ANTIGUA YACHT CLUB

The Antigua Yacht Club Round the Island Race 2011 will take place on Saturday Jan 22nd 2011 and will consist of a yacht race right around the island of Antigua in one leg.

The event is open to all-comers and AYC will welcome visiting yachts.

The Organizing Authority is the ANTIGUA YACHT CLUB (AYC)

The race will be run to the ISAF RRS 2009 – 2012 version.

Entry Fee – will be $US 1.50 /ft. length.

 
The COURSE -  will consist of circumnavigating the island of Antigua and all its outlying reefs.  There will be no laid marks of the course but yachts must pass –

To the north and east of Three Fathom bank (GPS N17-11.60, W61- 44.00), to the north of Horseshoe reef (GPS N17 -12.20, W61- 47.80) and to the north and west of Diamond Bank (GPS N17-12.20, W61-53.50 ), to the west of Sandy Island, and Five Islands,  and to the south of Cades reef.

Note – these GPS positions given above constitute marks of the course and the minimum turning points on the course and must be passed as stated above but AYC take no responsibility for the accuracy of these points vis-a-vis safe navigation which is a decision left entirely to each skipper.  ie a wider berth may be given if desired.  Nearby yachts will monitor each other to ensure turning points are properly passed.    Yachts proved not to have passed the turning points correctly will be given a time penalty.

Yachts may elect to circumnavigate clockwise or anti-clockwise at their own choice – with the course parameters as stated above. This will be known as Course A.

Note – An alternative course “Around Sandy Island” (to Stbd.) will also be available for smaller / slower yachts which would like to participate but do not feel able to circumnavigate the entire island.  Five Islands must be passed to the west and Cades reef must be passed to the south. This will be known as course B.

Course B will also be used for ALL yachts if the winds are  expected to be light.  This decision will be relayed to the competitors in advance (at skippers briefing on Friday 21/01) based on weather reports.

Start times will be –

Course A

Yachts rating below CSA 0.900      8.00 am.   START for all classes

Yachts rating above CSA 0.900      9.00 am.   START for all classes

Course B  - all yachts             9.10 am.   START for all classes

Starting Line will be inside Falmouth Harbour between Bishops Reef mark and a Committee boat laid to its west.  Finish line will be the same as Starting Line.

Classes – There will be three classes –

Class A – CSA / ASW designated Racers and Fast Racer/Cruisers

Class B – Fast Cruisers and smaller Racer/Cruisers

Class C – Cruisers, Classics, Workboats etc.

Ratings – Will be CSA.   The latest rating certificate as shown in the 2010 database will be used and checked.   Boats without ratings may enter and will be given a “best guess” rating – but may not qualify for a class or overall win without additional scrutiny.

Sail Wardrobe – the sail wardrobe / rating combination must be declared at the skippers briefing.  

 ie. headsail size,   Jib, Pole, Twin,  Spinnaker, etc.

Boats wishing to rate with different headsail or spinnaker sizes than shown on their rating certificate must receive permission in advance from the CSA measurers for this and may be asked to pay a certificate update fee to both the measurer and the CSA.

Committee Boat will be on station from 7.45 am until 9.15 am and again from approx. 2.30 pm until approx. 4.30 pm.   Yachts are asked to radio their expected finish time when they are approx. 30 mins. from the finish.  Yachts finishing outside the above times are asked to record their own finish time.   Any yacht not finishing by 5.30 pm will be scored DNF

There is presently a record  for the race of 4 hr. 52 min. 56 secs.held by “Wild Horses”  W76 Yacht in 2000.

Radio – VHF channel to be announced for use as the race channel.  Any yacht retiring is asked to radio in this fact.

A dual watch on Ch. 16 will also be kept by the race officer for any yacht transmitting safety issues.

Safety – All skippers are wholly responsible for the safety of their vessel and crew at all times, their decision to race and/or to continue and their own navigation - and AYC have absolutely no legal liability for any accident – to persons or property -  which may occur.

Insurance - is not a requirement of the race and all competitors must accept full responsibility for their actions to themselves, their yacht or any third party.

Skippers Briefing – will take place at AYC upper deck on Friday 21/01 at 6.00 pm.

Docking – is limited at AYC but will be made available on a “first come first served basis” for yachts taking part in the race and non-competing yachts will be asked to vacate their place for that week-end.

Social -   It is hoped all yachts will be finished by approx. 4.30 pm.  AYC upper deck bar will be open from that time.

The prizegiving will take place at AYC as soon as reasonably practical.  There will be class prizes based on Corrected CSA and a Best Elapsed Overall Time and also special trophy for a winning boat which beats the existing record.  (see above)

The Famed AYC Round the Island party will be held on the AYC lawn on Saturday evening and will be open to all – competitors and non-competitors alike.  The party theme will be ‘Yellow & Blue’ and there will be prizes for the best outfit in these colours.  There will be a case of Carib Beer for every boat racing. 

Dinner will be available in Cloggy’s restaurant and also a BBQ on the lawn if demand requires.