ROUND ORCAS

Orcas Island Yacht Club is pleased to invite you to our annual race around Orcas Island, on June 21st, 2025. Held on the longest Saturday of the year, the race presents intriguing navigational challenges set against the splendid scenic beauty of the largest island in the San Juans.

1. Rules

• 1.1. The race will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing and the prescriptions of the U.S. Sailing Association.
• 1.2. All boats must have a valid 2025 PHRF certificate. Any rules of the individual Class Associations shall apply to each participating class.
•  1.3. U.S. Sailing Safety Equipment Requirements (SER) for "Nearshore" shall apply to all PHRF boats.
• 1.4. RRS Appendix T and Rule V1 in Appendix V will apply.
• 1.5. RRS 52, Manual Power, is amended to include: Boats registered as shorthanded (single- or double-handed) are allowed to use autopilot mechanisms for sail changes and other situations where having one crew member assigned to steering the yacht may compromise the safety of the crew and craft.
• 1.6. A boat rated by her handicap class, in consideration of water ballast, may use water ballast as rated. This changes RRS 51.
• 1.7. [DP] RRS 40.1 applies. Each competitor shall wear a personal flotation device at all times while racing except briefly while changing or adjusting clothing or personal equipment.
  

2. Fleets

We are planning on having at least two fleets, a PHRF fleet and a Multi Hull fleet. If there are more than 8 boats in a fleet it will be divided into two separate divisions.

3. Notices to Competitors

• 3.1. Notices to competitors will be published on the electronic notice board on the event site.
• 3.2. Notices to competitors may also be made on VHF channel 68 at the top of the hour. Failure to do so, the failure to hear the communication, or any other issues regarding the communication shall not constitute grounds for redress. This changes RRS 62.1(a).

4. The Course

• 4.1. The course is a circumnavigation of Orcas Island. The course direction will be selected by and communicated to competitors as described in the Notice of Race.
• 4.2. The start will be off the Orcas ferry landing as described in the THE START section.
• 4.3 If the counterclockwise (CCW) course is selected then competitors will leave Orcas Island to port.
• 4.3.1 If the shortened course is announced - before the start by the race committee - then round South Pee Pod Rock to port and return to West Sound to finish. The distance for scoring will use 19.5 NM.
  
• 4.4. If the clockwise (CW) course is selected then competitors will leave the Orcas Island to starboard.
• 4.4.1 If the shortened course is announced - before the start by the race committee - then round Flat Top Island to port and return to West Sound to finish.  The distance for scoring will be 15.1 NM.
  
• 4.5. The finish will be in West Sound as described in THE FINISH section.
• 4.6. The course direction will be sent to competitors via email before the race and posted on the Round Orcas page on https://oiyc.org.

5. Schedule

• 5.1. The scheduled start time is not earlier than 0730.
  
• 5.2. The time limit for the race shall be 1930 for either the full course or the shortened course. No signals will be made after this time.
• 5.3. After the finish the grill at the West Sound OIYC Picnic Shelter will be get going. Robin Hirsh is preparing food for the competitors.
  

6. The Start

• 6.1. All boats must check in with the race committee on VHF 68. The race committee will acknowledge a check-in with the boat's name and/or sail number. It is the responsibility of each boat to ensure that the race committee acknowledges her check-in.
• 6.2. The race will be started by using rule 26 with the class flag going up five minutes before the starting signal. Horns may not be used. All boats will start together. Competitors are encouraged to monitor VHF 68 during the starting sequence.
• 6.3. The start is between an orange flag on the only small dock just west of the County Dock, and the flagpole on Shaw Island at approximately 48° 35.169' N / 122° 56.549' W.
• 6.4. A boat on the course side (OCS) at the start may re-cross the line to start correctly.

7. The Finish

• 7.1. The finishing line will be in West Sound between the end of the OIYC dock and a buoy south of the dock. When finishing, leave the mark to port and OIYC dock to starboard.
• 7.2. The Race Committee will be present on the OIYC dock or monitoring via the club webcam. Boats must also report their GPS finish time, including boats finishing immediately ahead and behind, by sending a text to Ryan Forbes @ 206-914-6495
  

8. Protests

• 8.1. Protests will be heard at the conclusion of the race at the OIYC Picnic Shelter. Forms will not be provided.
• 8.2. A boat intending to protest must inform the race committee by VHF channel 68, by email at fleetcaptainsail@oiyc.org, or in person when finishing or by the protest time limit, whichever is earlier.
• 8.3. The protest time limit will be 30 MINUTES from the time of the last boat to finish or 2000 hours, whichever is earlier.

9. Safety

• 9.1. U.S. Sailing Safety Equipment Requirements (SER) for "Nearshore" shall apply to all PHRF boats.
• 9.2. Each boat must have a VHF and charts (paper or electronic) of the area around Orcas Island.
• 9.3. All competitors must wear personal flotation devices (PFDs).
• 9.4. Boats must obey any instructions from and keep clear of all commercial traffic. All vessels transiting in Vessel Traffic Lanes should monitor Channel 5A on the VHF radio. All vessels transiting ferry lanes should monitor Channel 12 on the VHF radio.
• 9.5. Vessels with an Automated Identification System shall broadcast their position.
• 9.6. A boat retiring from the race is required to notify the race committee before leaving the race area or as soon as possible thereafter. The race committee will monitor VHF channel 68. You may also reach the race coordinator via voice or text at (360) 854-8516 or fleetcaptainsail@oiyc.org.
• 9.7. The race committee reserves the right to cancel or postpone due to unsafe conditions. However, the fact that the race committee has not canceled a race, nor the fact that other boats are still racing, should not be interpreted to mean that conditions are necessarily safe for all vessels. It is the responsibility of the individual yacht to decide when conditions are unsafe for their vessel and to take appropriate safety measures.
• 9.8. Vessels may not approach within 1000 yards of a southern resident killer whale. This includes positioning a vessel so that the prevailing wind or water current carries the vessel into the path of the whale at any point located within 1000 yards of the whale. Boaters are obligated to disengage the transmission [Move away] of a vessel that is within 1000 yards of a southern resident whale.

10. Scoring and Awards

• 10.1. There will be overall scoring for all boats.
• 10.2. The race will be scored on time distance with a total distance of 31.5nm for the CCW course and 34nm for the CW course. If the shortened course option is called then the CCW distance is 19.5 NM and the CW course is 15.1 NM.
  
• 10.3. Full course finishers will be scored in the order of their corrected time.
  
• 10.4. Awards will be provided for first, second, and third in division and first overall.

11. Risk, Liability, and Personal Conduct

• 11.1. Competitors participate in the event at their own risk. See Rule 3 (Decision to Race). The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury, or death sustained in conjunction with or before, during, or after the event.
• 11.2. A boat's Person In Charge will accept full responsibility for the actions of the boat's crew during any activity related to this event. This includes onshore activities before, during, and after the regatta.