as any other flag at the crosstrees.

An “Afloat Race Officer” will be designated to receive declarations and/or protests, and for co-ordination and communication purposes. Details will be announced via VHF channel 37 before the start.

The start will be in the vicinity of the Wadgate Ledge Beacon and will be clear of the designated North Channel for inward shipping (precise location to be announced on VHF channel 37 at least 30 minutes before the start).

The line will be defined by a staff with an orange flag (if displayed) or otherwise the fore mast of a committee boat, and either a similar staff or the foremast of a second committee boat, or a laid mark. The line is to be crossed in a north-easterly direction.

If the race is started in inclement weather or other exceptional circumstance a competing boat may be used as a committee boat and will be given a due time allowance.

Competitors are advised that a dangerous wreck exists in a position approximately 335°(T) 1.8 cables from Wadgate Ledge Beacon.

Start; East Barnard (P); Newcombe Sand (P); South Holm (S); Stanford (P); South West Holm (S); North Newcombe (P) finish. (see below).

The times of sunset and sunrise shall be deemed to be respectively 12 July 21:10 BST and 13 July 04:50 BST.

The finishing line at Lowestoft is on the transit from the seaward end of the Harbour South Breakwater through the North Newcombe Buoy on a bearing of about 260 degrees (true) and within 2 cables of the said buoy.

Competitors must note their own finishing time with an accurate watch, together with the names of the boats finishing ahead and astern of them if in sight.

– are required, and must be made on the annexed declaration form to the Afloat Race Officer at the destination within one hour of finishing. Times shall be corrected to GPS time indicating BST or GMT as applicable.

Any boat retiring MUST report the fact at the earliest possible moment to the Afloat Race Officer or to the Haven Series Secretary (telephone 01255 674074, mobile 07960 337430)

These are to be made in writing to the Afloat Race Officer at the destination within one hour of finishing.

Refer to a current almanac for pilotage information, entry requirements etc. – note that it is now MANDATORY to call on VHF Ch.14 before entering or leaving, and that harbour light signals MUST be obeyed. Contact "Yacht Club Marina" on Ch.80 for berthing instructions, but otherwise continue to monitor Ch.14 for harbour traffic.

Overnight berthing is arranged on the RN&SYC pontoons. A group discounted rate for one night has been negotiated, and is included in the entry fee (see Entry Form). Prizegiving and supper will take place at the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club. Please book for the supper with the Haven Series Secretary by 5^th July.

There are no other changes or additions to the general Sailing Instructions above.