Race Duty Officer Resources

Championship Race

The racing 'window' is generally 90 to 120 minutes, meaning with a start at 1330 hours the racing is generally completed by 1530 or 1600 hours (for all to finish), with shortened courses applied if necessary.

· Scratch start / yardstick

· Aim for two races on each Championship Day, back-to-back

· Indicative Race Duration 45 minutes (800 m leg lengths in around 10 knots)

· Start-Triangle-Sausage-Triangle-Finish

· Buoys to Port

Triangle-Sausage-Triangle
wind range	5-8 knots	8-12 knots	12-15 Knots	15+ Knots
Leg length for 30 min Race (nm)	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.5
Leg length for 30 min Race (km)	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.8
Leg length for 45 min Race (nm)	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.7
Leg length for 45 min Race (km)	0.6	0.8	1.2	1.3
Leg length for 60 min Race (nm)	0.5	0.6	0.8	0.9
Leg length for 60 min Race (km)	0.9	1.1	1.5	1.7
Leg length for 90 min Race (nm)	0.7	0.9	1.2	1.4
Leg length for 90 min Race (km)	1.3	1.7	2.4	2.6
Leg length for 120 min Race (nm)	0.9	1.1	1.4	1.6
Leg length for 120 min Race (km)	1.7	2.0	2.6	3.0

PointScore Race

Pointscore minutes Advantage

Triangle-Sausage-Triangle-Sausage
wind range	5-8 knots	8-12 knots	12-15 Knots	15+ Knots
Leg length for 30 min Race (nm)	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.4
Leg length for 30 min Race (km)	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.6
Leg length for 45 min Race (nm)	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.5
Leg length for 45 min Race (km)	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.9
Leg length for 60 min Race (nm)	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.7
Leg length for 60 min Race (km)	0.7	0.9	1.1	1.3
Leg length for 90 min Race (nm)	0.5	0.6	0.8	1.0
Leg length for 90 min Race (km)	0.9	1.1	1.5	1.9
Leg length for 120 min Race (nm)	0.7	0.9	1.1	1.2
Leg length for 120 min Race (km)	1.3	1.7	2.0	2.2

Post-Race Adjustments to the Pointscore Handicap Systems

Note: For the Pointscore the slower yachts are given several minutes start ahead of the faster yachts ('Catch me if you can'). Ideally all yachts should finish very close together.

The handicaps are adjusted after each race according to the following scheme:
1st place => loss of 2 minutes
2nd place => loss of 1 minute
3rd place => no change - stay as you are
4th place and all other starters (including DNF & Duty Officer) => plus 1 minute
All non-starters have no change to their handicaps, except when all the scores need to be adjusted to avoid negatives. For example, when the winner has a Minutes Advantage Handicap of 1 minute and would lose 2 minutes, to produce a '-1 minute' handicap for being in first place, ALL handicaps are increased by 1 minute so that the winner's new handicap is 0 (zero).
Note: The committee and handicapper will make periodic adjustments to the system to keep it as fair and functional as possible, and to assign handicaps to new members and visitors.

Sprint Races

· Scratch start / yardstick

· Aim for 4-6 races each Sprints Day, back-to-back

· Indicative Race Duration 20 minutes (550 m leg lengths in around 10 knots)

· Start-Triangle-Sausage-Finish

· Buoys to Port

Triangle + Sausage
wind range	5-8 knots	8-12 knots	12-15 Knots	15+ Knots
Leg length for 20 min Race (nm)	0.3	0.35	0.4	0.4
Leg length for 20 min Race (km)	0.5	0.55	0.7	0.75
Leg length for 30 min Race (nm)	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.6
Leg length for 30 min Race (km)	0.6	0.8	1.0	1.1
Leg length for 45 min Race (nm)	0.6	0.7	0.8	0.8
Leg length for 45 min Race (km)	1.0	1.2	1.4	1.5
Leg length for 60 min Race (nm)	0.7	0.9	1.1	1.2
Leg length for 60 min Race (km)	1.3	1.7	2.0	2.2
Leg length for 90 min Race (nm)	1.1	1.3	1.5	1.6
Leg length for 90 min Race (km)	2.0	2.4	2.8	3.0
Leg length for 120 min Race (nm)	1.4	1.8	2.2	2.4
Leg length for 120 min Race (km)	2.6	3.4	4.0	4.4

Course Diagram

Course Elements - Port Roundings

Tools

For a simple way to measure distances to set leg length try this free Walk Meter App. It uses your phones inbuilt GPS and is free and easy to use. An even simpler one is the Measuring Wheel app for Android. Set the screen timeout to 30 minutes. There is a similar one for Apple devices Pace Ruler (Apple) See the guides below for target leg lengths for various types of races and wind strengths.

For a definitive guide for setting courses of various types and configerations see the Set Courses App

Course Area Distance Guide (see attached map below)

Note: You cannot anchor the start boat in the Sanctuary Zone (East of the line from Red Rock to the NS line of the Yellow Park Buoys)

Note: You cannot position a course mark (wheel hub) in the designated sea grass protection area => East of the line from Red Rock to the first Yellow Park Buoy (8C) and from 8C buoy to the Green Point Marker (aligned with Cabbage Tree Point)

1550 m between Yellow Marine Park buoys
820 m between two Red port buoys (Brolga and Point Buoys)
1640 m; 1730 m (southern) between Point Red Buoy to Yellow Marine Park buoys
1580 m from Red Brolga Buoy to Yellow Marine Park buoy A1
1910 m from Red Brolga Buoy to Red Rock
1050 m from Red Rock to Yellow Marine Park buoy A1
NOTE: Do not anchor the Start Boat inside the Sanctuary Zone East of Yellow Buoys
NOTE: Do not place Course bouys inside the seagrass protection area,
North of Line from A1 (top yellow buoy) to Green Island Point Marker

From the Red Point buoy to the top Yellow Marine Park buoy (A1) is NE and 1640 m in length, so setting bottom mark 300 m out from red buoy in that direction and setting the top mark after travelling 800 m towards the A1 Marine Park Buoy gives a great default set up for prevailing NE winds with an ideal leg length of about 800 m.

Leg lengths can be set using the yellow GPS tool, or an app you install on your phone, or the Map Plotter, or by motoring at a constant speed or revs between the two red buoys and noting the time taken for this 800 m distance. Motor for the same time and speed to set the distance between the buoys for your course.

See the Map below for the distances between key markers in the bay

Map