Wednesday Night Racing

Notice of Race

Wednesday Night Series
Organizing Authority: Toronto Hydroplane and Sailing Club
  1. Rules
    1. The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in Racing Rules of Sailing, 2025-28.
    2. Sail Canada prescriptions will apply.
    3. Appendix T will apply
    4. PHRF-LO rules will apply.
  2. Sailing Instructions
    1. The sailing instructions will be available no later than May 10, 2025 on the Race Notice Board at THSC (in the THSC clubhouse in the breezeway) and on the THSC web site at THSC.CA.
    2. The sailing instructions will consist of the instructions in RRS Appendix S, Standard Sailing Instructions, and any supplementary sailing instructions that will be on the Race Notice Board as above
  3. Communication
    1. All boats entering THSC races must have VHF capable of receiving channels 16, 68 and 73.
    2. On the water, the Race Committee may make courtesy broadcasts to competitors on VHF channel 73
  4. Eligibility and Entry
    1. The races are open to all boats of the fleets of Toronto Hydroplane and Sailing Club and Ashbridge’s Bay Yacht Club.
    2. All keel boats participating in weeknight racing shall have a PHRF-LO certificate. Please see THSC handicapper to apply for a certificate.
    3. Boats intending to race, should fly their division pennant (see below) and no other flags.
    4. All boats entering must accept a liability waiver and proof of insurance statement (including club racing events) prior to racing. Please see the THSC Race Fleet Captain for a copy.
  5. Fees
    1. There is no fee for entering any of the THSC Races.
  6. Schedule
    There will be three weeknight Wednesday evenings series from May 21 to September 17. The dates of the individual series are detailed in Spar and Prop.
    1. The warning signal for the first start will be given at 1830 up until the first week in September at which time it will move earlier to 1815.
    2. Curfew for all divisions will be 2100 up until September 1, and 2030 thereafter.
  7. Venue
    The racing area for Series: 1, 2 and 3 will be a circle having a radius of approximately 1/2 nautical mile and having a centre located approximately 1.33 NM at a bearing of 89° from the entrance to the Ashbridge’s Bay outer harbour.
  8. The Courses
    1. The courses will take place on the ABYC fixed mark course
    2. The courses for Spinnaker Divisions for Series: 1, 2 and 3 will be windward leeward courses.
    3. The courses for No Flying Sails (NFS) divisions for Series: 1, 2 and 3 will be a triangle followed by windward leeward legs.
  9. Equipment
    1. Boats must have their anchors stowed so as not to be a safety hazard to other boats racing.
    2. All boats must fully satisfy Transport Canada regulations for boats of their size, as published by the Canadian Coast Guard in the current Boating Safety Guide, and satisfy Provincial and City of Toronto regulations
  10. Division flags
    1. Numeral pennant 1: PHRF Flying sails
    2. Numeral pennant 2: PHRF Jib and Main (PHRF Rating <220)
    3. Numeral pennant 3: PHRF Jib and Main (PHRF Rating >=220)
  11. Risk Statement
    1. See rule 3: The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue to race is hers alone.’
    2. By participating in this event each competitor agrees and acknowledges that sailing is a potentially dangerous activity with inherent risks. These risks include strong winds and rough seas, sudden changes in weather, failure of equipment, boat handling errors, poor seamanship by other boats, loss of balance on an unstable platform and fatigue resulting in increased risk of injury. Inherent in the sport of sailing is the risk of permanent, catastrophic injury or death by drowning, trauma, hypothermia or other causes.
  12. Scoring
    1. RRS Appendix A shall apply.
    2. For Series: 1, 2 and 3, 3 races must be completed to constitute a series.
    3. Boats will be scored in one division only in each series. A boat may request to to move to a different division only once after a series has started. She shall be scored DNC for all races sailed in her former division, and the results for the remaining boats shall be recalculated.
    4. A boat that has ranked as a starter in at least one race will be scored for the series.
    5. For Series: 1, 2 and 3, when fewer than 5 races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores.
    6. When 5 races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score.
    7. When 6 races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her two worst scores.
    8. Any race in which no boat finishes will not be counted as a race for that division.
    9. A boat which registers, but does not appear in the starting area for any races will not be used for the calculation of that series.
    10. Scoring for the Season’s Championship trophies will be based upon the total of a boats series scores.
    11. DNS for a boat will result in a boats score being fleet + 1 for that Series.
    12. DNF for a boat will result in a boats score being fleet + 1 for that Race.
  13. Prizes
    1. Prizes will be given as per the Sailing Instructions and Series and Overall trophies will be awarded to THSC boats only.

Sailing Instructions

    1. Rules
      The race will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing, PHRF-LO and the Sail Canada prescriptions to the Racing Rules of Sailing.
    2. Notice to Competitors
      Notices to competitors will be posted on the THSC Race notice board (located in the THSC Clubhouse in the breeze way)
    3. Changes to Sailing Instructions

      1. The sailing instructions will be available after 16:00 on May 10, 2025 on the THSC Race notice board (located in the THSC Clubhouse in the breeze way) and on the web site at THSC.CA

      2. Any changes to these sailing instructions will be posted on the THSC Race notice board before 0900 on the day of race, except that any change to the schedule of race will be posted by 2000 on the day before it will take effect.

    4. Signals made ashore
      Signals made ashore will be displayed on the THSC flagpole
    5. Communication with Competitors
      On the water, the Race Committee intends to monitor and make courtesy broadcasts only on VHF channel 73.

    6. Schedule of Races

      1. The Wednesday Night Racing Series will start on Wednesday May 21, 2025 and conclude on Sept 17, 2025

      2. The scheduled time for the warning signal for the first division is 18:30 up until September 1 and 18:15 after that date.

      3. To alert boats that the race will begin soon, the orange starting line flag will be displayed with one sound at least 5 minutes before the warning signal for the first division is made.

      4. The race shall be started in accordance with RRS 26 with at least 1 minute between starts.

    7. Starting Sequence
      Start NumberIdentified byDivisions in start
      1Numeral Pennant 1 and 2Division 1 and 2
      2Numeral Pennant 3Division 3

    8. Course

      The course for all divisions will consist of:

      1. The Start

        Races will be started by using RRS 26 with the warning signal for the second and subsequent starts given no sooner than one minute after the start signal of the preceding class.

        All boats shall attempt to check in with the RC Vessel before the first warning signal by sailing past the stern of the RC Vessel on starboard tack, displaying their sail numbers.

        The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the RC vessel and the nearest fixed mark.

        Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area during the starting sequence for other races.

        The starting area is defined as a rectangle extending half of the length of the start line beyond each end of the start line and in front of and behind the line.

        A boat that does not start within 5 (five) minutes of her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start without a hearing. This changes RRS A4 and A5.

      2. Marks

        No later than the warning signal, the race committee signal vessel will display the mark numbers to be rounded in the order of rounding. The first numeral will be the windward mark, the second the gybe mark and the third the leeward mark. 

        Only No Flying Sails divisions will round the gybe mark. 

        The Flying Sails fleet will sail 2 sets of windward/leeward legs. 

        The No Flying Sails fleet will sail 1 triangle course and 1 set of windward/leeward legs.

      3. The Finish

        This will be between the committee boat and a mark on the ABYC fixed mark race course.
        ABYC Fixed Mark Race Co-ordinates – even numbered marks are yellow with black top, odd numbered marks are yellow

        MarkLatitudeLongitude
        0N 43°39.219′W 79°16.665′
        1N 43°39.630W 79°16.272′
        2N 43°39.309′W 79°15.986′
        3N 43°38.935′W 79°16.098′
        4N 43°38.728′W 79°16.542′
        5N 43°38.809′W 79°17.058′
        6N 43°39.130′W 79°17.344′
        7N 43°39.503′W 79°17.232′
        8N 43°39.710′W 79°16.788′

    9. Starting and Finishing Procedures

      1. All boats intending to race should come within hailing distance of the Race Committee vessel, either before the warning signal of the first class, or immediately after their class warning signal and report their sail number and receive acknowledgment from the Race Committee.

      2. Boats not racing shall keep clear of the starting area.

      3. The raising of the orange flag on the Race Committee vessel shows that the start line has been established and the Race Committee vessel is on station.

      4. The start line will be between the halyard carrying the orange flag and the starting mark.

      5. The starting area is a box that extends one half the length of the starting line ahead of and behind the starting line. It also extends one half of the length of the starting line past either end of the line.

      6. Boats in their start sequence have priority in the starting area over boats, intending to race or not, that are not in their start sequence, and such boats will make all attempts to be outside the starting area.

      7. The raising of the blue flag on the committee boat shows that the finish line has been established and the committee boat is on station.

      8. Curfew will be 2100 up until September 1, after that will be 2030. In the event that any boat within a Division finishes within the time, there will be an extension of 10 minutes for the remaining boats in that Division. The Race Committee boat will make 4 sound signals in rapid succession to signify end of time for all Divisions.

      9. Any boat that fails to start within 10 minutes of their start signal will automatically recorded as DNS (Did Not Start) with no right of appeal.

      10. If the Answering Pennant flag has been raised, to indicate postponement, then its drop will be accompanied by one sound signal, and this will signify 1 minute to the warning.

      11. In the case that no boats complete the first leg in less than 20 minutes, the race will be cancelled.

    10. Other Signals

      1. Shorten Course

      2. Race Committee will fly code flag “S” accompanied by two sound signals when on station.

      3. Boats will finish between the mark and the Race Committee vessel.

      4. Postponement

      5. Race Committee will fly Answering Pennant, accompanied by two sound signals.

      6. Cancellation/abandonment

      7. Race Committee will fly code flag “N”, accompanied by three sound signals.

    11. Protests

      1. If you wish to protest a potential infringement of the rules, then the following must take place:

      2. A red protest flag must be flown.

      3. The Race Committee should be notified of the protest at the earliest opportunity.

      4. Verbal notice of protest given to the other boats involved as soon as possible after the incident occurs and within the protest time limit of 30 minutes of the docking of the Race Committee vessel at latest.

      5. Protest forms (available from the THSC Racing Fleet Captain) must be completed and presented to the THSC Racing Fleet Captain within 30 minutes of the docking of the Race Committee vessel.

    12. Scoring

      1. The scoring system will be PHRF Time on Time.

    13. Prizes

      1. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd for each division.

      2. This race will count towards the year end trophies for THSC boats only.

     
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