Sailing reminders

Beach Point Protocol

The fleet is fortunate to be able to sail as guests at Beach Point yacht club. To maintain a respectful relationship, we follow these rules:

  1. Park away from the health club entrance (north of the ramp to the dock is OK—south of it is not).

  2. Be polite to BeachPoint members (say howdy and smile!)

  3. No repair work on boats on the docks

  4. Tie your boat both fore and aft to the dock (so it won’t float away if there is a storm)

  5. Please use the port-a-potty inside the fenced area on the north end of the parking lot. MFA does not have access to the Beach Point facilities.

  6. Change indoors (including donning and doffing dry suits), not in the parking lot.

  7. No access to the rock jetty

  8. Lifejackets must be worn on the docks at all times.

  9. Don’t show up at the Club outside of race days.

Questions? Email info@mamaroneckfrostbite.org

Protesting Other Racers

If you are fouled during a race, your recourse is to protest the offending racer.

You need to hail the person you are protesting (use the word “Protest” and their sail number). Then, after the race, sail past the RC boat and tell them that you are protesting that sail number.

Our Sailing Instructions permit us to do one 360 penalty turn. Therefore, if someone protests you and you suspect you are wrong, it would be kinder and gentler for all concerned if you did a turn.

After racing, put away as quickly as possible and show up in the clubhouse for your protest. RC is responsible for tracking down the boat you protested and finding a protest committee.

If Someone Capsizes

Hail “Crash boat” loudly. Keep an eye on the sailor who is in the water. If you decide to stop to “render assistance,” you will get redress (your finish will be your position at the time you stop racing).

If you see someone not capsized who is in distress (cold, confused, something broken), help them.

We’re sailors. We care about each other and always put safety first! RC has a radio, a cell phone, and a whole process for getting first responders to the club if we need them. We sailors have to do our part.

Daily Schedules

Boats should be rigged and sailors should be geared up and ready to sail by 12:30. Late departures are not allowed to sail and will be disqualified for racing for the day.

No one may get into a boat or start sailing until a crash boat is in the water with its motor running and with a crash boat person in it.

The fleet sails out to and back from the race course together. No one should sail past the harbor marks (red and green) until RC gives the command to sail out to the starting area. Everyone sails out together (no stragglers, no suddenly turning around and heading back to the dock for a water bottle or a cookie!)

Please sail by the RC before we start racing and announce your name and your sail number. At the end of racing, everyone waits until RC tells them to sail in. Stay together and watch out for each other, on the way on.

Race Management

RC announces boat divisions prior to the start of racing. We generally sail in two divisions (A and B). Make sure to start with the right group!

Starting sequences are two minutes long (with sounds at 2 minutes, 90s, 1 minute, 30s, 10s, and a countdown from 5s). The color of the first mark is indicated by the color of the RC flag. RC can change the color of the first mark up to the start of the sequence.

RC announces the configuration of the course by hail (we have five different courses). If you miss the hail ask someone or look for a number on the side of the RC boat and check it against your course map sheet.

Typically if two fleets are being raced, the start and finish line cannot be crossed during the race. This lets RC run two separate races (one for A and one for B) without risk of collision between the fleets. RC should be clear whether the start and finish lines are open or closed.

RC will try to hail your sail number when you are over early and when you finish. If you are over early, RC will try to hail when are you fully off the course side of the line (clear).

If there is a need for a general recall, RC may announce they are implementing the one minute rule (we don’t fly an I flag but the rules are the same).

RC should ask 2-4 sailors per day to come to the RC boat either before or after racing to be weighed. Bring any water or lead weights plus (if you need it) any optional equipment (e.g. bow dodger and tiller extender) you use. RC will record your weight and give the info to the measurer. Target weight for sailors + gear is 190 lbs, with ballast not to exceed 30 lbs.