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THE INTERNATIONAL A-DIVISION CATAMARAN ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

 

Rules for running World and Continental championships and for guidance at other championship meetings.

 

Issued by the International A-Division Catamaran Association (I.A.C.A.).

 

1.            RESPONSIBILITY FOR VENUE AND ORGANISATION

  1. The I.A.C.A. shall be responsible for considering and selecting suitable venues for World and Continental Championships.
  1. The I.A.C.A. shall send a copy of these rules to prospective host clubs who must assure the I.A.C.A. that they can comply with these Rules.
  1. The I.A.C.A. having satisfied themselves that the host club can meet their requirements shall then delegate their responsibility to the National A-Division fleet to conduct all aspects of the meeting in association with the host club, or if there is no National A-Division fleet, to the host club.
  1. The National A-Division shall be responsible for arranging the financing of the meeting or if there is no National fleet, the host club.
  1. The I.A.C.A. shall approve the naming of Championship Events.  I.A.C.A. Championship Events shall be Category "C", as defined in the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing,  ISAF Advertising Code.  Participation by sponsors shall be as prescribed by the ISAF Advertising Code.

2.            APPOINTMENT OF JURY AND THEIR TERMS OF REFERENCE

  1. An International Jury shall be appointed as provided under the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing(RRS).
  1. If it is not possible to appoint an International Jury, a competent  Protest Committee will be appointed with an International Judge as Chairman and with provision of a "No appeals" clause through the National Sailing Authority.
  1. It is desirable that the Jury or Protest Committee should include one person experienced in the A-Division.

3.            ELIGIBILITY AND  ENTRIES

a.    The current champion shall have the right to defend his/her title and the current I.A.C.A. President shall be allocated entry without qualifying or affecting the number of boats their country is allowed to enter.

  1. The host club shall restrict the number of entries to a maximum of 100 boats. 10 wild cards will be allowed by the I.A.C.A. committee to be used at their discretion.
  1. All helmsmen shall be financial members of their National Assocations which in turn must be financial members of I.A.C.A.. Evidence of current membership shall be produced.
  1. Helmsmen non-resident in their country of origin shall not be prevented from representing their country of origin.

4.            INVITATIONS

  1. Entries for World Championships will be allocated by I.A.C.A. to the National A-Division fleets at the 1st January each year (1st July of previous year where championships held in southern hemisphere). The host club shall be informed.  The I.A.C.A. reserves the right to adjust the allocations.
  1. The entry fee shall be agreed between the National A‑Division fleet and the host club and for Continental or World Championships shall be subject to approval of the I.A.C.A.

5.            MEASUREMENT

  1. The host club shall provide facilities for complete measurement of boats.
  1. The measurement shall be under the control of the Racing Committee. The National Authority shall appoint a Chief Measurer subject to the approval of I.A.C.A.
  1. A boat shall be allowed to race only if either a Measurement Certificate issued by it's National Sailing Authority or a completed and signed Measurement Form is presented.
  1. The minimum check measurement for each boat shall be the boat weight, boat length and width, black bands on the mast and other measurements from the division rules to be selected by the official measurer/jury immediately before measurement begins. These shall be exclusive of paddle, anchor and line. All sails to be used at the meeting shall have a valid and current measurement certificate/form.
  1. Each boat may measure only one complete set of equipment except battens. The jury may allow replacement of any items damaged beyond repair to continue the event. Replacement items must measure within the A-Division rules to the satisfaction of the measurer or Racing Committee and approved by the (International) jury.
  1. Any repairs to boat or sails which could affect measurement shall be reported to and under the control of the measurer.
  1. No official measurement shall take place after Race 1 except as a result of a protest or due to the replacement, alteration or repair of any item.
  1. No competitor may protest on a question of measurement later than the normal protest time applying to Race 1 except on the grounds that there has been subsequent alteration of the boat or its equipment.

6.            RACING RULES & CONDITIONS

  1. All races shall be conducted under the current ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing  (RRS) and the Sailing Instructions for the event laid down by the host club and under the Division Measurement Rules (which may not be amended).
  1. The sailing instructions must conform with the RRS and shall be approved by the I.A.C.A.
  1. The races shall be sailed in open waters and as far as possible from headlands, shoals and obstructions.  The windward mark shall not be nearer than 0.65 nautical miles from the shoreline. It is desirable that the nearest mark of the course shall be within 3 nautical miles of the official boat park. Alterations are possible only with the approval of the I.A.C.A.
  1. The Championship must be sailed on its own course and not at the same time as any other event unless approved by the I.A.C.A.
  1. The regatta shall consist of a series of  9 races of which 5 races must be completed to constitute a series. When 5 or more races have been completed, a yacht may discard her worst result.
  1. Two races shall be sailed normally per day. The Race Officer may announce 3 races for the next day only with the approval of the I.A.C.A. if the regatta may fail the minimum number of races to constitute a series.
  1. Races shall be abandoned if the Race Officer determines that fair sailing has been compromised.
  1. No races shall be started if the average wind (measured over the previous 15 minutes) is less than 4 knots nor more than 22 knots. The Race Committee should also take into account the wave conditions to ensure safe sailing conditions.
  1. Rescue boats shall be provided by the host club in the ratio of one rescue boat per 15 entered boats.

7.            COURSES

  1. The A-Division Championship Course is shown in Appendix 2. All starts shall be to windward and the magnetic course to the windward mark shall be clearly indicated on the committee boat at or before the warning signal.
  2. The sequence of mark roundings for the A-Division Championship Course shall be: Start - 1 - 2 - 3A/3B - 1 - 2 - 3A/3B - 1 - 2 - Finish.
  3. Marks 3A/3B may be disregarded on the first windward leg, Start - 1, and on the final downwind leg, 2 - Finish.
  4. The windward marks, Mark 1 and Mark 2, shall be rounded to port. Mark 2 shall be set approximately 200 meters to port of Mark 1.  The bearing to Mark 2 from Mark 1 shall be approximately 75 degrees to port of the bearing to Mark 1 from the Start or previous leeward gate - Marks 3A/3B.
  5. The leeward marks, Marks 3A and 3B, shall be set as a gate. Except on the first windward leg and the final downwind leg (see 8.2), all boats shall pass through the gate entering from the direction of Mark 2 before rounding Mark 3A to starboard or Mark 3B to port.
  6. The course length shall normally be set so the race will last approximately 70 - 90 minutes in the anticipated wind conditions.  A race time outside this range shall not be grounds for redress.
  7. The starting line should be the length in meters (approximately) of 5 times the number of boats starting.
  8. The leeward gate marks should be set between 50 and 60 metres apart.
  9. A change of course after the start shall be in accordance with RRS 33.  In addition, any mark to be rounded after rounding the new mark may be relocated to maintain the original course configuration.  When in a subsequent change of course a new mark is replaced, it will be replaced with the original mark.
  10. Courses shall not be shortened but can be abandoned in accordance with RRS 32. This modifies RRS 32.1 and RRS 32.2.

8.         START / FINISH

  1. Races shall be started in accordance with RRS 26.
  2. The Start Line and the Finish Line shall be between the flagstaff on the Start/Finish boat and a mark as described in the Sailing Instructions.
  3. Recalls will be signalled in accordance with RRS 29, 30.1 and 30.3 only.
  4. In the event of a general recall, the class flag shall also be raised at the preparatory signal and dropped for the start.

9.         NOTICES TO COMPETITORS AND SIGNALS MADE ASHORE

  1. Notices to competitors, including any changes to the Schedule of Races or the Sailing Instructions shall be made on an official notice board located near the host club Regatta Office.
  2. Signals made ashore shall be displayed on a flag staff located near the host club Regatta Office.
  3. Any changes to the Sailing Instructions shall be posted before 09:00 hours on the day that they will take effect, except that any change to the Schedule of Races shall be posted prior to 20:00 hours on the day before it will take effect.

10.       TIME AND WIND LIMITS

  1. A race shall be abandoned if no boat has finished within 2 hours. Boats failing to finish within 30 minutes after the first boat shall be deemed not to have finished and shall be scored as a DNF.
  2. If the wind reduces to less than 3 knots for a period of 15 minutes or more before the first boat finishes, then the race shall be abandoned.
  3. If the wind increases to more than 22 knots for a period of 15 minutes or more before the first boat finishes, then the race shall be abandoned.
  4. If during a race the wind significantly shifts to preclude fair sailing, as determined by the Race Officer or Jury, the race can be abandoned.

11.            SCORING

  1. The Low Point System as in Appendix A of the RRS shall be used.
  2. Any race not conducted in compliance with the Class Championship Rules, as determined by I.A.C.A., may be disregarded and not counted when computation of points for selection of the Champion is made by the Class.
  3. Provisional Results should be posted on the Regatta Notice Board as soon as possible after the completion of each race.

12.            PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS

  1. Protests shall be written on the forms available from the host club Regatta Office no later than one (1) hour after the Race Committee returns to the Harbour after the last race of the day.
  2. When a boat infringes a rule of RRS Part 2, the Alternative Penalty Rule 44.2 shall apply except that the 720° turn shall be replaced by a 360° turn and shall include one complete tack and one complete gybe.
  1. Where necessary the host Club shall appoint one or more interpreters familiar with nautical terminology who shall be at the disposal of the Jury to assist at protests.

13.           COACH & SUPPORT BOATS

  1. Each coach boat shall display her national flag or country letters with a minimum height of 300mm clearly visible from both sides of the boat during the regatta.
  2. Coach boats shall remain outside the racing area whilst yachts are participating in a race.
  3. The penalty for infringing these requirements will be at the discretion of the Jury, but may include disqualification of one or all boats associated with the infringing vessel.

14.            ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS

Alterations and additions to these rules shall only be made by agreement between the I.A.C.A. Committee and the Jury. 

15.            TROPHIES AND PRIZES

  1. The World Championship Perpetual Trophies shall be awarded at each event to the highest ranking qualified sailors from the final standing.
  1. Trophies or prizes should be awarded to at least the Top 10 finishers of each regatta.
  1. Trophies should also be awarded to the top placed  junior (aged less than 25), master (aged 45-50), grand master (aged 50-55) and great grand master (aged 55 plus).

16.            INSURANCE AND DISCLAIMERS

  1. A valid third party insurance for a minimum of US $2,000,000 shall exist for each participating boat and proof of this insurance shall be available at all times.
  2.  All those taking part in the regatta do so at their own risk and responsibility. The I.A.C.A., the Host Club, organising authority, National Federation and all parties involved with the organisation of the regatta disclaim any and every responsibility whatsoever for loss, damage, injury or inconvenience that might occur to persons and goods, both ashore and while afloat as a consequence of participation in the regatta covered by these Championship Rules.

17.        RADIO COMMUNICATIONS

  1. No transmitting equipment or radio receivers shall be carried on board any competing boat.

Appendix 1:

The I.A.C.A. preferred schedules for races are:

Schedule of Races - Long Series

Day 1               Registration / Measurement

Day 2               Registration / Measurement
 Practice Races 1 & 2

Day 3               Races 1 & 2

Day 4               Races 3 & 4

Day 5               Races 5 & 6

Day 6               Spare Day

Day 7               Races 7 & 8

Day 8               Race 9

 Presentation / Awards

Schedule of Races - Short Series

Day 1               Registration / Measurement
 Practice Races 1 & 2

Day 2               Races 1 & 2

Day 3               Races 3 & 4

Day 4               Races 5 & 6

Day 5               Races 7 & 8

Day 6               Race 9
 Presentation / Awards

 

Appendix 2:

Diagram of Course:

 

I.A.C.A. Recommendations to the Organising & Race Committee

The primary purpose of the 2002 A-Division Championship Rules is to simplify the Sailing Instructions for each event. In summary, the primary points that should be required for the Sailing Instructions are:

  • The Venue, Host Club Name and National Authority organising the event.

  • The colour of the original course and altered course marks

  • The Start/Finish mark.

  • The dates and schedule of races (based on the I.A.C.A. preferred Appendix 1).

  • The Social Calendar.

GPS or other similar locating devices shall be used for the laying of all course marks. The I.A.C.A. can supply GPS instruments, if required. The Windward-Leeward distance should vary between 1.2Nm for light wind and 1.5Nm for strong wind. This distance can also vary depending on fleet size. The distances used shall be recorded and supplied to the I.A.C.A. at the end of each day's racing.

The wind strength shall be measured and recorded at regular intervals using the I.A.C.A. supplied Wind Meter. These reading shall be supplied to the I.A.C.A. at the end of each day's racing.

In relation to Championship Rule 8.0 (Start/Finish), apart from the Flags/Signals used for racing, no other flags shall be flown from the Start/Finish vessel without the prior permission of the I.A.C.A..

The I.A.C.A. shall supply a Race Data sheet for every individual race and this shall be filled out by the Race Committee and returned to the I.A.C.A. at the completion of each day's racing. The primary purpose of this data is to improve the I.A.C.A. Class and Championship Rules, which will also improve the quality of racing and race management at future A-Division events.

 

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