The Eighteenth Marion – Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race

N O T I C E   O F   R A C E

Revised May 23, 2011

Start: Friday June 17, 2011

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  1. ORGANIZING AUTHORITY AND SPONSORS

    The Organizing Authority (“OA”) is the Marion - Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race Association, Inc. (“MBCYRA”).

    The race is supported by:

    The Beverly Yacht Club (“BYC”)Marion, Massachusetts
    The Blue Water Sailing Club (“BWSC”)Boston, Massachusetts
    The Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club (“RHADC”)Paget, Bermuda
  2. RACE DESCRIPTION

    The race will start in Buzzards Bay off Marion, Massachusetts, and finish off St. David’s Head, Bermuda. The race will start on Friday, June 17, 2011 with the first warning signal scheduled for 1230. The start may be postponed if unusually heavy weather is predicted.

    The Marion – Bermuda Race is an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Category 1 race. Their description is:

    “A race of long distance, well offshore, in large unprotected bays, and in waters where large waves, strong currents, or conditions leading to rapid onset of hypothermia are possible, where yachts must be completely self-sufficient for extended periods of time, capable of withstanding heavy storms and prepared to meet serious emergencies without the expectation of outside assistance.”

  3. SPIRIT AND OBJECTIVES
    1. Since its inception in 1977, the Marion – Bermuda Race has been a Corinthian event and yachts are accepted by invitation. The spirit of the race is that all yachts and crew are participating for the joy and pleasure of sailing, competition, and the camaraderie that accompanies such an off-shore event.
    2. The race provides an opportunity for cruising yachts and amateur crews to participate in an ocean race and a rendezvous in Bermuda. It encourages the development of blue water sailing skills on seaworthy yachts that can be handled safely offshore with limited crew.
  4. RULES
    1. The Race will be governed by:
      • The Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012 (“RRS”)
      • This Notice of Race (“NOR”)
      • The 2011 Marion – Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race Sailing Instructions
      • The equipment requirements applicable to a Category 1 race in the 2010-2011 ISAF Special Regulations Governing Offshore Racing, including the US SAILING Prescriptions, as changed by the NOR
      • Regulations from US SAILING regarding the appropriate handicapping system

      Links to important web sites are:

      RRShttp://raceadmin.ussailing.org/Rules.htm
      US SAILING Prescriptionshttp://raceadmin.ussailing.org/Assets/Race+Admin/Racing+Rules/Documents/2009-2012+Prescriptions+FINAL_CLN.pdf
      ISAF web site for Monohullshttp://offshore.ussailing.org/Assets/Offshore/SAS/2010+US+Cat+1+Mo.htm
      MBCYRA sitehttp://www.marionbermuda.com/
    2. The Sailing Instructions may change any of these documents as permitted by the RRS. It is the intention of the OA to post the Sailing Instructions on the Race web site by February 1, 2011.
    3. The Sailing Instructions will permit the Compliance Committee and the International Jury to grant time allowances and to assess time penalties in lieu of disqualification.
    4. Decisions of the International Jury shall be final, in accordance with RRS Rule 70.4.
    5. Advertising will be limited to ISAF Category A in accordance with ISAF 20.3
  5. YACHT ELIGIBILITY AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS
    1. Yacht must have an enclosed cabin and be fitted out for comfortable cruising, including permanent bunks, a permanently installed and enclosed toilet, and permanently installed cooking facilities suitable for use at sea. Her hull length, exclusive of spars or projections fixed to the hull, such as bowsprits or pulpits is between 32.0 and 80.0 feet. Moveable ballast is not permitted. Your yacht shall be, in the judgment of the Acceptance Committee, of a design of demonstrated seaworthiness and appropriate for a Category 1 race.
    2. Yachts shall meet the ISAF Monohull requirements for a Category 1 race, with the following modifications:
      3.03Scantlings. Does not apply.
      3.14.6Lower lifeline minimum wire diameter may be 1/8”, regardless of the LOA of the yacht.
      3.23.5aPumps. Substitute “Two manual bilge pumps, one securely fitted to the yacht’s structure, one operable above deck, the other below deck. One shall be operable with all cockpit seats, hatches and companionways shut”.
      3.23.5fBuckets. Replace “at least” with “approximately” 2.4 US gallons.
      3.27Masthead tricolor lights are strongly recommended for boats without rotating masts.
      3.28.2Amended. Yachts may carry a portable generator, which shall be adequately secured both when stowed and in use on deck.
      3.29.1biiSubstitute “it shall have a masthead antenna or an antenna mounted on a permanently installed pole at least 12 feet above the water line, such as a radar mount. A co-axial feeder cable must be used such that there is not more than 40% power loss.”
      3.29.1nAn AIS transponder is not required.
      4.01.1Sail letters and numbers.See Section 6, paragraph h.
      4.02.1bColored panels are recommended.
      4.08.1An extensive first aid manual may be substituted for the publications listed by ISAF.
      4.10Replace with US SAILING’s radar reflector prescriptions: “Radar reflectors shall have a minimum documented ‘equivalent echoing area’ of 6 m2. Octahedral reflectors shall have a minimum diameter of 12 inches.”
      4.20.2dWe strongly recommend that life rafts be equipped with insulated floors.
      4.26.2Storm and heavy weather sails. See Section 6, paragraph c.
      5.01Lifejackets. We have modified US SAILING’s first prescription. One Type I U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device (PFD) must be aboard the yacht for each person even if inflatable PFDs are aboard. Each PFD must have a strobe or other rescue light on a lanyard long enough to allow the wearer to hold the light above their head and have a strong whistle firmly attached on a lanyard long enough so that the whistle can be placed in the mouth.
      5.11Preventer or Boom Restraining Device. We have made the US SAILING recommendation a requirement.
    3. Additional equipment required to be on board:
      • A copy of the 2009 - 2012 RRS
      • A copy of the pertinent ISAF Special Regulations
      • A federal VHF radio station license, which is mandatory for international travel
      • A fully-charged waterproof hand-held VHF radio
      • A properly registered 406 MHz EPIRB. We recommend a GPIRB, which contains an integral GPS
      • Docking equipment for use in Bermuda, including at least five fenders, four dock lines and a marine power cord at least 100 feet long
    4. The following consumables shall be on board at the start:
      • Sufficient fuel in permanently installed tanks to motor at least 250 miles
      • At least 10 gallons of fresh water per person
      • Sufficient provisions for the crew for at least 14 days
    5. All ordinary cruising gear, such as cabin tables and galley equipment, shall be on board and in its usual cruising position during the race.
    6. Power-driven winches and mechanical or electro-mechanical steering devices are permitted in all divisions. The Sailing Instructions will modify RRS 52 to allow these devices.
    7. A radio receiver capable of receiving SSB weather broadcasts shall be aboard.
    8. Either an SSB transceiver or a satellite phone shall be aboard and in good working order.
    9. Your yacht must display identical weather cloths on each side of the cockpit from the warning signal until one hour after the starting signal and while finishing. The numbers shall be at least 16 inches high and identical to the numbers on the sails.
  6. SAILS
    1. Each yacht may carry one mainsail, 3 jibs or fore-stay sails, one asymmetrical spinnaker, one mizzen staysail and an unlimited number of heavy weather or storm sails.
    2. The tack line of the asymmetrical spinnaker may be attached to the stem of the yacht, to the bowsprit, or to the end of a sprit that is permanently installed at the bow for that purpose, but may not be attached to a spinnaker pole.
    3. At least one storm trysail, one storm jib and one heavy-weather jib, as described in ISAF Special Regulation 4.26, shall be aboard. Color patches are required on each side of all storm sails. We strongly recommend that the yacht’s sail number be displayed on the patches. This changes ISAF Special Regulation 4.26.2.
    4. Two headsails may be flown simultaneously, subject to the limitations in RRS 50.
    5. A forestaysail is permitted only if the yacht has a professionally installed inner forestay and the sail has been declared on the handicap rating form.
    6. Other sails may be aboard, but shall be boldly marked “NOT FOR RACING.”
    7. For safety reasons, a whisker pole’s length shall not be longer than 105% of the yacht’s “J.” Adjustable whisker poles shall be secured so that they cannot be extended beyond this limit. When is use, whisker poles shall be attached to the mast, as described in RRS 50.2.
    8. Sail “numbers” (which may be letters or numbers) must be at least two characters long and are required on weather cloths (see NOR 5 i), mainsails, spinnakers, and headsails having a luff-perpendicular measurement exceeding 130% of the base of the foretriangle. National letters, e.g., USA or BER, are not required. This changes ISAF Special Regulation 4.01.1, RRS 77, and RRS Appendix G.
    9. The yacht’s number shall be displayed at all times while racing. If no numbered sail is hoisted, at least one weather cloth shall be displayed.
    10. Poled symmetrical spinnakers, mizzen spinnakers and bloopers shall not be used.
  7. MANDATORY COURTESY INSPECTION OF YACHT AND EQUIPMENT
    1. The Captain shall arrange a mutually acceptable time and place for a mandatory courtesy yacht inspection by a Race Inspector. The initial inspection must be completed by June 1, 2011.
    2. All deficiencies noted in the inspection shall be corrected before a yacht is permitted to complete on-site registration in Marion. Having your yacht inspected well before the deadline is strongly recommended.
    3. A list of authorized inspectors, the “Equipment Inspection Checklist” and our document, “Comments on various ISAF and Notice of Race Requirements,” will be available on our web site by January 1, 2011.
    4. Inspections do not assure that a yacht is seaworthy or capable of extended offshore passages, nor are they a substitute for a proper marine survey.
    5. A number of yachts, particularly prize candidates, will be inspected again in Bermuda.
  8. CAPTAIN AND CREW ELIGIBILITY
    1. The captain and crew shall be of demonstrated competency for an ISAF Category 1 race. This means that enough of the crew to adequately manage the yacht shall have had prior experience with offshore passages or races of at least 250 miles.
    2. Each yacht must have a minimum of four adults (16 or older) aboard, except for the double-handed yachts.
    3. A complete crew list shall be submitted by May 20, 2011 as part of the electronic registration process. Changes after that date must be submitted in writing and are subject to approval by the Acceptance Committee.
    4. The captain must be a member of his or her national yacht racing authority, such as US SAILING or the Bermuda Yachting Association. The race is open to all ISAF Group Classifications that are fully in keeping with the Spirit of the Race. See NOR Section 3. Questions about crew eligibility should be referred to the Acceptance Committee prior to the start of the race.
    5. Direct or indirect renumeration beyond covering direct expenses and simple remembrances to a captain or crew for the express purpose of participating in this race is specifically prohibited.
    6. If a yacht has a regular full-time paid captain or crew member, this one person is allowed on the yacht during the race but shall take no active part in sailing, steering or navigating the yacht unless there is an emergency. The full-time paid captain or crew may act as the cook and perform yacht maintenance. Any participation of the paid captain or crew in sailing, steering or navigating the yacht during the race must be fully described in the yacht’s Compliance Report.
    7. A minimum of thirty percent (30%) of all crew members including at least two (2) of the following (captain, navigator, port and starboard watch captains) shall have attended a sanctioned Safety-at-Sea Seminar within five years prior to the start of the race. For Double-Handed yachts, both crew members shall meet this requirement.
  9. ENTRY, FEES AND PRIZES
    1. The entry form and the related official documents are accessible via the internet on the Marion Bermuda Race website: http://www.marionbermuda.com/. All race related correspondence including requirements for written notice may be conducted by email, addressed to the race administrator at race@marionbermuda.com.
    2. The Entry Fee is $950 for the Yacht and Captain plus $50 for each additional crew member. The payment is due at the time of application or by April 15, 2011 whichever is earlier and must be received by MBCYRA for our acceptance process to begin. After April 15, 2011 the Entry Fee is $1100 plus the $50 crew fee. Entry closes on June 1, 2011 and all information required on the entry forms must be completed by then.
    3. The Entry Fee is not refundable once your entry has been accepted but it will be returned promptly if your entry is not accepted. The Entry Fee includes professional briefings on weather and the Gulf Stream at the Captains’ Meeting, the iBoattrack position tracking system, and an on-call professional medical diagnosis and consulting service provided by the George Washington University Maritime Medical Access facility during the Race and your return passage.
    4. All yachts will be divided into Racing Classes of similar performance characteristics based on their ORR rating, with each racing class having a separate start. A yacht must have its ORR rating certified by US Sailing before June 8, 2011. A class may include Electronically Navigated yachts, Celestially Navigated yachts, Double Handed yachts, yachts which also elect to be scored under the IRC handicap rule, etc. The class assignments will be announced at or prior to the Captains’ Meeting on June 16, 2011 at 1700 and class identifier flags will be distributed to all contestants at that time.
    5. Prizes are offered for the overall and class winners in accordance with the Trophies Section of the NOR. In addition, there are several “races within the race” which require prior notification for your yacht to be eligible to win:
      1. Celestial Navigation

      A yacht with a navigator skilled and experienced in celestial navigation at sea may elect to compete using celestial navigation. This election shall be made on or before May 20, 2011. Yachts that finish the race and comply with the celestial navigation requirements will be awarded a favorable 2.0% adjustment to their ORR rating which shall be calculated in the following manner:

      Celestial ORR rating = (ORR rating * .98) rounded to 3 decimal places.

      During the race a yacht’s location must be determined by traditional star and sun sights. All navigating work, plotting sheets and celestial sight reduction forms must remain on board and be available for inspection in Bermuda by our Compliance Committee.

      The following electronic navigation devices may be used throughout the race:

      Speedometer and log
      Compass and depth finder
      Wind speed and direction indicator
      Radio receiver and radio direction finder
      Radar
      Calculators or computers for reducing sights or computing courses
      Temperature indicating devices
      Voice recorders

      Downloading any information which can be used to derive the yacht’s position is strictly prohibited.

      Downloading free publicly available weather or ocean current information is allowed.

      Electronic positioning devices such as GPS may be used within 20 nautical miles of the United States or 50 nautical miles of Bermuda. If, on approach to Bermuda, a celestially navigated yacht turns on a GPS or other electronic positioning system before finishing, it must determine and show on its Certificate of Compliance the time it turned on its GPS or other electronic positioning system, its dead reckoning position, the position shown on its electronic device, and the bearing and distance to the Kitchen Shoal Beacon.

      All uses of electronic positioning devices by a celestially navigated yacht shall be fully documented and included in the yacht’s Certificate of Compliance.

      2. Family Race

      A “family” yacht has aboard a crew of five or more with all or all-but-one being members of a single family. We define “family” as persons who are related to a common grandparent, and their spouses. Election may be made on or before May 20, 2011.

      3. Double-Handed, Short-Handed Competition and All-Female Crew

      Yachts sailing with a crew of 2, a crew of 4 or an all-female crew may elect to compete in the double, short-handed and all-female competition respectively. Election may be made on or before May 20, 2011.

  10. HANDICAPPING AND SCORING
    1. All yachts must have a current ORR handicap certificate or rating which may be based on either full or partial measurement. Handicaps will be obtained directly from US Sailing and will use the Time on Time -- All Purpose value. A yacht may elect to compete with or without an asymmetrical spinnaker. This choice shall be reflected in the yacht’s rating and must be declared on the entry form prior to May 20, 2011.
    2. In addition, scoring under IRC will be available, provided six or more yachts have a valid IRC Handicap (Endorsed or Unendorsed) certificate.
  11. NAVIGATION, WEATHER AND ELECTRONICS
    1. You must keep a log in a logbook and make entries at least once each watch. The log should show courses, distances made good and DR positions. Your logbook must be on paper and have a traditional format. The logbook and all navigating work, plotting sheets and celestial sight reduction forms, if applicable, must remain on board and be available for inspection in Bermuda by our Compliance Committee.
    2. Professional weather routing services, professional Gulf Stream predicting services and other private communications for routing purposes are permitted prior to 1700 on the evening before the start of a yacht’s division and are prohibited after that time. This restriction also applies to yacht-to-yacht or yacht-to-shore transmissions for routing purposes.
    3. Except for the above restriction, you may use any communication device including VHF, cell phone, satellite telephone or SSB. There are no restrictions on obtaining information over the internet provided that the information is in the public domain and is not specific to individual yachts.
    4. Any information received from ashore via email, blogs, telephone, radio transmissions, etc., relating to your or to a competitor’s position is considered “assistance from the shore” and is prohibited by the RRS 41.
  12. ON-SITE REGISTRATION AND CAPTAINS’ MEETING
    1. Either the captain or navigator must register the yacht at BYC before 1400 on Thursday, June 16 or pay a late registration fee of $200. The registration desk’s schedule will be as follows:
      • Tuesday, June 14, 2011
        0900 – 1800
      • Wednesday, June 15, 2011
        0900 – 1800
      • Thursday, June 16, 2011
        0900 – 1400

      In addition, yachts may register “early” on Sunday, June 12, or Monday, June 13, by making an appointment, well in advance, with the Race Administrator: race@marionbermuda.com.

      The following documents are required to register your yacht:

      • Accurately completed electronic documents as required by the registration system.
      • MBCYRA Waiver of Liability, signed electronically.
      • MBCYRA Equipment Inspection Checklist, indicating that the yacht has passed inspection signed by the inspector.
      • Life Raft Certificate(s) of Inspection & Compliance.
      • The 15 digit international alphanumeric EPIRB or GPIRB registration number(s).

      You will receive a final copy of the Sailing Instructions, Customs and Immigration forms, and Bermuda information at Registration.

    2. We will host a mandatory Captains’ Meeting on Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 1700. The captain or navigator must attend the entire meeting – failure to so do may result in penalties added to your corrected time. The Meeting will include briefings on weather, the Gulf Stream and approaches to Bermuda. These briefings are the only ones sponsored by MBCYRA. Up to two other crew members are welcome to attend.
  13. CAPTAIN’S RESPONSIBILITY AND WAIVER OF CLAIMS
    1. (ISAF book, paragraphs 1.02.1 & 1.02.2):

      “The safety of a yacht and her crew is the sole and inescapable responsibility of the Captain, who must do his best to ensure that the yacht is fully found, thoroughly seaworthy and manned by an experienced crew who are physically fit to face bad weather. He must be satisfied as to the soundness of hull, spars, rigging, sails and all gear. He must ensure that all safety equipment is properly maintained and stowed and that the crew knows where it is kept and how it is to be used. Neither the establishment of any Special Regulations, their use by race organizers, nor the inspection of a yacht in any way limits or reduces the complete and unlimited responsibility of the Captain.”

    2. Neither the organizers nor the sponsoring clubs bear responsibility for accidents, damage or injuries to yachts or their personnel arising from any cause before, during, or after the race. Refer to RRS 68, particularly US SAILING’s prescriptions.
  14. TROPHIES

    Trophies will be awarded to yachts based on their corrected time unless otherwise described. Corrected times will be adjusted for starting time and time credits or penalties at the decision of the Compliance Committee or Jury. Other prizes may be awarded at the discretion of the Race Committee.

    Overall Trophies: The following trophies will be awarded to yachts based on the ORR handicap system unless otherwise noted.
    Founders TrophyThe yacht with the best corrected time overall
    BYC Polaris TrophyFirst celestially navigated yacht.
    RHADC Past Commodores TrophyFirst electronically navigated yacht.
    BWSC Board of Governors TrophyThe yacht with the shortest elapsed time.
    Navigator’s TrophyNavigator of the first celestially navigated yacht.
    Commemorative Bulkhead PlaquesEach yacht finishing the race, including multihull yachts.
     
    Class Trophies: Trophies will be awarded in each starting class and the IRC class.
    First, 2nd and 3rd Place Trophies1st, 2nd and 3rd place based on corrected time.
    Cook’s TrophiesTo the cook of the last yacht in each racing class to physically finish.
     
    Special Trophies: Trophies established to foster competition in other ocean races designed for cruising yachts and between crews, teams, yachts of a similar design. These trophies will be awarded if there are three or more such yachts starting the Race or at the discretion of the Race Committee.
    L. Byron Kingery, Jr. Memorial TrophyFirst “short-handed” yacht, one with four people aboard.
    Double Handed TrophyFirst yacht to finish with a crew of 2.
    Beverly Family TrophyFirst “family” yacht.
    Commodore Faith Paulsen TrophyFirst yacht that is crewed entirely by females.
    Horizon Marine Team TrophyTo the established yacht club, sailing club or similar organization whose team of three yachts has the lowest combined time. The organization’s Commodore must submit an application on behalf of the team by June 12.
    “Mini-class” TrophiesFirst yacht in each mini-class; when yachts of the same hull design start the race, they will constitute a “mini-class,” regardless of their Racing Class.
    Bartram TrophyBest performance by a US service academy, maritime college or ROTC yacht.
    Ancient Mariners Golden Teapot TrophyAwarded to the crew that finishes the race having the highest average age.
    Bermuda Ocean Cruising Yacht TrophyAwarded to the captain who has the best finish in the Cruising Division in consecutive Marion and Newport Bermuda Races.
    New England Offshore Racing TrophyAwarded to the Captain who has the best finish in consecutive Marion-Bermuda and Stonington, CT to Boothbay Harbor, ME Races.
     
    Regional and Club Trophies: Awarded to yachts which have not received Overall Trophy. Only one Regional or Club trophy will be awarded per yacht:
    Adams BowlA New England yacht
    Deborah Anne Domenie Memorial TrophyA New York, New Jersey or Connecticut yacht
    Naval Academy TrophyA Chesapeake Bay yacht
    Corporation of Hamilton TrophyA Bermuda yacht
    Town of Marion TrophyA Buzzards Bay yacht
    Commodore’s CupA Blue Water Sailing Club yacht
    Bermuda Longtail TrophyA Beverly Yacht Club yacht
     
    Exemplary Performance Trophy:
    The Robert N. Bavier, Jr. Seamanship - Sportsmanship Trophy may be awarded at the discretion of the MBCYRA Trustees in recognition of truly outstanding seamanship or sportsmanship, independent of a yacht’s finishing position.

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