2025-2028 Official Racing Rules of Sailing

2026 HBSC General Notice of Races (downloadable copy, same as below)

2026 HBSC Open Regatta Notice of Race
2026 HBSC Open Regatta Sailing Instructions

2026 Club Championship Notice of Race
2026 Club Championship Regatta Sailing Instructions

2026 Ray Langer Large Boat Regatta Notice of Race
2026 Ray Langer Large Boat Regatta Sailing Instructions

Notice of Races 2026

Organized by the Hamilton Bay Sailing Club, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
1.ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY
1.1.The regattas are open to all boats of the Albacore class owned and maintained by the HBSC.
1.2.Eligible Members may enter by registering (using either the registration form sent via email link, or scanning the QR code posted in the club) for the regatta prior to the end of the check in period for the regatta.
1.3.Late entries will be accepted after the check in deadline, provided there are boats available to sail.
1.4.
The following restrictions apply: (i)This Notice of Race applies to the following:
●Practice Races
●Doug Kelly Regatta
●Women’s Helm / New Skippers / First Mates Regatta
●Club Championship Regatta
(ii) A minimum of three entries are required for any regatta; (iii) Boat draws will be used for all regattas; and (iv) Crew draws will be used for all regattas other than the HBSC Club Championship.
2.SCHEDULE
2.1.Registration for Regattas is open from the time the Regatta Registration Notice is posted until the close of the check in period for the Regatta.
2.2.The check in period begins at 9:00 AM on the day of the Regatta. The check in period ends at 10:00 AM on the day of the Regatta. Crew draw and boat draw (if applicable) will begin at 10:00 AM on the day of the Regatta.
2.3.Dates of Regattas are posted in the HBSC schedule.
2.4.There will be a minimum of one race and a maximum of five races per Regatta. The Race Committee will attempt to complete three races.
2.5.The scheduled time of the starting warning for the first race is 11:15 AM.
2.6.No warning signal will be made after 3:00 PM.
3.The sailing instructions will be available on the Racing page of the HBSC website.
4.Racing shall take place in the western end of Hamilton Harbour.
5.The courses to be sailed will be Triangle-Windward-Leeward or Windward-Leeward.

6. SCORING
   6.1. One race is required to be completed to constitute a series.
   6.2. (a) When fewer than four races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the
   total of her race scores.
   (b) When from four to five races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the
   total of her race scores excluding her worst score.
7. 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. This
   restriction also applies to mobile telephones.
8. Prizes will be given as outlined in Section 5 of the HBSC RRP.
9. Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See RRS 4, Decision to Race.
   The organizing authority 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.
10. For further information please contact the HBSC Racing Coordinator
    (hbscracecoordinator@gmail.com).
    2026 Sailing Instructions for Club Races
    Organized by the Hamilton Bay Sailing Club, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
    2026 HBSC REGATTAS
    ●First Practice Race – Date: June 13, 2026
    ●Second Practice race – Date: June 27, 2026
    ●Doug Kelly Regatta – Date: July 11, 2026
    ●Women’s Helm / New Skippers / First Mates Regatta – Date: Aug 22, 2026
    ●Club Championship Regatta – Date: Sep 26, 2026
    1.RULES 1.1 The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing. 1.2 No national prescriptions will apply. 1.3 Section 5 of the HBSC Rules, Regulations and Procedures will apply.
    2.Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board located at HBSC. Notices will also be posted electronically through club email or other electronic means. Failure to receive electronic notification shall not be grounds for redress.
    3.Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted before 9:00 AM on the day it will take effect.
    4.Signals made ashore will be displayed at the HBSC.
    5.SCHEDULE OF RACES 5.1 Dates of regattas will be published in emails sent by the HBSC Secretary to Club Members. 5.2 There will be a minimum of one race and a maximum of five races per regatta. The Race Committee will attempt to complete three races. 5.3 The scheduled time of the signal for the first race each day is 11:15 AM. 5.4 To alert boats that a race or sequence of races will begin soon, the Race Committee flag will be displayed with one sound at least ten minutes before a warning signal is made. 5.5 On the last scheduled day of racing no warning signal will be made after 3:00 PM .
    6.Races will be started with the Albacore Class flag.
    7.Racing shall be conducted in western end of the Hamilton Harbour.
    8.The courses to be sailed will be Triangle-Windward-Leeward or Windward-Leeward.
    9.MARKS 9.1 Marks 1, 2, and 3 will be orange tetrahedrons. 9.2 The starting and finishing marks will be the race committee signal vessel at the starboard end and a buoy at the port end.
    10.THE START 10.1 Races will be started by using RRS 26 with the warning signal made five minutes before the starting signal. 10.2 The starting line will be the orange flag on the race committee signal vessel mast and the orange buoy on the port side of the committee signal vessel. 10.3 Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area during the starting sequence for other races. 10.4 A boat that does not start within five minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start (DNS) without a hearing. This changes RRS A4 and A5.
    11.To change the next leg of the course, the race committee will move the original mark or the finishing line to a new position.
    12.The finishing line will be between the blue flag on the race committee signal vessel mast and the orange buoy on the port side of the committee signal vessel. Boats shall finish by crossing the finishing line from the course side.
    13.TIME LIMITS AND TARGET TIMES 13.1 Time limits and target times are as follows:
    ●Time limit: 60 minutes
    ●Mark 1 time limit: 30 minutes
    ●If no boat has passed Mark 1 within the Mark 1 time limit the race will be abandoned.
    ●If no boat has finished the race within the Time limit the race may be abandoned.
    13.2 Boats failing to finish within 10 minutes after the first boat sails the course and finishes will be scored Did Not Finish without a hearing. This changes RRS 35, A4 and A5.
    14.
    PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS 14.1 Protest forms are available from the race committee. Protests and requests for redress or reopening shall be delivered to the race committee chair within the appropriate time limit. 14.2 The protest time limit is 20 minutes after the committee signal vessel has docked.
    14.3 Protests, requests for redress, and requests for reopening shall be governed by Part 5 of the Racing Rules of Sailing 2025–2028.
    15.SCORING 15.1 The scoring system is the Low Point System of Appendix A. 15.2 One race is required to be completed to constitute a series.
    15.3 (a) When fewer than four races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores.
    (b) When from four to five races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score. 15.4 Scoring abbreviations shall be as stated in RRS Appendix A.
    16.SAFETY REGULATIONS 16.1 Check-Out and Check-In:
    ●Boats shall sign out and sign in at the club log book.
    ●Boats shall check-in with the race committee vessel prior to the first race.
    ●Failure to sign out or sign in may result in a scoring penalty at the discretion of the race committee.
    16.2 A boat that retires from a race shall notify the race committee as soon as possible.
    17.While afloat, competitors shall wear personal flotation devices except briefly while changing or adjusting clothing or personal equipment. This changes RRS 40.1.
    18.REPLACEMENT OF CREW OR EQUIPMENT
    18.1. Substitution of competitors will not be allowed without prior approval of the race committee.
    18.2.Substitution of damaged or lost equipment will not be allowed unless authorized by the race committee. Requests for substitution shall be made to the committee at the first reasonable opportunity.
    19.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. This restriction also applies to mobile telephones.
    20.Perpetual trophies will be presented to the winning boat for all regattas other than the practice race(s). Additional prizes may be presented to the top three finishing boats at the discretion of the race committee.
    21.Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See RRS 4, Decision to Race. The organizing authority 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.