Proposed Amendments to Appendix 1 ‘Sailing By-Laws Governing the Conduct of the National Championship’

Comments are in italics

1.    Delete the first three sentences of Paragraph 2 (a) and replace with:

“The championship is to be held over a maximum of twelve heats.   If 10, 11 or 12 heats are sailed, there shall be two discards.   If 7, 8 or 9 heats are sailed there shall be one discard.  If 5 or 6 heats are sailed, there shall be no discards.  A minimum of 5 races are required to constitute a championship.   Two orientation races shall precede the championship.”

2.    Delete 4(a) and replace with:

“Courses may be triangular, trapezoidal or windward/returns, and will be set with the aim of the first boat finishing within 45 minutes.”

The international trend in all forms of dinghy sailing is for shorter but more numerous races.    There is also a trend to a wider variety of courses.

3.    Delete 4 (c)

No longer a need to specify this as an inclusion as the 720 deg penalty is the RRS default.

4.    4 (d)  -  change time limit to 75 minutes.

Required if 1 and 2 are approved.

5.    Delete 4 (e)

No longer required.   Current standard starting penalties include a logical progression of restrictions.  By specifying only the ‘I’ option, the PRO is unnecessarily restricted.  The main factors affecting choice of start penalty are weather conditions and fleet behaviour.  The PRO is in the best position to judge which penalty to use.