WHSC: Running Club Races Safely – Guidance for Race Officers and Safety Teams
Aim: To deliver enjoyable, fair club racing while maintaining the highest practicable standards of safety for all participants.
Key race information
Classes, Fleets and flags
- GP14: “A” race – all helms; “B” race – bronze fleet (but A helms may race).
Class flag: White and blue pendant (International Flag A) - Laser (ILCA): Standard (7) fleet and Radial (6) fleet - start together but are separate fleets
Class flag: Yellow and blue check (International Flag L) - Cadets: TBC
Class flag: Blue, red and white stripes (International Flag C)
Schedule of races
- Saturdays during GMT: first warning 1pm; 2 races (AB) back-to-back then tea
- Saturdays during BST: first warning 1.30pm; 3 races (ABA) either back-to-back then tea or 2 races, tea then race 3
- Tuesdays: first warning 6.45 2 races (AB) except first 2 and last 2 weeks (A) then burgers
Risk Statement
“WHSC adopts the standard RRS 3 risk statement used in the Sailing Instructions, acknowledging that sailing carries inherent risks including variable winds, changing weather and fatigue.”
The Race Officer may postpone, shorten or abandon racing at any time where they consider it necessary for safety or fairness.
Further information
SIs, NoR, SOPs can all be found on the club website / club documents linktree https://linktr.ee/whscclubdocs
Roles and Team Structure
Officer of the Day / Race Officer
- As Race Officer (RO): Responsible for planning and running races, coordinating safety, and making decisions to postpone, shorten or abandon racing where conditions or safety considerations require.
- As Officer of the Day (OOD): Responsible for responding to unforeseen issues (e.g. fire, major incident, emergency ashore).
Safety Boat Teams
- Responsible for providing assistance as part of the safety team and assisting RO in running the races.
- To count as a Safety Boat for racing, the powerboat must carry two people; at least one crew member must be a competent rescuer.
- Normally two Safety Boat Teams are rostered. The RO may organise additional safety boats if conditions or participation levels require it.
Shore-based support may be added by the RO if deemed necessary (not normally rostered).
Duty swaps
- Like for like duties swaps may done by mutual agreement:
- in the 1st instance swaps should be made using the duty system with as much advance notice as possible.
- in the case that duty system swap requests aren’t successful, then swaps can be arranged on the WhatsApp group or elsewhere; if swaps are agreed outside of the duty system, the Sailing Captain must be notified.
- The rostered OOD and the Sailing Captain should satisfy themselves that appropriate competence and cover are maintained.
Race day routine
One Hour before Race Start
Early Risk Assessment (OOD / RO)
- Assess actual conditions at the Welsh Harp (conditions often differ from the forecast).
- Decide whether racing is likely to go ahead and whether club boats may be used, taking account of prevailing conditions, forecast conditions and the competence of participants.
- Communicate promptly to the club (normally via WhatsApp groups) if racing is cancelled, postponed, or club boats are not permitted.
Note – on occasion it may be possible to confirm that racing is going to be cancelled earlier.
Pre-commencement
Pre-Commencement Risk Assessment (OOD / RO)
Before racing starts, assess conditions, make any necessary adjustments, and brief the safety team as part of a dynamic risk assessment. Considerations include (but are not limited to):
- Mean wind strength and gusts
- Weather conditions (rain, squalls, strong sun, risk of lightning)
- Air and water temperature
- Presence of ice
- Number of boats racing
- Experience mix, including new sailors or known individual issues
- Availability and competence of safety cover
Record on Race Results Sheet
Pre-Commencement Checks (All Team Members)
Before going afloat:
- Check powerboats, engines, fuel and safety equipment.
- Check committee boat equipment (the plastic box), including race record sheets, pens and take spare radios
- Carry out a radio check with all boats (normally channel 2.61)
- Safety boat takes PIN
Afloat
- Race Officers should be familiar with the official racing area chart and local obstructions (see Sailing Instructions Appendix A1)
- Anchor committee boat at starboard end of line and raise orange flag
- Safety team lays PIN at port end of line
- OOD display course and laps on side of committee boat
Running the Race
The Start
Starting line: Between a staff (normally displaying an orange flag) on the committee boat and the white buoy marked “PIN”.
Start Sequence: An informal series of short sound signals may be used to alert sailors that a start sequence is about to begin. Races are started using a standard 5-minute start sequence (5, 4, 1, go) with Lasers start first; Laser start signal is GP14 warning signal. If 2 or fewer Lasers they may start at same time as GP14s.
Normally one of the safety boats is stationed beyond the port end of the line to check boats OCS but safety cover takes priority.
The Race
- Races should aim for target times consistent with the Sailing Instructions (typically 30–55 minutes), with the RO empowered to abandon if no boat has passed the first mark within 30 minutes.
- OOD records order of boats each lap on Race Results Sheet
The Finish
- The finishing line is between a staff (normally displaying a blue flag) on the committee boat and the white buoy marked “PIN”.
- Shortening course: display Flag S with two sounds before the first boat finishes; the finishing line may be: at a rounding mark or between the committee boat and finishing mark or at a gate
- OOD uses bell on committee boat to confirm as boats finish and notes finishing order on Race Results Sheet.
Disputes
- Guidance on dispute resolution can be found in the Rules Dispute Pack (colourful drawers in the clubhouse). Options include advisory hearing, arbitration and protest hearing
Safety During the Race
Sailing Instructions
SIs 19.1: Adequate personal buoyancy shall be worn at all times when afloat. Flag Y will not be displayed (this alters RRS 27.1 and 40).
SIs 19.2: A capsized boat may receive assistance to right and may then continue racing (this alters RRS 4).
On-water safety management
- The OOD / RO and Safety Boat Teams shall work together to manage safety from the time they go afloat until all dinghies intending to come ashore have done so safely.
- Clear, timely and appropriate communication between all team members is essential; safety is a shared responsibility.
- Conditions, activity levels and participant wellbeing shall be continuously monitored throughout racing as part of a dynamic risk assessment.
- If safety boat availability, crew capability or communications are reduced, the RO shall reassess whether racing can safely continue.
- Particular attention should be paid to signs of cold exposure, fatigue or distress, especially during prolonged or cold-weather racing.
- The RO may request additional assistance from shore, shorten the course, abandon a race or cancel further racing where conditions or safety considerations require.
- Where necessary for safety, the RO may instruct an individual boat to retire or not to launch.
Principles
- People before equipment.
- Safety interventions should be proportionate, timely and appropriate to the situation.
- Officials and safety crews will be supported in making conservative decisions in the interests of safety.
Reporting and challenge
- All officials and safety personnel are encouraged to raise concerns immediately if they believe safety may be compromised.
- Any changes to conditions, control measures or safety responses should be recorded on the Race Results Sheet.
- Incidents, accidents, near misses and positive safety interventions must be recorded in the accident book after racing.
After the Race
The RO remains responsible for safety coordination until all boats that intend to come ashore have done so and all safety boats are recovered and stood down.
Putting things away
PIN: ensure pin retrieved and retuned to harbourside
Safety boats: powerboat is correctly moored on the finger pontoon up with engine lifted and tilted. Key and kill cord hung up. Dry Box and equipment returned. Radios turned off and placed on chargers.
Committee boat: ensure all flags are stowed, race numbers put away, boat moored on finger pontoon and locked. Key back in Race Box and Race Box returned to clubhouse. Radios turned off and placed on charges.
Post Race Results and Records
- Photograph the Race Results Sheet(s) and Sign-on sheets and share the images on the WHSC Sailing and Racing & WHSC Lasers WhatsApp groups.
- If necessary, photograph and share dispute resolution paperwork with the Sailing Captain.
- Place all original documents in the purple Race Results box file.
- Safety: record all incidents, accidents, near misses and positive safety interventions in the accident book and place reports in the confidential box.
- Where appropriate, the RO should highlight any safety learning points to the Sailing Captain to support continuous improvement.
Appendix
A1. Wind Strength and Club Boats
Club Lasers may not be sailed when the mean/average wind speed exceeds 20 knots/23mph/Force 5 or gusts exceed 27 knots/31mph Force 6 without the express permission of a Senior Instructor and/or the OOD in charge of racing.
Club GP14s may not be sailed when the mean/average wind speed exceeds 17 knots/20mph/Force 4 or gusts exceed 27 knots/31mph without the express permission of a Senior Instructor and/or the OOD in charge of racing.
A2. Ice on the Water
Club boats, the Committee boat and powerboats must not be used if there is ice on the water.
A3. Thunder and Lightning
When lightning is present, evacuate the water immediately.
- Signal abandonment using the abandon flag and repeated sound signals; safety boats must notify participants directly.
- Shore support or the first person ashore should raise the red flag and sound the loud hooter.
Sailing must not resume until 20 minutes after the last lightning flash.
A4. Major Incident
On declaration of a suspected major incident, clear the water as required.
- Signal abandonment using the abandon flag and repeated sound signals; safety boats must notify participants directly.
- Shore support or the first person ashore should raise the red flag and sound the loud hooter.
Follow Major Incident Procedure as set out in the Standard Operating Procedures
Major Incident: Any event where there is loss of life, a serious injury, substantial damage to property and/ or the environment or any circumstance in which a group or individual might be at serious risk of harm.
This guidance is available for download here:
