THE BUZZARDS YACHT CLUB
ONE DESIGN NOTICE OF RACE 2026
The Organizing Authority (OA) is The Buzzards Yacht Club.
1. Eligibility and Entry
1.1. Any and all of the series and cup races is/are open to all members in good standing of
The Buzzards Yacht Club.
1.2. One design classes are: Bullseye, H Class, and Stuart Knockabout.
1.3. Entry for any and all series must be completed before racing on Regatta Networks. Any
boat not registered will not be scored. http://buzzardsyc.org/raceRegistration.htm
2. Rules
2.1. The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing
(RRS) 2025-2028
2.2. The Rules of the H Class will apply to H Class racing: http://www.herreshoff12.org/h-
class-rules/. The two exceptions to these rules are the permission of single-handed
racing and allowing electric bilge pumps while racing.
3. Series & Number of Races
3.1. The Bullseye Class and Herreshoff 12.5 class will contest for the following series.
1. July Series (June 27th - 2 Races), (July 4th - 2 races), (July 5th - 1 race), July 11th (2
races for H12), July 12th (2 races for Bullseyes)
2. 4th Of July Series (July 4 - 2 races), (July 5 - 1 race)
3. August Series (August 1st - 2 Races), (August 8th - 2 races), September 5th (2
Races), September 6th (1 Race)
4. Labor Day Series (September 5th - 2 Races), (September 6th - 1 Race)
5. Summer Series (July Series + August Series)
3.2. The Herreshoff 12.5, Bullseye, and Stuart Knockabout Class will contest for the
Singlehanded Club Championship (August 22nd - 3 races)
3.3. The Stuart Knockabout Class will contest for the following series
1. July Series (June 27th - 2 races), (July 4th - 2 Races)
2. August Series (August 1st - 2 races), (August 8th - 2 races)4. Schedule
Date Fleet Event
Saturday June 13 Laser Buzzards Laser Regatta
Saturday June 27 H12/Bullseye/SK One Design Senior Series (2 Races)
Saturday July 4 H12/Bullseye/SK July 4th Series (2 Races)
Sunday July 5 H12/Bullseye July 4th Cup Race
Saturday July 11 H12/SK Bill Harding Memorial Regatta (2 H12 Senior
Races)
Saturday July 12 Bullseye/SK Bill Harding Memorial Regatta (2 Bullseye
Senior Races)
Sunday July 19 Any! Chowder Race
Friday July 24 H12 H Class Junior National Championship (@
Beverly)
Saturday July 25 H12 H Class Senior National Championship (@
Beverly)
Sunday July 26 H12 H Class Senior National Championship (@
Beverly)
Saturday August 1 H12/Bullseye/SK One Design Senior Series (2 Races)
Saturday August 8 H12/Bullseye/SK One Design Senior Series (2 Races)
Sunday August 16 All Sunday Social Parade
Sunday August 22 H12/Bullseye/SK The Buzzards Singlehanded Cup
Saturday August 29 Makeup Races if needed
Saturday Sept 5 H12/Bullseye Labor Day Series (2 Races)
Sunday Sept 6 H12/Bullseye Labor Day Cup Race
4.1. Time of warning signal for the Stuart Knockabout Class will be 1:00PM. Time of
warning signal for the H Class and Bullseye Class will be 1:50PM. If one class is not
racing the order will follow sequentially. Any July series race(s) not completed in July
is/are canceled. Any August series race(s) not completed by the end of racing on
Labor Day Sunday is/are canceled. Raising the class flag at the warning signal willofficially indicate which class is starting. No more than three races per class will be run
on any day.
4.2. Up-to-date calendar can be found at the Buzzards Yacht Club Website -
www.buzzardsyc.org
5. Scoring & Re-sails
5.1. A Low-Point Scoring System will be used in scoring all series. DNC will be scored two
more points than the number of boats starting in that race. DNS, OCS, RET, and DSQ
will be scored one more point than the number of boats starting that race.
5.2. Monthly and Summer Series - For the Bullseye Class and H Class, a minimum of four
races will constitute a monthly series. If more than 5 races are raced, a racer’s best
five finishes will be used to determine the points for that series. For the SK Class a
minimum of three races will constitute a monthly series and there will not be any throw
out races.
5.3. The Summer Series is determined by adding each boat's final points for the July series
to its final points for the August series.
5.4. A weekend series will consist of a minimum of two races run on the 4th of July or Labor
Day weekends. If the Fourth of July or Labor Day cup race is canceled, it may not be
re-sailed or awarded that year.
5.5. If races are cancelled, the Race Officers will attempt to schedule make-up races when
possible. This will be communicated to the fleets via Regatta Network & the Fleet
Captains
6. Cancellations & Changes to Schedule of Racing
Racing will be canceled or delayed if there are sustained winds over 25mph and/or any
other conditions deemed unsuitable for racing. An automated email, text message or phone
call will be sent to registered competitors detailing the cancellation, change or other
instructions.
6. Race area.
The racing area will be in the general vicinity between Wings Neck and Scraggy Neck.
7. Sailing Instructions
Sailing instructions will be posted on the Buzzards Yacht Club website and on Regatta
Network. A laminated copy will be available on the committee boat as well.
8. Prizes
8.2. Flags can awarded from the Committee Boat after each race along the following
guidelines: If two boats race a blue first place flag will be awarded. If five boats race a
blue first place flag and a red second flag will be awarded. If six or more boats race a
blue first place flag, a red second flag and a yellow third place flag will be awarded.8.3. Awards are given at the Labor Day Cocktail Party. Pennants are awarded to the
first-place boat of the July, August and Summer Series. Trophies are awarded to the
first-place boat of the following races and series:
|
Series
|
Bullseye
|
H Class
|
|
July Series
|
Hurter Cup
|
Caryall Trophy
|
|
Fourth Of July Series
|
Darling Cup
|
Harding Trophy
|
|
Fourth Of July Cup Race
|
Brazer Trophy
|
Winsor Cup
|
|
August Series
|
McEvoy Bowl
|
Weld Trophy
|
|
Labor Day Series
|
Bullseye Cup
|
Ware Trophy
|
|
Labor Day Cup Race
|
Worley Cup
|
Pratt Trophy
|
|
Summer Series
|
Knowlton Trophy
|
Reynolds Trophy
|
9. Life-saving Equipment and Safety
Each boat shall have appropriate Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) conforming to
government regulations. The Race Committee encourages all sailors and racers to wear
appropriate PFDs for their safety. Use of VHF radios is encouraged for emergency use and to
receive notifications from the Race Committee (e.g. starts, over early, etc.). In the event a
racer retires from a race, notification via radio is especially encouraged. VHF radios are
intended primarily as one-way communication from Race Committee to racers. Competitors
participate in these races entirely at their own risk. See rule 4, Decision to Race. The
organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury, or
death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the races.
•
THE BUZZARDS YACHT CLUB
ONE-DESIGN SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Rules.
All races will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing
2017-2020, these sailing instructions and the class rules of each class racing. The H Class may be raced with only one sailor in a boat (modification of class rule). Bullseyes are not permitted to fly spinnakers (modification of class rule).
Changes in the Sailing Instructions
Code flag L will be flown from the Committee Boat at least 5 minutes prior to the warning signal for the first class to start. The content of the change will be available from the committee boat either written or by hail depending upon the change.
Schedule of Races
Time of warning signal for Stuart Knockabout class will be 1:00PM. The time of warning signal for the H Class will be 1:50PM. The Bullseye Class will start shortly thereafter. If one class is not racing, the order will follow sequentially. Raising the class flag at the warning signal will officially indicate which class is starting. No more than three races per class will be run on one day. A minimum of two boats in a class class will be required for a race to be started.
Racing Area
The racing area will be in the general vicinity between Wings and Scraggy Necks. See chart on reverse side of page.
Courses & Marks
Courses will be posted on a board on the starboard side of the committee boat. Each class will have its own instructions and will be listed horizontally as follows:
-Class insignia, numbered course to be sailed, and/or marks to be sailed, and number of times around if applicable.
-If no course number is displayed, boats will round marks displayed and finish at the committee boat.
Other delineations include:
-A red letter is to be left to port, a green letter is to be left to starboard.
-Courses will be sailed as diagrammed on the sailing instructions.
-Inflatable marks are designated IM. If all turning marks are inflatable marks, IM will be posted once.
-Lettered marks are government buoys, with the exception of “C” which is a yellow cylindrical shape and “Z” which is Bassett Island. When rounding Bassett Island on course “Z”, all government marks shall be minded.
The starting and finishing lines where the start and finish is in the middle of the course will be open to racers on the course (“open gates”).
The Start
Races shall be started using the following signals.
SIGNAL FLAG & SOUND MIN. TO START
Warning Class Flag & 1 Sound 5
Preparatory Preparatory Flag & 1 Sound 4
One-Minute Preparatory Flag Lowered & 1 Sound 1
Start Class Flag Lowered & 1 Sound 0
Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded. A short series of signals may be made before the sequence begins to attract attention.
The starting line will be between a staff with an orange flag on the committee boat and a mark. A boat whose warning signal has not yet been made shall keep clear of the starting area and of all yachts whose warning signal has been made. Failure to do so will be grounds for disqualification. A boat failing to start 10 minutes after her starting signal will be scored DNS without a hearing.
1. Change of Course after the Start & Shortening a Course Any change of course after the start will be signaled by a race committee boat stationed near the mark beginning the first leg affected by the change. Code flag “C” will be displayed and a horn sounded periodically. The change will be signaled before
the leading boat has begun the leg, although the new mark may not yet be in position.
If the next mark is to be a lettered mark it will be listed on the course board in the appropriate color. Any further changes to lettered marks will be listed sequentially.
If the next mark is an inflatable mark the signal shall be the display of flag C and a green triangle for a change to starboard or a red rectangle for a change to port. If the length of the leg is to be changed a “-“ for shorter or “+” for longer will be displayed next to code flag C. Subsequent legs may be changed w/o further signaling to maintain the shape of the course.
For a shortened course, Code Flag S will be flown accompanied by two sounds. The finish line will be between Flag S and a nearby mark.
The Finish
When the committee boat is on station at the finish line it shall display a blue flag on its starboard side which is one end of the finish line. The other end of the finish line will be a nearby mark on the starboard side of the committee boat and perpendicular to the blue flag. In the event the race committee boat is not on station establishing the finish line, it shall be a line extending from the required side of the finishing mark at right angles to the course from the last mark and of the shortest practical length.
Time Limit
Will be 2-1/2 hours. If no boat finishes within that time the race will be abandoned. Boats finishing more than 30 minutes after the first yacht finishes will be scored “Did not finish.”
Retiring
A boat that starts a race and retires from the race before finishing should make an effort to notify the race committee.
Penalty
Rule 44.1 will apply.
Protests
All protests must be made in accordance with Part 5, Section A of RRS. Written protests must be filed in person or by e-mail with the Race Committee Chairperson (see below) by 7:00 PM of the day of the race.
Scoring, Series & Re-sails
- A Low-Point Scoring System will be used in scoring all series. DNC will be scored two more points than the number of boats starting that race. DNS, OCS, RET, and DSQ will be scored one more point than the number of boats starting that race.
- A holiday weekend series will consist of a minimum of two races run on the 4th of July or Labor Day weekends. If the 4th of July or Labor Day cup race is cancelled, it will not be re-sailed nor awarded that year. Sunday cup races will also count for their respective monthly series.
- Monthly and Summer Series – For the Bullseye Class and H Class, a minimum of five races will constitute a monthly series. If more than five are raced, the best five will be used to determine the points for that series. For the SK Class a minimum of three races will constitute a monthly series and there will not be any throw out races. The Summer Series is determined by adding each boat’s final points for the July series to its final points for the August series.
- With two exceptions, Saturday races postponed will be made up the following Saturday with a scheduled race. First exception: races postponed on 4th of July and Labor Day Saturdays will be made up that Sunday. In that case, the first Sunday race(s) will be considered monthly series races and the last race will be the Cup race. Second exception: any July Series race(s) not completed in July is/are cancelled. Any August series race(s) not completed by the end of racing on Labor Day Sunday is/are cancelled.Cancellations & Delays
Racing will be canceled or delayed if there are sustained winds over 25 mph and/or any other conditions deemed unsuitable for racing. An automated email, text message or phone call will be sent to registered competitors detailing the cancellation, change or other instructions.
Numbers
Shall be displayed by all boats on both sides of the mainsail and spinnaker (if applicable). All other markings are not required.
Life-saving Equipment
- Each boat shall have appropriate Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) conforming to government regulations. The Race Committee encourages all sailors and racers to wear appropriate PFDs for their safety.
- Use of VHF radios is encouraged for emergency use and to receive notifications from the Race Committee (e.g., starts, over early, etc.). In the event a racer retires from a race, notification via radio is especially encouraged. VHF radios are intended primarily as one-way communication from Race Committee to racers.
- Use of electronic/automatic bilge pumps and batteries are allowed while racing.
It is the responsibility of each sailor/racer to be as safe as possible when racing.
Race Committee Chairman
Terry Cronburg cronburg@sbcglobal.net