THE CORINTHIANS STONINGTON TO BOOTHBAY HARBOR RACE

THE CORINTHIANS STONINGTON
TO BOOTHBAY HARBOR RACE
First gun at 11AM on Sunday, July 27, 2008

In 1979 the Annapolis to Bermuda race had its first start. Now, almost 30 years later, The Corinthians Association, in cooperation with the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club and the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, has created a natural rounding-out of the North Atlantic ocean racing scene with a new event that promises to be as enticing as its predecessors.

To be held every two years, in even years, the race will appeal to those who also do the Marion-Bermuda Race, or wish to prepare for it, as well as yachts returning from the Newport Bermuda Race who wish to cruise in Maine in August.

Billed as a race with a wonderful “vacation destination,” it’s also very convenient and inexpensive for crew transfer.

Already being touted as the “Lobster Run,” the event will feature pre-race and post-race dinners and parties, complemented by the race’s main sponsor, Gosling’s Rum.

Each yacht will carry a transponder that will allow position reporting which can be followed at iBoattrack.com. Online registration will be available.

The race will be a US Sailing sanctioned Category 2 event, with ORR, PHRF spinnaker and non-spinnaker divisions. The principal Race Officer is John Bonds, former head of the US Naval Academy sailing squadron and former executive director of US Sailing.

The start will be off Stonington. Competitors will round the Nantucket Shoals buoys and finish at Boothbay Harbor, Maine. The course length is 332 nautical miles. It will be a “navigator’s race,” with a choice of passing to the north or south of Block Island, and a similar decision with regard to Squirrel Island near the finish. 

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This chart is not to be used for navigational purposes.

NOTICE OF RACE  

The Corinthians Stonington to Boothbay Harbor Race

First Warning Signal:  Sunday 1100:  July 27, 2008

1.  RULES

1.1       The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in  The Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008 including US SAILING prescriptions, the 2008 ORR Rule, the 2008 PHRF Rules and Regulations as adopted and amended by PHRF NE, the 2008-2009 Offshore Special Regulations for Category 2 including US SAILING prescriptions, and by this Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions.

1.2       RRS Part 2 will be replaced by Part B, the Steering and Sailing Rules, of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) between the hours of local sunset and local sunrise.

1.3       Specific attention is directed to RRS Fundamental Rules 1.1 & 4, which state: (1.1)  A boat of competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger. (4. )The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.

1.4       For the purposes of RRS 79 and ISAF Regulation 20, this race is designated “Category A.” 

1.5       ORR rating rule requirements must be met by those yachts to be scored under ORR.  PHRF rating rule requirements must be met by yachts to be scored under PHRF.

2.  RACE MANAGEMENT

2.1       The Organizing Authority is The Corinthians Stonington to Boothbay Harbor Race Organizing Committee of the Corinthians Endowment Fund. 

3.  ELIGIBILITY AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

3.1       Yachts eligibility

3.1.1    Yachts must be single-hulled sailing vessels, of not less than 32.0 LOA with inboard auxiliary power manned by a captain and crew (minimum of four) who have demonstrated and documented recent competency in offshore yacht racing or passages.  Moveable ballast or canting keel yachts are not allowed.  Advertising will be restricted to Category A in accordance with ISAF Regulation 20. 

3.1.2    Yachts must meet the Hull Construction Standards of ISAF Offshore Special Regulations 3.03.1 and 3.03.2.  Substantial compliance with the requirements of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Guide for Building and Classing Offshore Racing Yachts is required.  Either an ABS certificate, ABS compliance noted on a rating certificate or a declaration in writing by the designer, builder and where applicable the structural engineer is required.  The Committee may consider the qualification of a yacht by virtue of its offshore history and/or survey. 

3.2       Crew eligibility and responsibility

3.2.1    The term Captain as used in this Notice of Race means the person, whether or not the owner of the yacht, who is designated on the entry for as “Captain” and who is the person In Charge of the yacht during the race.  The Captain is responsible for the yacht, its handling and safety, the conduct of the crew before and after, as well as during the race, and compliance with the Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions.

3.2.2    Captains must be current members of US SAILING or their National Authority.

3.2.3    Completion of an Offshore Experience Form is required for Captain, Navigator and Watch Captains.

3.2.4    A minimum of 30% of all crew members including at least two (2)of the following (Captain, navigator, port and starboard watch captains) shall have attended a sanctioned Safety at Sea seminar within five (5) years prior to the start of the race.

3.2.5    All yachts must submit crew lists that include the Captain and all persons aboard while racing.  These must include the ISAF Sailor’s Classification Code for each person aboard.  Except for the owner, only one category 2 or 3 sailor may be aboard a yacht, and that person shall not steer except in a declared emergency situation. 

3.2.6    An application for entry, available online at           www.stoningtontoboothbayharbor.com must be completed and delivered along with a non- refundable Application Fee of $50 no later than May 1, 2008 . This will also include an offshore experience form.   A Crew Information and Waiver Form will be part of the Race Entry package. These forms must be completed, signed and returned by each crew member, including the Captain, before an entry is complete.

3.3       Safety Requirements

3.3.1    All yachts shall comply with the ISAF Offshore Special  Regulations 2008-2009 for Category 2 events, including US    SAILING Prescriptions.  The US Definition of Category 2 is       quoted here for convenience:  Category 2 races are of extended duration along or not far from shorelines, where a high degree of self-sufficiency is required of the yachts but with the reasonable probability to outside assistance would be available for aid the event of serious emergencies.

[ Ammended 05.18.08 ] 3.3.1.a: OSR 4.08.4 shall NOT apply.  The requirements of this paragraph in the OSR shall be seen as a recommendation only.

3.3.2    ORR Stability Index “SI” shall not be less than 115.0.

3.3.3    All competing yachts will be issued an I-Track system to provide real-time tracking information throughout the race.  This is a safety item, and shall not be disabled or turned off while racing.

4.  DIVISIONS

4.1       The Corinthians Race Committee shall have full authority to determine the suitability of any yacht for entry into any division, and may divide any division into classes at its discretion.

4.1.1    Yachts racing under PHRF must have a current PHRF NE certificate (available online at http://www.phrfne.org)

4.1.2    Yachts racing under ORR must have a full measurement valid ORR Rating Certificate.

4.1.3    Yachts will race in one of the following divisions:

            *ORR

            *PHRF Racer

            *PHRF Cruiser (allowed to employ only cruising roller-furler headsails(135% LP max) and one asymmetrical cruising  spinnaker, no staysails except as allowed by PHRF NE for     cruising handicap.

             *PHRF Cruiser Non-Spinnaker (allowed to employ only cruising roller-furler headsails (135% LP max),  no staysails except as allowed by PHRF NE for cruising handicap.

            In both cruising classes, whisker poles must be no longer than “J” unless declared and rated with penalty poles.

4.1.4    Power winches may be used to hoist and trim sails in the PHRF Cruiser and Non-Spinnaker classes.  This modifies RRS 52.  Mechanical and electro-mechanical steering devices may be used in the cruiser divisions if required by safe navigation.  Use must be logged and reported to the RC        upon finishing.

5 .  ENTRY PROCESS

An application for entry, available online at        www.stoningtontoboothbayharbor.com  , must be completed and delivered along with a non-refundable application fee of $50 no later than May 1 ,2008 .  An offshore experience form must be included with the application for entry.  Following acceptance the entry form must be completed and received no later than June 15, 2008. The entry fee of $650 plus $60 per crew member must accompany the entry form. Late entries will be accepted up to 1700 June 20, 2008 but must be accompanied by a $250 late fee.

6.  MANDATORY STONINGTON CHECK-IN

6.1       Each Captain or his designee (authorized in writing, signed by the Captain) shall report to the Committee Office in Stonington after 0900 on Saturday, July 26 and no later than 1700 that day.

6.2       No yacht will be checked in until all required Entry forms have been submitted.

7.  RATINGS AND SCORING

7.1       Valid rating certificates, ORR and PHRF as appropriate, should accompany the Entry Form.  Rating Certificate revisions may be accepted after submission of the Entry Form at the discretion of the Race Committee, if accompanied by a $250 administrative late fee.  No revisions will be accepted after 1700 Saturday July 26, 2008.

7.2       The course shall be from a start off Stonington to Yellow Mark OCAS “44008” [Fl(4)W 20] at 40 30.0N, 069 25.88W, thence to Yellow Mark “BA” [Fl W 10s whistle] at 40 49.125N 069 00.016W,  finish in Boothbay Harbor, Maine between two portable marks placed 75 feet apart set 100         yards off shore from Burnt Island Light [Fl R 6s with 2 W sectors] at 43 49.5N 069 38.4W on a bearing of 107degM from Burnt Island Light."  Calculated distance is 332nm.

7.3       Time allowances for ORR yachts will be calculated using ORR’s  Performance Curve Scoring.  Time allowances for PHRF yachts shall be time on distance.

8.  SPECIAL LIMITATIONS

8.1       During the race, contestants may not receive weather, current or navigational information except from a publicized source available to all contestants. 

8.2        Subscription, password protected or restricted web pages and video images are considered private information and may NOT be used for the transmission or reception of specialized weather and current information. General use of the Internet and publicly available (without fee) web sites to obtain weather and current information including all National Weather  Service data is authorized.  Weather routing data develop specifically for this Race may not be received while racing.

9.  CAPTAIN’S MEETING

9.1       The Captain’s Meeting will be held on Saturday, July 26 at 1900.  Two (and only two) crew from each yacht are required to attend the Captain’s Meeting.  Location of the Captain’s Meeting will be provided at Stonington check-in.

10  LIABILITY RELEASE

10.1     The Corinthians, Stonington Harbor Yacht Club and Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club bear no responsibility for accidents, damage or injuries to yachts or their personnel arising from any cause during the race or related activities.  The Captain’s responsibility is as set out in the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations and as defined on the entry forms.

11  PRIZES

11.1     A Prize Giving Ceremony is scheduled at 1600hrs, Thursday, July 31, 2008.  Yachts still racing at 1000hrs on that date should terminate racing and come to Boothbay Harbor as soon as possible.

11.2     Class prizes will be awarded for up to the first three places on corrected time in each class, depending on the number of yachts in that class.

11.3     The following Division Trophies will be awarded for first place in Division on corrected time: 

             - ORR

             - PHRF Racer

             - PHRF Cruiser

             - PHRF Cruiser Non Spinnaker

             - Family Sailboat, crew consisting of 50% or more members of one family.

             - Ancient Mariners trophy, to most senior skipper competing

             - ORR yacht with best corrected time overall

             - PHRF yacht with best corrected time overall

             - Yacht with shortest elapsed time

             - Commemorative Bulkhead Plaques for each yacht finishing race
                       

First ,2d , and 3d place in each class

12  GENERAL INFORMATION

12.1     The race committee should be contacted through the website at                                                 www.stoningtontoboothbayharbor.com or by mail at The Corinthians, 655 East Pond Meadow Road, Westbrook, CT 06498-0082

12.2     Starting at 0900 Saturday July 26, 2008 and until 1200 July 27, the committee office will be located at  the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club, 9 Stonington , CT 06378 / (860) 535-0112 fax (860) 535-9810 .

12.3     After the start the Committee’s office will be at the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club 156 Western Avenue, West Boothbay Harbor, Maine 04575 / Phone:   (703) 795-8370 or (207) 633-5750 fax (207) 633-2152

12.4     Information on ISAF Sailor Classification Code may be obtained online at  www.sailing.org/isafsailor

12.5     PHRF NE handicaps may be obtained from http://www.phrfne.org