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NOTICE-OF-RACE
Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week 2011
11th – 18th AUGUST 2011
AIRLIE BEACH, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

1. Invitation

Owners and charterers of suitably found boats are invited to apply for entry in the 22nd Annual Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week, on the waters of Pioneer Bay and the Whitsunday Passage from 11th to 18th August 2011. The Whitsunday Sailing Club (WSC) is the organising authority.

2. Rules

2.1 The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in the 2009 – 2012 Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the Yachting Australian Special Regulations Part 1, the current class rules of each Class. For boats entered in the Sports Boat Class, the Australian Sports Boat Association rules will apply. For boats entered in IRC Classes, the IRC Rules 2009 Parts 1, 2 and 3 will apply. For boats entered in Multi-Hull Class the Offshore Multi-Hull Rule (OMR) will apply.

2.2 Backstay pennants and hull stickers may be provided by the organizers, which will be displayed by each competing boat throughout Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week.

2.3 Each boat will be crewed by at least two persons over the age of 18 years.

2.4 Attention is drawn to the RRS Part 1 and to Fundamental Rule 4.

2.5 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week is a 'wet' regatta. Boats will not be hauled out once the series has commenced, except in the case of emergency and after permission of the Race Committee has been obtained in writing and in accordance with any conditions attached to that permission.

2.6 RRS 50.2 is amended by adding an extra sentence to read "Fixed and retractable spinnaker poles not attached to the foremost of the masts will be permitted for the purpose of setting asymmetrical spinnakers" Boats not racing in an IRC Class shall request permission from the Race Committee to use movable and/or variable ballast for the purpose of increasing stability. Any such request must be accompanied by full details of the system involved, and any such system will be taken into account in establishing the yacht's handicap. Stored power may be used for the operation of movable ballast systems. Rules 51 and 52 are modified to the extent required by this paragraph. Boats shall NOT carry anchors protruding beyond the bow whilst racing.

2.7 One-Design boats shall comply with their class rules at all times whilst racing in IRC and One Design Classes unless these have been modified by the class association for Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week 2011.

2.8 A boat chartered or on loan may carry national letters or sail numbers in contravention of her class rules. A yacht without identification numbers on the main and headsail and spinnaker shall display bow numbers on each side of the hull, placed no more than one metre from the bow, for the duration of the event. This amends RRS 77. Bow numbers may be available at registration.

2.9 Except as detailed in NoR paragraph 2.3 and 2.7, there will be no restrictions on crew numbers or crew changes during the Regatta.

2.10 For the purpose of IRC Rules 21.1.5 (d) and (e) this regatta is on consecutive days and the sails carried shall remain the same.

3. Safety

3.1 This regatta is classified as Category "5" (YA Special Regulations, Part 1) except Inshore Sports Boats Class which shall be Category 6.

3.2 All boats shall carry sufficient fuel at the start of each race for two hours of motoring. The race committee may inspect any yacht for compliance with safety regulations.

4. Classes and Eligibility

4.1 Racing will be provided in the following classes subject to at least seven entries being accepted in that class. The organising authority may alter, amalgamate or divide any class or may add classes as required. Should there be insufficient entries to form a particular class; boats entered for that class may be allocated to another class at the discretion of the Race Committee.

4.2 Classes

1. IRC Racing Class will have an IRC TCC greater than 0.950. The Race Committee may amend this limit if required.
2. One Design Classes (Sydney 38, Etchells, Ross 780s etc) will have a current Class One Design Certificate, which will be lodged with the Race Committee prior to the commencement of racing.
3. IRC Cruising Class will have a maximum Hull Factor of 9.8 and are fitted out to cruising standards. The Race Committee may accept boats that fall outside these criteria.
4. Performance Racing Class will be less than 30 m LOA and will be handicapped by the Handicap Committee.
5. Cruising Class will typically have at least a permanently installed stove, galley sink, head, and at least four berths. All boats typically shall have working sails of Dacron construction unless the race committee grants dispensation. Boats shall advise the Race Committee at the time of entry of the sails carried aboard and their material construction. The Race Committee may reject boats that do not meet the spirit and intention of Cruising Class.
6. Non–Spinnaker Class will have the same requirements as for Cruising Boats, but shall not carry a spinnaker at any time whilst racing.
7. Sports Boat Class will be trailable boats that meet the requirements of the Australian Sports Boat Association rules and will be handicapped using the Sportsboat Measurement System (SMS).
8. Inshore Sports Boat Class will be trailable Sports Boats that do not meet YA Special Regulations Category 5.
9. Multi-Hull Class will be Multi-Hull boats that have a current Offshore Multihull Rule (OMR) rating greater than 0.700
10. Super 30 Class will be high performance keel boats up to 10.75 metres in length and will be handicapped using Australian Measurement System (AMS).

4.3 More information on the type of racing offered in the above divisions can be found under the "Classes Information" tab on the event website.

5. Entry

5.1 Eligible boats shall enter on-line no later than Friday 5th August 20114. Event website at www.airliebeachraceweek.com.au Details on the payment of the entry fee are advised on the entry form.

5.2 All One-Design classes will provide a current One-Design certificate and owner's declarations as required by the class rules, no later than Registration.

5.3 No changes to IRC Certificates will be permitted after 1700 hrs, Thursday 11th August except as a result of a rating protest or to correct a Rating office error.

5.4 All boats entering in divisions handicapped by performance based handicaps, shall supply, as part of their entry, suitable information to allow the Handicap Committee to issue a handicap. This may be by way of a suitable photo of the entered yacht. The information can be sent electronically to info@airliebeachraceweek.com.au or by mail to:

Meridien Airlie Beach Race Week
PO Box 999
Airlie Beach Qld 4802

5.5 The Race Committee may accept late entries in which case an additional fee of $250.00 will apply.

6. Entry Fees

Boats up to 7.0m		$400.00
7.01m to 12.0m		$475.00
12.01m to 16.0m		$550.00
16.01m to 18.0m		$615.00
Over 18.0m LOA		$695.00
Late entry fee		$250.00

Entry Fees will be paid by close of entries on Friday 5th August 2011.

7. Registration and Schedule of Races

7.1 The detailed race schedules and courses will be displayed on the web site, and will be described in the Sailing Instructions. Charts AUS 825 & AUS 252 covers the racing area and each boat is required to carry paper charts of the area in which she will be sailing.

7.2 The racing format will be a combination of round-the-buoys racing in Pioneer Bay, and passage races in Pioneer Bay and the Whitsunday Passages. Multiple races may be held on some days.

7.3 All boats shall register at regatta headquarters, Meridien Marinas Abel Point, on Thursday 11th August 2010 between 1000hrs and 1700hrs. A competitors' meeting will be conducted at regatta headquarters at 1800 hrs Thursday 11th August.

7.4 The first race will start no earlier than 1000hrs on Friday 12th August 2011. A Lay Day is scheduled for Monday 15th August 2011. The last race of the series is scheduled for the morning of Thursday 18th August 2011. No race will be started later than 1300hrs on 11th August 2011.

7.5 The awards presentation will be held at the Meridien Marinas Abel Point Regatta Precinct as soon as practicable after the last race.

7.6 The Race Committee may make changes to the schedule at any time.

8. Handicaps

8.1 Boats will be handicapped as shown below.

Class		Handicap System
IRC Racing		IRC
IRC Cruising		IRC
Performance Racing		Performance Handicap System (PHS)
Cruising		Performance Handicap System (PHS)
Non Spinnaker		Performance Handicap System (PHS)
Sports Boats		Sportsboat Measurement System (SMS)
Inshore Sports Boats		Performance Handicap System (PHS)
One Design		Scratch
Super 30		Australian Measurement System (AMS)
Multi Hulls		Offshore Multihull Rule (OMR)

8.2 Provisional handicaps for the first race of the series will be posted on the event web site and the Official Notice Board by 1700hrs August 10th 2011. The Race Committee will consider applications relating to initial performance based handicaps if made in writing with supporting documentation during registration.

8.3 PHS handicaps will be determined by the Handicap Committee. The decisions taken by the Handicap Committee are final and will not be subject to redress.

9. Sailing Instructions

The intention is for the Sailing Instructions to be available from the event web site from Friday 5th August 2011.

10. Scoring

The "Low Point System" RRS Appendix A will apply except if there are four or less races sailed, all races will be scored. One race will constitute a series.

11. Insurance and Liability Risk

11.1 By lodging an entry, the owner/charterer agrees that: -

1.1 it is a fundamental condition of entry that he, she or it releases, holds harmless and indemnifies WSC and its associates, its office bearers, servants, agents and members and the sponsors of Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week 2011 from all liability any of those persons has to the owner/charterer or any crew member on the owner/charterer's yacht, 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 yacht or any other yacht in a race; the conduct or course of the 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 yacht or the death or injury of any person; or any of the matters referred to in the paragraphs above;

1.2 participation by the yacht and by the crew in Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week 2011 is agreed by organising authority 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 yacht.

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

11.2 It is a condition of entry that competitors participate in this regatta entirely at their own risk (see RRS 4 Decision to Race), and that each yacht shall carry public liability insurance, with a sum insured of at least AU$10,000,000 or the foreign currency equivalent.

11.3 All those taking part in these races are reminded of their obligations as set out YA Special Regulations Clause 1.02 "Owner's Responsibility".

12. Advertising

Boats may carry advertising as permitted by Rule 80 of the Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012. The Race Committee may reject any advertising that may conflict with the interests of the sponsors of the event.

13. Trophies

Prizes or trophies will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd on corrected times in each class or division or 1st, 2nd and 3rd for Scratch Classes. Trophies will be awarded for the overall point score winners in each class or division.

14. Yacht berthing arrangements and facilities

14.1 Berthing for entered boats that have paid the entry fee will be at Meridien Marinas Abel Point and will be available for the period 1200 hrs August 10th to 1200 hrs August 19th . This berthing is included as part of the entry fee. It is a condition of entry that boats moor in accordance with the directions of the management of Meridien Marinas Abel Point. Information packs and berthage agreement forms will be sent to each boat on receipt of completed entry.

14.2 Entered boats requiring berthing outside the above dates need to make separate arrangements with Meridien Marinas Abel Point staff. Contact details are:

Ph: 07 4946 6695
Fax: 07 4946 7620
Email: reservations.ap@meridienmarinas.com.au
Meridien Marinas Abel Point operates under the "Abel Point Marina" call sign and monitor VHF Channels 09 and 16.

14.3 All yacht service and maintenance facilities are available in the Marina precinct.

15. Accommodation Bookings

Bookings for accommodation are recommended through the organisations listed under the "Accommodation" tab on the event web site.

Further Information: info@airliebeachraceweek.com.au