East Coast Piers Race Weekend Notice of Race
18TH & 19TH JUNE 2022
The East Coast Piers Race weekend is held at Marconi Sailing Club on the River Blackwater in Essex and consists of Saturday series racing and long distance racing on Sunday. The East Coast Piers Race (48 miles), Colne Point Race (27 miles) and the Bradwell Race (13 miles) are all options for Sunday to help cater for your type of boat.
Free camping is available on site from Friday through to Monday midday. A 60 boat limit is in place and entry will be online through the Sail Racer website.
Online entry will close at midnight on the Wednesday evening before the race weekend. It is not possible to enter the event after this date.
Notice of Race
- Waiver of Liability
1.1 Marconi Sailing Club is providing this race weekend only on the understanding that nothing done by the organisers can reduce the responsibility of the helm and crew for their safety and welfare nor will it make the organisers responsible for any loss, damage, death or personal injury, however it may have occurred, as a result of the boat taking part in the racing. The term organisers includes everyone helping to run the race and the event, and includes the organising authority, the race committee, the race officer, patrol/safety/support/mother boats and beachmasters.
1.2 The safety of a boat and her entire management including insurance shall be entirely the responsibility of the skipper racing the boat. Nothing, whether in the Notice of Race or Sailing Instructions or anywhere else, reduces this responsibility. In particular, helms shall:
(a) accept full responsibility for their crews and for the seaworthiness and safe navigation of their boats and shall use their own judgement whether to start, continue or retire from a race in the existing or forecast conditions (RRS 4);
(b) draw the attention of their crews to the risks of racing and to this Waiver of Liability before the start of any race.
1.3 The provision of patrol/safety/support boats does not relieve the helm of his/her responsibilities.
1.4 Boats shall be insured for a minimum of £2,000,000 Third Party Liability.
1.5 The fact that the race committee may conduct inspections of a boat does not reduce the responsibility of the boat as set out in this Waiver of Liability.
2.0 The Rules
Racing will be governed by the “rules” as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing 2021 – 2024 (RRS), the Prescriptions of the RYA, this Notice of Race except as any of these are changed by the Sailing Instructions and by the relevant class rules. Any amendment to this Notice of Race will be published only on the East Coast Piers Race website (address: www.eastcoastpiersrace.com).
3.0 Conditions of Entry and Eligibility
3.1 The East Coast Piers Race is open to small catamarans of classes that have a handicap rating of 1.055 or faster in the International Small Catamaran Handicap Rating System (SCHRS – www.schrs.com) and to such other boats as the race committee may, in its absolute discretion, accept.
3.2 The Colne Point Race is open both to small catamarans of classes that have a handicap rating in the International Small Catamaran Rating System (SCHRS) and to fast dinghies with a PY rating of 980 or faster.
3.3 The Bradwell Race is open to dinghies that have a PY handicap rating of 1046 or faster and to such other boats as the race committee may, in its absolute discretion, accept.
3.4 All competitors for the ECPR and Colne Point Race shall be at least 16 years old on the day of the race. At least one person on each boat shall be at least 18 years old on the day of the race. Any competitor under the age of 18 shall have written parental consent by means of a parent or guardians signature on the entry form.
3.5 All competitors for the Bradwell Race shall be at least 14 years old on the day of the race. At least one person on each boat shall be at least 16 years old on the day of the race. Any competitor under the age of 18 shall have written parental consent by means of a parent or guardians signature on the entry form.
3.6 The Saturday series is open to all boats eligible for the East Coast Piers Race, Colne Point Race and Bradwell Race. The age restrictions still apply.
4.0 Advertising
The event will rank as a category C event. A boat and her crew shall comply with World Sailing Regulation 20.
5.0 Safety
5.1 Adequate personal buoyancy for all crew members shall be worn at all times whilst afloat and be centered above the waist. This changes RRS 40
5.2 All crew members shall wear wetsuits or drysuits with appropriate thermal undergarments.
5.3 A minimum level of safety equipment is a condition of entry and this will be enforced. All boats shall carry a:
- 10 metre towline
- Compass
- One or more distress flares per crew member (including the helm) to be carried on the person
- Adequate personal buoyancy (a wetsuit is not adequate)
- At least one paddle
5.4 The patrol and support boats will give priority to the safety of competitors over preventing damage to boats or equipment.
5.5 All competitors shall sign on before going afloat, and shall sign off immediately after finishing or on retiring from the race before finishing. If a competitor goes ashore not at Marconi Sailing Club they should call the race office to make them aware. The clubs phone number is printed on the sticker attached to your boats bow.
5.6 All competitors will need to collect a GPS tracking device and attach it to their boat before going afloat. GPS devices are available for those who enter using online entry before the cut off.
5.7 Failure to comply with paragraphs 5.1 to 5.6 shall be grounds for disqualification from the race without a hearing. This alters RRS 63.1. A boat or equipment may be inspected at any time for compliance with safety requirements.
6.0 Registration and Briefing
6.1 Race reception will be open from around 10.00 hrs on Saturday – please listen to on site announcements of opening times
6.2 Sailing Instructions will be available via QR codes published around the sailing club.
6.3 All competitors are strongly recommended to attend the briefing for Sundays races which will take place in or around the Marconi Sailing Club clubhouse at approximately 18.00 hrs on Saturday of the race weekend.
The briefing for Saturday racing will be around midday on Saturday in or around the Marconi Sailing Club clubhouse.
6.4 Entry for the East Coast Piers Race weekend should be made in advance through the online system.
6.5 To enter any of the races, competitors should submit their entry online together with the boat entry fee of £70 for two handed catamarans & dinghies and £55 for single handed catamarans & dinghies. The entry fee includes dinner for each crew member on Saturday evening and free camping on the Club site from Friday through to Monday midday.
6.6 The Organising Authority may in their absolute discretion reject any entry.
7.0 The East Coast Piers, Colne Point Race and Bradwell Race Courses
7.1 Subject to conditions on the day, the course for the East Coast Piers Race is from Marconi Sailing Club, on the River Blackwater to Walton Pier and return.
Subject to conditions on the day the course for the Colne Point Race is from Marconi Sailing Club to Colne Point and return.
Subject to conditions on the day the course for the Bradwell Race is from Marconi Sailing Club to Bradwell, back to Marconi, out to Thirslet and return to Marconi.
8.0 The Start
The warning signals for the Saturday series shall not be before 12.55 hrs on Saturday or the race weekend.
The warning signals for the East Coast Piers Race, Colne Point Race and Bradwell Race shall not be before 08.25 hrs on Sunday of the race weekend. The expected start time for the East Coast Piers race is 08.30 hrs on Sunday of the race weekend.
The expected start time for the Colne Point race is 08.45 hrs on Sunday of the race weekend.
The expected start time for the Bradwell race is 09.00 hrs on Sunday of the race weekend.
9.0 Time Limit
Boats not completing the course or retiring by 18:00 hrs will be scored DNF.
10.0 Declaration
10.1 All competitors shall make their declaration by correctly returning the allocated tally band as instructed in the sailing instruction within 20 minutes of finishing or within 20 minutes of coming ashore after retiring from a race before finishing.
10.2 Competitors who go ashore other than at Marconi Sailing Club shall immediately telephone the race committee to report that fact. Competitors may wish to take a mobile phone with them to facilitate this – please ensure it is safely waterproofed – the phone number has been printed on the ECPR entry stickers which shall be stuck onto the bow of your boat.
11.0 Scoring
11.1 International Small Catamaran Handicap Rating System (SCHRS- www.schrs.com) will be used.
11.2 The Portsmouth Yardstick handicap scoring system will be used for Dinghies taking part in the Colne Point Race and Bradwell Race.
11.3 The Race Committee may in their absolute discretion vary any handicap rating and/or allocate a rating to any class.
11.4 Scoring will be to RRS Appendix A except as modified by the Sailing Instructions
12.0 Prizes
The Prize Giving for Saturday will take place at Marconi Sailing Club on Saturday evening after the race briefing.
The Prize Giving for Sunday will take place at Marconi Sailing Club on Sunday as soon as possible after the races have finished.
13.0 More information
Marconi Sailing Club has a strict no tolerance policy on drugs, you will be asked to leave the club site immediately.
All Competitors may camp on the site from 8am on Friday until noon on Monday of the race weekend.
For more information please contact us using the following details.
info@eastcoastpiersrace.com
