International Nite Class Association

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Revised: 1/22/24

1. Rules The racing will be governed by
   2018. The Racing Rules of the National Iceboat Authority (NIA) as published on Nov 15, 2018.
   2019. International Nite Class Association (INCA) By-Laws as posted on the Association’s website.
   2020. Nite Class Rules as posted on the Association’s website and as amended in the Sailing Instructions.
2. Entries
   1. All competitors must be a current member of the INCA. Dues must be paid at registration on the association’s website.
   2. Competitors must pay the Nite Nationals Registration fee prior to their first race.
   3. The yacht must conform to the INCA Class Rules as revised August 2023.
   4. The National regatta will be run with split fleets regardless of the number of boats participating. Each competitor must indicate on the registration form whether they will sail in the Gold or Silver fleet. Trophies will be awarded to both fleets.
   5. A determination will be made after all boats are registered as to whether the fleets will sail on the same course at the same time with separate scoring, or sail each fleet on its own, one right after the other. This will be announced at the skipper’s safety meeting the morning of the 1^st
3. Keeper trophies will be awarded for positions 1st to 10th in the Gold Fleet and 1^st to 5^th in the Silver Fleet.
4. Race Schedule
   1. Registration online. niteiceboats.org
   2. Skippers safety meeting 9:00 am (local time) first day of regatta
   3. Race #1 staring time 10:00 am local time
   4. All subsequent races TBD by Head Judge.
   5. 2-day regatta will have a maximum of 8 races, 3-day regatta will have a maximum of 13 races.
   6. Throw outs: if more than 5 races – one throw out, if more than 10 races – 2 throw outs.
      1. No race to start within 45 minutes of sunset.
   7. Changes in Sailing Instructions: Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted prior to Race #1.
   8. Course: Acceptable courses are found in NIA section D as published on November 15, 2018. All courses shall be WINDWARD-LEEWARD courses, MARKS to the left to PORT.
   9. Marks: Mark shall be any shape consisting of contrasting or solid color.
   10. Starting and Finishing Signals: Starting and finishing procedures are found in NIA sections E & F.

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS,

Page 2

Revised: 1/22/24

9. Length of Race: Time Limit
   1. Time limits are found in NIA section G and International Nite Ice Yacht Association By-Laws.
   2. All races shall be Five (5) miles minimum.
   3. Lap time limit is Nine (9) minutes per mile.
   4. Any yacht not finishing within twenty (20) minutes of the 1st place yacht shall be scored as DNF.
   5. Twenty Minutes (20) must elapse from the time of the last boat to finish to start to the next race.
10. Scoring
    1. Scoring will be low-point with 1^st Place receiving 1 pts., 2^nd Place receiving 2 pts., 3^rd Place receiving 3pts. etc.
    2. All other yachts (DNS, DNF, DSQ, RAF) shall score points equal to one more than the number of yachts registered in the regatta.
    3. For scoring purposes only, the finish position of the yacht being disqualified (DSQ) or retiring after finishing (RAF) will be filled by moving the other yachts up for that race.
    4. Added yachts will readjust the previous fleet size for scoring purposes.
    5. The regatta will be official when three races (3) are completed in both fleets.
    6. Tie breaker goes to boat with the most amount of firsts, then seconds, then thirds, etc. If still tied, the boat the beats the other in the last race sailed wins the tie breaker.
11. General
    1. The Race Committee may postpone any race or discard any finished race if they consider conditions unsafe at the start or during the race.
    2. The same person must sail a yacht throughout a Nite National Championship regatta.
    3. A hard surfaced, suitable padded headgear (crash helmet) MUST be worn while racing in the Nite National Championship regatta.
    4. Regatta racing equipment rules are as follows: (1) mast; (1) runner plank; (1) springboard; (2) sails and booms; any amount of battens; (2) sets of runners. If any part is broken, replacement is allowed.
    5. Temperature must be above +5 °F to start a race. Steady winds or (25) mph or wind gusts (30) mph or higher will postpone the start of racing.
    6. Each skipper is responsible for his/her own personal safety and well-being and makes their own decision to race in the current conditions.
    7. Minimum Wind: The class acknowledges that the Race Committee and Chief Judge are understandably often under pressure to get sufficient races sailed during a regatta. This can lead to sailing a race in less than ideal conditions, particularly in the case of light air.  The Race Committee can send three skippers of his or her choosing onto the course for a test lap.  The result of this test lap can be used by the Race Committee for determining whether or not a race will be sailed, postponed or cancelled.
    8. The Race Committee may elect to postpone or cancel races if an average wind speed of 5 m.p.h. over 1 minute is not present in the starting area.