NOTICE OF RACE & Sailing Instructions

Boxing Day Barrel 2024

The Race will be known as “The Boxing Day Barrel” and will consist two (2) races.

The Organizing Authority will be the Antigua Yacht Club.

The Rules will be the current RRS version

Races will be held Thursday 26th December 2024.

First start will be not before 1200.

Second race will be as soon as last boat has finished race 1.

Time Limits – for race 1 will be 30 mins. after the first boat in class finishes. Boats not finishing within the time limit will be scored DNF

There will be no time limit for race 5. However, the committee boat will leave station at 1600.

Classes – There will be ONE (Class A) or TWO (Class B) classes for the CSA rated boats depending on the number of entries.   If insufficient entries all CSA boats will be combined into Class A only

There will be a FUN – non-rated – class for Cruisers, Classic Yachts and Workboats, and for those yachts who either have no rating or who wish to race less seriously.  These yachts will be given an appropriate AYC rating.  Obvious performance yachts will not be allowed to enter this class.

Classes will be allocated by the Organizers – and skippers will be informed of their class at the Skippers Briefing and/or no later than the first warning signal for the first race.

Entry Fees –  EC$160/boat.

Note: Entries before noon on Monday 16th December, will qualify for a 20% discount.

Scoring –   Will be RRS Appendix A, Scoring LOW POINT System – amended as follows: –

Finishing –  points equal to finishing place in that race

DNF          – points equal to ONE more than the score of the last boat to finish in that race

DSQ          – points equal to TWO more than the score of the last boat to finish in that race

DNC          – ditto DSQ

Prizes – Prizes will be awarded  1st. 2nd. 3rd.  in each class.

The Boxing Day Barrel Trophy – in memory of Margaret Mair / AYC – will be awarded to the overall winner.

RATINGS:   For classes A and B current 2024 CSA ratings will be used.  If a boat has an outdated rating it ‘may’ be accepted after updating by the organizers.    Ratings prior to 2018 are unlikely to be accepted – these boats may then race in the fun class.   However, performance boats will not be accepted into this class.

Boats in the non-CSA classes will be given an appropriate AYC club rating.

Courses – will be laid within the Rendezvous Bay – Hercules Pt. area. Depending on the conditions, the second race may go to Curtain Bluff Mark CB.  The start/finish line will be Inside Falmouth Harbour close to the entrance.  Course plans and diagrams will be emailed and displayed at AYC no later than Wednesday 20th December and confirmed at the Skippers Briefing. Last minute changes will be promulgated in the Saturday Sailing WhatsApp group.

Starting Procedure – Will be in accordance with RRS 26 (5: 4 : 1 : Go)

The First WARNING (5 mins.) signal for the day will be at 5 mins. prior to the advertised time of START.

Fun / Cruiser Class will start first – Warning signal is a PINK Flag

Class B will start second                 – Warning signal is a YELLOW Flag

Class A will start last                        – Warning signal is a GREEN Flag

A sound signal ‘may’ also be given to draw attention to the flags.

Note – depending on the number of entries, two or more classes may be combined for starting.  This would be indicated by VHF radio and by flying the appropriate class flags together at the Warning signal.

Other Signals and Procedures –  Postponement, Shorten Course, etc. shall be in accordance with RRS.

Skippers’ Briefing will be at AYC Upper Deck on Thursday December 26th at 1045am.   Final class allocations will be given at this time.

For those unable to attend all information will be available on the WhatsApp group and on the water on VHF 12 up to the warning signal for the first race.

Radio – will use channel 12 which all yachts will be expected to monitor.  Failure to hear any verbal instructions, properly put out, will not be grounds for protest or redress.

Sail Wardrobe – must be declared at the Skippers Briefing or to Saturday Sailing at AYC WhatsApp group before. The rating will then reflect the sail wardrobe selected.

The Boxing Day Barrel Trophy will be awarded to the yacht in any class which beats its second-place competitor by the biggest percentage margin.

Protests –

Must be submitted in writing to the Race Officer within 90 minutes of the leading boat’s finish or 60 minutes of the protesting boat’s finish – whichever is the sooner.

Protests will be heard at the AYC as soon as possible by an ad hoc committee comprising of Race Officials and competitors not actively involved in the incident.

NOTE:  This is a friendly club regatta – aggressive sailing is discouraged.

The Prize Giving will be held on the Event Centre Deck at 5pm or as soon as possible after that time.

Race Course – View and Download

Registration is open – Register Here