ORGANIZING AUTHORITY – VENUE

Dream Yacht  and the Sailing Club of Aghios Nikolaos "AEOLOS" are organizing the 33^rd Blue Cup, which will be held from October 26 till November 2, 2024 in the Saronic Gulf.

SECRETARIAT

The address of the secretariat and the Race Committee Office is at the Dream Yacht main office at 6, Eleftherias Ave, Alimos (Athens), Tel: +30 210 9850129, e-mail: [email protected].

RULES

The event will be governed by the following rules valid in 2024:

• The W.S. Racing Rules of Sailing (R.R.S.) for 2021-2024
• The W.S. Special Regulations Governing Offshore Racing.
• The Event is classified in Category 4 with life raft.
• VHF channels 16, 68 and 69 are mandatory.
• The International Regulations for Prevention of Collisions at Sea.
• The present Sailing Instructions and any amendments added to it.
• All boats will race under the ORC club rating rules

In case of contact / collision between two or more boats the boat in claim is disqualified from the rest of the race. Additionally, the Protest Committee will be strict to apply rule 14 even to the right of way boat/s.

SPONSORING

The display of any advertisement of products on the participating yachts will be allowed only with the permission of the Organizing Committee.

ENTRIES

Entries are announced at the official web site of Blue Cup Regatta. The organizers reserve the right for last minute entries.

MERGING OF CLASSES

There will be 3 classes and the classification of boats participating will be distributed at the Check in of the boats.
The Race Committee reserves the right to merge the classes in accordance with the relative rules.

TIME CORRECTION SYSTEM, SCORING AND TIES

The boats will be rated under ORC Club Measurement System and "Time on Distance" scoring will be applied.
The R.R.S. Low Point System will apply according to WS Appendix A. When fewer than 4 races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores. When from 4 to 6 races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score. In case of a tie this will be solved according to the R.R.S. A8.

CHARTS AND PUBLICATIONS

The following charts are recommended: British Admiralty charts: 2682, 1657, 1038, Imray tera charts: G3, G14, G141, and G31.
The following publications are recommended: Greek Waters Pilot by Rod Heikell / Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson Ltd.

PENALTY SYSTEM

A two turns penalty will be applied to those who break a rule of Part 2 of RRS, or a rule of the International Regulations for Prevention of Collisions at Sea and one turn penalty to those who brake a rule of 31 of RRS.
Decisions of the Protest Committee (penalty or disqualification) about incidents that happen at the start or during the course of Leg 2 or Leg 4 will also apply to legs 3 or 5 respectively. This rule will not apply when an alternative course sailed instead.

SIGNALS

All signals will be given from the RC boat.
Visual signals govern over sound signals and those given through the VHF.
There shall be three separate starts for the three classes racing in the event. Classes will start the race according to their warning signals.
Class flags: Class flags will be:

• Class A Numeral pennant "1"
• Class B Numeral pennant "2"
• Class C Numeral pennant "3"

Warning signal: 5 minutes prior to each start the class flag will be displayed together with one sound signal.
Preparatory signal: 4 minutes prior to the start the code flag P will be displayed together with one sound signal.
One minute piror to the start, the code flag P is lowered along with one long sound signal.
Start: The start will be signalled by the lowering of the class flag, along with one sound signal. Boats starting later than 10 minutes after the starting signal shall be considered DNS.

Individual recalls: If at the time of the starting signal any part of a yacht’s hull is on the course side of the starting line (OCS), the code flag X will be displayed on the RC boat along with one long sound signal. The Race Committee will try to announce  the prematurely started boats via VHF. If the above is not feasible this does not consist ground for seeking redress. Such yacht(s) shall return to the prestart side of the starting line and start properly.
General recall: If during the starting signal there are a great number of/or unidentified prematurely started boats (OCS), the First Substitute of the International Code will be displayed on the RC boat, along with two sound signals and all yachts must return for a new start. A short time after the general recall, the First Substitute will be lowered along with one sound signal. Exactly one minute later the warning signal will be displayed for a new start procedure as described above.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/CHANGES TO THE SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

CODE FLAG "L", Ashore. If it is necessary to make an announcement or any changes to these sailing instructions, the International Code Flag “L” will be hoisted on the Race Committee boat. Such alterations will be announced on VHF Channel 68.Notices and results will be posted on the notice board located at the Race Committee boat.

CODE FLAG "L", Afloat. If the Race Committee judge that the wind is not sufficient enough, in order to save the race of the day, the International Code Flag "L" will be hoisted as the "Follow me" signal and all the boats shall follow the R.C. boat to a new place of start, for a shortened course. Instructions will be given through VHF.

POSTPONEMENT FLAG (Answering pennant) Ashore. If the postponement flag is hoisted ashore along with two sound signals, there will be a postponement of the start for at least one hour. Announcement shall be given through VHF as well.

ABANDONMENT OF A RACE
In case of lack of wind or heavy winds the Race Committee may decide to abandon a race that has already been started. In this case code flag “N” will be hoisted, along with three sound signals, on the Race Committee boat and an according announcement shall be given through VHF.

SHORTEN COURSES
The Race Committee reserve the right to shorten the day’s course in any gate mentioned. In this case code flag "S" will be hoisted, along with two sound signals. The time limits for the shortened courses are the same as the complete courses. Additionally, the Race Committee reserves the right to start a new race from that gate to the rest of the announced course. In this case the time limits for the new course will be changed accordingly.

RECORDIND TIMES AT GATES
The Race Committee will record the times for each boat passing through a gate, that is not a finishing line or a shorten course was given. These times will be used as finished times of the Race, in case of no boat finished the complete race, or the race is abandoned before the first boat passing the finishing line of complete course, or as finished time of each boat not finished the complete course (in this case the boat shall be scored for the places of the last boat scored for the complete race plus two up to DNF. This changes RRS 35, A5.1, A5.2 and A4

RACE COMMITTEE POSITION DURING START & FINISH
According to prevailing weather conditions it may be necessary to place the “RC” flag and the blue flag from the RC boat on land. The buoys will remain as described. The drawings of this booklet showing the start / Finishing Lines are indicative. The position of the RC boat and the buoy might be otherwise.

COMMUNICATION
All yachts are instructed to switch to VHF channel 68, which will be used by the Race Committee for starting and finishing procedures. The RC will listen on VHF channel 68. Communication on channels 16 and 6 will only be allowed for emergency reasons. Information will only be given via the visual signals or written notice or orally on the water using VHF channel 68. In case of traffic on channel 68, channel 69 will be used alternatively after an announcement through VHF.

Code Flag “V”

When the race committee displays flag V with one sound, all boats and official and support vessels shall, if possible, monitor the race committee communication channel (68) for search and rescue instructions.

ENGINES
Engines shall be turned off before the Preparatory Signal (-4 minutes). Any use of the boat’s engine (battery charging, refrigerator cooling, propulsion to avoid collision, etc.) shall be noted to the Race Committee during the race or right after the boat crosses the Finish Line.

RETIREMENT
Shoud a yacht retire from a race for any reason, the skipper of the boat shall inform the Race Committee as soon as possible through the VHF channel 68 or through mobile phone numbers

DRONES
Flying devices should not be used by the participants during racing (RRS 41 "Outside Help"). The Protest Committee will apply a penalty or disqualify the boat that uses it.

Tracking System
All participating yachts will be equipped with a tracking device. The Protest committee will apply a penalty or disqualify any yacht that disconnects it.

ENTRY DISCLAIMER - RESPONSIBILITY

All boats participating in the 33^rd Blue Cup 2024 do so under their own risk and responsibility. All skippers shall complete and sign the Official Statement requested by the Coast Guard
Dream Yacht Charter, the Organizing Committee, The Protest Committee, the Race Committee and any other person or body involved in the organization of the event expressly reject any responsibility for material or personal damages that may occur as a consequence of the participation in the races covered by this Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions.
Attention is drawn to Fundamental Rule 3, “Decision to Race”, RRS Part 1, which establishes: “The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.”.

CREW LIST
The skippers of the participating boats must submit a crew list with the full names of all persons aboard and copies of their sailing certificates, until October 11, 2024 at 16:00 hours at the secretariat of the Blue Cup.
Changes in the crew composition are permitted, provided that the Race Committee is advised in writing, no later than one hour before the start of every race.
For safety and responsibility reasons concerning the person in charge of a boat and the Race Committee, the identification of a wrong or inadequate crew may disqualify the boat in the particular race.

INSURANCE
All participating boats in the 33rd Blue Cup shall have third party insurance cover.

ALL YACHTS MUST DISPLAY

• The Blue Cup pennant from the port spreader.
• Their race number on bow rails. Both will be provided at the check-in or at the Skippers' meeting.

RESTRICTIONS-SAFETY PRECAUTION

All yachts must race with their standard charter sails provided by the Dream Yacht Charter sail inventory. Spinnakers, spinnaker and whisker (a spar attached to the mast and connected to a headsail clew) poles are not allowed on the Blue Cup, according to RRS 55.3 “No sail shall be sheeted over or through any device that exerts outward pressure on a sheet or clew of a sail at a point from which, with the boat upright, a vertical line would fall outside the hull or deck,

Attention is drawn also to RRS 42 and specially RRS42.2 “Prohibited Actions” and RRS 49.2 “Crew Position, Lifelines”

PROTEST REQUIREMENTS

Display the Red Flag at the time of incident until no longer racing, inform the protestee at the first reasonable opportunity (may use the VHF Channel 68) , inform the Race Committee at the Finishing Line, complete and deliver the protest (in writing) at the Race Committee Boat within two hours after the last boat in the race finishes.

SAILS
Please take care of your sails. If the wind is strong please remember to reef early, in accordance with good seamanship in the prevailing conditions. Although we are able to repair minor sail damage, such as re-stitching split seams, we have no facilities during the event to repair more serious damage than this. Sails damaged beyond repair during the event will not be replaced, so please bear this in mind and race within the capabilities of your yacht’s rig. Please do not carry full sail in strong winds!

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Any changes to the sailing instructions will be communicated by written notice to the competitors. Oral changes may be given only on the water through the VHF (channel 68)
Concerning the racing legs, the written description is precise, whereas the diagrams and pictures are indicative.

TROPHIES AND PRIZES

• The prize for the 1st overall winner is one-week free charter on a 4 cabin monohull yacht at any base of Dream Yacht Charter (depending on the availability and excluding the high season period.).
• Cups will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finisher overall of each class, 
• Cups will be awarded to the first place finisher of each class for every individual race. 
• A diploma will be awarded to all crewmembers of the participating boats. 

FLAGS USED BY THE RACING COMMITTEE