WLYC 24 Hour Race 2025 - Provisional Notice of Race
Valid from 22nd September 2024
West Lancashire Yacht Club 24 Hour Race, 2025 in association with Marine Supplies Direct and in collaboration with the Royal Yachting, GP14, Enterprise and Firefly Associations, Budworth and Southport Sailing Clubs & the participating clubs on the Marine Lake, Southport.
1. The WLYC 24 Hour Race, 2025 will take place on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September 2025 around a triangular course on the Marine Lake, Southport, starting at 12:00 on Saturday 13th September. The warning signal will be at 11:50.
RULES
2. The event is governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing.
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
3. Sailing Instructions will be issued to all entrants by email in August 2025. They will likely set out in full a number of changes to the rules to meet the special circumstances of the race including:
· Changes to permit the following, in defined circumstances:
o Use of a reserve boat (of the same class), sails and gear
o Changing of sails and use by a boat of a sail carrying a distinguishing emblem or number other than her own, and/or not entered on her class certificate
o Hauling out (changing Rule 45)
o Outside help (changing Rules 41)
o Changing of crews and helms (changing Rule 48)
o Towing or manual propulsion to a defined docking area (changing Rules 41 & 42)
· Changes relating to protest requirements, including a requirement to use protest flags, red in colour, of minimum dimensions 100mm x 100mm (changing Rule 61.1(a))
· Provision for alternative penalties intended to enable infringing boats to continue racing, except when the Protest Committee or Race Committee considers disqualification to be appropriate
· The One-Turn and Two-Turns penalties of Rule 44 will not apply for safety reasons
· There is a requirement for helms and crews to each wear an adequate personal flotation device at all times while afloat
· In accordance with World Sailing Development Rule DR21-01 Alternative Starting Penalty, the definition of Start will be changed as follows:
Start A boat starts when her hull having been entirely on the pre-start side of the starting line, and having complied with rule 30.1 if it applies, any part of her hull crosses the starting line from the pre-start side to the course side either
a) at or after her starting signal, or
b) during the last minute before her starting signal
When a boat starts in accordance with item (b) of the definition she shall not return to the pre-start side of the line, and the starting penalty will be that, when passing the Control Tower, after having sailed one complete lap of the course, she shall receive a 5 minute penalty.
(There is no intention to apply rule 30.1; the reference to it is included to comply with the requirements of World Sailing).
ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY
4. The 2025 race is open to GP14, International Enterprise and Firefly class dinghies, which will be handicapped in accordance with the following yardstick numbers. Please note that these yardstick numbers may change nearer the time of the race.
· International Enterprise 1025
· GP14 1000
· Firefly 1100
5. The race is for boats entered [NP]:-
a. By a single club or organisation affiliated to the RYA, or another World Sailing member national authority, and sailed by a team representing that club or organisation.
b. At the absolute discretion of West Lancashire Yacht Club, for boats sailed by teams from unaffiliated clubs or organisations such as university alumni coming together to form a new informal group for participation, provided the team captain is known to West Lancashire Yacht Club, and is a member of a club or other organisation affiliated to a World sailing member national authority, and enters the boat.
c. Each boat shall be sailed only by bona fide members of the club or organisation entering the boat. In the case of b. above was a member of a club or organisation common to the team.
d. No competitor shall sail in more than one team.
e. Entries will be limited to 75 boats.
6. Boats may be entered in one or more of four categories:
· Unrestricted no restriction on age of helms and crews
· Masters sailed by a team consisting of helms aged 40 or over on 31st August 2025, with crews of any age
· Ladies sailed by a team consisting of female helms and crews
· University sailed by a team consisting of members of a university sailing club
7. Entry opens on 22nd September 2024 for one team per club or organisation. Additional teams per club or organisation may be entered from 1st January 2025 onwards. Entries must be made via the official Entry Form hosted by the GP14 Association within their online shop and must be made on behalf of and with prior authority of the entering club or organisation. The closing date for entries is Saturday 31st August 2025.
8. If a team withdraws its entry or is not compliant with the entry requirements, or if the event is cancelled for any reason, the entry fee may not be fully refunded. If the total number of entries exceed the safe and practical limit currently set at 75 boats, a waiting list will be maintained. In the case of an unavoidable withdrawal, the first team on the waiting list will be invited to replace the withdrawing team, whose entry fee may then be partly refunded, less a £50 charge. In the absence of a waiting list, entry fees may not be refunded. A team on the waiting list which is accepted for entry will pay the entry fee applicable to the date and time of entry acceptance.
9. The race is being organised as a collaborative event. By entering for the event, competing clubs confirm that they are able and willing to nominate some suitably trained and qualified members to act as race officials, scorers, powerboat drivers, first aiders, or in some other onshore capacity. Clubs which are unable to do so may not be accepted for entry. Clubs will be invited to provide volunteers for at least two duties on the rota from July 2025. Briefing of duty volunteers and officials is expected to be principally via electronic media in advance of the event.
10. Entry fees are set out below and on the online Entry Form.
| Entry Fees 2025 | ||
| Payment | First Entry Per club/organisation | Additional Entries Per club/organisation |
| Early Bird* (from 22.09.24) | £330 | N/A |
| Early Bird* plus (from 01.01.25) | £330 | £300 |
| Standard Entry (from 01.04.25) | £380 | £350 |
| Late Entry (from 15.07.25) | £430 | £400 |
| Entries close at 23.59 hrs on 15.08.25 | ||
| *University teams will be eligible for the early bird discounts until August 15th. |
REGISTRATION
11. Registration for competitors and volunteers will be online in advance of the event by 15th August 2025 and will then be validated on arrival at the venue. This validation will be on Saturday 13th September from 08:00-10.00 for participants who completed and submitted their Registration Forms fully prior to Sunday 31st August or from 12:00 to 17:00 on Friday 12th September for those who were unable to do so, after which unregistered entrants may be withdrawn from the race. A current validated Measurement Certificate for each boat entering shall be available for inspection.
ADVERTISING
12. Boats will be required to display allocated numbers for identification purposes and potentially to display race sponsor's advertising logos on the boom and/or sides of the hull or elsewhere. The size, placement and material will be prescribed in the sailing instructions.
13. Advertising will be allowed in accordance with ISAF Regulation 20 except that advertising on the hull and boom shall not conflict with or mask the display of the allocated identification numbers and race sponsor's logos.
14. Still and moving images may be taken by supporters and authorised photographers to record the event for the purposes of sharing and promotion. Drones may be flown, with prior permission.
SCORING
15. The winner will be the boat with the shortest average lap time (after application of the yardstick and penalties, if any). For some prizes reasonably continuous sailing is required.
16. Boats will be required to carry GPS tracking devices to provide information for competitors and spectators, which will not be valid fr scoring purposes. Unreturned devices will be charged at the replacement cost.
RISK STATEMENT
17. Rule 43 of the Racing Rules of Sailing states: "The responsibility for a boat's decision to participate in a race or to continue in a race is hers alone."
18. Sailing is by its nature an unpredictable sport and therefore involves an element of inherent risk, especially on the confined waters of the Marine Lake in extreme weather and during the hours of darkness. By taking part in the event, the Team Captain (who must be an adult capable of excising appropriate judgement) and each competitor agree and acknowledge that:
· They are aware of the inherent element of risk involved in the sport and accept responsibility for exposure of themselves, their crew and their boat to such risk whilst taking part in the event;
o They are responsible for the safety of themselves, their crew and their other property whilst taking part in the event;
o They are responsible to ensure that any young or less experienced sailors in their crew, particularly below the age of 18 years, are capable of sailing in the conditions prevailing at the time
o They accept responsibility for any injury, damage or loss to the extent caused by their own actions or omissions;
o Their boat is in good order, equipped to sail in the event and in the conditions prevailing at the time;
o Their team members are all fit to participate in the event and in the conditions prevailing at the time;
o The provision of a race management team, patrol boats and other officials and volunteers by the organisers of the event in collaboration with competing clubs does not relieve teams of their own responsibilities;
o The provision of patrol boat cover is limited to such assistance as can be practically provided in the circumstances;
o It is their responsibility to familiarise themselves with any risks specific to this venue or this event drawn to their attention in any rules and information produced for the venue or event and to attend any safety briefing held for the event.
PRIVACY STATEMENT
19.. Entrants and those volunteering for the duty rota will be asked to provide contacts and next of kin details as part of advance online registration and confirm these details at onsite registration giving consent for personal information to be used by WLYC and collaborating organisations for race organisation purposes, including safety considerations. The personal data relating to competitors under the age of 18 at the start of the race will include the names of onsite, onshore parents or guardians and other information relevant for safeguarding purposes.
20. Consent will also be requested for the personal data of entrants and volunteers to be used by WLYC and its commercial partners for marketing purposes, including promotion of sailing events and sailing-related activities, products and services such as future WLYC 24 Hour Races.
21. The personal information provided by entrants and volunteers to the organising authority will be used to facilitate their participation in the event. If that personal information relates to someone who has agreed to be bound by the Racing Rules of Sailing and the other rules that govern the event (the rules), the legal basis for processing that personal information is contract. If they are not bound by the rules, the legal basis for processing that personal information is legitimate interest. Personal information will be stored and used in accordance with the organising authoritys privacy policy. When required by the rules, personal information may be shared with the RYA, the individuals national authority and/or World Sailing. The results of the event and the outcome of any hearing or appeal may be published.
INSURANCE
22. Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party insurance with a minimum cover of £5,000,000 per incident or the equivalent.
FURTHER INFORMATION
23. Further details will be available on https://wlyc.org.uk/wlyc-24-ho... ,https://www.facebook.com/Wlyc24hrRace/ , or by emailing: wlyc24hourrace@gmail.com . Entrants may also join the WLYC 24 Hour Race information WhatsApp group through which information will be broadcast.
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Last updated 1:16pm on 19 November 2024
