Acura Key West 2008 - Notice and Conditions

3 OTHER RULES & REQUIREMENTS

3.1 All boats shall carry an operating VHF radio.

3.2 All boats shall be sailed by at least 4 persons except the Melges 24, J/80, and Corsair 28R classes, which shall be sailed by at least 3 persons.

3.3 Melges 24 and Corsair 28R skippers and crews shall wear Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) at all times while racing.

3.4 Crew weigh-ins are required for the Farr 40, J/105, J/109, J/80, Melges 24, Melges 32, Mumm 30, and Club Swan 42 classes and other One Design classes whose rules specify crew weigh-ins. (Note added Oct 2007: J/109s have informed us that weigh-in is NOT required for their class. This will be reflected in the Sailing Instructions).

3.5 IRC crew weight and limitations (IRC Rule 27.4.3): For IRC classes, the maximum total number of crew shall not exceed the Crew Number printed on the boat's IRC certificate. IRC Crew Number Limitations may be subject to protest.

3.6 The Key West PHRF Rules and Regulations, which include PHRF crew weight limitations, are posted on the event web site (pdf). Premiere Racing's Key West PHRF Consortium will assign PHRF handicaps for this event. The PHRF Consortium will be comprised of approximately 8 members from different PHRF regions across the country. Any questions pertaining to PHRF issues should be referred to Premiere Racing and not to the individual members of the Consortium.

3.7 Acura Key West 2008 will host the 2008 PHRF National Championship. Information and requirements specific to the National Championship will be posted on the event web site (www.Premiere-Racing.com).

4 ADVERTISING

4.1 Those One Design classes that have chosen to race under Category A will sail under Category A for this regatta. Those One Design classes that have chosen to race under Category C and those boats sailing under the handicap rules (PHRF & IRC), will sail under Category C. Boats that intend to display advertising in accordance with Category C must so indicate on their entry form and pay the advertising fee for this category (equal to the entry fee). Class or boat manufacturer names and logos on sails and hulls will not be considered Category C advertising and no additional fee will be required. Competitors are requested to respect the brand exclusivity of the Official Sponsors of this event. Their participation enhances the event for all competitors. (MORE DETAILS)

4.2 All boats shall display the event bow stickers on their bow while racing.

5 ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY

5.1 Acura Key West 2008 is open to the first 300 One Design, PHRF, and IRC monohull boats, 24-85 feet LOA between hull perpendiculars, and Corsair 28R multihull one designs that submit a completed entry.

5.2 Acura Key West 2008 is open to those boats whose Owner or Skipper is a current member of their National Authority (US SAILING for U.S. entries; to join call 1-800-877-2451).

5.3 The entry deadline is 1700, December 14, 2007. A completed entry form, a signed waiver form and the entry fee must be received by Premiere Racing by December 14, 2007 to avoid the late fee of $200. No entries will be accepted after December 28, 2007 without an additional surcharge. Entry acknowledgment will be sent to the first 300 valid entrants shortly after entry receipt.

5.4 The following one design classes are invited to participate: Beneteau First 36.7, Beneteau First 40.7, C&C 99, Club Swan 42, Corsair 28R, Farr 40, J/105, J/109, J/120, J/80, J/92S, Melges 24, Melges 32, Mumm 30, Swan 45, T-10 and TP52. At the discretion of the Race Chairman, one design classes and groups of boats wishing to race level will be provided a separate class start or scored as a separate sub-class within their class based on the number of entries and the event classes that are established.

5.5 PHRF entries must have a PHRF handicap of 175 or less. Entrants who competed in Acura Key West 2006 and/or Acura Key West 2007 and whose boats will be in the identical configuration do not need to submit the full handicap application again or the application fee. They must instead submit the renewal application and all current PHRF handicap certificates. All other PHRF entrants must submit a completed PHRF handicap application, all current PHRF handicap certificates, and US$60 (check payable to Premiere Racing, Inc.) prior to the December 14, 2007 entry deadline. After that date a late fee of US$100 must accompany the PHRF application. Current local certificate(s) are required of all PHRF entries for measurement verification only. Assigned handicaps may differ from local handicaps and from the Acura Key West 2006 or 2007 handicap in the case of a renewal application. A Key West PHRF certificate will be sent to entrants after the PHRF Consortium has assigned a handicap. PHRF entrants should not wait for their Key West handicap certificate before submitting their entry.

5.6 IRC entries must have a minimum TCC of 0.970. Competitors wishing to race under IRC must submit a copy of their 2007 valid “Endorsed” IRC rating certificate with their completed entry form prior to the December 14, 2007 deadline. IRC rating applications for US flagged boats can be obtained through US SAILING (401-683-0800 or IRC@ussailing.org). Boats from other nations should consult their rating office or contact info@rorcrating.com.

5.7 International Team Competition

5.7.1 Acura Key West 2008 will feature an International Team Competition. The competition will be based upon cumulative scoring of national/regional teams composed of three boats competing in three separate classes, provided there are sufficient entries in each class. The participating classes will be selected from the IRC, Farr 40, and Melges 24 classes. Each country/region may enter as many as three teams of boats. Teams may be nominated from geographically recognized regions such as Europe or the Pacific Rim when there are not sufficient boats from a single country represented to constitute a three-boat team. Team nominations should be received in writing no later than December 14, 2007. Team applications are available by contacting Premiere Racing or on the event web site.

5.7.2 If a three boat team cannot be created from one country or region, two of the three boats on each team may hail from or be chartered by representatives from the country or region represented. At least 30% of the crew members from those two boats should be nationals or legal residents of that country or region.

5.8 Each owner, skipper and individual participating crew member shall execute a waiver of liability and media release / crew waiver. This form will be available on the event web site and on site at Acura Race Headquarters.

6 FEES

6.1 The entry application shall be accompanied by an entry fee (unchanged since 2006). The entry fee, based on LOA, is delineated below. An administrative fee of US$100 will be applied to any cancellations.

24' $675

25' - 29' $725

30' - 34' $775

35' - 39' $875

40' - 44' $1,050

45' - 49' $1,200

50' - 54' $1,400

55' + $1,600

A boat's LOA is to be rounded to the lower whole number (i.e. 29.01' = 29' and 29.99' = 29') for the purpose of determining entry fees.

6.2 A Race Week Access Card will be required for each person participating in any of the event's shoreside activities. The card provides access to the race week reception tent and Industry Partner exhibit area for six evenings. Shoreside activities will include trophy presentations, beverages, raffle prizes, Sponsor and Partner demonstrations, panel discussions, snacks, race video, music and local Key West entertainment. Access Cards, which are optional, are US$50 in advance and US$60 on-site. (MORE DETAILS)

7 PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Saturday, January 19

1000-1800 One Design Crew Weigh-In / Bow Stickers &

Numbers Available for Pre-Registration Pick Up

Sunday, January 20

0800-0900 Filing of PHRF Rating Appeals

0900-1200 PHRF Rating Appeal Hearings

1000-1800 One Design Crew Weigh-In

1100-1700 Registration

1600-1700 All-Star Panel Discussion

1700-1730 Skippers' Meeting

1800-2000 Welcoming Reception

Monday-Friday, January 21 - 25

0900 Harbor Start

1030-1630 Racing

1700-1800 Shoreside Activities and Briefings

1800-2000 Prize Giving and Evening Party

8 MEASUREMENT, APPEALS AND CLASSES

8.1 The preliminary scratch sheet will be available on or about December 30, 2007 on the event web site.

8.2 PHRF

8.2.1 Best efforts will be made to have the preliminary PHRF class breaks with the PHRF handicap for each entry posted on the event web site by December 30, 2007. Additionally, they will be posted on-site at Acura Race Headquarters no later than 1800 on Saturday, January 19, 2008.

8.2.2 PHRF Class Breaks: In an effort to provide 'like racing' under PHRF, boat displacement, sail area to displacement, and other factors will be considered when determining class breaks. Rating adjustments of up to 3 seconds per mile may be assigned to boats after class splits are determined.

8.2.3 Premiere Racing will appoint a Special PHRF Handicapping Appeals Committee. Those owners who wish to appeal their handicap or the handicap of a competitor must pay an administrative fee of US$150 for each handicap they are appealing and submit their appeal in writing to Premiere Racing no later than Tuesday January 9, 2008. Checks should be payable to Premiere Racing, Inc. If the appeal is denied, this fee will be donated to race week’s official charity - Shake-A-Leg Miami. If the appeal is upheld the fee will be returned to the appellant. Appeals should be filed only if there is new and relevant information that the Consortium was unaware of at the time the handicap was assigned. Any questions pertaining to PHRF handicaps should be referred to Premiere Racing and not to the individual members of the PHRF Consortium.

8.2.4 No appeals will be accepted on-site except those dealing with administrative or certificate errors. On-site appeals must be submitted at Acura Race Headquarters between 0800-0900 Sunday, January 20, 2008. Both appellant and owner/representative of the boat whose rating is being appealed (if applicable) must be at Race Headquarters at 0900 for the appeal hearing. The appellant is responsible for notifying the owner of the boat whose rating is being appealed (if applicable). Appeal forms are available by contacting Premiere Racing.

8.3 IRC

8.3.1 The IRC Rating Authority has directed that the 2007 IRC Rules shall apply and that the validity of the 2007 IRC certificates is extended for the purpose of the Acura Key West 2008.

8.3.2 Owners must provide an “Endorsed” IRC rating certificate. To insure receipt of an endorsed certificate by the December 14 deadline, US flagged boats are to submit a fully completed, measurer verified IRC application to IRC@ussailing.org prior to November 19, 2007. Boats from other nations should consult their IRC Rule Authority as shown on www.rorcrating.com.

8.3.3 Rating changes must be submitted to US SAILING (or for non-U.S. boats to their appropriate IRC Rule Authority) prior to 1700 (EST) Friday January 4, 2008. Acceptance of changes submitted after that date require the approval of the RORC Rating Office. Except in the case of Rating Office error, or (at the discretion of the RORC Rating Office) other errors which increase TCC, no IRC rating change will be accepted after January 19, 2008.

8.3.4 For the ‘IRC Big Boat Class’ (or Classes) only, IRC Rules 26.1.5 (d) and (e) are replaced. For reference purposes, the minimum TCC in 2007 for the two Big Boat Classes was 1.268 (2008 TCC to be determined at entry deadline, December 14, 2007).

IRC Rule 26.1.5 (d) is replaced with: During the regatta, the sails carried (including mainsails) may vary from day to day but shall remain the same for each individual race day, including multiple race days and cases of damage to sails.

IRC Rule 26.1.5 (e) is replaced with: A spare mainsail may be carried aboard but may not be used as a racing replacement on an individual race day, including multiple race days and cases of damage to mainsails.

9 SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

The Sailing Instructions will be available on or about January 4, 2008 on the event web site and at Race Headquarters beginning on Saturday, January 19, 2008.

Forms and Documents

ENTRY Application (PDF)

SAFETY Requirements (PDF)

PHRF Rules and Regulations (PDF)

PHRF Handicap Application (PDF)

PHRF Handicap Renewal (PDF)

10 RACING AREAS

It is anticipated that there will be four separate racing areas, one for each Division. As entries and class splits are not known in advance, it is not possible to assign definitive racing areas in advance for all PHRF, IRC and One Design boats. The preliminary class assignments listed below are based on past entries and are subject to change. The most likely rendezvous locations for each Division follow:

Division 1

Farr 40, Melges 32, Mumm 30:

West of the Main Ship Channel and west of Division 2, approximately 3.8NM West/Southwest of buoy G"9"

Division 2

TP52, Club Swan 42, IRC, J/120, Larger PHRF classes:

West of the Main Ship Channel, approximately 1.5NM South/Southwest of buoy G"9"

Division 3

Melges 24, J/105, J/80:

East of the Main Ship Channel, approximately 2.2NM Southeast of buoy G"9"

Division 4

Corsair 28R, C&C 99, J/109, J/92S, T-10, Smaller PHRF classes:

South of Stock Island, approximately 4.2NM East of buoy G"9"

Click on the graphic or here to view the pdf showing marinas and locations

11 SCORING

11.1 Ten races are scheduled of which three must be completed to constitute a series. A maximum of three races may be held on any race day.

11.2 Except for the TP52, Farr 40, Mumm 30 and J/105 classes, a boat's series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score subject to rule 89.3(b) if at least seven races are completed. For the TP52, Farr 40, Mumm 30 and J/105 classes, a boat's series score will be the total of her race scores. No scores will be excluded.

11.3 PHRF Scoring

11.3.1 PHRF Classes will be scored using the handicaps provided by the Key West PHRF Consortium with the actual course distances used.

11.3.2 For the PHRF National Championship, PHRF Classes will be scored utilizing a combined objective and subjective criteria (to be posted on the event web site).

11.4 The IRC Classes will be scored using the IRC TCC using time on time scoring.

12 DECISIONS OF THE JURY

12.1 An International Jury will be constituted in accordance with RRS 70.4, 90(b) and Appendix N.

12.2 All decisions of the International Jury will be final in accordance with RRS 70.4.

13 ARBITRATION

For protests involving an alleged breach of the rules of Part 2 of the RRS, a short arbitration hearing will be held prior to a protest hearing. This modifies Part 5 Section B of the RRS.

14 RESPONSIBILITY

14.1 The safety of a boat and its crew is the sole and inescapable responsibility of the Skipper who must ensure that the boat is fully sound, thoroughly seaworthy and manned by an experienced and physically capable crew. Neither the establishment of regulations or inspection of a boat in any way limits or reduces the complete and unlimited responsibility of the Skipper.

14.2 It is the sole and inescapable responsibility of each boat to decide whether or not to start or continue in any race.

14.3 Premiere Racing and participating Sponsors and Industry Partners of Acura Key West 2008 do not accept responsibility for loss of life or injury to participants or others, or for the loss or damage to any vessel in any way or from any cause during or related to this event.

15 PRIZES

15.1 Regatta class awards will be presented to first, second and third place boats each day.

15.2 Overall series awards based on the cumulative scores for the event will be awarded to first, second and third place boats in each class after the final race.

15.3 For classes with fewer than 8 entries, daily and series awards for first and second place boats will be awarded.

15.4 Specialty Trophies: The Paul Washburn Sportsmanship award will be presented at the Skipper’s Meeting. A Boat of the Day award will be presented for each day's top performer. The first place team participating in the International Team competition will be recognized with the International Team Trophy. The PHRF National Championship Trophy will be awarded to the week's top PHRF performer. The Acura Boat of the Week Trophy will be awarded to the Overall Winner of Race Week.

16 AMENDMENTS TO THIS NOTICE

Premiere Racing reserves the right to amend this notice. Any amendments of this notice made prior to January 11, 2008 will be posted on the event web site. All amendments will be posted on the Official Notice Board and copies will be available at Race Headquarters.

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