2010 New Jersey State Optimist Championship
August 23 and 24, 2010

The Brant Beach Yacht Club is proud to run the 2010 New Jersey State Optimist Championship and is proud to host the event at its Junior Clubhouse at 59th and Bayview Avenue, Brant Beach, NJ.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you registered and paid for the NJ States originally scheduled for June your registration will automatically be forwarded from Skip Swikart. You DO NOT need to re-register for this rescheduled Championship.

1. Date and Venue

The 2009 New Jersey State Optimist Championship will be held from Aug 23 through Aug 24, 2010.  The venue will be the lower Barnegat Bay, west of the island west of Brant Beach YC/

2. Organization and Rules

2.1 The regatta will be organized by New Jersey Optimist Dinghy Association and will be sailed under the “rules” as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing (the “RRS”).
2.2 The “class rules” for the purposes of the definition of “rules” are the International Optimist Dinghy Association Class Rules, subject to USODA’s interim suspension until March 1, 2006, of class rules 3.3.6 and 3.4.6.
2.3 Racing Rules of Sailing A2 and 61.1A have been modified as shown below.

3. Eligibility

3.1 International Optimist Dinghies may enter by completing registration, paying all entry fees. There will be no measurement requirements, except that boats with the fiberglass tanks must have airbags inside the tanks
3.2 The Red, Blue and White Fleet assignments will be based on the competitor’s age on the first day of the regatta. Competitors must have been born on or after January 1st 1995.
3.3 This is an International Optimist Dinghy Regatta. There will be NO green fleet. Sailors entering their third year of Optimist sailing or greater are encouraged to participate.
3.4 Every sailor must register their affiliation with an on the water support boat, which could be a coach boat, parent spectator boat or sailing club instructor boat.

4. Registration; Entry Fees

4.1 Registration will be offered by mail or web site. To register by mail, fill out the online form press submit and follow the instructions for mail-in registrations. Mail in registrations must be postmarked no later than August 3. The standard entry fee will be US $85.00, subject to the following additional late entry fees.
4.2 An additional fee of US $25 will be charged for late registrations received after Aug 20, 2010.
4.3 There will be NO on site registration.
4.4 Registration includes submission of a competitor’s completed registration/medical consent form, waiver form and entry fee.
4.5 Late fees may be waived with permission.

5. Format of the Regatta

5.1 There will be one fleet, the Championship fleet. Depending on the number of boats, the Championship fleet may be divided into divisions.
5.2 The Championship fleet will race Monday June 23 to Tuesday Aug 24, 2010.
5.3 The Championship fleet will race in “Sets” of races between two divisions. A Set is a sequence of such races in which all divisions race in scored races.

6. Program

6.1 Championship Fleet

6.2 Green Fleet THERE IS NO GREEN FLEET AT THIS REGATTA

7. Racing Venue

The racing area for the Championship fleet will be west of the Island west of Brant Beach Yacht Club in lower Barnegat Bay. The exact location of the courses will depend on specific wind conditions.

8. Course

The Championship fleet course will be the Optimist Trapezoid with a gate for the leeward mark.

9. Scoring

9.1 The Low-Point Scoring System, RRS Appendix A, will be used.
9.2 The regatta for the Championship fleet will consist of up to 9 sets of races. The number of Sets may vary, depending on the number of divisions.
9.3 When fewer than six (6) Sets have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores. When from six (6) to nine (9) Sets have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score. This changes RRS A2.
9.4 One (1) Set of races is required to complete a series.

10. Sailing Instructions

Unofficial Sailing Instructions are available online and official sailing instructions will be at registration check-in. The sailing instructions distributed on-site will control over those online.

11. Protests

In addition to the other requirements of RRS 61 for a valid protest, boats intending to protest for incidents in the racing area shall display a red flag at the time of the incident and shall do so until she is no longer racing. These requirements amend RRS 61.1(a).

12. Personal buoyancy; Whistle

12.1 Each competitor must wear a US Coast Guard approved personal flotation device (PFD), properly secured at all times while on the water, unless when temporarily adding or removing clothing. Failure to wear the PFD as required may result in a penalty up to and including disqualification.
12.2 While on the water each competitor must have a whistle attached to his or her clothing. Competitors not complying with this requirement may be protested, and if penalized may be given a penalty of five (5) points for each race in which he fails to comply with this requirement.

13. Safety

It is the responsibility solely of the parent(s) or the adult representative of the sailor to decide if the child should sail in the weather and sea conditions that might arise during the event. Parents not personally attending any part of the event must ensure that another adult is prepared to make these decisions for their sailor. The sailing instruction will impose additional safety requirements. Among these will be a bow line of over 25 feet in length, at least one bailer and paddle will be included on the safety check.

14. Support boats

14.1 Each support boat may be responsible for no more than ten (10) sailors. Registered support boats will be given a green flag to allow them in the corridor. Registered support boats may enter the corridor from the starting line to the finishing line, and their conduct shall be governed by the Sailing Instructions.
14.2 Safety boats will be identified with a yellow flag with a number from a staff, supplied by the Race Committee, at all times while on the water. Safety boats shall patrol the perimeter of the course.
14.3 All other volunteer boats must stay outside the course area at all times.

15. Measurement

15.1 Competitors are allowed to use only one hull, dagger board, rudder (with tiller and extension), mast, boom, sprit and sail during the regatta. Substitution of such equipment shall occur only with the Race Committee’s approval.
15.2 There will be no measurement other than no “Dumbo” sails will be allowed at the regatta. Each boat will pass a “safety check” prior to launching on the first day.
15.3 For the Championship fleet, there may be measurement on the water following each race. A number of boats may be spot checked after finishing the race according to the Sailing Instructions.

16. Liability

Sailing is an activity that has an inherent risk of damage and injury. Competitors in this event are participating entirely at their own risk. See RRS 4, Decision to Race. The race organizers (organizing authority, race committee, protest committee, host club, sponsors, or any other organization of official) will not be responsible for damage to any boat or other property or the injury to any competitor, including death, sustained as a result of participation in this event. By participating in this event, each competitor agrees to release the race organizers from any and all liability associated with such competitors participation in this event to the fullest extent permitted by law. A waiver must be signed by all competitors and their parent/guardian.

17. Trophies

Championship fleet: Up to fifteen (15) deep in each red, blue and white fleet, ten (10) deep overall, top three female sailors.

18. Team Trials Qualification

This regatta is not a 2011 USODA Team Trials Qualifying event.

19. Additional information

For additional information please contact either: Skip Swikart at swik3@aol.com or Tom Widmeier at: tomwid@verizon.net

Notes

1. This Notice of Race may be amended from time to time without notice; however, competitors may rely on the basic information in this Preliminary Notice of Race. (back)

2. Class rules 3.3.6 and 3.4.6 are as follows:

   3.3.6 Daggerboards presented for first measurement between 1 March 2004 and 28 February 2005 may conform to either the above rules, or the rules valid before 1 March 2004.Daggerboards presented for first measurement from 1 March 2005 shall conform to the above rules. Daggerboards used at the 2006 and later IODA World Sailing Championships shall con-form to the above rules. Daggerboards used at the 2007 and later IODA Continental Championships shall con-form to the above rules.
   3.4.6 Rudders presented for first measurement between 1 March 2004 and 28 February 2005 may conform to either the above rules or the rules valid before 1 March 2004. Rudders presented for first measurement from 1 March, 2005 shall conform to the above rules. Rudders used at the 2006 and later IODA World Sailing Championships shall conform to the above rules. Rudders used at the 2007 and later IODA Continental Championships shall conform to the above rules (back)