JYC Racers,
Let me be direct. The skipper of the tug/barge that came through this evening believed that several boats of our fleet impeded him in the channel. This put not only you and your crews at risk, but also puts at risk JYC running future races.
Please see below reminder of our JYC Sailing Instructions regarding commercial traffic.
This safety information is shared with all our racers at the Skippers Meeting and associated info posted after the Skippers Meeting as well as in our NOR and SIs. We will likely be protesting those fleet members before this issue is resolved with the tug/barge company.
If you were one of the boats in the vicinity of the tug/barge that fired off the 5 signal horns, please notify me as soon as possible. Any information from the fleet view will be greatly appreciated.
JYC SI Paragraph 15. Safety Regulations
3. Narragansett Bay is a restricted waterway for commercial traffic. THE COAST GUARD HAS INFORMED ALL AREA RACE COMMITTEES THAT INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED WHEREIN RACING YACHTS HAVE COME TOO CLOSE TO COMMERCIAL VESSELS WITH LIMITED MANEUVERABILITY AND THAT THE COAST GUARD WILL SANCTION ANY AREA CLUBS WHOSE EVENTS RESULT IN THESE INCIDENTS.
4. Therefore, a racing yacht shall keep clear of commercial vessels operating in navigation channels. See Amalgamated International & U.S. Inland Navigation Rules 9(b): “A… sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel that can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway.”
5. A racing yacht whose actions result in a danger signal of 5 or more short horn blasts from a commercial vessel (meaning “I do not understand your intentions” or “You are not taking sufficient action to avoid collision”) will be protested by the RC or PC. The protest committee may, at its discretion, impose a penalty for breaking this rule up to disqualification that is not excludable (DNE) from one or more races. This changes RRS 64.2.
Regards,
Cheryl Rienzo
JYC Commodore/Fleet Captain/RC Chairperson
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