Pre-Notice of Race

Start 23^rd February 2009
First Warning Signal 1050 (all times are in local time)

Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with the Antigua Yacht Club

This is the Pre-Notice of Race for the RORC Caribbean 600 Race. (the Notice of Race will appear in the RORC 2009 Programme).

1 RULES

1.1 The rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing with RYA Prescriptions. The rules and regulations of appropriate one design and/or restricted class rules, IRC Rules Parts 1, 2, 3 and CSA (Caribbean Sailing Association) rule, and Multihulls.

1.2 ISAF Offshore Special Regulations Category 3 with RORC prescriptions plus Offshore Special Regulations liferaft as printed in the 2009 RORC Programme.

1.3 Stability/Safety (SSS)/STIX&AVS screening numerals or equivalent, see race details and the SSSN/STIX section in the RORC 2009 Programme.
SSS MINIMUM: 15 or STIX MINIMUM 23 and AVS MINIMUM 130-0.005 x m (where m is minimum sailing weight in Kg)
Boats with series date of 2000 and later will be categorised under STIX only.
Boats with series date before 2000 may be categorised under either STIX or SSSN.

1.4 RORC General Conditions and race details in the 2009 RORC Programme which comprises the RRS Notice of Race.

1.5 Advertising will not be restricted to category A. Boats may be required to display advertising chosen and supplied by the organising authority.

1.6 Sailing Instructions

Succeeding items in the above list shall take precedence.

1.7 Except when otherwise stated in Sailing Instructions, the rules of RRS Part 2 shall not apply between the times of local sunset and sunrise and shall be replaced with the appropriate rules of IRPCAS (International Regulations for Prevention of Collisions at Sea).

2 RESPONSIBILITY

2.1 Yacht racing can be dangerous. The attention of Persons in Charge is drawn to RRS Fundamental Rule 4: "The responsibility for a boat's decision to participate in the race or to continue racing is hers alone" and to Special Regulation 1.02.1 (in the 2009 Programme) which begins "The safety of a yacht and her crew is the sole and inescapable responsibility of the Person in Charge..."

2.2 The RORC and other organising clubs accept no responsibility or liability for loss of life or injury to members or others, or for the loss of, or damage to, any vessel or property.

2.3 The Person in Charge and crew will be held jointly responsible for the conduct of the yacht's crew before, during and after the race. Misconduct may result in both the Person in Charge and crew being excluded from future races and renders a yacht liable to disqualification.

2.4 The Race Committee will make starting signals unless in their opinion it is manifestly unsafe for any of the yachts entered to remain in the vicinity of the starting line. Each yacht shall exercise her responsibility under RRS Fundamental Rule 4 and decide whether or not to start or to continue to race.

2.5 No yacht will be accepted as an entry unless the Person in Charge has before the start of the race signed a declaration in the terms set out in Appendix IV below. The RORC reserves the right to require a signed declaration, in the terms set out in Appendix IV below, from each crewmember.

2.6 Crew members' attention is drawn to RRS 1.2 life-saving equipment... "Each competitor is individually responsible for wearing personal buoyancy adequate for the conditions." See also S. Regs 5.01 and 5.02.

3 ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY

3.1 Summary:

3.2 eligibility - crew numbers, boat sizes

3.3 race entry dates

3.4 race entry form

3.5 rating certificate update

3.6 payment, fee scale

3.7 late entries

3.8 cancellations

3.9 refunds

3.2 ELIGIBILITY - CREW NUMBERS, BOAT SIZES

The RORC Caribbean 600 race is open to seaworthy yachts which comply with the

rules and regulations described in the 2009 Programme and which are manned by an adequate number of experienced crew who are physically fit to face bad weather. However no person may race contrary to the terms of a ban imposed by the RORC or a National Authority.

Apart from as allowed under Appendix II (e) the minimum crew on any boat (including multihulls) shall be three persons. The maximum crew is defined by the rating rule or class rule under which the yacht is racing except for multihulls which do not define a maximum crew limit. See Appendix I (c).

There is no maximum size for any yacht.

The minimum size for monohulls is determined by their rating (the minimum IRC rating for the race is 0.991 and the minimum CSA rating is 0.870), and their SSS/STIX numbers.

The minimum LOA for multihulls is 9.15 metres but the committee may make exceptions. See Appendix II for details of classes. Entry is open to RORC members (who have a discounted entry fee) and non-members. Attention is drawn to RRS 76.

3.3 RACE ENTRY DATES

Race entry will open on Monday 5^th January and will close (entries will be subject to a late entry fee) on Thursday 5^thFebruary 2009. Note: Boats are encouraged to register their interest in competing in the race by emailing the RORC This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Boats that have registered their interest will receive updates about the race and a copy of the 2009 RORC Programme which will constitute the official Notice of Race.

3.4 RACE ENTRY FORM

A yacht shall enter the RORC Caribbean 600 Race by completing all parts of an official Race Entry Form (preferably online at http://www.rorc.org or the printed one in the middle of the printed 2009 Programme) and by returning the form with the appropriate race entry fee and a copy of the rating certificate to RORC London before the closing date.

3.5 RATING CERTIFICATE UPDATE

When a yacht receives a rating certificate which updates that lodged with RORC London she shall supply a copy of the new certificate promptly to RORC London or to the RORC race office in Antigua. Please note that the London office is manned only during normal office hours; see Sailing Instructions for opening hours of the Race Office at starts.

3.6 PAYMENT, FEE SCALE

Payment may be made by credit card transfer or UK cheque (payable to RORC Ltd) either to London with the Race Entry Form or otherwise should be made at the Race Office before the start of a race. Failure to pay a Race Entry fee will constitute grounds for disqualification.

3.7 LATE ENTRIES

Entries after the closing date may be accepted on payment of an additional sum of half the entry fee at least 48 hours before the start. A late entry fee is not refundable.

3.8 CANCELLATIONS

Cancellations can be accepted either:

(i) before the closing date, when the whole fee except £100.00 (Category A) or £200 (Category C) may be claimed for refund

or
(ii) between the closing date and the start, when 50% of the fee may be claimed for refund.

3.9 REFUNDS

(i) A refund for a cancelled entry will be paid only against a written claim received by the RORC before 18^th September 2009.

(ii) If the Person in Charge fails to notify the RORC of cancellation as described above he/she shall not receive a refund.

4 TRACKING

It will be mandatory for yachts to carry an OCTracker unit for the race. The units are standalone and will be supplied by the RORC. A refundable deposit, which may be set against a credit card, may be required.

5 THE COURSE

The race will start off Fort Charlotte outside English Harbour, Antigua. The course will take the fleet to Green Island (P), an inflatable mark ("North Sails") off Barbuda (P), Nevis (S), Saba (S), St Barths (P), Saint Martin (S), Tintamarre (S), Guadeloupe (P), around Les Saints (S), Les Desirade (P), the inflatable mark ("North Sails") off Barbuda (P), Redonda (P), Fort Charlotte Antigua and finish.

Approximately 605 nautical miles.

6 SELF-STEERING

Automatic and wind-vane devices for steering may be carried but not used, except in the 2-handed division (see Appendix II (e)) when they may be used.

This amends IRC Rule 14.