2025 SPRING RACE INSTRUCTIONS
1. Rules
1.1 This series will be governed by the US Racing Rules of Sailing 2025 – 2028 unless specifically modified by these Sailing Instructions, the 2025 Wyss Memorial Sailing Instructions, or the 2025 Commodore’s Cup Sailing Instructions. Appendix T, Rule T1 (Penalty Taken after Race) shall be in effect. Rule #52 of the US Racing Rules of Sailing has been suspended and will not be in effect. Both Non-Spinnaker and Spinnaker classes will be offered.
2. Notices To Competitors
Notices to competitors will be posted on the bulletin board in the club pavilion.
3. Changes To Sailing Instructions
Any changes to these Sailing Instructions will be posted at least one hour before a scheduled start.
4. Schedule Of Races
This series shall consist of five day races (including the 12th East Tennessee Summer Sailstice Race), the 45th Commodore’s Cup Regatta, and the Wyss Memorial Race.
March 29 – Saturday 9:30am Spring Skippers Meeting
March 29 – Saturday 11:00am Spring Series Race #1
April 12 – Saturday 11:00am Kirk Wyss Memorial Race
April 26 – Saturday 11:00am 45th Commodore’s Cup Regatta, Day One
April 27 – Sunday 1:00pm 45th Commodore’s Cup Regatta, Day Two
May 10 – Saturday 11:00am Spring Series Race #2
May 24 – Saturday 11:00am Spring Series Race #3
June 7 – Saturday 11:00am Spring Series Race #4
June 21 – Saturday 11:00am Spring Series Race #5 (12th TN Summer Sailstice)
5. Courses
The RC will announce the selected course 5 minutes prior to the Warning Signal.
Note: Any Island or obstruction not specifically mentioned in these Course Descriptions is not a mark of the course and may be left to Port or Starboard.
5.1 – Course descriptions are published in the accompanying Course Descriptions document.
6. The Start
6.1 All boats will start according to their Time Factor as stated in Start Times.
6.2 Start Line:
6.2(a) For Courses 1, 2A, 3A, 3B 4, 5A,5B, 6A. the Start Line shall be between the TVA buoy located west of Dayboard #2 and a
CLSC buoy located approximately 100 feet west of the TVA buoy. Leave the TVA buoy to starboard.
6.2(b) for Courses 2B, 6B, 6C, 7and 7X, the Start Line shall be between the TVA buoy located west of Dayboard #2 and a
CLSC buoy located approximately 100 feet west of the TVA buoy. Leave the TVA buoy to Port.
6.3 Starting Times:
Starting times, based on US Sailing D-PN to TOD conversion factor, shall be assigned by the RC prior to the event. These times shall be a product of the
CLSC Ross/Thomas Time Correction factor, and the measured distance of each course. These times are not subject to protest.
6.4 Starting Sequence:
(This sequence modifies Rule 26)
No visual signals will be displayed. The RC will broadcast time checks on
Ch. 68 every 5 minutes beginning 15 minutes before the first start.
The warning signal sound and announcement shall occur five minutes before the first start. All boats shall be considered to be racing at the warning signal.
The preparatory signal sound and announcement shall occur four minutes before the first start.
A one-minute sound shall be made sixty seconds before the starting signal sound.
(No announcement will accompany the one-minute sound.)
The start sound shall occur sixty seconds after the one-minute sound.
After the first start, there will be no further start signals. The Race Committee will endeavor to contact any boat over the start line early
by radio, but it shall remain the responsibility of each boat to start at the correct time.
Any boat on the course side of the Starting Line during the final sixty seconds before its Starting Time must round the buoy at the Port end of the line, leaving it to Port, OR the buoy at the Starboard end of the line, leaving it to Starboard, in order to restart (Rule 30.1, Round-the-Ends rule).
Any boat electing to perform penalty turns for a foul committed before starting may not perform those turns before starting. (This modifies Rule 44.)
7. The Finish
7.1 Finish Line:
7.1(a) The Finish Line for Courses 1, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, 5A,5B, 6B, 6C, 8, & 9 shall be between the Start Line buoy and a CLSC buoy set
approximately 100 feet west of the Start buoy. Leave the TVA Buoy to Port.
7.1(b) The Finish Line for Courses 2A, 6A, 7and 7X shall be between the TVA Start Line buoy and the CLSC buoy. Leave the TVA buoy to Starboard.
7.2 Record the exact time of day as you finish.
(H:Min:Sec)
7.3 Email that finish time to Chuck Bowers at bowersce53@att.net as soon as possible after finishing. Boats failing
to post finish times within six hours of finishing will be scored DNF.
7.4 Immediately upon finishing, sound a horn or whistle to indicate that the vessel has finished.
8. Scoring:
(This section modifies Rule 90.3.)
8.1 The Low Point Scoring System shall be in effect. A first-place finish shall be scored as 0.75 points.
Each subsequent finisher shall be awarded a score equal to its finishing position.
8.2 The Commodore’s Cup is both a stand alone event and an event in the Spring Series. The final position of a boat in the
Commodore’s Cup will be scored as one event in the Spring Series. The Commodore’s Cup Champion will receive a score of 0.75.
Each subsequent boat shall be awarded a score equal to its final placing.
8.3 DNS will be scored as the number of starters plus one. DNF will be scored as the number of finishers plus two.
8.4 If all seven events in the 2025 Series are completed, each boat may discard its worst finish score, except that
the Commodore’s Cup score is not discardable. Additionally, no score of DSQ is discardable.
9. Additional Information
9.1 The results will be scored: Spinnaker Class, Non-Spinnaker Class and Fleet overall. Awards shall be given for each class in the
final series standings. For races where perpetual trophies are presented and plaques applied, plaques for each class will be affixed. The one exception
will be the Commodore Cup which will be awarded according to fleet finishes.
9.2 Boats will need to notify the race committee at the Spring Series Skippers Meeting as to which class they intend to compete in for that series. If a
boat is not represented at the meeting, then the boat’s representative should notify the race committee chairman of their decision prior to
the meeting. Failing notification above, the boat’s representative shall notify the race committee prior to that boat’s first race for the
series and prior to the committee boat leaving the dock. Otherwise, that boat will be automatically scored in the Spinnaker Class.
9.3 Non-Spinnaker class boats will be restricted to a main and only one headsail flown at a time, with the exception that a staysail may be deployed with the jib.
9.4 If at any time a non-spinnaker class boat decides to fly a spinnaker during a series, that
boat will be retroactively scored with the spinnaker class for the entire series.
Download Race Information
“GREAT EXPERIENCE!”
Cherokee Lake Sailing Club is so much fun – whether participating in our racing program, going out for casual cruises or just gathering at the club pavilion for dock parties with a fun group of folks.
“WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS!”
We would love to share our beloved sailing sport with you. Come visit at the dock & see what sailing is all about!
“SO BEAUTIFUL!”
Cherokee Lake is the premier location in East Tennessee for a day of sailing. It is the pristine lake due to its width that enables a sailor to take advantage of various points of sail.
There is currently dock space through Black Oak Marina if you are interested in a berth for your boat. We gather at our club pavilion for club events, as well as holding activities at Off The Hook Restaurant located in the marina.