2006 - 40th Anniversary
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The Handicaps

This race is unique. Handicaps result in a staggered order of starting times so that all boats, both large and small, have an opportunity to be first over the Finish line. The overall winner will be the first over the line. Your handicap is established based on information provided on the Entry Form.

Note: Skippers competing for the 2007 S. Sturgis Crocker PHRF Memorial Trophy will be scored on corrected time, and will not be eligible to win either a Class Trophy or the First Overall Trophy.

The Scratch Sheet, noting your class and starting time, will be available at the Skippers' Meeting at 19:30 on Friday, July 20, at Crocker's Boat Yard. The morning of the race, it will be posted at both the MHBC Dock and the Manchester Yacht Club. Copies will be available from the Race Committee members at MYC.

The Course

The race is sailed on a triangular, windward-leeward course of 20-30 miles, using Gales Ledge Buoy (A), Eastern Point Whistle (B) and Newcombs Ledge Whistle (D) as marks of the course. Each mark is designated by a letter to simplify posting the course.

THE MARKS   LETTER
Gales Ledge Buoy "R" N6 A
Eastern Point Whistle F1 R 4 Sec.-R "2" B
Newcombs Ledge Whistle F1 G 4 Sec.-"1" D

Posted at the stern of Trident, the Race Committe Boat, is a number which indicates the race course in accordance with the sequence of marks:

Course No.   Follow these marks sequentially
3   A-B-D-A-D-A
5   A-D-B-A-D-A

Based on weather conditions on race day, either course No. 3 or No. 5 will be selected. For Course 3, leave all marks to Starboard. For Course 5, leave all marks to Port.

The course may be shortened at the discretion of the Race Committee. LIsten for the two sound signal and look for the S flag, the blue shape at the yardarm, and the yellow flag, indicating Trident is on station at the Finish. The Race Committee Boat Monitors VHF 72

The Start

The Start and Finish line is between Gales Ledge (A) and Trident, the Race Committee Boat.

The first of 8 handicap classes starts at 10:15 am, followed sequentially by the other classes at 15-minute intervals signaled by the Committee Boat. Class assignments are explained under The Handicaps.

For each class, the starting gun is fired simultaneously when hoisting the following signals:

1st gun: White Shape 10-min. warning
2nd gun : Blue Shape 5-min. preparatory
3rd gun: Red Shape START

Each shape is lowered 1 minute before the next gun. All starts will be signaled by the RED SHAPE and gun. In the event of a misfire, the visual shape always takes precedence.

 

The Race Committe Boat may anchor
either side of Nun 6 to avoid Gales Ledge.

 
  The Starting line is always crossed in the
direction of the first mark.		  
  Honor cans 3,5, 7 on the way to or returning from Newcombs. If you sail between two cans you must exit between the same two cans.  
  The finish line is crossed from the direction
of the preceding mark.