2009 Icicle Series Race Instructions

I. Introduction

The Icicle Series will consist of five races. The dates of the races are listed in Section XII. The start is staggered, based on the handicap starting time provided in Attachment #1. Three classes are anticipated: Spinnaker, Non-Spinnaker and SOS-TEX.

The intent of Rum Race Series is fun, informal racing. No entry fee or form is required to participate. The races are governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012, with the following exceptions: NO LUFFING is allowed. Luffing shall be defined as changing course to windward after another has approached within two boat lengths from any direction. A boat passing to windward or leeward must maintain at least two boat lengths to either side until no overlap exists. Yachts participating in the SOS-TEX class may use autopilots and other self-steering gear in accordance with the SOS-TEX Bylaws. Formal provision for processing protests has not been established. Skippers are requested to discuss any infractions and resolve them in the best Corinthian fashion. The "720 Rule" is in effect. The race chairmen may disqualify any boat that starts early or who was in violation of any other rules.

II. Start / Finish Line

The Start/Finish line will be between Clear Lake Entrance Marker #1 and Marker #2, located in Galveston Bay. See Section V for course descriptions.

III. Marks of the Course

"H", a large platform located in Galveston Bay, at approximately   N29 33.255'   W94 56.542'   or approximately 1.3 nm WSW of the Houston Ship Channel (HSC) Marker #65.

"E", the Low Range Marker (Upper Range "A") in Galveston Bay. The mark is an orange and white structure near Houston Ship Channel Marker #73, at approximately   N29 35.787'   W94 56.935'   (0.23 nm NNW of the old low range)

IV. Starting Times

The starting times are listed in Attachment #1 . Participating yachts may obtain the correct time on any WWV frequency or by calling 1-303-499-7111, or from a GPS. The start times in Attachment #1 are based on a course length of 8.67 nautical miles, and are computed so that a yacht with a rating of 284 will start at 11:41:32 AM. If you do not find your rating in Attachment #1, you may compute your start time as follows:

Let R be the yachts PHRF rating and Seconds be the starting time adjustment in seconds.
Seconds = 8.67 x (284-R)
Starting Time = 11:41:32 AM + Seconds

V. Course Description

Two courses will be used for the Icicle Series. The schedule of races in Section XII gives the course to be used in each race.

Standard Course: Start between Clear Lake Channel Markers #1 and #2 and sail to "H" Mark leaving it to port. Sail from Mark "H" to Mark "E" leaving it to port. Sail from Mark "E" to Clear Lake Channel Marker #2 and finish as outlined in Section II.

Reverse Course: Start between Clear Lake Channel Markers #1 and #2 and sail to "E" Mark leaving it to starboard. Sail from Mark "E" to Mark "H" leaving it to starboard. Sail from Mark "H" to Clear Lake Channel Marker #1 and finish as outlined in Section II.

Boats shall not enter the Houston Ship Channel. The Houston Ship Channel shall rank as an obstruction.

VI. Course heading and Distances

The total course length is 8.67 nautical miles
Standard Course:
#2 to "H" approximately 2.62 nm bearing approximately 83 degrees
"H" to "E" approximately 2.56 nm bearing approximately 348 degrees
"E" to #2 approximately 3.5 nm bearing approximately 216 degrees

Reverse Course:
#2 to "E" approximately 3.5 nm bearing approximately 36 degrees
"E" to "H" approximately 2.56 nm bearing approximately 168 degrees
"H" to #2 approximately 2.62 nm bearing approximately 263 degrees

VII. Handicaps

Handicaps are those shown on each yacht's 2008 PHRF-GB rating certificate. Yachts sailing in the spinnaker class use their normal rating. Yachts sailing in the non-spinnaker class use their non-spinnaker rating directly, without further adjustment. The SOS-TEX class will sail in accordance with the SOS-TEX Bylaws and will not subdivide. Yachts may not take adjustments for different headsail sizes on a per race basis. Yachts may elect to race in any class on a per race basis. Points earned in one class will not be transferred to another. Skippers who do not have a valid Galveston Bay PHRF certificate may obtain a provisional rating from the race chairman, Jim Powers, jpowers{AT}powersfrost{DOT}com. Skippers are urged to obtain a PHRF certificate, as provisional ratings tend to be more conservative (faster) than a valid PHRF-GB certificate and are intended only for first time racers or those new to the area.

VIII. Special Instructions

Yachts racing in the Icicle Series shall display their class flag(s) from the backstay throughout the race. The Spinnaker class flag is white. The Non-spinnaker class flag is dark. The SOS-TEX class will display a white flag over a dark flag.

In the event that the Race Chairman determines that the weather is too severe to race, the Race Chairman may cancel the race by announcing on the VHF, Channel 68, that the race is officially canceled. This announcement will be made at approximately 11:15 AM.

IX. Finishing

The first yacht in each class to cross the finish line will be the winner of the class and be required to record the next 4 places by recording the boat name and or sail numbers. The finishing information then must be presented to the race chairman at the social event following the race. Remember, to score a first place, a yacht must both cross the finish line first and record the next four finishers.

The race ends at 3:00 PM. Any boat finishing after this time will be considered as disqualified and will not be scored.

X. Awards and Social

"Liquid" trophies in the form of rum will be awarded in each race, usually to the top two boats in each class. Winning yachtsmen are encouraged to share their "trophies" with less fortunate sailors. The Award is forfeited if not claimed at the social following the race. Points will also be given for the series as follows:

1st Place 5 Points
2nd Place 4 Points
3rd Place 3 Points
4th Place 2 Point
5th Place 1 Point

Socials will be held at the GBCA office following each race, unless otherwise posted at the GBCA office by 8:00 AM the day of the race. Changes to the Race Schedule will be posted at the Office and on the GBCA website one week before the affected race. The GBCA office is located at 1500 Marina Bay Dr. Suite 1592, Building #59B, Clear Lake Shores, TX 77565.

XI. Series Awards

Trophies for the series will be awarded to the top three eligible yachts in each class based on points awarded per race. Yachts must be owned by a GBCA senior member and have a valid 2008 PHRF-GB certificate as of the date of the last race in the series to be eligible for series awards.

Ties at the end of the series will be resolved according to RRS rule A4.

XII. Race Schedule

Scheduled race dates for the 2009 Icicle Series:

January 3, Standard Course
January 10, Reverse Course
January 17, Standard Course
January 24, Reverse Course
January 31, Standard Course

Attachment 1.   2009 Icicle Series Start Times

PHRF
#

Start
Time

PHRF
#

Start
Time

PHRF
#

Start
Time

PHRF
#

Start
Time

PHRF
#

Start
Time

PHRF
#

Start
Time

284

11:41:32

239

11:48:02

194

11:54:32

149

12:01:02

104

12:07:33

59

12:14:03

283

11:41:41

238

11:48:11

193

11:54:41

148

12:01:11

103

12:07:41

58

12:14:11

282

11:41:49

237

11:48:19

192

11:54:50

147

12:01:20

102

12:07:50

57

12:14:20

281

11:41:58

236

11:48:28

191

11:54:58

146

12:01:28

101

12:07:59

56

12:14:29

280

11:42:07

235

11:48:37

190

11:55:07

145

12:01:37

100

12:08:07

55

12:14:37

279

11:42:15

234

11:48:45

189

11:55:16

144

12:01:46

99

12:08:16

54

12:14:46

278

11:42:24

233

11:48:54

188

11:55:24

143

12:01:54

98

12:08:25

53

12:14:55

277

11:42:33

232

11:49:03

187

11:55:33

142

12:02:03

97

12:08:33

52

12:15:03

276

11:42:41

231

11:49:11

186

11:55:42

141

12:02:12

96

12:08:42

51

12:15:12

275

11:42:50

230

11:49:20

185

11:55:50

140

12:02:20

95

12:08:51

50

12:15:21

274

11:42:59

229

11:49:29

184

11:55:59

139

12:02:29

94

12:08:59

49

12:15:29

273

11:43:07

228

11:49:37

183

11:56:08

138

12:02:38

93

12:09:08

48

12:15:38

272

11:43:16

227

11:49:46

182

11:56:16

137

12:02:46

92

12:09:17

47

12:15:47

271

11:43:25

226

11:49:55

181

11:56:25

136

12:02:55

91

12:09:25

46

12:15:55

270

11:43:33

225

11:50:03

180

11:56:34

135

12:03:04

90

12:09:34

45

12:16:04

269

11:43:42

224

11:50:12

179

11:56:42

134

12:03:12

89

12:09:43

44

12:16:13

268

11:43:51

223

11:50:21

178

11:56:51

133

12:03:21

88

12:09:51

43

12:16:21

267

11:43:59

222

11:50:29

177

11:57:00

132

12:03:30

87

12:10:00

42

12:16:30

266

11:44:08

221

11:50:38

176

11:57:08

131

12:03:38

86

12:10:09

41

12:16:39

265

11:44:17

220

11:50:47

175

11:57:17

130

12:03:47

85

12:10:17

40

12:16:47

264

11:44:25

219

11:50:55

174

11:57:26

129

12:03:56

84

12:10:26

39

12:16:56

263

11:44:34

218

11:51:04

173

11:57:34

128

12:04:04

83

12:10:35

38

12:17:05

262

11:44:43

217

11:51:13

172

11:57:43

127

12:04:13

82

12:10:43

37

12:17:13

261

11:44:51

216

11:51:21

171

11:57:52

126

12:04:22

81

12:10:52

36

12:17:22

260

11:45:00

215

11:51:30

170

11:58:00

125

12:04:30

80

12:11:01

35

12:17:31

259

11:45:09

214

11:51:39

169

11:58:09

124

12:04:39

79

12:11:09

34

12:17:39

258

11:45:17

213

11:51:47

168

11:58:18

123

12:04:48

78

12:11:18

33

12:17:48

257

11:45:26

212

11:51:56

167

11:58:26

122

12:04:56

77

12:11:27

32

12:17:57

256

11:45:35

211

11:52:05

166

11:58:35

121

12:05:05

76

12:11:35

31

12:18:05

255

11:45:43

210

11:52:13

165

11:58:44

120

12:05:14

75

12:11:44

30

12:18:14

254

11:45:52

209

11:52:22

164

11:58:52

119

12:05:22

74

12:11:53

29

12:18:23

253

11:46:01

208

11:52:31

163

11:59:01

118

12:05:31

73

12:12:01

28

12:18:31

252

11:46:09

207

11:52:40

162

11:59:10

117

12:05:40

72

12:12:10

27

12:18:40

251

11:46:18

206

11:52:48

161

11:59:18

116

12:05:48

71

12:12:19

26

12:18:49

250

11:46:27

205

11:52:57

160

11:59:27

115

12:05:57

70

12:12:27

25

12:18:57

249

11:46:35

204

11:53:06

159

11:59:36

114

12:06:06

69

12:12:36

24

12:19:06

248

11:46:44

203

11:53:14

158

11:59:44

113

12:06:14

68

12:12:45

23

12:19:15

247

11:46:53

202

11:53:23

157

11:59:53

112

12:06:23

67

12:12:53

22

12:19:23

246

11:47:01

201

11:53:32

156

12:00:02

111

12:06:32

66

12:13:02

21

12:19:32

245

11:47:10

200

11:53:40

155

12:00:10

110

12:06:41

65

12:13:11

20

12:19:41

244

11:47:19

199

11:53:49

154

12:00:19

109

12:06:49

64

12:13:19

19

12:19:49

243

11:47:27

198

11:53:58

153

12:00:28

108

12:06:58

63

12:13:28

18

12:19:58

242

11:47:36

197

11:54:06

152

12:00:36

107

12:07:07

62

12:13:37

17

12:20:07

241

11:47:45

196

11:54:15

151

12:00:45

106

12:07:15

61

12:13:45

16

12:20:15

240

11:47:53

195

11:54:24

150

12:00:54

105

12:07:24

60

12:13:54

15

12:20:24