Principle Race Officer: Michael Hage Regatta Chair: Sandra Dowdle Gulf Yachting Association Commodore Jimmy Ruthven It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2021 GYA Offshore Challenge Cup Regatta hosted by Gulfport Yacht Club. On behalf of the GYA Executive Commit- tee, GYC Flag Officers and Board of Directors, Management and Staff, as well The Regatta and Race Committees, we look forward to this weekend’s festivities and hope you have a great time at their beautiful Club. The GYC Manager and his staff have been working diligently to ensure your onshore activities go smoothly. Regatta Chair Sandra Dowdle, along with Principle Race Officer Commodore Michael Hage, have been planning this regatta for several months and I am very grateful for all of their hard work. I would like to thank Commodore John Watson Galloway and his Flag Officers and Board, for their support in hosting this premier GYA Offshore Regatta. As we get ever closer to the Centennial of the Gulf Yachting Association, please take a moment to reflect on our long history and sailing accomplishments of each GYA member Club, and thank them for their continued support of all of the represented sailing class yachts we often see along with their owners and crew. The yacht owners and crew making a commitment to competing in the GYA Offshore Regatta is extensive, from an expense and time commitment to get their boats ready, deliver them and develop a support team. The GYA thanks you for all you do each year to attend and compete as well as participate in this regatta. We are glad you are here. I am very honored and humbled to be your Commodore and look forward to serving you this year. I know I have some big shoes to walk in and will do my best to keep the GYA on a steady course and making progress as the premier yachting as- sociation in the country. We want to get it right. Should you have any needs or concerns this weekend, please don’t hesitate to ask someone. We are here for you and truly want you to enjoy your time at Gulfport Yacht Club. Good luck on the race course, sail fast and sail fair. Jimmy Ruthven Jimmy Ruthven GYA Commodore Gulfport Yacht Club Commodore John Watson Galloway On behalf of our members, Governing Board, and Flag Officers, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Gulfport Yacht Club for the 2021 Gulf Yachting Association Offshore Challenge Cup. We’re honored to host this prestigious event. Please know that our board, staff, committee members and volunteers have worked countless hours to ensure that this year’s Chal- lenge Cup lives up to the standards of our current GYA Commodore Jimmy Ruthven, his executive committee, you the sailors and the rich history of the Gulf Yachting Association. We hope that you and your family will enjoy your time here at the Gulfport Yacht Club. Please honor all our hard work by supporting our club with you patronage. Remember, outside food and beverage is not allowed. The Anchor Bar, located on the first-floor deck, is a prime spot to enjoy all the racing and festivities while you enjoy freshly prepared food and your fa- vorite beverage. If you have questions about our Club’s facilities or ser- vices, please ask any of our staff or volunteers. For sailing matters, please ask for Sam Vasquez, our Sailing Director. For other Club matters, contact Steve Chatelain, our General Manager. Thanks to all of the sailors and supporters from other yacht clubs who have worked to get their teams ready to compete. We hope that this year’s event is remembered for great competition, fair weather, and superior sportsmanship. Sincerely, John Watson Galloway GYC Commodore club the boat represents. The skipper must be a member of the club they represent for not less than six (6) months. The balance of the crew need not be GYA club members. Each team captain shall submit a written statement on the form provided that his team is meeting this eligibility require- ment along with a list of all potential crew for the event. This statement and crew list shall be sub- NOTICE OF RACE (Revised 7/28/21) mitted with the team registration package by the deadline in Article 4. CLUB ENTRIES. If a team is (A GYA Sanctioned Interclub Event) found not to be in compliance with the fifty per- Hosted by GULFPORT YACHT CLUB cent requirement, the team shall be scored DSQ JUNE 17-20, 2021 for the race(s) in which non-compliance took JULY 29th-AUGUST 1st, 2021 place without a hearing. This changes Racing Rule 1 RULES. 63.1. The regatta will be governed by the rules as de- fined in the current revision of the Racing 3.4 A boat shall represent only one Yacht Club in this Rules of Sailing (RRS) and the GYA Regulations event. for Sanctioned Events (available at www.gya.org). 3.5 Crew limits are based on the GYA PHRF By-laws, Article VII, paragraph K, as follows: The RRS changed by this NOR are listed below Maximum number of Crew: up to RRS NOR Section 22.5’ (5); 22.51’ to 25.5’ (6); 25.51’ to 28.5’ (7); 60.1(a) 1.3 28.51’ to 31.5’ (8); 31.51’ to 34.5’ (9); 34.51’ to 63.1 3.3 37.5’ (10); 37.51’ to 40.5’ (11); 40.51’ to Race Signals 6, 8, 13, 20.3 46.5’ (13); 46.51’ to 52.5’ (15); 52.51’ and up 32.1 14.6 (17). Maximum weight limits would be crew 63.1, A4 and A5 16.3 number limit times 180 lbs. 29.1 and 62.1(a) 17 32 19 3.6 All boats shall comply with United States Coast 35 and A4 22 Guard safety equipment regulations and World 61.1(a) 23.3 Sailing Offshore Regulations Appendix B. A boat A2.1 24.1 shall report for a safety inspection when asked to A8 24.4 do so by the Race Committee or Protest Commit- A4 24.5 tee. 63.1 26.1 4 CLUB ENTRIES. The notation ‘[NP]’ in a rule means that a boat All entry forms must be accompanied by a val- may not protest another boat for breaking id ORRez certificate and a complete crew list. that rule. This changes RRS 60.1(a). All information required on the official entry form must be completed. Each participating 2 SAFETY. GYA club shall pay $175.00 per boat entered All boats must meet United States Coast Guard (USCG) to participate in the GYA Challenge Cup, to be safety equipment regulations and the World Sail- submitted with the entry form by June 16th ing Safety Regulations - Appendix B will apply. July 29th, 2021. Entry forms can be found at www.gya.org and 3 ELIGIBILITY. www.gulfportyachtclub.org 3.1 Only Yacht Clubs which are current General Mem- bers of the Gulf Yachting Association are eligible 5 BRIEFING FOR COMPETITORS. to participate. A briefing for the competitors will be held in the Ballroom at Gulfport Yacht Club on Thursday June 3.2 Each Yacht Club may enter not less than three (3) 17 July 29th, 2021 at 1900. All questions regard- nor more than four (4) boats in different classes. A ing the sailing instructions must be submitted in Yacht Club is limited to one boat per class. writing to the judges by placing such questions in the protest box located under the notice board, no 3.3 NOTE: The word skipper and helmsperson are in- later than 0900 hours, Friday June 18 July 30th. terchangeable for this event. The skipper and at Responses, if any, will be posted on the official re- least one half of the crew racing on each boat gatta notice board no later than 0945 hours, Fri- (including the skipper) must be a member of the day June 18th July 30th. warning signal shall be made later than 1530 6 NOTICES TO COMPETITORS. hours Notices to competitors will be posted on the offi- cial notice board located on the lower deck. At the FRIDAY, JUNE 18 July 30th - Long Distance Race end of each day of racing the race committee will 1155 WARNING SIGNAL RACE #1 - post its docking time as well as any boats that it Party with Live Music & Daily Trophies plans to score in other than a finishing position. after racing. Notices of hearings will be posted here within 30 Free Beer during Protest Time minutes of the expiration of protest time (flag “L” will NOT be displayed with this notice.) This SATURDAY, JUNE 19 July 31st - Windward- changes RRS Race Signals. Leewards 1155 WARNING SIGNAL—Race #2 7 CHANGES IN SAILING INSTRUCTIONS. WARNING SIGNAL NEXT RACE(S) – as The Sailing Instructions may change some of the soon as possible Rules in accordance with RRS 86.1(b). Any chang- Party with Live Music & Daily Trophies es to the Sailing Instructions will be made in ac- after racing. cordance with RRS 90.2(c). Any change to the sail- Free Beer during Protest Time ing instructions will be posted on the official no- tice board not later than two (2) hours prior to the SUNDAY, JUNE 20 August 1st - Windward- scheduled warning signal for the first class to start Leewards on the day the change will take effect, except that 1055 WARNING SIGNAL FIRST RACE OF THE any change in the schedule of races will be posted DAY.