PART I ADMINISTRATIVE
1 BUCKET RACE OFFICE
The Bucket Race Office is located on the second floor at the Newport Shipyard in the W Class Office. The Race Office telephone number is: 401 - 225 - 0330 (effective 10 September).
2 REGISTRATION
Regatta registration begins at 0900 Friday, 10 September at the Newport Shipyard Marquee. To qualify as an entrant the following shall be completed and submitted to the Race Office by 1700 on 10 September:
Entry Application duly signed
Crew Waiver/Signed Disclaimer
Entry Fee
3 CREW WAIVER
Crew waivers will be handed out with at the Skipper’s Meeting on Friday, 10 September and available at the Bucket Registration. They must be signed by all crew members and returned to the Bucket Race Office prior to Friday morning’s pre-race briefing. Yachts which do not submit crew waivers will not be scored. For any change in crew during the regatta, crew waivers must be updated to reflect new crew members.
4 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. Association Bucket Regattas, the Organizing Authority, all sponsors, all other affiliated organizations and individuals, will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta.
5 NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
Notices to competitors will be posted on the Notice Board located at the Newport Shipyard Marquee and posted on the Newport Bucket website.
6 CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Any change to these Sailing Instructions will be posted on the Notice Board before 0930 on the day it will take effect and distributed to competitors at the daily pre-race briefing.
7 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday 10 September
0900 Registration at the Newport Shipyard Marquee
1730 Captains Meeting under the Marquee at the Newport Shipyard. Mandatory attendance for Boat
Captain, designated Safety Tactician, and “Racing Tactician” (if applicable).
1900–2100 Welcome Party under the Marquee at the Newport Shipyard
Light food and cocktails with a carnival theme
Music by Honkytonk Knights
Saturday, 11 September
0930 Daily pre-race briefing at the Marquee
1200 Scheduled start time for first yacht in fleet
1800–2000 Fleet Open House
2000–2300 Bucket Bash under the Marquee at the Newport Shipyard
Cocktails, Dinner, Dessert and Dancing
Music by Dick & Jane Band of Boston
Sunday, 12 September
0930 Daily pre-race briefing at the Marquee
1200 Scheduled start time for first yacht in fleet
1800 Newport Bucket Regatta Awards - Museum of Yachting at Fort Adams
Launch service available from the Shipyard
Dingy dock available for tenders
Music by Ledder Jazz
(NOTE: For the most current schedule, always check our Schedule of Events page)
PART II RACING RULES
1 THE RULES
1.1 The Newport Bucket will be governed by the following:
- the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing
- the Bucket Rating Rule
- these Sailing Instructions, which incorporate the ‘Superyacht Racing Protocol’
1.2 The prescriptions of US SAILING will not apply except its prescriptions to rules 68 (Damages), 76.1 (Exclusion of Boats or Competitors), and Appendix F (Procedures for Appeals and Requests), and its prescription at rule 76.3 (Exclusion of Boats or Competitors).
2 GENERAL PRUDENTIAL
Any and all rules of the Newport Bucket found in these Sailing Instructions are superseded in any situation by the General Prudential Rule: COLLISIONS ARE TO BE AVOIDED BY ANY AND ALL MEANS.These rules constitute a comprehensive set of guidelines with a primary focus on collision avoidance while encouraging fair competition and good sportsmanship.None of these guidelines and rules should affect the spirit of Bucket Racing from years past.
3 AMENDMENTS AND NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
3.1 Any amendments to the Sailing Instructions will be posted on the official notice board no later than 0930 on the day it comes into effect except that changes to the program shall be posted by 2000 on the day before the change takes effect. Notices to competitors will be posted on the official notice board.
3.2 Oral changes to the sailing instructions may be given on the water by hail on the race committee VHF Channel in accordance with rule 90.2 (c).
4 SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
The race committee will broadcast its intent on the race committee VHF channel at 1000.
5 SCHEDULE OF RACES
5.1 Two races are scheduled one for Saturday and one for Sunday, 11 and 12 September, of which one must be completed to constitute a series.
5.2 The scheduled time for the start each day is 1200.
6 CLASSES AND CLASS FLAGS
6.1 Yachts will be separated into two classes, Les Gazelles des Mers and Les Grandes Dames des Mers. A list of yachts by class will be posted on the official notice board. At the race committee’s discretion, the two classes may sail different course on any given day. The start times will be adjusted accordingly to compensate for any course differential.
6.2 Class flags shall be displayed on the backstay at least six feet above deck at all times while the boat is racing. If such display is not feasible, class flags shall be displayed from the stern pulpit. The Les Gazelles des Mers class will use Pennant #1 and Les Grandes Dames des Mers class will use Pennant #2.
7 SAFETY TACTICIAN
7.1 Each yacht shall designate a Safety Tactician and submit his or her name and local mobile phone number to the Race Office at registration.
7.2 The Safety Tactician must be a member of the afterguard whose primary responsibility will be collision avoidance and have no other responsibility above and beyond safety related matters (collision avoidance and navigation).
7.3 The Safety Tactician will be responsible for communications on the Bridge to Bridge Safety Channel (refer to SI 23.2) and any other communications which enhance the safety of the yacht.
7.4 The Safety Tactician must attend all pre race briefings and will be responsible for ensuring the Race Log and Declaration Sheets are properly filled out and returned to the Race Office as soon as practical following racing.
8 BRIEFINGS
8.1 The pre-regatta Captain’s Briefing will be held, Friday, 10 September on Goat Island. Attendance is mandatory for the Boat Captain, designated Safety Tactician and Racing Tactician (if applicable).
8.2 There will also be daily, pre-race briefings each morning at 0930 at the Newport Shipyard Marquee. The race course, weather and any safety issues will be addressed. Race Logs will be distributed.
9 RACE LOGS AND DECLARATION SHEETS
Race Logs & Declaration Sheets will be distributed to Safety Tacticians at the daily pre-race briefings, The Race Log will call for mark rounding times, recorded wind speed and direction, any anomalies encountered in navigating the course. The Declaration Sheet must specify all safety related incidents involved in on the race course. Completed documents are to be submitted to the Race Office as soon as practical after racing, but no later than 2 hours after each yacht finishes racing.
10 MINIMUM SEPARATION (40 Meters)
10.1 Due to the size and lack of maneuverability of many of the entries, a minimum of 40 meters separation must be maintained between competitors from when the first yacht starts until all yachts have finished racing. This 40 meter separation includes all mark roundings as well as meeting, passing, and crossing situations.
10.2 Due to the dynamics of yachts under sail, a precise measurement of 40 meters can be difficult. If questions arise, they should be resolved via VHF bridge to bridge communication. The event organizer expects best efforts with compliance and good sportsmanship in maintaining minimum separation.
11 USE OF ENGINES AND THRUSTERS
11.1 For safety reasons, yachts are encouraged to run their engines in neutral at any time during the race. Engines may be put into gear and thrusters may be used at any time during the race for a yacht to take such action as will best aid to avoid a collision.
11.2 A yacht that puts her engine in gear or uses her thruster at any time after 5 minutes prior to her individual start, must submit a written declaration of “engine use” to the Race Office as soon as practical after racing, stating the time the engine was in gear and the reason for using it.
12 RACING AREA / START LOCATION
Racing will take place in Rhode Island Sound. The rendezvous location for racing will be just south of Kettlebottom Reef (Gong G “7”). The location of the race committee signal boat will be broadcast on the race committee VHF channel when the signal boat is on station.
13 TURNING MARKS, BUOYS AND COURSES
13.1 A list of the marks of the course, which includes government buoys and inflatable marks, and their approximate location can be found in Exhibit 1.
13.2 Inflatable buoys will be large orange or yellow tetrahedrons.
13.3 Courses for each race will be selected by the race committee from those outlined in Exhibit 2. The marks for each course, order to be rounded, and side to be passed are included in the course description.
13.4 Course options will be discussed at the pre-race briefings. After the committee boat is on station and has observed the prevailing conditions, the course and starting sequence for the day will be announced between 1115–1130 (unless postponed), emailed to all participants, and posted on the Bucketregattas.com web site.
14 THE START
14.1 The Newport Bucket features a Pursuit Start with the slowest rated yacht starting first. The starting time for each yacht is determined using the Bucket Rule, projected wind conditions and the course configuration. This modifies Rule 26.
14.2 The starting area will extend 200 meters on either side of the starting line and 400 meters on the pre-start side of the line. Yachts which are not in their starting sequence shall stay clear of the starting area.
14.3 The starting line will be between an orange flag on the race committee signal boat and a large orange inflatable tetrahedron approximately 0.5nm WNW of Castle Hill.
14.4 A yellow inflatable tetrahedron ‘keep off buoy’ may be anchored adjacent to, or tethered to the stern of, the race committee boat. This buoy is considered to be part of the committee boat and yachts shall not pass between the keep off buoy and the committee boat.
14.5 The start time for the first yacht in fleet is scheduled for 1200 each day. A sound signal will be made for each start. The race committee will attempt to announce countdowns for each start.
14.6 Should a postponement be required, the race committee will endeavour to do so in one-hour increments (each yacht’s start time will be moved back exactly 1 hour). The race committee will announce any postponement in a timely fashion on the race committee VHF channel.
14.7 Yachts with more than 5 minutes to their start shall stay clear of the “starting area” (as defined in SI 14.2).
15 RECALLS
There will be no individual recalls. Any yacht crossing the starting line early shall not restart and will be awarded a 5 minute penalty. A yacht that crosses the starting line more than 5 minutes early will not be scored. This modifies rule 29.
16 CHANGING THE NEXT LEG OF THE COURSE
A course change for any leg of the race will be signalled by a race committee boat in the vicinity of the last rounding mark. It will display flag C. The change will be signalled before the leading boat has begun the leg. The race committee will broadcast any course changes over the race committee VHF channel. This modifies rule 33.
17 OVERTAKING / PROPER COURSE
17.1 A yacht being overtaken may sail above or below her “proper course” only until the overtaking yacht approaches to within 80 meters, at which point the overtaken yacht must return to her proper course to the next mark or obstruction until the overtaking is complete. This modifies rule 17.
17.2 Under no circumstances is a yacht being overtaken allowed to ‘luff’ an overtaking yacht (sail above close hauled) thereby slowing or preventing a yacht from overtaking. This modifies rule 11.
18 THE FINISH
18.1 The finishing line (approximately 0.5nm in length) will be WNW of Castle Hill between a large orange inflatable mark and a yellow inflatable tetrahedron located approximately 50 meters off of Castle Hill, 0.2nm NNE of the Castle Hill lighthouse.
18.2 A sound signal will be made for each finishing yacht.
19 PENALTY SYSTEMS
19.1 A yacht shall not take a Two-Turns Penalty. This modifies rules 44.1 and 44.2.
19.2 The Scoring Penalty as provided in Rule 44.3 shall apply except that Rule 44.3(c) is deleted and replaced with the following: “44.3 (c). The elapsed time for a boat that takes a Scoring Penalty shall be the elapsed time she would have been allocated without that penalty increased by 3%. If she takes more than one Scoring Penalty in a race, her elapsed time will be increased by 3% for each Scoring Penalty taken.”
19.3 A yacht that has broken rule 31 (touching a mark) shall not take a One-Turn Penalty. The yacht will be penalized 5 minutes. This modifies rule 44.1.
19.4 Except in respect of a breach of Part 2, the Jury may impose any penalty it considers fair, including no penalty.
20 PROTESTS
20.1 The event organizer takes a proactive stance on enforcing safety and sportsmanship. Safe racing is the responsibility of everyone involved in Bucket Regattas. The level of sportsmanship in this event has set a standard in sailboat racing and the race committee fully expects the same level of mutual respect between competitors at all Bucket events.
20.2 The Supeyacht Protocol within these Sailing Instructions sends the implicit message that the focus is on safety and prudent seamanship, not competitive advantage. It reinforces the fact that Bucket Regattas are congenial racing events.
20.3 The yacht’s tacticians are expected to meet immediately following the racing to discuss and resolve any minor safety issues, sportsmanship, and issues pertaining to competitive advantage. If a competitor feels grievously wronged and insists on a protest hearing, this course of action may be pursued.
20.4 It is each yacht’s responsibility to check the notice board to see if she is cited in a protest.
20.5 Penalties for breaches of a rule other than a rule in Part 2 may be less than disqualification if the jury so decides.
21 SCORING
Yachts will be scored based on the order of finish. A yacht’s series score will be the total of her race scores without exclusion. This modifies RRS A2.
22 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
22.1 The yacht’s man-overboard procedure shall be practiced aboard each yacht at least once by the crew racing in the regatta prior to the first race of the series.
22.2 A boat that retires from a race shall notify the race committee boat by hailing or on the race committee VHF channel before leaving the race area, or the Race Office as soon as practical.
23 COMMUNICATION
23.1 The race committee will use VHF Channel 73 for communication. All competitors must monitor this channel from the time they approach the starting area until departing the finishing area following the race.
23.2 The Bridge to Bridge Safety Channel is VHF 17. All yachts must maintain an active radio watch on VHF 17 from their approach to the starting area until departing the finish area following the race. This channel should be used in close quarters to determine other yacht’s intentions, resolve confusion and assist with collision avoidance. If VHF 17 is congested, yachts may also use race committee VHF channel 73 for collision avoidance.
24 AWARDS
24.1 Daily awards for first, second and third place in fleet will be presented following racing each day (Saturday at the Newport Shipyard marquee).
24.2 Series awards for first, second and third place in both Les Gazelles des Mers and Les Grandes Dames des Mers classes and overall for the fleet will be presented on Sunday, 12 September following the racing that day at the Museum of Yachting at Fort Adams. Launch service from the Newport Shipyard and dinghy dock available to tenders.
24.3 There will be special trophies awarded as well, for meritorious acts, boat handling and other notable behavior.
25 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury nor death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta.
26 BOTTOM LINE
The rules outlined here constitute a comprehensive set of racing and safety rules. The purpose of the rules is to encourage good competition, good sportsmanship and absolute collision avoidance. None of these guidelines should affect the spirit of Bucket Racing from years past, which is first and foremost:
SAIL SAFELY FIRST, THEN FAST. WIN THE PARTY!
Exhibits
Exhibit 1 • Marks of the Course
POTENTIAL MARKS FOR THE VARIOUS COURSES
Mark location descriptions below are approximate. Values are expressed in degrees, minutes and decimals of minutes.
| Mark |
Mark Name |
Location Description |
Safety Zone Lat/Long |
| A |
Inflatable A |
SE of Little Neck (Point Judith Neck) |
41 25.6N / 071 26.6W |
| B |
Inflatable B |
East of Black Point (Point Judith Neck) |
41 23.8N / 071 27.2W |
| C |
RW “NB” Mo (A) |
4nm ENE of Point Judith |
41 23.0N / 071 23.4W |
| D |
Inflatable D |
4nm ESE of R “2” |
41 24.7N / 071 17.0W |
| E |
RW “SR” Mo (A) |
3nm South of Sachuest Point |
41 25.7N / 071 13.3W |
| F |
Inflatable F |
2NM SW of R “2” |
41 24.7N / 071 23.0W |
| G |
R “2” |
1.5nm SW of Brenton Point |
41 25.9N / 071 21.8W |
The purpose of this chart is to provide a visual aid for the mark locations.
Positions are approximate and this chart is not to be used for navigation
Exhibit 2 • Courses
COUNTERCLOCKWISE COURSE (LONG)
COURSE #1
(START – A port – C port – D port – F stbd – G stbd – FINISH)
Approximately 20.4m
COUNTERCLOCKWISE COURSE (SHORT)
COURSE #2
(START – A port – C port – D port – G stbd – FINISH)
Approximately 18.4nm
CLOCKWISE COURSE (LONG)
COURSE #3
(START – G port – E stbd – F stbd – G stbd – FINISH)
Approximately 19.0nm
CLOCKWISE COURSE (SHORT)
COURSE #4
(START – G port– D stbd – F stbd – G stbd – FINISH)
Approximately 13.6nm
WHERE DID THE WIND GO COURSE (LONG)
COURSE #5
(START – A port – C port– G stbd – FINISH)
Approximately 12.6nm
WHERE DID THE WIND GO COURSE (SHORT)
COURSE #6
(START – A port – F port – G stbd – FINISH)
Approximately 10.0nm
CUSTOM COURSE # __
(START – TBD… )
Approximately __nm
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