Saturday 17th October 2026
General: These Sailing Instructions replace any conflicting information in the Notice of Race, available at the North East & Yorkshire Youth Sailing website
Rules: The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing 2025 – 2028, the Notice of Race and these Sailing Instructions
Changes to Sailing Instructions: Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted not less than 30 minutes before the first race on the day that they will take effect. They will be signalled by displaying flag “D”.
Communications with competitors: Competitors must at all times keep clear of Commercial Shipping.
Commercial shipping in the Fairway must not be obstructed under any circumstances. Instructions from either a TSC or SSSC safety boat, or a ‘Red Seal’ safety boat must be obeyed at all times. An (IC) Flag F (red diamond on white flag) displayed by a safety boat means that boats must keep clear of the fairway and not pass in front of an approaching ship. Failure to do so shall result in disqualification by the Race Committee.
[DP] While racing, except in an emergency, a boat shall not make voice or data transmissions and shall not receive voice or data communication that is not available to all boats.
The briefing will take place by the club house at 10:00 am
Code of Conduct: Competitors and support persons shall comply with any reasonable request from an event official. Failure to comply may be misconduct. Reasonable actions by event officials to implement protocols or legislation, even if they later prove to be unnecessary, are not improper actions or omissions. [DP]
Signals made ashore: Signals made ashore will be displayed on the flagpole on the mast outside the Tynemouth Sailing Club.
When flag AP is displayed ashore the first warning signal will be made not less than 30 minutes after the flag is lowered.
Boats shall not leave the slipway or jetties, until flag D is displayed on the flagpole location when safety boats are ready & their launch group is given permission to launch by the beach master. Where possible 3 short sound signals (whistle) will be made to indicate code flag D is flying. Failure to follow this instruction will result in immediate disqualification from the next race scheduled race with no appeal for redress.
On returning to shore after racing, competitors may be held by the beach master & safety boat teams on the water until the beach master gives permission to come ashore. Failure to follow this instruction will result in immediate disqualification from the last race they finished with no appeal for redress.
Schedule of races: It is intended to run three back to back races. The warning signal for the first race will be no earlier than 10.45hrs..
Class flags: The Class flag will be ‘IC Numeral 8’ (white pennant with red cross) as the warning signal.
Racing area: The racing area will be the Tyne Estuary, as shown on the chart detailed in appendix below.
Courses: Courseswill be displayed on a board at the stern of the committee boat prior to the warning signal.
The course will either be ‘1’ or ‘2’. If the number displayed is red, all marks to port. if the number is green, all marks to starboard. Please see the course diagrams in the appendix below.
A change of course for a subsequent race, will be indicated by a new course being displayed on the stern of the committee boat with IC Flag Q (Yellow Flag) before the warning signal.
Should the race committee decide to change the course between it being displayed and the race start, flag “L” will be raised above flag “AP” on the committee boat accompanied by two sound signals.
Marks: Course marks are numbered as seen on the chart map. Available on the TSC website or at the registration desk.
Mark ‘X’ is a mark which may be dropped anywhere at the discretion of the OOD
The Start: Races will be started by using RRS 26. (5, 4, 1, go).
The Starting line will be between the main mast of the committee boat and a nearby starting mark which may also become a mark of the course. The Starting line may become a ‘gate’ within the course.
A main fleet boat starting later than 4 minutes after the starting signal will be scored DNS (Did Not Start) without a hearing. This changes RRS A4 and A5.
A regatta fleet boat starting later than 8 minutes after the starting signal will be scored DNS (Did Not Start) without a hearing. This changes RRS A4 and A5
Changes to the next leg of the course: The course will not change after the start.
The Finish: The finishing line will be between the mast on the Committee Boat and the adjacent mark of the course, and shall be crossed in the direction of the course from the previous mark
Shortening then course: If flag S is flown the course is shortened. Once flag S is displayed, all boats will finish the next time they pass through the finish line regardless of how many laps they have completed. The finish positions will be calculated on the basis of an average lap time.
Safety regulations: A competitor retiring from a race should, inform either the Committee Boat or any safety boat. Members should be aware that the safety boats will remain afloat until boats are accounted for.
A competitor that retires from a race shall, as soon as possible after coming ashore, inform the beach master of their decision to retire.
Replacement of crew or equipment: [DP] Substitution of competitors is not allowed without permission of the race organising authority (ROA).
[DP] Substitution of damaged or lost equipment is not allowed unless authorized in writing by the race organising authority. Requests for substitution shall be made to the ROA at the first reasonable opportunity, which may be after the race.
Time limits and time targets: The time limit for a race is 70 minutes. The target time in minutes for the race length is 45 minutes. Any boat which fails to finish within the time limit will be given a finish position calculated on the basis of an average lap calculation from their previously completed lap, provided at least one lap has been completed.
Regatta Fleet and Main Fleet boats which have sailed fewer laps than the lead boat may be finished on an earlier lap and average lap times calculated. In this circumstance there is no opportunity for redress. The Race Committee will attempt to notify the competitor they have finished but are not obliged to do so.
Hearing requests: For all races the protest time limit is thirty minutes after the last boat finishes the last race of the day.
The protest period expiry time will be posted on the official notice board.
Hearing request forms are available from the club house.
Hearing notices will be posted no later than 30 minutes after the protest time limit to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. Any protest hearings will be performed at a place chosen by the Race Organising Authority
Scoring: Each race will be scored based on the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick calculation of race duration based on average lap times.
The elapsed time for each boat will be divided by the number of laps sailed by that boat to calculate an average lap time. This average lap time will be used to calculate the race results.
Competitors entered into the Regatta division will be scored in each race both for overall position and position within the regatta fleet. Positions in the regatta fleet will be determined by abstracting the regatta entrant results from the overall results.
If three or more races are sailed, there will be one discard, if less than three races are sailed there will be no discard.
Insurance: Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance with a minimum cover of £3 million per event or the equivalent.
Rubbish disposal: Rubbish may be placed aboard official vessels.
Prizes: Prizes – courtesy of Ovington Boats – will be given to the winner of the event and to the winner of the regatta fleet. Other prizes may be given at the discretion of the organisers
Appendix: Courses for this open meeting will follow the same as sea courses for TSC, which are available here. The open meeeting will be held within the Tyne estuary, a map of the estuary is available here.