Race officers

We offer a mentoring option for those new to being a race officer who would like to partner a more experienced member – please email duties@shorehamsailing.org if you are interested in this.

General Guidance for Race Officers

This sheet covers duties “off the water” before and after the racing: please see Choosing and setting courses for on the water support

Before the day

• Check your race team and race start times on the club website (Members’ Portal)
• Get a forecast for the local sea area, e.g. online from WindGuru
• Arrive at least 2 hours before the start on Sunday/Mondays and 1½ hours on Wednesday evenings.

On arrival

• Ensure all your team has arrived or are on their way. If not, ask around for volunteers – no racing can take place otherwise! – and inform any committee member. If there are many boats rigging, and especially if there is plenty of wind, consider asking for additional support crew (especially on Weds evening, to get three RIBs out rather than two).
• Contact Shoreham Port to check on shipping movements and advise them of our proposed race area (phone 01273 592366 or radio Shoreham Harbour on Channel 14). Also inform National Coastwatch lookout (Channel 65, Call Sign NCI). Consider delaying the start if ship movements would jeopardise safe transit from harbour.
• Check that e-tally (tablet) is in place at bottom of stairs and functioning. Instructions are on a sheet there. (Otherwise, provide a paper sign-on sheet.) Note that competitors MUST sign on for their race result to count. New members not yet on the system should inform RO and can be added in after the race.
• Write instructions on the whiteboard at the foot of the clubhouse stairs, to include:
  • Date, Name of Race Officer
  • High Tide time, shipping movements, weather forecast, sunset (evening races)
  • Course and race area (West or East of harbour)
• Also consider giving this information in a competitors’ briefing
• Collect race officer pack from the office – contents include race timesheets, pens & pencils, compass and burgee.
• If unsure that racing can be run safely, consider postponing or cancelling. You can advise competitors that conditions may be challenging, but is your decision whether to run a race. It is then competitors’ responsibility whether or not to take part. Conditions may change, and the RO may postpose, shorten or abandon races for safety reasons at any time.

Preparing the Committee and Support boats

• Race team will prepare RIBs (Jaffa and Limoncello) as per instructions on each boat
• Prepare Gift ‘Orse as the committee boat on Sundays and Mondays, Jaffa or Limoncello on Wednesdays.
• Allocate one RIB to escort the fleet out (and then usually to lay start line).
• Allocate marks and anchors to the committee boat and RIBs: brief crew on which marks they are responsible for laying.
• On the Committee boat, ensure you have flags (including recall flags on poles), hooter, race pack, radios and watch (a back-up watch is good to have!).

Radios

• Each boat will carry a hand-held radio and operate this on channel P4.
• The committee boat also carries a fixed radio (or second portable) normally set on Channel 14 to maintain contact with Shoreham Port.
• Undertake radio checks before launching and again when afloat. SSC call sign is Shoreham Sailing Club or name of the committee boat (“Soldiers Point” for a radio being used ashore).

Launching and Recovery

• Leave plenty of time to launch in order to start on time: aim to be afloat ONE HOUR before the intended start.
• Double-check all boats have necessary marks, anchors and ropes, radios.
• Proceed to the race area ensuring that you are well clear of the main shipping entrance/exit to the harbour.
• See separate sheet for guidance on choosing and setting courses
• On two race days, if safe to do so, allocate one RIB to escort any boats returning to the harbour after the first race.
• At the end of the racing,
  • depending on conditions, use one RIB to escort the fleet into the harbour
  • Committee boat and remaining RIB pick up the marks
  • all support boats are recovered when all racing dinghies are on shore
  • Race team to wash down boats and put them away, sort and put away marks and anchors/ropes, wash and dry radios and place them on charge in the office.
  • Ensure flags and race box are complete and put away, hooter is put on charge
  • Thank your race team
• If you have any concerns, please inform a flag officer or any committee member. The club also now has a system for reporting of any safety or “near miss” issues (e.g. a particularly difficult post-capsize recovery). This is voluntary and aims to promote learning. Report via https://forms.office.com/e/1bAiV0idez

Results

The RO is not required to work out the handicap results, but do enter them on Sailwave if you feel confident to do so (there is an instruction sheet in the office).  Otherwise ensure that the race time sheets are complete and legible, and simply give them to James Gerwat, Paul Walker or Lisa Whitney if any are present. Otherwise leave the sheets on the laptop, take photographs of each and send to James via WhatsApp.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DUTY!