Mendota Yacht Club (“MYC”) club racing will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing 2017-2020 (“RRS”).
Competitors may enter by delivering a completed entry form and paying the required registration fee to the MYC Treasurer or via the MYC website, www.mendotayc.org, at least 48 hours before competing in an MYC race. Racing and membership fees will not be prorated.
2.1 Fleets. Subject to the measurement/scantling/handicap rules set forth in Rule 19, below, MYC racing is open to all E-Scow class, MC-Scow class and Keelboat class (self-righting monohull) sailboats. Other classes may be added.
2.2 Lasers. Lasers may compete on Memorial Day, July Fourth, Victory Day, Labor Day and in Moonlight races; provided, skippers must be members of MYC. No racing fees shall apply.
2.3 Friday Fun Series. No Friday racing is scheduled for the 2020 season.
2.4 Sail Numbers. All boats shall prominently display sail numbers on the top one-third of mainsails along with a class insignia (if any). Competitors may temporarily compete with sail numbers different than those under which the boat is registered, provided the competitor informs the Race Committee signal boat of the alternate sail number not later than the warning signal for the first fleet to start. For purposes of this paragraph, “temporarily” means for not more than two consecutive racing days in which the boat competes; thereafter, the boat will not be scored until the sail number under which she is registered is displayed on her mainsail. Boats in all other classes shall compete with the sail number as assigned by the MYC Secretary.
2.41 E-Scows Sail numbers for E-Scows are assigned by the MYC Secretary and shall be displayed along with the Lake Mendota designator "H".
2.41 MC-Scows Sail numbers for MC-Scows are assigned by the boat builder.
2.41 Keelboats Sail numbers for Keelboats shall conform to the sail number under which the boat is registered for MYC racing.
Any notice to competitors or changes in these Sailing Instructions will be posted on the MYC website before 1800 on the day before it will take effect.
Signals made ashore (abandonments and postponements only) will be broadcast to competitors on VHF Channel 78A and may be posted on www.mendotayc.org or www.mendotayacht.club, generally not more than forty five (45) minutes prior to the scheduled warning signal for the first fleet to start. The Race Committee may also attempt to contact fleet captains by phone. If a postponement is signaled ashore, the warning signal for the first fleet to start will be made not less than thirty minutes after flag AP is lowered on the Race Committee signal boat, accompanied by a VHF broadcast announcement to competitors announcing the earliest time for the first warning signal, with the announcement information posted, if practical, on www.mendotayacht.club or www.mendotayc.org as a courtesy only.
The racing area will be the navigable waters of Lake Mendota. The starting area will be in approximately the area depicted on Figure 6.1. Note: The starting area for the Fall Series may be located farther to the West than indicated.
The schedule of races for all fleets will be as published in the official MYC calendar on the MYC website ("Official Calendar").
6.1 The warning signal for the first fleet in the first race each day is:
Spring Series (Sat/Sun) 1200.
Sunday Summer Series 1000.
Wednesday Series 1830.
Memorial Day 1005 (following ceremonial missing fleet start).
Fourth of July 1000.
Labor Day 1000.
Moonlight (Wednesday) 2000.
Payton Regatta 1000.
Victory Day Race 1400 (approximately).
Fall Series (Sat/Sun) 1200.
6.2 The class flags are:
E-Scows: E-Scow Class Flag (blue over red w/ white “E”)
MC-Scows: Solid White Flag
Keelboats: Solid Red Flag
All MYC racing with the exception of the Labor Day Race will be windward-leeward races with upwind starts. No later than the warning signal, the race committee will designate the course by displaying one, two or three letters followed by a number, and it may also display the approximate compass bearing of the first leg. All marks will be rounded to port except in the case of a leeward gate, in which case competitors shall pass between the gate marks and may round either gate mark.
Course L # – Windward/Leeward, Leeward Finish
Course LA # – Windward/Leeward with Offset Mark, Leeward Finish
Course W # – Windward/Leeward, Windward Finish
Course WA # – Windward/Leeward with Offset Mark, Windward Finish
Course WM # – Windward/Leeward, Modified Leeward, Windward Finish
For courses with downwind finishes (L): The start/finish line will be located to leeward of mark ‘L’ or gate marks ‘Lp’ and ‘Ls’.
For courses with upwind finishes (W): The starting line will be located to leeward of mark ‘L’ or gate marks ‘Lp’ and ‘Ls’ and mark ‘W’ will be a finishing mark.
For courses with a modified leeward mark “M”: Mark M will be set to leeward of the start/finish line.
Options for courses:
1. Increasing or decreasing the number of laps.
2. Using a gate instead of a leeward mark [Indicated by the word “Gate” on the Course Board].
3. Using an offset mark at the windward mark [Indicated by the letter “A” following the course designation on the Course Board].
4. Using the leeward and windward marks as starting and finishing marks.
5. Setting a leeward mark to leeward of the start/finish line (indicated by the letter “M” following the course designation on the Course Board).
8.1 Course Board The starting order for each fleet along with the course to be sailed, the approximate bearing to the first mark, number of races, etc. will be designated on the official MYC course board ("Course Board"). The Course Board will be displayed on the starboard quarter of the Race Committee signal boat prior to the warning signal for the first fleet to start.
8.2 Starting Order Fleets will start in the vertical order displayed on the Course Board unless the Course Board displays "All Fleet Start," in which case all fleets would start together. If more than one fleet is listed on a single row, then those fleets start together and sail the same course. Notwithstanding the above, when multiple fleets are racing, it is the intention of the Race Committee to start the E-Scows first, followed by the MC-Scows, followed by the Keelboats (all Keelboat divisions start together); provided, the order of starts shall be as posted on the Course Board. See, Figures 8.3(a) and (b) below.
8.2.1 Memorial Day Race On Memorial Day, it is the intention of the Race Committee to conduct a ceremonial memorial start prior to rolling into the starting sequence for the first racing fleet to start (i.e., the first line on the Course Board will be left blank or will indicate "Memorial Fleet" and the warning signal for the first racing fleet to start will be the starting signal for the ceremonial Memorial Fleet). The class flag for the Memorial Fleet may be the U.S. Yacht Ensign or the Stars and Stripes.
8.2.2 Labor Day Race On Labor Day, it is the intention of the Race Committee to start all fleets together; the marks of the course and the direction of rounding will be indicated on the Course Board.
8.3 Course Board Illustrations Courses shall be indicated on the Course Board as follows.
Fig. 8.3(a).
Three starts with the E’s going first, MC’s next and Keelboats last. The E’s would sail Course LA4 (4 downwind legs, windward offset, leeward gate, downwind finish). The MC’s would sail Course LA2 (2 downwind legs, windward offset, leeward gate, downwind finish). The Keelboats would sail Course LA3 (3 downwind legs, windward offset, leeward gate, downwind finish). “B2B” indicates that the RC intends to hold a second race for all fleets. The number “360” indicates that the bearing to the first mark would 360 degrees.
Fig. 8.3(b).
Three starts with the E’s starting first, MC’s and I20s second, and Keelboats last. The E’s would sail Course W3 (3 windward legs, upwind finish, no gate or offset). The MC’s and I20’s would sail Course W2 (two windward legs, upwind finish, no gate or offset). The Keelboats would sail Course W3 (three windward legs, upwind finish, no gate or offset). This would be the only (or last) race. The bearing to the first mark would be 180 degrees.
8.4 Back-to Back Races Up to two races for each fleet may be run back-to-back each racing day during the Spring Series, Fall Series, Summer Sunday Series, Wednesday Twilight Races and Payton Regatta. In the case of back-to-back races for all fleets, the Course Board will indicate "B2B" on the bottom line of the Course Board prior to the warning signal for the first fleet in the first race. If all fleets are not sailing back-to-back races, then the Course Board will indicate "B2B" following the fleet designator of any fleet that is sailing a second race. It is the intention of the Race Committee to start the second race for a given fleet as soon as possible after the last boat in that fleet finishes, regardless of whether other fleets are still racing. The class flag(s) for the fleet(s) to start will be displayed on the Race Committee signal boat and the Course Board will indicate the starting fleet and course.
8.5 Postponements The warning signal for the first fleet to start may be postponed for not longer than 45 minutes; provided, if the Race Committee has not begun setting a course within 30 minutes of the scheduled time for the first warning signal, then it is the intention of the Race Committee to abandon the race. Except for the Payton Regatta, if the Race Committee abandons the first race of scheduled back-to-back races due to expiration of the postponement time limit, the Race Committee shall abandon all remaining racing for the day. There is no limit to the length or number of postponements for the Payton Regatta.
All marks will be inflatable buoys. It is the intent of the Race Committee to use Orange, Red or Yellow buoys if possible; however, use of a buoy of a different color shall not be grounds for a protest.
The offset buoy "Wa" (windward offset mark) and Stand-off (trailing off transom of RC signal boat) will be smaller than the other buoys used.
10.1 Starting Line. The starting line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the Race Committee signal boat at the starboard-end and the course side of the port-end starting mark.
10.2 Stand-off Buoy. A stand-off buoy may be tethered to the transom of the Race Committee signal boat; if present, the stand-off buoy and its tether shall be considered an extension to and part of the Race Committee signal boat.
10.3 No-Sail Zone. Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area during the starting sequence for other fleets/races.
10.4 Late Starters. A boat starting later than fifteen (15) minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start ("DNS") without a hearing. This changes RRS A4.
To change the next leg of the course, the Race Committee will lay a new mark (or move the finishing line) and remove the original mark as soon as practicable. When in a subsequent change a new mark is replaced, it will be replaced by an original mark.
Courses may be shortened at the discretion of the Race Committee; provided, no race shorter than two legs may be scored.
The finishing line will be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the Race Committee signal boat and the course side of the finishing mark (set to starboard of the signal boat for downwind finishes and to port of the signal boat for upwind finishes). If the Race Committee boat is absent when a boat finishes, the boat shall report her finishing time and her position in relation to nearby boats to the Race Committee at the first reasonable opportunity.
14.1 Time Limit for First Mark. Except for the Labor Day race, if no boat in the first fleet has rounded her first windward mark within 30 minutes after her fleet’s starting signal, racing for all fleets that have started will be abandoned.
14.2 Time Limit for Race. Except for the Labor Day race, if no boat in a fleet has finished within 90 minutes after her fleet’s starting signal, racing for that fleet will be deemed abandoned.
14.3 Time Limit to Finish after First Boat in Fleet/Division Finishes. Except for the Labor Day race, boats failing to finish within 30 minutes after the first boat in her fleet (or in the case of Keelboats, Division) finishes will be scored Did Not Finish ("DNF") without a hearing. This changes RRS 35, A4 and A5.
14.4 Target Times. The target time from her starting signal for the first boat in each fleet to finish is as follows – these are guidelines only. Failure to complete a race within the target time will not be grounds for redress.
14.4.1 Single Race: 60 minutes
14.4.2 Back-to-Back Races: It is the intention of the Race Committee to start the second race for a given fleet as soon as possible after the last boat in that fleet finishes, regardless of whether other fleets are still racing.
E-Scows Each race 30 minutes or less
MC-Scows Each race 45 minutes
Keelboats Each race 60 minutes
14.4.3 Labor Day: No target time
14.4.4 Payton Regatta: 60 minutes for each fleet in each race.
14.5 Abandonments. In the event of the abandonment of a race or races, the Race Committee will use the following signals.
| Code Flag "N" alone. | Three sound signals and courtesy VHF announcement on 78A. All races that have started are abandoned. | Return to Starting Area. The warning signal will be made 1 minute after removal unless at that time the race is abandoned again or postponed. |
| Code Flag "N" over Code Flag "H". | Three sound signals and courtesy VHF announcement on 78A. | All races abandoned. Further signals ashore. |
| Code Flag "N" over Code Flag "A" | Three (3) sound signals and courtesy VHF announcement on 78A. | All races abandoned. No more racing today. |
14.6 Abandonment of First Race of Scheduled Back-to-Back Races. Except for the Payton Regatta and for E-Scows, if the first race of planned back-to-back races is abandoned other than due to the time limit for postponement or race being reached, the Race Committee, in its sole discretion, may attempt to reset the course and restart the race. Other than for the Payton Regatta, if an E-Scow race is abandoned for any reason, there will be no second race. For the Payton Regatta (including E-Scows), if the first race of planned back-to-back races is abandoned for any reason, it is the intent of the Race Committee to attempt to conduct the remaining scheduled races.
RRS Appendix V, Alternative Penalties shall apply, provided, for the E-Scow class, rule 44.1 is changed so that the two-turns penalty is replaced by the one-turn penalty.
Protests shall be delivered via email to protest.committee@mendotayc.org prior to midnight the second day following the race (e.g. the protest of a Sunday race incident must be submitted at or prior to 2359 Tuesday). A list of protests received will be posted on the MYC website. Hearings will be held as soon as practicable; it is the intent of the Protest Committee to hear protests within two-weeks of a filed protest. The Protest Committee will notify the parties to the protest of the date, time and place of the protest hearing.
For the Payton Regatta, the protest time limit is two (2) hours after (a) the last boat has finished the last race of the day or (b) the Race Committee has signalled no more racing for the day, whichever is later. Decisions of the Protest Committee will be final as provided in rule 70.5.
The number and dates of races scheduled for a given series for each fleet will be as published in the Official Calendar. One race constitutes a series.
17.1 Series. The following series will be scored:
Spring Series (all races prior to Memorial Day)
Summer Wednesday Series (Wednesday races between Memorial Day and Labor Day except for the Moonlight Race)
Summer Sunday Series (Sunday races between Memorial Day and Labor Day, provided, for the MC fleet only, racing on the Sunday prior to memorial day is included.)
Also any Payton Regatta Sunday races as follows:
E-Scows: provided the start is within the postponement time limit for a single race
MC-Scows and Keelboats: starting before 1200
Summer Season Championship Series (see, Paragraph 17.7)
Fall Series (all races after Labor Day)
Payton Regatta (as published in the Official Calendar)
17.2 Series Score. Each boat’s series score (including the Payton Regatta) shall be the total of her race scores in the series, but excluding the following number of scores depending on the number of races completed (this changes RRS A2):
| Number of Races Excluded |
Completed in a Series Scores (throw-outs) |
| 5 or fewer | 0 |
| 6 to 11 | 1 |
| 12 to 17 | 2 |
| 18 to 23 | 3 |
| 24 to 29 | 4 |
| 30 or more | 5 |
17.3 Finishing Place (E-Scows and MC-Scows). The order in which boats in a fleet finish a race shall determine their finishing places.
17.4 Minimum Number of Starting Boats (E-Scows). Except for specialty/holiday/handicap races and the Payton Regatta, an E-Scow fleet race shall not be scored unless at least three (3) E-Scows Start within 15 minutes of the starting signal for the E-Scow fleet.
17.5 Off-Lake Regattas (MC-Scows and Keelboats). If a boat misses a race (or races) due to participation in an off-lake regatta, the boat may request that it be awarded its average score for all races completed by it in that series by informing its fleet captain at least one day in advance of its planned absence. Average points would only be awarded if the scheduled race is completed.
17.6 PHRF Handicaps for Keelboats: For Keelboats, the time-on-distance PHRF Handicap System will be used and a boat’s corrected time shall determine her finishing place. Current Lake Michigan PHRF (“LMPHRF”) handicaps will be used where available. Boats are not required to obtain a current LMPHRF certificate; however, it is the boat owner’s responsibility to obtain a current LMPHRF certificate if a LMPHRF handicap is not otherwise available for a boat type. Appeals of handicap ratings must be made through LMPHRF/US Sailing (which will require a current handicap certificate). The MYC PHRF Committee may alter a PHRF handicap with the consent of the boat involved and a majority of the boats in the affected racing division; provided, such adjustments may not be retroactively applied.
17.7 Season Championship. In addition to awards for the Spring, Summer, Wednesday, Sunday and Fall series, each fleet shall award a Season Championship based on combining scores from the following series:
E-Scows Wednesday Series + Sunday Series
MC-Scows Wednesday Series + Sunday Series + Payton
Keelboats Wednesday Series + Sunday Series
17.8 Payton Regatta Scoring. A boat that did not come to the starting area shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats in her fleet that came to the starting area. This modifies RRS A9.
All crew onboard during each race must be current/paid members of MYC. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an individual may participate in up to two (2) MYC race days each season, in addition to holiday/specialty races and the Payton Regatta, without first becoming an MYC member. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification of the boat with the boat being scored as Did Not Compete ("DNC").
E-scows shall adhere to class scantling rules of the National Class E Scow Association, and NCESA bylaws Articles VI and VIII, parts 4 and 5 (sailed under ILYA rules); provided, number of crew can change from race to race. MC-scows shall comply with MC Scow class rules except as expressly modified by these Sailing Instructions. Keelboats competing with a PHRF one-design rating ("ODR") shall abide by applicable one-design class rules except for any class crew weight limits.
Except in an emergency, competitors shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats. This restriction also applies to mobile telephone calls except those unrelated to racing. The Race Committee may communicate to competitors using VHF channel 78A. Race committee VHF broadcasts concerning its intentions, the course to be sailed, starting times, course changes, OCS hails, etc. are a courtesy only. Failure of the Race Committee to make a VHF announcement, the timing of such announcements, or the failure of a competitor to hear a Race Committee VHF announcement shall not be grounds for redress under RRS 62.1(a). Competitors may not monitor VHF channel 71 (reserved for Race Committee use).
Prizes will be given for first, second and third place for (a) each fleet and division in each series, (b) each specialty/holiday race, (c) the Payton Regatta, and (d) as published in the MYC Directory.
21.1 Keelboats. Prizes will be given in the following divisions:
Division 1 PHRF rating 144 or lower
Division 2 PHRF rating 145 through 199
Division 3 PHRF rating 200 and higher
21.2 Payton Regatta. The MYC Board will annually designate the fleet that will compete for the perpetual Payton’s Mallory Cup Trophy (the "Cup") and will announce the competing fleet at the Spring Banquet/Party (the competing fleet will thereafter be posted on the MYC Website). The highest placing boat in the competing fleet, provided her skipper is an MYC member, will be awarded the Cup. Additional prizes may be awarded. All Keelboats will be scored as a single division.
21.3 Specialty Handicap Races. Specialty Handicap Races (Memorial Day Handicap, July Fourth Handicap, Labor Day Handicap) are scored using a boat's handicap average from up to its five (5) most recent Specialty Handicap Races (a boat must have competed in at least three prior Specialty Handicap Races to qualify). For all Specialty Handicap Races except for the Labor Day Handicap, a boat’s handicap is calculated by dividing the elapsed time of its first three legs by the elapsed time of the first E-Scow to complete three legs. For the Labor Day Handicap, the elapsed time of each boat is calculated by dividing its elapsed time for the race by the elapsed time of the first E-Scow to finish the race. If no E-Scow completes three legs (or the race, as applicable), then the MYC Scorer, in consultation with the Oracle at Delphi, will guess how long it would have taken an E-Scow to complete three legs (or the race) under the prevailing conditions; all decisions of the MYC Scorer in this regard shall be final and un-appealable. For Hoofers boats, handicaps will be kept and applied by skipper rather than by boat.
21.4 Guest Skipper Race. Prizes will be awarded to the top three placing boats in each fleet skippered by a crew member who is not a “regular” helmsperson on that boat. A "regular" helmsperson is one who steers the boat more than once or twice a season or who has steered regularly in the past. The goal of the race is to have fun and to give others a chance to drive! Crew members are encouraged to steer. Skippers are encouraged to steer boats in other classes.
In the case of capsized E-Scows and MC-Scows, competitors may receive verbal and physical assistance in righting their boat and recovering overboard crew from any person and may thereafter continue to race. This changes RRS 41.
Competitors participate in MYC racing entirely at their own risk. See, RRS 4, Decision to Race. MYC will not accept any liability for damage, personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after racing.
With the exception of UW Hoofers boats, each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $50,000 per incident or the equivalent. Individuals skippering Hoofers boats must be covered by renter’s insurance, or the equivalent, for liability arising from their use of Hoofers boats.