Download copy of Sailing Instructions here.
EUROPEAN SHARPIE CHAMPIONSHIP 2025
Brancaster Staithe Sailing Club
10th – 15th August 2025
Sailing Instructions
Rules
1.1 The championship will be governed by the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028, the prescriptions of the RYA, the rules of the Sharpie Class Association and these sailing instructions. In the event of any dispute over interpretation these sailing instructions will prevail.
1.2 The championship is designated as advertising category A.
Entries and Measurement
2.1 Eligible boats may be entered by completing registration and an entry form with the British Sharpie Owners Association “BSOA”. To be eligible the boat must have a valid class certificate from the owner’s national sailing authority and the helmsman must be a member of the national owners’ association.
2.2 All boats must be covered by third party liability insurance for a minimum of £5,000,000.
2.3 The helm of each boat must complete an entry form thereby accepting the conditions set out in the Notice of Race and these sailing instructions.
2.4 Boats must be submitted for scrutiny, which may include weighing. Further measurement, as requested by the official measurer of the British Sharpie Owners Association, or his representative, may take place at any time during the championships including scrutiny of boats on the water or coming ashore after racing. Any boat adjudged not to conform to class rules will be excluded from the championship. The decision of the official measurer will be considered to be final. No protest relating to measurement will be allowed unless it can be shown that alterations have been made after the boat has been allowed to enter by the official measurer.
2.5 Sail numbers and national designation must be the same as those shown on the class certificate unless a written application to change has been approved by the principal race officer “PRO”. Approval will not be given for more than one boat to carry the same sail number and national designation.
2.6 No change of helm will be permitted. Any request for crew to change must be submitted to the PRO for approval, in writing, at least three hours before the start of races on that day. Requests for a change of crew considered to be for tactical reasons will be rejected.
2.7 Attention is drawn to the disclaimer included in the entry form and the notice of race which is posted on the championship notice board.
Notice to Competitors
3.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the championship notice board in Brancaster Staithe Sailing Club “BSSC”).
Changes to Sailing Instructions.
4.1 Any changes to the sailing instructions will be posted no later than 2 hours before the scheduled or postponed start of race(s) to which the change applies.
Schedule of races
|
Saturday 9th August |
16:00 |
Competitors Briefing
|
|
|
|
First Start |
High Tide |
Height |
|
Sunday 10th August (Practice Race) |
07:30 |
07:52 |
8.7m |
|
Monday 11th August |
07:00 |
08:29 |
8.9m |
|
Tuesday 12th August |
07:30 |
09:06 |
9.0m |
|
Wednesday 13th August |
08:00 |
09:43 |
9.0m |
|
Thursday 14th August |
09:00 |
10:22 |
8.9m |
|
Friday 15th August |
09:30 |
11:04 |
8.6m |
5.1 A competitors’ briefing will occur promptly at 16:00 on Saturday 9th August.
5.2 It is intended to sail two races per day with the second start ASAP following the first race.
5.3 A race that has been postponed or abandoned may be sailed on another day at the discretion of the PRO (committee boat flying numeral pennant 3 at the end of the scheduled racing).
5.4 In the event of an inclement weather forecast the PRO may bring races forward in the schedule. This option will only be exercised in extreme circumstances and will be notified at least 24 hours in advance.
Class Flag
6.1 The class flag will be the 12 square metre sharpie class flag.
Racing Area
7.1 Races will take place at sea unless the PRO deems conditions to be unsafe, in which case racing may take place in the harbour. It is each competitor’s individual responsibility to reach the start line on time. Safety boats may be offering tows, where appropriate, but failure to reach the start in time remains the competitor’s own responsibility. Races are likely to start promptly at or soon after the advertised time.
Courses
8.1 Port or starboard hand Olympic courses will be used if racing takes place at sea (triangle-sausage passing through the gate on every upwind leg). See Appendix A
8.2 The type of course (port hand or starboard hand rounding) will be given by red or green flags displayed on the committee boat.
8.3 The PRO will attempt to make races approximately 45 minutes long for the leading boat.
8.4 The number of laps will be displayed on the committee boat.
8.5 If racing takes place in the harbour, the normal BSSC club marks and / or yellow inflatable buoys will be used (See map at end of this document). The following apply to racing in the harbour;
8.5.1 Stone Bank Buoy (see map below) is a navigation mark and must be passed to the north side whilst racing and, in the interests of safety, should be passed to the north side at all times.
8.5.2 Harbour courses will be described by letter boards, displayed on one side of the committee boat, showing the initial letter of each mark (on a red background if the mark is to be rounded to port or a green background if the mark is to be rounded to starboard), together with a numeral to indicate the number of laps to be sailed.
Course Marks
9.1 Course marks will be yellow inflatable buoys.
Starting
10.1 Competitors are requested to sail past the leeward side of the committee boat when they first arrive in the racing area each day to allow the boats to be counted as intending to start (this avoids having to sign on).
10.2 Races will be started in accordance with RRS 26 with the warning signal 5 minutes before the starting signal.
10.3 The start line will be between a dan buoy with an orange flag and the main mast of the committee boat, also flying an orange flag. There may also be an inner distance mark which counts as a starting mark.
10.4 A boat starting later than 5 minutes after her starting signal will be scored DNS.
10.5 The sail numbers of premature starters who did not return and who are therefore OCS may be displayed at the windward mark. These competitors should then retire from that race immediately.
Change of Course after the start
11.1 The course configuration may be altered at any mark by displaying International code flag C on a boat near to the preceding mark together with repeated sound signals. The position of subsequent course marks may be altered to re-establish an appropriate triangular course.
The Finish
12.1 The finish line will generally be at the starting line i.e. between a dan buoy with an orange flag and the committee boat. When the committee boat is on station for the finish it will be flying a blue flag.
Penalty System
13.1 The Two-Turns Penalty is replaced by the One-Turn Penalty (varies RRS 44.1). Note: one turn involves a 360 degree circle including one tack and one gybe.
Time Limit.
14.1 Boats failing to finish within 20 minutes of the first boat will be scored “DNF” (varies RRS 35)
Protests
15.1 Protests shall be written on forms available from the race office and delivered there as soon as possible and no later than 20 minutes after the PRO returns to the office after the last sail of the day.
15.2 Protest notices will be posted as soon as possible informing competitors where and when the hearing will take place in which they are parties or named as witnesses.
15.3 Decisions of the protest committee will be final as provided in RRS 70.5(b)
Scoring
16.1 RRS Appendix A – the low points system and A5.3 – will be used for scoring.
16.2 If 9 or 10 races are sailed a boat may discard its two worst scores from the series.
16.3 If between 5 and 8 races are sailed a boat may discard its worst score from the series.
16.3 If fewer than 5 races are sailed the championship will not be awarded (but prizes for individual races will be awarded where sailed).
Safety
17.1 All competitors must sign off in BSSC within 90 minutes of the end of racing for that day. Any boat retiring from a race should sign off on the separate “signing off” sheets.
17.2 Failure to sign off will normally result in disqualification. However an alternative monetary penalty is permitted: namely payment of £5 to the RNLI for each race sailed on that day. This penalty will be applied without a hearing. This amends RRS 63.1
17.3 Competitors must wear adequate personal buoyancy at all times whilst afloat. Wet suits or dry suits do not constitute adequate buoyancy (this varies RRS 40).
APPENDIX A – Course Diagram
This page does not constitute part of the sailing instructions
BRANCASTER HARBOUR AND BAY
Sailing to Race Area: Sailing to the Race Area can take ½ to ¾ of an hour. It is each competitor’s responsibility to leave the hard at the BSSC leaving sufficient time to reach the Race Area.
Wreck Warning: Lying to the west of Scolt Head Island, marked by a beacon. Do not sail within 200 metres of the Beacon.
Local Interests: Entrants are requested to respect that the Staithe is a working harbour and covered by specific regulations for the protection of local fishermen’s oyster, mussel and other commercial interests. Entrants are asked to comply with these regulations by not landing, walking on, removing or otherwise disturbing shellfish and generally respecting the channels running eastwards from the Staithe area.
Accidents in the Harbour: In the event of an accident with a moored or unaccompanied craft please report the incident to the Championship Office at the first available opportunity. The Office will then liaise with the Harbour Master.