GENERAL SAILING INSTRUCTIONS - 2023 -2024
The Organising Authority:  Ponsonby Cruising Club Inc.
​​​​​​​In addition “Special Sailing Instruction” may apply.

1    RULES:
1.1    The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing, together with the Notices of Race and Sailing Instructions as detailed on the PCC website www.pcc.org.nz 
1.2    The Yachting New Zealand Safety Regulations 2021 – 2024, Parts 2 & 5 will apply. For the Mullet Boats the Mullet Boat Safety rules apply.
1.3    From sunset until dawn the relevant parts of Part 2 of the Racing Rules of Sailing will cease to apply and the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collision at Sea will apply.
1.4    Auckland Harbour Regulations will apply at all times. Boats shall at all times observe the Auckland Council Navigation Safety bylaws in particular Part 8, 55. “A Moving Prohibited zone”. (Refer Addendum A)
1.5    RRS Appendix T, Arbitration will apply.
1.6    Racing rules 29.1, 29.2, 32, 35, 44.1, 44.2, 62.1 & 5 will be changed as stated in these Sailing Instructions.
1.7    LOCAL RULES: Any yacht using its motor after its own divisional warning signal must motor clear of the start area and stop its motor before returning to the starting area. 
1.8    During racing, VHF Channel 77 will be monitored by PCC. The call sign is Ponsonby Sports Radio.
1.9    IDENTIFICATION: Boats must display correct registration numbers on all sails as defined in the RRS (except as modified by the class rules). Boats failing to display correct sail numbers shall notify the Race Officer prior to the start.   

2    ELIGIBILITY:
2.1    PCC races are open to all keelers, trailer yachts, mullet boats and multihulls. 
2.2    All one-design classes (when Class Racing, unless otherwise stated in the Notice of Race) shall comply with their class/Association Rules and Safety Requirements.
2.3    Advertising shall be in accordance with the World Sailing Advertising Code, Appendix 1 or as specified in the Class Rules.
2.4    Boats shall display event advertising when supplied by the Organising Authority.
2.5    The owner or Skipper of a boat entered to race with PCC shall be a member of a yacht club affiliated to Yachting New Zealand.

3    ENTRIES: 
3.1    Entries shall be on the Official entry form available from the PCC or on the official website www.pcc.org.nz and can be submitted on line to [email protected] or left at the PCC office. Entries close at 1700 hours on race day for all evening races and for weekend races entries close at 1700 hours on the night before the race/s scheduled unless otherwise stated in the Notice of Race.
3.2    Late entries may be accepted at the discretion of the race officer.
3.3    The PCC reserves the right to refuse any entry. To qualify for season’s points the name of the owner or skipper must appear on the entry form.

4    CLASSES & DIVISIONS:
4.1    The PCC reserves the right to add to or delete scheduled divisions in any race. Yachts shall be allocated their division by the Race Officer who has the right to move a yacht to another division if in the opinion of the Race Committee that yacht may be more suited to another Division.
4.2    Any such change will be notified in accordance with SI 5: Notice to Competitors.
4.3    A minimum of three boats constitutes a race. Separate classes and divisions may start as a single fleet. A minimum of two boats constitutes a Division
4.4    For starts and scoring refer NoR. 
4.5    Class and Divisional flags shall be as stated in the Notice of Race.

5    NOTICES TO COMPETITORS:
Notices to Competitors will be posted on the official notice board(s) located in the foyer at the Club or on the official PCC website and PCC APP not less than one hour prior to the scheduled start time.  

6    CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS:
6.1    Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted before 0900 on the day it will take effect, except that any change to the schedule of races will be posted by 2000 on the day before it will take effect.
6.2    Notices will be posted in accordance with SI 5: Notice to Competitors. 
6.3    It is the responsibility of the skipper to ensure he/she is aware of any notices or amendments prior to the start of the race.

7    SIGNALS MADE ASHORE:
7.1    Signals made ashore will be displayed on the Club house and /or on the Westhaven Tower. Code Flag “L” will signal a Notice to Competitors has been posted.
7.2    When flag AP is displayed ashore, ‘1 minute’ is replaced with ‘not less than 15 minutes’ in the race signal AP.

8    SCHEDULE OF RACES:
Will be in accordance with the Notices of Race as displayed on the PCC Website and APP unless altered in accordance with rules 4.1, 5 & 6 of these Sailing Instructions.

9    RACING AREAS:
    The Race Area will be on the waters of the Waitemata Harbour and the Inner Hauraki Gulf unless changed by the Notice of Race. 

10    THE COURSES: 
10.1    The course to be sailed will be determined by the Race Officer and displayed on the Westhaven Tower or the Committee Boat no later than the warning signal for the first start. For subsequent starts a new course may be displayed prior to the warning signal for each start.
10.2    Courses will be as defined on the Club website and APP unless altered in accordance with rules 5 & 6 or as defined on the Notice of Race. Laminated copies of the PCC Courses and the Chart showing the Harbour marks are available from the PCC office.
10.3    The marks will be as defined in the Course sheets or as may be designated in the Notice of Race or Special Sailing Instructions.
10.4    The marks and courses for the W/L SERIES are as defined in ADDENDUM B.

11    AREAS THAT ARE OBSTRUCTIONS:
    The areas designated as obstructions are as defined in ADDENDUM A. 

12    SHORTENED COURSES:
The Race Officer may shorten course as follows:
12.1    In accordance with RRS 32 i.e. by stationing a patrol boat at a rounding mark and flying code flag “S” and a “blue” flag. The finish will be between the patrol boat and the mark.
12.2    In alteration of RRS 32, by stationing a patrol boat at a rounding mark and flying code flags “S” over “H”, boats will then round that mark in accordance with the course designated and proceed directly to the scheduled finish line. The additional marks of the course shall no longer apply.
12.3    In alteration of RRS 32, between the Westhaven Tower and the Outer Distance Mark (Hbr Mk 1) when code flags “S” & a “Blue Flag” or the board depicting the blue and S flags is displayed on the Tower.
12.4    When multiple courses are racing the class or Division whose race is shortened will be signalled by flying the relevant class flag/s with the “S” & “Blue” Flags. If all races are shortened no class or division flags will be flown. 
12.5    Where a course, as defined does not have a convenient rounding mark the Race Officer may shorten the course by holding station and establishing a line between the patrol boat and a convenient shore feature or other mark. The patrol boat will fly code flags “S” and “blue flag” to indicate it is on station at the finish which will be the line of transit between the shore feature or the mark and the patrol boat. A sound signal will be made to indicate a boat has finished.

13.  STARTS: 
13.1 Races will be started by using RRS 26 with the warning signal made 5 minutes before the starting signal. Sound signals in accordance with RRS may be made.
13.2 The Divisional flags and warning signals shall be in accordance with the NoR or Special Sailing Instructions.
13.3 The starting line will be between the flagstaff on the Westhaven Tower and the Yellow Outer Distance Mark (ODM / Harbour Mk 1) unless otherwise indicated in the Courses, the Notice of Race or the Special Sailing Instructions.
13.4    Boats whose warning signal have not been made shall avoid the starting area during the starting sequence for other races. The starting area is defined as a line from the Westhaven Tower to the ODM and due west towards the Harbour Bridge. unless otherwise indicated in the Courses, Notices of Race or Special Sailing Instructions. Boats infringing this rule may be recorded as DSQ. 

14.    RECALLS:
14.1    Individual Recalls - Code Flag “X” shall be displayed. RRS 29.1 shall apply. A boat may call the Race Officer on Ch. 77 to check. Boats not responding will be recorded as OCS and scored as such. Individual Recalls shall be modified for Mark Foy Starts when Code Flag “X” shall be lowered not less than 15 seconds before the next yacht/s starting time.
14.2    General Recalls – Code Flag “First Sub.” Shall be displayed: RRS Rule 29.2 is amended to read:  In the event of a General Recall the Warning Signal for the recalled division will be made 5 minutes after the last scheduled start. If more than one division has been recalled they shall be restarted in the sequence in which they were recalled. If the last start is recalled the new warning signal for that class will be made 1 minute after removal of the First Substitute. 
14.3    Code Flag “First Sub”. will be lowered with the warning signal for the next start except as stated in SI 14.2 above. This changes RRS 29.1.
14.4    After a general recall the recalled division may be signalled to start with a subsequent Division as signalled by their Divisional warning signal.

15.    CHANGE OF COURSE:
15.1    Courses will not be changed but may be shortened in accordance with Rule 12 of these Sailing Instructions or as specified in the Special Sailing Instruction. 

16.    THE FINISH:
16.1    The finish line will be between the flagstaff on the Westhaven Tower and the Yellow ODM / Harbour Mk 1, unless otherwise indicated in the Courses, the Notice of Race or the Special Sailing Instructions.
16.2    After finishing yachts should make every endeavour not to re-cross the finish line unless it is prudent to so do. If so doing yachts shall not impede, in anyway, boats still sailing to finish. 
16.3    If the race committee is absent when a boat finishes, she should report her finishing time, and her position in relation to nearby boats, to the race committee at the first reasonable opportunity.

17.    POSTPONEMENTS & ABANDONMENTS:
17.1    If a cancellation has not been notified prior to the Scheduled Race Day the final decision to cancel a race on the day will not be made until one hour before the scheduled start time.  Signals will be displayed on the Westhaven Tower, on the Committee boat and in accordance with Sailing Instructions Rules 5, 6 or 7. 
17.2    Races postponed or abandoned may be re-sailed at the discretion of the Sailing Committee. RRS Rule 36 shall not apply.

PENALTY SYSTEMS:
17.3    RRS 44.1 & 44.2 are changed so that the Two-Turns Penalty is replaced by the One-Turn Penalty.

18.    TIME LIMITS AND TARGET TIMES:
18.1    The Time Limit for the first boat to finish shall be as specified in the Notice of Race. 
18.2    If one boat finishes within the time limit the Finish Window for the rest of the fleet will be 30 minutes after the first boat’s finish time whichever is the latter. 
18.3    Boats failing to finish within the Time Limit be scored Did Not Finish without a hearing. This changes RRS 35 & A4.2. 
18.4    Any boats retiring from a race shall advise the Race Officer, Race Management, the Westhaven Tower or the Patrol/ Committee boat via VHF Channel 77, cell phone or in person, as soon as practicable after deciding to withdraw. Boats retiring will be scored RET.

19.    PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS
19.1    Protest forms are available in the foyer of the PCC. Protests and requests for redress or re-opening shall be lodged in writing with a race official in the office or upstairs, no later than 2 hours after the last boat in the race finishes. 
19.2    Notices will be posted no later than 30 minutes after the protest time limit to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. 
19.3    All protests will be heard as soon as possible following the lodging of a protest or as per the Special Sailing Instructions.
19.4    Arbitration will be available in accordance with SI 1.5.
19.5    All protests in the Women’s Series must be presented at the Protest Hearings by the woman skipper. 
19.6    Breaches to SIs 1.7, 13.4, 16.2 & 22 will not be grounds for a protest by a competitor. This changes RRS 60.1(a)

20.    SCORING:
20.1    Unless otherwise specified in the Special Notice of Race or Sailing Instructions the Low points Scoring System as provided in Appendix A of the RRS will be used for all PCC races and series.
20.2    For Series Scores Appendix A 4.2 and A 9 are amended to read: Failure to compete on the day - DNC will be scored points for the finish place one more than the number of boats entered in the series. A DNC score is not excludible from a total Series points score.
20.3    Individual entries will be accepted for each race but will not be scored for series points.
20.4    The number of races to be sailed and a boat’s series score will be as specified in the Notices of Race and the Special Sailing Instructions.
20.5    For the PCC Seasonal Points score the modified Olympic High Points Scoring System, a copy of which is available from the PCC office, will be used. Individual entries will be accepted for each race and individual entries will qualify for season’s points unless otherwise stated in the Notice of Race.  

21.    SAFETY REGULATIONS
21.1    Inspections: The PCC Sailing Committee or Flag Officers reserve the right to inspect any boat for compliance with the YNZ Safety Regulations and applicable Class Rules. It is however the sole responsibility of the owner and/or skipper to see that their yacht complies with the safety category requirements for the race and that certificates are current and carried.
21.2    Navigation Lights:  All competing boats must show port, starboard and stern lights from sunset to sunrise. Such lights and other lights must comply with the Collision Regulations (1977) and must be mounted in accordance with the Safety Regulations.
21.3    Attention is drawn the relevant local council bylaws regarding wearing of lifejackets and other restrictions. 
21.4    For all women’s series, in the event of an emergency - a situation where a collision, injury or damage could occur, a male on board may take the helm.

22.    RESULTS:
Provisional results will be displayed on the Notice Board in the PCC and on the website as soon as practicable after the race. The Final Results will be posted after all protests have been resolved.

23.    PRIZES & TROPHIES:
Prize Giving will be held in the Clubhouse approximately one hour after the last boat finishes, except as may be affected by protests. 
The number of prizes that will be awarded may depend on number of entries received. 
The Prizes will be held by the PCC for collection after the Protest Committee findings.
For all other Prizes a representative of the boat must be present at the club to collect the prize or it will go back into the Prize pool. 
PCC Trophies and Series Prizes shall be presented at a special prizegiving function. 
Only boats owned and /or skippered by a PCC member shall be eligible for seasonal points prizes and PCC Trophies. 

24.    DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Competitors participate in a race entirely at their own risk. See RRS 3, Decision to Race. The Ponsonby Cruising Club Inc., and its sponsors will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta.

 
ADDENDUM A:
FAIRWAY MARKS & OBSTRUCTIONS:
Unless otherwise specified for any particular race or races the following shall be deemed to be obstructions to sea room and shall be passed on the channel side only.
1.    Navy Buoy in Tiri Tiri Passage – Keep East of.
2.    Rangitoto Lighted Beacon – Keep West of.
3.    Illiomama Rock Beacon – Keep South of.
4.    Red Buoys on Eastern side of Motuihe Channel – Keep North of 
5.    Browns Island Beacon – Keep North of 
6.    Bean Rock Light and Doris Rock Beacon – Keep North of
7.    Beacon on Orakei old Sewer outlet – Keep North of
8.    Sandspit Beacon approximately SW of Torpedo Wharf – Keep South of
9.    Devonport Cable Beacons – Keep South of
10.    Use Main Navigational span of Harbour Bridge when racing.
11.    Meola Reef and Sewer Beacon West of Harbour Bridge - Keep North of
12.    Yachts, while racing, shall pass on the channel side of all moored vessels and mooring buoys, bounding the small craft anchoring areas as defined on Chart 5322
13.    Prohibited Areas: 
13.1    Prohibited areas may change in accordance with the Navigational Bylaws.
13.2    Boats shall at all times observe the Auckland Council Navigation Safety bylaws in particular Part 8, 55. “A Moving Prohibited zone”.
a)    A moving zone prohibited zone extending to 100m astern and 100m to each side of a vessel, and continued at such width to 500m ahead, following the line of the buoyed channel when changing course, is reserved around a large vessel, when that large vessel is underway within the pilotage areas of Auckland Harbour.
b)    When navigating within marked channel, the moving prohibited zone to the side of the vessel may be reduced to the width of the marked channel and the zone ahead of the vessel shall follow the line of the marked channel.
c)    The owner or person in charge of a vessel must not navigate the vessel within the moving prohibited Zone of a large vessel, within the pilotage areas of Auckland. 
13.3    The Defence Area by the Naval Dockyard as defined by the Harbour Master. 
13.4    The Port Security and Customs areas as defined by a straight line drawn between the most Northern point of Wynyard Point and the North Western point of the Fergusson Terminal.
13.5    The Okahu Bay wave break and mooring area and the West Haven mooring area.

 
ADDENDUM B: WINDWARD/LEEWARD SERIES SAILING INSTRUCTIONS:
1.    These Sailing Instructions will be read in conjunction with the PCC’s General Sailing Instructions 2023-2024 and the Notice of Race. 
Where there is any conflict these Special Sailing Instructions will take precedence.
2.    Three boats are required to constitute a Race.
3.    The Divisions and their Warning Signals are as defined in the Notice of Race.
4.    The Start / Finish line will be between the mast displaying an Orange flag on the Committee boat and the port / Starboard end mark.  
5.    The Courses and Marks will be as shown in Attachment A.
6.    The Course to be sailed will be signalled by displaying Code Flag 1, 2 or 3 with the warning signal.
7.    Starting: RRS rule 26 will apply. Code Flag P, I, U, or Black will be flown as the preparatory signal.
8.    Starting Penalties if signalled: Rules 30.1 – I Flag Round the Ends Rule; 30.3 – U Flag Rule & 30.4 the Black Flag Rule shall apply. 
9.    A boat starting more than 5 minutes after her starting signal will be scored DNS.
10.    Recalls: After a General Recall the Division recalled will start 5 minutes after the last Division’s start i.e. The warning signal will be made with the start signal of the previous start.  
11.    A Course may be changed in accordance with RRS 33. To change the next leg of the course, the race committee will move the original mark, or the finishing line, to the new position.
12.    Time limit: If after 30 minutes of the start no boat has rounded the first mark the race may be abandoned at the discretion of the Race Officer.
13.    Boats that fail to finish within 30 minutes of the first boat to finish will be scored DNF.