RHKYC China Coastal Race: NOR

Volvo China Coast Regatta day 3 © Guy Nowell

There's a good chance that the biennial Hong Kong to Hainan Race may not be able to run this year - C-19 restrictions, cross-border sailing etc etc. It a familiar story, but never mind. So, instead, the RHKYC proposes to wrap up China Coast Raceweek with a new event - the China Coastal Race, a tCat 3, no life rafts, trip round the islands (there are lots of 'em!). Here you go:

The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club cordially invites entries to the inaugural China Coastal Race, a Category 3 offshore race which starts and finishes in Hong Kong waters with racing extending into Chinese waters to the west and south-west of Hong Kong.

NOTICE OF RACE The notation ‘[DP]’ in a rule in the NoR means that the penalty for a breach of that rule may, at the discretion of the protest committee, be less than disqualification.

1. RULES 1.1 The China Coastal Race 2020 will be governed by: • the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS); • the prescriptions of the Hong Kong Sailing Federation (HKSF); • the IRC Rules Parts A, B and C: IRC Rule 22.4 will not apply - there will be no limitations on crew number or weight; • the HKPN handicap system, including the HKPN Performance Increase Penalty Scheme (PIPS); • the World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations 2020 - 2021 Category 3 Monohulls and Multihulls; • the RHKYC PFD Policy; • this NoR; and • the China Coastal Race 2020 Sailing Instructions (SIs). 1.2 IRC Rule 21.6.1 (number of spinnakers onboard) is changed by the HKSF’s prescription to RRS 88. 1.3 The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCAS), (Steering and Racing Rules) will apply between sunset and sunrise (as defined in the China Coastal Race 2020 SIs) and will replace the rules of RRS Part 2. 1.4 Any Marine Department Notices or Notices to Mariners that may have an impact on racing will be posted on the official notice board (ONB) and shall be deemed part of this NoR and the SIs. 1.5 When the protest committee decides that a boat which is party to a protest has broken a rule and is not exonerated, it may impose a scoring penalty (which may be no penalty) at its discretion, as an alternative to disqualification. This changes RRS 64.1. 1.6 If there is a conflict between this NoR and the SIs, the SIs will take precedence. This changes RRS 63.7.

2. ADVERTISING Boats may be required to display advertising chosen and supplied by the organizing authority. If this rule is broken, World Sailing Regulation 20.9.2 applies. [DP]

3. ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY 3.1 The race is open to boats holding a valid IRC or HKPN certificate and at least 9 meters in length overall (LOA) excluding bowsprit and/or bumpkin. A minimum of 3 boats is required to form a class. 3.2 Subject to the entries received, and at the sole discretion of the race committee, the IRC class may be separated into the following divisions: IRC Class: Keelboats with a valid IRC Certificate and a Hull Factor (HF) of 8.5 and above. Subject to entries, this class may be divided into divisions based on suitable rating bands, at the discretion of the race committee. Cruiser IRC Class: Keelboats with a valid IRC Certificate and a HF of 8.4 or less or a DLR equal to or greater than 140. IRC Double Handed Class: Keelboats with a valid IRC Certificate crewed with only 2 persons. 3.3 The HKPN Class is for boats of a cruising nature not currently holding a valid IRC certificate. Keelboats must satisfy safety and stability requirements as defined under the ISO Design Category C. 3.4 Eligible boats shall enter by completing the online entry form on or before Friday 2 October 2020. 3.5 Boats shall be fitted with a functional VHF radio transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving on Channels 16 and 72. 3.6 The registration form giving Immigration and Next-of-Kin details of the skipper and crew shall be submitted to the RHKYC Sailing Office on or before 1800hrs on Tuesday 6 October 2020.

4. FEES 4.1 The entry fee will be HK$550 per boat. For cancellations notified on or before Monday 5 October 2020, the entry fee will be refunded in whole. For cancellations after this date, no refund will be made. 4.2 Late entries may be accepted until 1800hrs on Tuesday 6 October 2020 upon application to the race committee and only upon payment of an additional fee of 50% of the entry fee and satisfactory completion of all immigration requirements.

5. SCHEDULE The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first start is 1050hrs on Friday 16 October 2020 with the first starting signal at 1100hrs.

6. MEASUREMENT 6.1 Boats entered in the IRC Class shall submit a copy of their valid IRC rating certificate either with the entry form or no later than 1800hrs on Monday 12 October 2020. 6.2 Boats entered in the HKPN Class shall submit a completed HKPN PIPS declaration form to the Sailing Office no later than 1800hrs on Monday 12 October 2020.

7. SAFETY The World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations 2020 - 21 Category 3 Monohulls and Category 3 Multihulls will apply to the China Coastal Race 2020. All boats and crew shall also comply with the RHKYC PFD Policy (available at www.rhkyc.org.hk).

8. SAILING INSTRUCTIONS The China Coastal Race 2020 SIs will be available in early October 2020 from the RHKYC Sailing Office and the Club’s website: www.chinacoastraceweek.com

9. RACING AREA AND COURSES Racing will take place in HKSAR and Chinese waters to the west and south-west of Hong Kong. The courses will be outlined in the China Coastal Race 2020 SIs.

10. PENALTY SYSTEM A protest committee will be appointed.

11. SCORING The scoring system will be the RRS Low Point System of Appendix A using boats’ corrected times as calculated under their rating/handicap system.

12. RADIO COMMUNICATION 12.1 A listening watch must be maintained on VHF Channel 72 for race information which may be broadcast by the race committee vessel. 12.2 Except in an emergency, a boat that is racing shall not make voice or data transmissions and shall not receive voice or data communication that is not available to all boats. [DP] 12.3 This restriction also applies to satellite and/or mobile phones, except to inform the finish line staff that a boat is approaching the finish line or to inform the radio control boat of your current position. 12.4 In accordance with RRS 86.1(b), RRS 41(c) is amended as follows: A boat shall not receive help from any outside source, except: (c) help in the form of information which is freely available to all boats, which shall include navigational, weather, tide or current information from any source which is available to all boats whether or not by payment of a fee or subscription, but shall not include any information gathered or the subject of interpretation by, or any advice received from, any source not onboard the boat and which is specific to the boat and her situation. [DP]

13. PRIZES Prizes will be awarded for line honours and class/division places at the discretion of the race committee.

14. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY 14.1 Competitors participate in the race entirely at their own risk. See RRS 4, Decision to Race. The race committee, the organising authority (RHKYC) and sponsor(s) and their respective staff, members, volunteers or persons working for or on behalf of the above will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the race. 14.2 Persons in charge, owners and skippers are invited to co-operate closely with the organising authority, race committee and RHKYC Sailing Office in completing the formalities of their boat entries by submission of all required information, certificates, forms, etc. within the deadline dates quoted throughout this NoR.

15. INSURANCE All boats taking part in the race shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance of the minimum cover required by HKSAR law (http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/upload/Marine/Notices/mdn-71- 2016.pdf).

16. MEDIA RIGHTS WAIVER & DISCLAIMER AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RIGHTS FORM Owners (charterers) and crew members shall acknowledge and accept the granting of media rights by signing the Entry Form and in respect of responsibilities and disclaimers referred to in NoR 14, by signing the Disclaimer and Acknowledgement of Rights Form provided by the organising authority.

17. FURTHER INFORMATION For further information about the China Coastal Race 2020, please contact Ailsa Angus at: ailsa.angus@rhkyc.org.hk tel: +852 2239 0395.