Sailing Instructions
The Organising Authority is the London Windsurfing Association (LWA)
1 RULES
1.1 The Regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing2025-2028. These include Appendix B (Windsurfing Fleet Racing Rules), Appendix WF Wing Foiling Racing Rules,the Prescriptions of the RYA, the RYA Racing Charter, the Notice of Race, these Sailing Instructions, and the rules of the relevant International classes as amended by national class rules where applicable.
​1.2 Club, council rules and byelaws apply if displayed on the premises of the host club or council hosting the event.
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2 NOTICES TO COMPETITORS​
2. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS​
2.1 Notices to Competitors will be posted on the Official Notice Board located at the Race Office.
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3 CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
3.1 Any change to the Sailing Instructions will be posted at least 30 minutes before the warning signal of the race or races affected. (As amended for LWA events)
3.2 N/A for LWA events.
4 BRIEFING
4.1 There will be a competitors briefing at 10:30hrs.
5 SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
5.1 Signals made ashore will be displayed on a location that will be indicated at the Briefing. (As amended for LWA events)
5.2 N/A for LWA events
5.3 N/A for LWA events..
5.4 For all competitors aged 17 and under on 31st December 2017, RRS 40 is amended such that personal flotation devices shall be worn at all times whilst afloat. For all other competitors, when requested by the Race Officer, RRS 40 applies at all times whilst afloat. This changes part 4 preamble.
5.5 When requested by the Race Officer, every competitor shall wear a wetsuit or drysuit while afloat. A wetsuit is defined as a neoprene garment covering at least the shoulders, torso and legs.
6 SCHEDULE OF RACES
6.1 The normal programme will be 4 races per day. The programme may be varied by signals ashore or afloat without the posting of an amendment. Or verbally by the Race Officer. (As amended for LWA events)
6.2 The scheduled time of the first start signal is 11:00hrs. (As amended for LWA events)
6.3 N/A for LWA events..
7 CLASS FLAGS/IDENTIFICATION
7.1 Unless otherwise indicated at the Briefing: (As amended for LWA events) Class flags will be:
Class Description
All classes except Foils Flag R
Foil Classes Flag F
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7.2 Identification
7.2.1 All competitors shall clearly display the sail number registered on entry on each sail being used, including a change down sail. See NOR 3.7.
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8 COURSE AREA
The racing area is an area extending 75 metres beyond the course including the starting line, the finishing lines and their extensions in which a board normally sails while racing.
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9 MARKS
9.1 Course marks will be indicated at the Briefing. (As amended for LWA events)
9.2 The starting marks will normally be a race committee boat at the starboard end (including any buoy, object or boat attached to it) and a mark to be indicated at the Briefing at the port end. (As amended for LWA events)
9.3 The finishing marks will be a race committee boat and a mark indicated at the Briefing.. (As amended for LWA events)
9.4 A board shall not touch a starting or finishing vessel. This changes RRS B3.
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10 THE START
10.1 Races will be started using RRS 26 (5, 4, 1, GO).
10.2 The warning signal for any succeeding fleet start will normally be made at least 1 minute after the preceding starting signal.
10.3 The starting line will normally be between a staff displaying an orange flag on the race committee signal boat and mark indicated at the Briefing. (As amended for LWA events)
10.4 Boards whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area.
10.5 A board starting later than 4 minutes after her starting signal will be scored Did Not Start without a hearing. This changes RRS A4 and A5.
10.6 An attention signal at the beginning of each series of starts (to alert boards that a race or sequence of races will begin soon) a series of sound signals will be made from the Committee Boat. (As amended for LWA events).
10.7 If a red flag is displayed throughout the start sequence all sailors shall start on starboard.
10.8 In RRS 30.1 (I flag) -delete "or one of its extensions"
​10.9 In RRS 30.4 (Black flag) add after “…the race committee shall display her sail number” the words “or otherwise inform her”.
10.10 N/A for LWA events.
10.11 ICEBREAKER GATE START (As amended for LWA events)
10.11.1 In Icebreaker events the normal Start will be a Gate Start. A nominated Pathfinder will start as close as possible to the downwind side of the Start Line pin, on Port tack at the gun. The Pathfinder is not allowed to tack until he has cleared a line between the Committee Boat and the Leeward mark, the line to be projected upwind of the Leeward mark if necessary. The rest of the fleet must start between the Start Line pin and the Leeward mark on Starboard tack, behind the Pathfinder and Guard Boat if any. The Pathfinder for subsequent races will be the board finishing in 5th position. If this board has already acted as Pathfinder the role will pass down the finishing order to 6th place and so on.
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11 CHANGE OF THE NEXT LEG OF THE COURSE
11.1 To retain the intended alignment of the course to the wind, the race committee may move a mark or the finish line up to 150 metres from its original position without signalling the change. This changes RRS 33.
12 THE FINISH
12.1 The finishing line will be between a staff displaying an "S" flag on the race committee signal boat and the Leeward mark at the windward end. (As amended for LWA events).
After the first boat has finished, the Race Committee may finish other boards at a mark of the course or on a leg of the course.
When a Committee Boat displays flag S with two sounds, boards may be finished by this Committee Boat. (As amended for LWA events.)
When a board finishes in accordance with this instruction she shall be given a finishing place after all boards which complete more legs of the dourse and then finish. (As amended for LWA events).
12.2 N/A for LWA events.
12.3 Boards who have finished shall at all times keep clear of the finish area.
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12.4 GRAND PRIX FINISH (As amended for LWA events)​
12.4.1 Unless otherwise specified at the Briefing or by the Race Officer verbally, all LWA events use a Grand Prix finish.
There will be no separate finishing mark or set number of laps. Competitors will be required to sail through "The Gate" on every lap. Each lap will be the same for all boards. The approximate race duration will be specified.
Shortly before the finish, flag S will be displayed on the finishing vessel (with two sound signals). All boards will finish when they next pass between the finishing vessel and the nearby mark of the course.
12.4.2 Any boards completing one lap fewer than the leading board will be scored in their finishing order after those completing the full number of laps, and so on for those completing two or more laps fewer.
12.4.3 Note that the first board to be finished will often not be the leader. The display of flag S will usually be timed to avoid slower boards being sent on another lap rather than being displayed just before the leaders are due to finish. (As amended for LWA events)
13 TIME LIMITS AND TARGET TIMES (As amended for LWA events)
13.1 The intention is that all racing takes place in suitable conditions. The Race Officer shall be the sole judge of the suitability of conditions., with a recommended minimum windspeed of 3 knots or above consistently across the course. If the leading board has not passed the windward mark within 15 minutes of the start the race should be abandoned unless there is clear evidence that the wind is filling in. There is a 13:00hrs cut off for cancellation of an event. (As amended for LWA events)
There is no time limit for a race and no set number of laps, but the intention is that the Race Officer should display the S flag with 2 sound signals to shorten the course at approximately 25 minutes after the start. (As amended for LWA events.)
13.2 For Foils and Wingfoils the minimum windspeed is a consistent 8 knots, the Race Officer being the sole judge of the suitability of conditions.
14 PENALTY SYSTEM
14.1 Exoneration Penalty
A board that may have broken a rule of Part 2 (When boats meet) may, after finishing the race concerned and before the start of a related protest hearing, notify the Race Committee that she accepts a 20% scoring penalty as stated in RRS 44.3(c), except that the minimum penalty is five places if that does not result in a score worse than DNF. This penalty does not reverse an OCS score, or a disqualification under RRS 30.3. It is not available for a breach of RRS 2 or of class rules or for gross misconduct under RRS 69. Nor is it available to a board that caused injury or serious damage, or gained a significant advantage by her breach: in these circumstances, her penalty is to retire.
When an Exoneration Penalty is accepted:
a) Neither the board nor a protest committee may then revoke or remove the penalty.
b) The board shall not be penalized further in a protest hearing when the protest committee decides that it was appropriate to the facts found and the applicable rules.
When a board accepts an Exoneration Penalty, the designation DPI (Discretionary Penalty Imposed) will be used. If she retires, she will be scored RET.
14.2 Advisory Hearing
14.3 When there is an incident that will not result in the lodging of a protest or a request for redress, a board, protest committee or race committee may request an advisory hearing with the race office, and notify any board involved in the incident. An adviser will then call a hearing to learn what may have happened and will state whether any rule appears to have been broken, and by which board. A board may as a result notify the race office that she accepts an Exoneration Penalty when it applies to the incident, or choose to retire, although there is no requirement for her to do either.
14.4 RYA Arbitration
a) When a protest or request for redress is lodged, a board may at the same time request RYA Arbitration, or the protest committee or race committee may offer it.
b) If the parties and a member of the protest or race committee agree that RYA Arbitration is suitable, an arbitrator (who may be that member of the protest committee) will call a hearing. When the arbitrator decides that a board that is a party to the arbitration hearing has broken a rule for which the Exoneration Penalty is available, the party will be invited to accept that penalty, and, if it is accepted by a protested board, the protesting board will be allowed to withdraw the protest, changing RRS 63.1.
c) When there is not an agreement to use RYA Arbitration, or when, after RYA Arbitration, a protest is not withdrawn or the Exoneration Penalty is not applicable to the facts, there will be a normal protest hearing, at which the arbitrator may be a member of the protest committee. RRS 66 and 70 will not apply to the arbitration decision. A board may still accept an Exoneration Penalty at any time before the start of a protest hearing and receive its protection from further penalization. She may also retire.
d) When a protest or request for redress is lodged, a board may at the same time request RYA Arbitration, or the protest committee or race committee may offer it.
Breaches of Sailing Instructions 5.4; 5.5; 7.2; 10.4; 10.9; 17 and 18 will not be grounds for a protest by a board. This changes RRS 60.1(a). Penalties for these breaches may be less than disqualification if the protest committee so decides.
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15 PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS (As amended for LWA events)
15.1 Boards intending to protest must inform the race committee finishing boat upon finishing the race.
15.2 Protest forms are available at the Race Office. Protests and requests for redress or reopening shall be delivered there within the time limit.
15.3 For each fleet, the protest time limit is 30 minutes after the last board in that fleet has finished the last race of the day or from the time that the Race Committee signals no more racing for that day.
15.4 Notices will be posted no later than 30 minutes after the protest time limit to inform competitors of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses. A further notice will be posted with details of the location of the protest room and the time for the first hearing.
15.5 When a board takes a penalty or retires under RRS 44.1, the penalty is changed to include completion of an acknowledgement form at the race office within the protest time limit.
16 EVENT SCORING (As amended for LWA events)
16.1 1 race is required to be completed to constitute a regatta for all boards of that class.
16.2 2 races must be completed for the event to count towards the series, other than for the Icebreaker Series for which only 1 race must be completed.
16.3 The Low Point Scoring System of Appendix A will apply, except that RRS B8.8 (Ties) is deleted.
16.4 When fewer than 3 races have been completed, a board’s series score will be the total of her race scores. When 3 to 6 races have been completed, a board’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score. (As amended for LWA events)
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17 TALLY SYSTEM
N/A for LWA events.
18 SAFETY
18.1 Mandatory Instructions on the water - Boards and competitors in difficulty. When the race committee considers that a board, its equipment or crew are not adequate for the existing or anticpated conditions, or that a board or crew member is in difficulty, it may instruct the board or crew not to launch, or to retire or to sail ashore or to accept outside help. The board and crew shall comply with such instructions without delay.
​18.2 Boards shall not jump within the racing area. A competitor failing to comply will be scored a DSQ without a hearing. For an incident in a race the penalty shall be applied for that race. For an incident outside of a race the penalty shall be applied to the preceding race.
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19 ​​​EQUIPMENT AND MEASUREMENT CHECKS
19.1 A board or equipment may be inspected at any time for compliance with the class rules and sailing instructions. On the water, a board can be instructed by a race committee equipment inspector to proceed immediately to a designated area for inspection.
19.2 A sailor wishing to race in the Techno 3.5, 4.5, 5.8 Class must ensure that their sail has a maximum of 6 battens and 2 cams.
20 SUPPORT BOATS / PERSONS
20.1 Team leaders, coaches and other support personnel shall stay outside areas where boards are racing from the time of the preparatory signal for the first class to start until all boards have finished or retired or the race committee signals a postponement, general recall or abandonment.
20.2 If the protest committee learns of a possible breach of a rule by a support person through any source, including the Race Committee, it may call a hearing under rule 60.3(d).
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21 LITTER DISPOSAL
Boards shall not put litter in the water. Litter may be placed aboard support and race committee boats.
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22 RADIO COMMUNICATION
A board shall neither make nor receive radio or mobile telephone transmissions while racing.
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23 PRIZES (As amended for LWA events)
23.1 Prizes will be awarded to the first competitor in each fleet with 3 or more registered at the event, provided that at least one race has been completed. Additional prizes may be awarded at the discretion of the LWA Committee.
Additional fleet prizes, and category/division prizes, may be awarded depending upon the number of competitors.
Series prizes will be awarded in all fleets where at least one competitor has completed the minimum number of qualifying events. (As amended for LWA events)
24 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
24.1 Risk Statement
RRS 4 of the Racing Rules of Sailing states: “The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.”
Sailing is by its nature an unpredictable sport and therefore inherently involves an element of risk. By taking part in the event, each competitor agrees and acknowledges that:
a) They are aware of the inherent element of risk involved in the sport and accept responsibility for the exposure of themselves, their crew and their boat to such inherent risk whilst taking part in the event;
b) They are responsible for the safety of themselves, their crew, their boat and their other property whether afloat or ashore;
c) They accept responsibility for any injury, damage or loss to the extent caused by their own actions or omission;
d) Their boat is in good order, equipped to sail in the event and they are fit to participate;
e) The provision of a race management team, patrol boats and other officials and volunteers by the event organiser does not relieve them of their own responsibilities;
f) The provision of patrol boat cover is limited to such assistance, particularly in extreme weather conditions, as can be practically provided in the circumstances.
g) 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 nto attend any safetty briefing held for the event, in person or virtually.
25 INSURANCE
Each participating board shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance with a minimum cover of £5,000,000 per event or the equivalent.
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LWA SIs 2025 v2