Channel Challenge Rules

1. INVITATION AND LOCATION

1.1. Kettering Yacht Club Inc. (KYC), as the Organising Authority (OA), invites owners and charterers of eligible boats to apply for entry to the Channel Challenge (the Regatta), to be conducted on the waters of the River Derwent and the D'Entrecasteaux Channel from Friday 17 January 2025 to Sunday 19 January 2025.

1.2. The Regatta Office and Official Noticeboard, will be located at the Kettering Yacht Club. Notice to Competitors will also be posted on the event website

2. RACES AND COURSE AREA

2.1. The regatta will consist of 3 races, with two race options for Friday 17 January depending on the start location and for Sunday the 19 January depending on the finish location as follows:

2.1.1. Friday 17 January 2025

2.1.1.1. Cygnet-Beaupre Point( Cygnet) to Kettering (option1)

- - - the Start Line will be from the Port Cygnet Sailing Club (PCSC) Committee Boat, which will be moored south of Beaupre Point;
    - 1st Warning Signal for all divisions being at 11:25;
    - the race will finish at Kettering (unless shortened); and
    - the course to be sailed will be in the Sailing Instructions (SI).

2.1.1.2. Hobart to Kettering (option2)

- - - the Start Line will be from the Derwent Sailing Squadron Committee Boat, RL Bugg, which will be moored at the DSS permanent mark, approximately 0.5nm NE of West Point Casino;
    - 1st Warning Signal for all divisions being at 17:25;
    - the race will finish at Kettering (unless shortened); and
    - the course to be sailed will be in the Sailing Instructions (SI).

2.1.2. Saturday 18 January 2025

2.1.1.3. Tim Malone Memorial Race

- - the Start Line will be from the KYC Committee Boat, Uncle Robin, which will be moored in the general area of Little Oyster Cove, south of the Sealink ferry crossing;
  - the race will start at Kettering with the 1st Warning Signal being at 08:55;
  - the race will finish at Kettering (unless shortened); and
  - the course to be sailed will be in the SI.

2.1.3. Sunday 19 January 2025

2.1.1.4. Dennes Point Race (option1)

- - the Start Line will be from the KYC Committee Boat, Uncle Robin, which will be moored in the general area of Little Oyster Cove, north of the Sealink ferry crossing;
  - the race will start at Kettering with the 1st Warning Signal for all divisions in this group being at 10:25;
  - the race will finish in the vicinity of Dennes Point (unless shortened);
  - the course to be sailed will be in the SI.

2.1.1.5. Cygnet Race (option2)

- - the Start Line will be from the PCSC Committee Boat, which will be moored in the general area of Little Oyster Cove, south of the Sealink ferry crossing;
  - The race will start at Kettering with the 1st Warning Signal for all divisions in this group being at 09:55;
  - The race will finish at Port Cygnet between an imaginary line approximately 90 degrees between the start/finish box and an orange permanent mark (unless shortened);
  - The course to be sailed will be in the SI.

3. SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Sailing Instructions (SI) will be available online here, in the news section of the KSC web site and on the event website no later than 17:00 on Wednesday the 15 January 2025.

4. Rules

4.1. The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) of World Sailing (WS), the Australian Sailing (AS) Special Regulations Part 1 and Part 2, the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, and the current rating rules of each measurement rating category.

4.2. Boats entering IRC must have a current valid endorsed IRC certificate.

4.3. Boats entering ORCc must have a current, valid audited ORCc certificate or a current, valid ORCi certificate. For the avoidance of doubt, audited certificates are those where measurements have been supplied by an approved measurer, meaning that certificates incorporating "owner" measurements are not used.

4.4. Boats shall comply with the Australian Sailing (AS) Prescriptions to the RRS and IRC and ORCc Rules.

4.5. The OA may amend any detail of this Notice of Race (NoR). Amendments made prior to 17:00 on Wednesday the 15 January 2025 will be published on the event website, <HERE> and posted on the Official Noticeboard. Entrants should check the site periodically to keep up to date with the latest information.

4.6. All boats shall comply with the prevailing Tasmanian statutory requirements, including Marine and Safety Tasmania requirements.

4.7. For protests involving an alleged breach of the rules of Part 2 of the RRS, an arbitration hearing may be held prior to a protest hearing. A boat that accepts fault at an arbitration hearing will be penalised by having its race score increased by 30% of the difference between the boat’s finishing score and the score for DSQ in its handicap Class, rounded to the nearest whole number. All other boats’ scores will remain the same. Once accepted, this decision is not subject to reopening or appeal. This alters RRS 63, 66 and Appendix A.

4.8. CHANGES TO RRS:

4.8.1. RRS 55.2 is changed to allow the use of fixed or retractable spinnaker poles and bowsprits for the purpose of setting asymmetrical spinnakers;

4.8.2. RRS 52 is changed by adding “The use of stored power may be used for the operation of sails and moveable ballast systems.”; and

4.8.3. RRS 63.1 and A5 are changed by adding the following to each “The Race Committee may apply penalties without a hearing to boats that infringe the Sailing Instructions relating to keeping clear of start and finish lines. Penalties shall be as specified in the SI.”

5. ENTRY

5.1. Entries are invited from any keel boat registered with any Australian Sailing affiliated yacht club and which satisfy the safety regulations as required for each race of the Regatta.

5.2. The OA reserves the right to accept or reject any entry.

5.3. By lodging an entry, the entrant agrees to be bound by the rules and conditions of the Regatta.

5.4. By lodging an entry, the owner/charterer agrees that they will ensure that the entered yacht is covered by suitable public liability insurance of at least AU$10,000,000, valid for racing and current for the duration of the Regatta.

5.5. Eligible boats shall enter online electronically only, through the event website <HERE> until 17:00 Wednesday 15 January 2025. Late entries may be accepted at the discretion of the OA, with the payment of a late entry fee.

5.6. Entry Fee - Channel Challenge Regatta entry (inclusive of IRC and/or ORCc) - $50

6. CREW

6.1. The minimum number of crew is three (3), unless dispensation has been applied for in writing and granted before close of entries.

6.2. For each race a boat shall submit a Crew Declaration inclusive of all persons on board that boat noting the specific requirements of NoR 6.4 and

6.3. Crew Declaration

6.3.1 The Crew Declaration shall be submitted via KYC Crew Declaration

6.3.1 a) no later than 17:00 on Thursday the 16 January 2025 for the for Hobart to Kettering race

6.3.1 b) no later than warning signal for the boats division for every other race

6.3.2. The Crew Declaration shall confirm that the boat intends to race and includes following details of all persons on board as follows:

- - Full Name;
  - Contact phone number and email address;
  - Emergency contact details; and
  - Australian Sailing Number in accordance with NoR 6.6.

6.3.3. Boats not complying shall be scored DSQ for that race. This changes RRS A5 (2025- 28). A breach of this rule shall not be subject to protest by a competitor.

7. GROUPS, HANDICAP CLASSES (CLASS) AND ELIGIBILITY

7.1. The fleet will be divided into groups, based on the number of entries at the close of entry and at the discretion of the OA. Regatta groups will be published and displayed online <HERE> from 17:00 on Thursday the 16 January 2025. Printed copies may be displayed on the Official Noticeboard.

7.2. A boat’s entry will automatically enter it to its allocated group’s Performance Handicap System (PHS) class.

7.3. The OA may cancel any group or class if fewer than three (3) entries have been received in that group or class by the closing date. In this event, boats that have entered may be reallocated to a different group or class, or will have their entry fee for that group or class refunded in full.

8. SAFETY

8.1. The Safety Categories for each race will in accordance with AS Special Regulations, Part 1, Section 2, as detailed below:

8.1.1. Beaupre Point to Kettering – Friday 17 January 2025 – must comply with the safety regulations for Category 7 or above.

8.1.2. Hobart to Kettering Race – Friday 17 January 2025 - must comply with the safety regulations for Category 5 (night) except that a fitted VHF transceiver is mandatory [this amends AS SR 3.25.1(b)]

8.1.3. Tim Malone Memorial Race – Saturday 18 January 2025 must comply with the following safety regulations:

1. - Division 1 – Hope Island Course - Category 5.
  - Division 2 – Zuidpool Course – Category 5
  - Division 3 – Green Island Course – Category 7

8.1.4. Dennes Point or Port Cygnet – Sunday 19 January 2025 must comply with the safety regulations for Category 7 or above.

8.2. All boats shall submit a completed AS Special Regulation Audit Form, to KYC, for the Safety Category in which it will compete. This may be self-audited and will be submitted by the entry closing time on Wednesday 16 January 2025.

8.3. All persons participating in the Regatta should be aware of the application of the Marine Safety (Misuse of Alcohol) Act 2006.

8.4. The Person in Charge is also reminded of the crew requirement for the wearing of a Personal Floatation Device (PFD) at night.

8.5. All crew on boats without lifelines shall always wear a PFD whilst racing.

8.6. It is recommended that entrants have a practised Man Overboard Procedure that all crew members are made fully aware of.

9. HANDICAPS

9.1. Entrants will be allocated a PHS handicap by the OA. An allocated handicap shall not be grounds for protest.

9.2. Regatta groups will be determined by allocated PHS handicaps after the close of entries.

9.3. The OA reserves the right to adjust performance-based handicap values any time during the Regatta. Such adjustment shall not be grounds for protest.

9.4. IRC and ORC ratings will be obtained from valid rating certificates. Except as a result of a rating protest, or to correct a rating office error, no changes to a boat's IRC rating will be permitted after 17:00, Wednesday 15 January 2025.

10. SCORING

10.1 The scoring system for all Groups will be the Low Point System, RRS Appendix A.

11. TROPHIES

11.1. Regatta prizes will be awarded to boats placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each handicap group of each race.

11.2. The OA reserves the right to vary the number of trophies based on the number of starters in each handicap group, but not less than:

- three to five 1st
- six and over 1st, 2nd and 3rd

12. MEDIA RIGHTS & RESTRICTIONS

12.1. The conditions of entry include a requirement that the owner or charterer of the boat and all crew members:

- acknowledge that the OA owns all media rights to the Regatta and may exercise those rights as it sees fit; and
- grant the OA the unconditional, perpetual right and authority to publish and broadcast anywhere in the world, for any purpose and in any media, the names, images and biographical information relating to the crew and photographs, video footage and audio recordings taken of the boat and its crew prior to, during and after the race.

13. RISK STATEMENT

RRS 3 states: ‘The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue to race is hers alone.’ By participating in this event each competitor agrees and acknowledges that sailing is a potentially dangerous activity with inherent risks. These risks include strong winds and rough seas, sudden changes in weather, failure of equipment, boat handling errors, poor seamanship by other boats, loss of balance on an unstable platform and fatigue resulting in increased risk of injury. Inherent in the sport of sailing is the risk of permanent, catastrophic injury or death by drowning, trauma, hypothermia or other causes.

14. INDEMNITY

14.1. The OA is not responsible for the seaworthiness of a boat whose entry is accepted or the sufficiency or adequacy of its equipment.

14.2. The OA will not certify the suitability of a boat to race.

14.3. By lodging an entry, the owner/charterer agrees that:

- it is a fundamental condition of entry that he, she or it releases, holds harmless and indemnifies the OA and its associates, its office bearers, servants, agents and members and the sponsors of the 2025 Channel Challenge from all liability any of those persons has to the owner/charterer or any crew member on the owner/charterer's boat, or to any person claiming through or under any such person arising from loss or damage how so ever caused, including negligent act or omission, arising out of or relating to:
  - participation by the owner/charterer's boat or any other boat in a race;
  - the conduct or course of a race in any respect including, without limitation, any act or omission (whether reasonably foreseeable or not) causing or relating to loss of or damage to any boat or the death or injury of any person; or
  - any of the matters referred to in the paragraphs above.

14.4. Participation by the boat and by the crewin the Regattai s agreed by OA on the basis that participation is entirely at the risk of the owner/charterer and each member of the crew on the owner/ charterer's boat.

14.5. The owner/charterer will provide each crew member or proposed crew member with a copy of these Conditions of Entry.