1.1        The Regatta will be governed by:

The Race Rules of Sailing (RRS),

The IRC 2011 Handicap Rules Parts 1, 2 & 3, The OMR rule for Ocean Multihulls, The International Platu Class Rules and any local amendments, The Class Rules of the appropriate dinghy, windsurfing, and beach catamaran classes.

  1.2     Between the hours of local sunset and sunrise the International Rules for Preventing Collisions at Sea shall apply.
 

  1.3       The ISAF Special Regulations Appendix J, Category 5 Special Regulations shall apply to all keelboats and Ocean Multihulls. Regatta specific safety requirements will apply to all other classes. These shall include, but may not be restricted to; communication devices and reporting schedules, minimum drinking water requirements, tally discs and life vests. These safety rules will be available from the organizing committee one month before the event.

  1.4        The Regatta is classified as a Category C event under RRS 80 and ISAF Regulation 20 Advertising Code.
 

                1.4.1       The Organising Committee will require all participating boats to display the event sponsor's advertising in accordance with Regulation 20.3. (d 1).

                1.4.2       The Organising Committee approval will be required for any other advertising, and it is unlikely to be given for products competing with those of the Regatta Principal Sponsors or for which advertising is controlled by local laws or customs.

  1.5        The Sailing Instructions will be available at Registration.

  1.6        No National Prescriptions shall apply.

 

2.  ELIGIBILITY, ENTRY AND FEE

  2.1        The Regatta will have the following classes, subject to entries received.

2.1.1       Class One, IRC 1 - Keelboats with an IRC 1.200 and above
  

2.1.2       Class Two, IRC 2 - Keelboats with an IRC 1.060 to 1.199

2.1.3.      Class Three, IRC 3 - Keelboats with an IRC 0.960 to 1.059

2.1.4       Class Four, IRC 4 Cruising - Keelboats cruising in nature racing on IRC handicaps. (at the committee’s discretion).

2.1.5       Class Five, Sports Boats - Keelboats with a Sport Boat handicap

2.1.6       Class Six, Platu - Platu class keelboats (Coronation Cup)

2.1.7       Class Seven, Ocean Multihulls - Ocean going catamarans and trimarans

2.1.8       Class Eight, F18’s

2.1.9       Class Nine, Open Beach Multihulls

2.1.10     Class Ten, Single handed monohull dinghies

2.1.11     Class Eleven, Double handed monohull dinghies

                2.1.12     Class Twelve, Optimist - Thailand Nationals

  2.2        The Race Committee may change the above eligibility factors and number of classes based on its analysis of the entries received. Should sufficient enquiries be made and entries received the Race Committee may provide classes for other yachts and other Beach Catamaran classes.

  2.3        The Race Committee recognizes that there may be boats that by virtue of design may qualify under these criteria in the above Classes but consider themselves to be cruising orientated either by accommodations, rig, sails or other reasons. The committee will receive written applications for consideration for inclusion in a Cruising Class no later than April 1, 2012 giving details of the boat and the reasons for consideration. A valid IRC certificate, sail plan, accommodation layout including details of installed equipment, keel details and crew list MUST accompany the application. Applications based on crew criteria alone will not be entertained. The Committee's decision shall be final and not subject to appeal.

  2.4        Where boat specification falls between the above parameters owners should consult the Race Committee on class placement.

  2.5        Application for entry shall be made on the official Entry Form. The entry fee for Classes 1 - 7 is Thai Baht 12,000.00. For Classes 8 -11 the entry fee is Thai Baht 3,000.00 except that competitors under 18 years of age in these classes the fee shall be Baht 1,500.00 The entry fee for the Class 12 is nominal and is partly subsidized by the organisers. The Entry Fee should accompany the Entry Form. Entries must be received by April 15, 2012. Late entries may be accepted at the discretion of the Race Committee, which may levy a late entry fee of Thai Baht 2,500.00.

  2.6        The entry fee includes participation of the skipper. An additional fee of Thai Baht 2,500.00 is payable for classes 1-7 at the time of registration for each additional crew member and/or supporter participating in any of the official functions of the Regatta. For classes 8-11 this fee shall be Baht 2,000 for additional crew and or supporters. Optimist family and/or supporters shall pay a fee of Baht 500.00 to attend the official Optimist functions.

  2.7        Current IRC certificates or completed application forms for the rating together with fee, should accompany entries for relevant classes.

 3.  SCHEDULE  

                The following is the proposed schedule; however the Organising Committee reserves the right to amend this schedule.

Friday 4^th May:                    Registration Day

                10:00 -16.30          Registrations

                17.30                      Skippers briefing classes 1-7

                18:00                      Opening Ceremony with Cocktails and Wine at Ocean Marina Yacht Club

Saturday 5^th May:               Race Day One all classes

                09.00                      Skippers briefing classes 8-11

                11:00                      Racing Starts

                17:00-19:00          Daily prize giving and drinks on the lawn                      

Sunday 6th May:                                 Race Day Two all classes

                11:00                      Racing Starts

                17:00-19:00          Daily Prize giving and drinks on the lawn               

Monday 7^th May:                                 Race Day Three all classes

                11:00                      Racing Starts

                17:00-19:00          Optimist National Prize giving and drinks on the lawn               

Tuesday 8^th  May:               Race Day Four classes 1 - 9

                11:00                      Racing Starts

                18:00                      Ocean Marina Gala Dinner and Regatta prize giving.

4.  COURSES

        The regatta is run on three courses. Classes 1-7 shall compete on an outer course area and other classes will compete on two inshore areas. Each course area shall have its own race officer and support team as well as shore management.               A book of courses will be issued for classes 1-7 together with the Sailing Instructions. This book will contain a number                of courses, inshore, coastal and inter-island. The course(s) will be chosen to take into account the prevailing, or            forecast weather conditions on the day of the race. For outer course coastal and inter-island races the approximate               coordinates of any marks of the course will be indicated in the course book. Actual (or changes to) coordinates will be   notified on the day of race via the official notice board and/or VHF radio on committee boats. The Committee may set     additional courses which will be conveyed to the competitors prior to racing.

5.  PENALTY SYSTEM

For Classes 7, 8 and 9, rules 44.1 and 44.2 are changed so the two turn penalty is replaced by the one turn penalty. All other classes shall perform two penalty turns.

6.  SCORING

  6.1        Low Point scoring system will apply. For each class, two races shall be completed to constitute a series.

  6.2        For Classes 1-3, 5 and 7 eight races are scheduled. If five or more races are completed, one discard will be allowed. If four races or less are completed, all will count.

  6.3        For Class 6 Platus 10 races are scheduled. If seven races or more are completed one discard will be allowed If six races or less completed all will count.

  6.4        For class 4, five races are scheduled. If five races are completed, one discard will be allowed. If four races or less are completed, all will count.

  6.5        For Classes 8-12, nine races are scheduled. If seven or more races are completed, one discard will be allowed. If six races or fewer are completed, all will count.

7.  Maximum Crew

7.1         Maximum Crew Number. IRC Rule 22.4.2 is deleted and replaced by “The maximum number of crew that may sail aboard a boat shall be the Crew Number printed on her certificate plus/minus 2. There is no weight limit.”

7.2          In the case of a boat rated as a One-Design, and when her IRC crew limitation exceeds her One-design Class crew limitation, a boat shall comply with her One -Design Class rules.

7.3          There shall be no restriction on crew changes for classes 1-9, however any changes must not exceed the number or weight specification for each class.

7.4          For classes 4 there shall be a minimum number of crew to sail the boat safely given the conditions during the regatta. This is estimated to be no less than 50% of the rated number of crew on the yachts certificate. Classes 6-12 shall sail with crew numbers in accordance with the yachts certificate or class rules.

7.5          Class 6 and 7 shall declare their crew weight at registration.

7.6          Substitution of skipper will not be allowed without prior written approval of the race committee.

8.  HANDICAP SYSTEM

  8.1        The IRC Handicap System shall be used for Classes 1 -4. Yachts shall submit their IRC rating certificate or rating                 application no later than April 15, 2012. No alteration to a yacht’s certificate will be permitted after this date, except      as a result of a rating protest or to correct a rating office error.

8.2          The Sport boat class Handicap system shall be used for Class 5.

8.3          The OMR handicap system shall be used for the Ocean Multihulls.

  8.4        The Texel rating system shall be used for the Beach Catamaran Class.

  8.5        The OMR  and Texel handicaps shall be fixed and not subject to protest.

9.  INSPECTION, IDENTIFICATION AND INSURANCE 

    9.1      All yachts shall be liable for inspection in accordance with applicable safety and measurement requirements.

    9.2      All yachts shall carry mainsail numbers. Any yacht without a mainsail number may request a number for the duration of the Regatta from the Committee.

    9.3      The Organizing Committee strongly recommends that each yacht carry adequate insurance sufficient to cover the liability to crew and third party property and persons in the class being sailed.

 10.  INTERNATIONAL JURY 

    10.1    An International Jury shall be appointed in accordance with RRS 70.5.

    10.2    Decisions of the jury shall be final and shall not be subject to appeal.

11.  PRIZES FOR THE TOP OF THE GULF INTERNATIONAL REGATTA SERIES

   11.1     The First, Second and third place prizes will be awarded in each class.

   11.2     The Coronation Cup shall be awarded to the winner of the Platu Class 6.

   11.3     Other prizes including prizes for individual races and divisional results and line honours may be awarded at the discretion of the Organising Committee.

12.  DISCLAIMER 

    12.1    Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The Organising Committee, the Race Committee, the Regatta sponsors and their representatives, officers, members and volunteers accept no liability whatsoever for any loss of life, property, personal injury, or damage caused by or arising out of the Regatta.

    12.2    The Regatta may be classified as a Category C event under Regulation 20.4.2. However, prior approval of the Organizing Committee of the Regatta shall be required for any advertising in addition to that permitted under Regulation 20.3.3.

    12.3    Without limitation, the Organizing Committee is expected to disapprove any advertising it deems in conflict with Thai laws or customs and may disapprove advertising in conflict with the products of event sponsors. This prescription shall constitute an Individual Advertising Licence System for purposes of Regulation 20.4.2.

13.  PHOTOGRAPHY CONSENT 

By entering the Regatta competitors accept that they may be photographed and/or videotaped participating in the race and they consent to the taking of such images and to the use, reuse, publication and republication of such images in any media, in conjunction with the competitors name or not, without compensation and without the competitors approval of such images or any use thereof.

14.  CHANGES TO THE NOTICE OF RACE

               This Notice of Race may be subject to amendments which will be published on the regatta website.

End.