In order to derive the greatest enjoyment and benefit from racing, safety and seamanship must come first. We have therefore established the following guidelines and policies to be followed by all participants in the Boston Sailing Center’s Soling Racing program:
Boston Harbor is a major commercial traffic area. Please note that all large deep draft commercial vessels have the right of way under all circumstances. The race committee maintains radio contact with the harbor pilots and upon their request or on its own discretion may abandon a race in progress or delay a start for the passage of such vessel. When it is necessary to abandon a race in progress the committee boat will indicate which side of the ship channel you must immediately sail to and await the passage of the vessel. In calm conditions the committee boat may tow you out of the channel. However, it is each team’s responsibility to sail safely and prudently at all times.
In addition, the Coast Guard enacts a security zone (2 miles ahead, 1 mile behind, and 500 yards either side) around LNG tankers both inbound and outbound. If you are underway during the transit of a LNG tanker follow the instructions of the race committee or the patrol boats escorting the tanker.
Please stay vigilant at all times while racing. In order to avoid collision on a reliable basis you must continuously be alert for other vessels – both racing and non-racing.
Inspect your spinnaker before sailing. If you find any damage, bring it to the repair pile on the upper deck of the riverboat and take a spare. If a tear occurs during racing, we recommend you immediately douse to prevent the tear from getting larger (and more expensive). Please do not apply tape of any kind. You can then request a spare spinnaker from the Race Committee.
Please do not use duct tape or write on the decks. All footwear must be non-marking.
Table of Contents
Sailing Instructions 2026 Fall Racing
1. Rules
1.1 The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing for 2025 – 2028 and the prescriptions of US Sailing.
2. Notices to Competitors
2.1 Notices to competitors will be posted on the BSC website at Racing>Soling Racing.
3. Changes to Sailing Instructions
3.1 Any change to the sailing instructions will be posted before 9:15 AM on the day it will take effect.
4. Boats and Equipment
4.1 All collisions must be reported to the BSC office either by filing a protest or by filling out a collision report. Describe the incident, identify the other boats involved, and list any damage. The penalty for not complying with this is disqualification from the last race sailed for the day.
4.2 Competitors shall report any damage or loss of equipment, however slight, in the maintenance log immediately after securing the boat. The penalty for breaking this instruction, unless the protest committee is satisfied that the competitor made a determined effort to comply, will be disqualification from the race most recently sailed. Damaged sails shall be put in the sail repair pile and tagged. Include the boat name and the specific location of the damage.
4.3 If a boat or sail is damaged by user error, the skipper or skippers found to be at fault by the BSC will be responsible for the cost of repairs. Damage caused by guest skippers will be billed to the team’s skipper.
5. Schedule of Races
5.1 The race committee plans to hold as many races as possible, weather permitting, on each Saturday during the following dates: September 12, September 19, September 26, October 3, October 10, and October 17, 2026. Several races are scheduled for each day from 10:00am to 1:00pm. The warning signal for the first race is scheduled for 10:00am. Launch service will start at 9:00AM.
6. Racing Area
6.1 Racing will be held in Boston’s Inner Harbor.
7. The Courses
7.1 The diagrams in SI Attachment #1 below show the courses, including the approximate angles between legs, the order in which marks are to be passed, and the side on which each mark is to be left.
7.2 The course to be sailed will be designated by letter(s) on the Committee Boat course board.
7.3 An offset mark may be used in conjunction with the windward mark. If used, it will be set approximately 100 feet to the left of the windward mark. If in place, the offset mark shall be left to port after each rounding of the windward mark. This changes rule 34.
7.4 If a leeward gate mark is missing or out of position, boats shall round the remaining mark to port. This changes rule 34.
7.5 The symbol “II” displayed below the “W” or “MW” course means “sail the course twice around”.
8. Marks
8.1 Marks are red or green spheres about three feet in diameter. The intention is to use the green mark as the starting mark
8.2 The offset mark, if used, is a white sphere about three feet in diameter
9. Starting Sequence
9.1 The start sequence will be conducted as indicated below. The race committee may use several short sound signals as notification of an approaching starting sequence, but it is not required.
| Time | Visual Signal | Sound Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
|
5 Minutes |
Class Flag Raised |
1 Sound |
Warning Signal |
|
4 Minutes |
P-Flag/I-Flag Raised |
1 Sound |
Preparatory Signal |
|
1 Minute |
P-Flag/I-Flag Lowered |
1 Long Sound |
1 Minute to Start |
|
Start |
Class Flag Lowered |
1 Sound |
Start |
Note: The beginning of the horn signal marks the exact time.
9.2 If Rule 30.1 is not in effect, a P Flag will be used as the Preparatory Signal and will be raised four minutes prior to the starting signal and lowered one minute prior to the starting signal.
9.3 If Rule 30.1 is in effect, an I Flag will be used as the Preparatory Signal and will be raised four minutes prior to the starting signal and lowered one minute prior to the starting signal.
9.4 The starting line will be between a blue flag on the committee boat and the port-end starting mark.
10. Individual Recalls
10.1 The Race Committee may attempt to hail premature starts by boat name or sail number. Recalls may also be broadcast on VHF Channel 72. Delay, failure to hail or broadcast the individual sail numbers of recalled boats shall not be grounds for redress.
11. General Recall
11.1 General recalls will be signaled by many short blasts of the horn after the starting signal. After a general recall, the Race Committee may start a new sequence immediately. This changes rule 29.2.
12. Change of the Next Leg of the Course
12.1 The Race Committee may move the position of a mark to maintain the course configuration, provided no boats are sailing on that leg. This changes rule 33.
12.2 To change the next leg of the course, the race committee will move the original mark (or the finishing line) to a new position.
13. Abandoning After the Start
13.1 When it is necessary to abandon a race in progress, the committee boat will display an “N” flag and sound several short blasts of the horn. This changes race signal N.
14. The Finish
14.1 The finishing line will be between a blue flag on the committee boat and the finishing mark.
14.2 If at least ¾ of the fleet has finished, the race committee may score the remaining boats, last finisher plus one, to avoid abandoning the race due to ship traffic or lack of wind.
15. Penalty System
15.1 V1 of Appendix V will apply which changes rule 44.1. (A copy of Appendix V is at the end of this document)
15.2 V2 of Appendix V will apply which changes rule 44.3 (A copy of Appendix V is at the end of this document)
15.3 A boat takes a Post-Race Penalty by informing the race committee that she accepts the penalty and identifies the race number and where and when the incident occurred. This changes V2(c).
15.4 The post-race penalty is a 40% scoring penalty. This changes V2(b)
16. Protests and Requests for Redress
16.1 A boat intending to protest need not display a red flag. Protests will be indicated by a hail of “protest” at the time of the alleged infringement. This modifies rule 60.2(a). Note: Only the word “protest” will fulfil the protest requirements. “Do your circles” or other such hails will not.
16.2 A boat intending to protest or request redress based on an incident in the racing area that she is involved in or sees shall, at the first reasonable opportunity after she finishes, inform the race committee at the finishing line of her intent to protest or request redress and, when applicable, the identity of the protestee.
16.3 Protest forms are available from the BSC website at Racing>Soling Racing. Protests and requests for redress or reopening shall be delivered to the Race Committee within the appropriate time limit.
16.4 The protest time limit is 15 minutes after all the teams have been dropped off by the launch.
16.5 Competitors will be informed verbally of hearings in which they are parties or named as witnesses no later than 10 minutes after the protest time limit. Hearings will be held in the classroom on the riverboat. Only one person from each team may attend the hearing. Witnesses will wait outside the riverboat until called. Notices of protests by the race committee or protest committee will also be verbal.
16.6 Rule 60.4(c)(1) is changed to replace “serious damage” with “any damage”
16.7 Rule 63.4(a)(2) is changed to replace “serious damage” with “any damage”
17. Breakdowns
16.1 A boat that has a breakdown through no fault of her own may request redress, subject to the provisions of SI 2.17.2
16.2 In the event of a breakdown, contact the RC immediately to report the nature of the breakdown. A boat shall continue racing if possible unless further damage will result, or the RC instructs it to retire. Immediately after finishing or retiring, the RC will determine if a repair can be made on the water. If not, it may transfer the team to a spare boat or instruct them to return to the BSC. All requests for redress must be made in writing and comply with Rule 61.2
18. Scoring
18.1 The “Low-Point Scoring System” of Appendix A of the racing rules will apply for each of the series.
18.2 When fewer than five races have been completed, a boat’s series score is the total of her race scores. When five or more races have been completed, a boat’s series score is the total of her race scores excluding her worst scores (20% of the races sailed per series rounded to a whole number)
18.3 Rule A5.3 will apply.
19. Safety Regulations
19.1 The Race Committee may disqualify a boat without a hearing for crossing close in front of a deep draft vessel. Any disqualification applied under this rule is not excludable.
20. Sail Restrictions
20.1 If the Race Committee flies the “NS” flag, spinnakers may not be used.
21. Prizes
21.1 Prizes will be awarded for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each series.
Attachment 1: Courses
Appendix V – Alternative Penalties
This appendix is a US Sailing prescription.
Rules V1 and V2 provide alternative penalties that encourage competitors to take a penalty when they may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 or rule 31 in an incident. One or both of these rules apply only if the notice of race or sailing instructions so state. When rule V2 applies it does not replace any penalty that may be taken under rule 44.1. Please report your experiences with and evaluations of these rules to US Sailing by sending an email to rules@ussailing.org.
V1 Penalty at the Time of an Incident
The first two sentences of rule 44.1 are changed to: ‘A boat may take a One-Turn Penalty when she may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 or rule 31 in an incident while racing. However, when she may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 while in the zone around a mark other than a starting mark, her penalty shall be a Two-Turns Penalty.’
V2 Post-Race Penalties
(a) Provided that rule 44.1(b) does not apply, a boat that may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 or rule 31 in an incident may take a Post-Race Penalty at any time after the race until the beginning of a protest hearing involving the incident.
(b) A Post-Race Penalty is a 30% Scoring Penalty calculated as stated in rule 44.3(c). However, rule 44.1(a) applies.
(c) A boat takes a Post-Race Penalty by delivering to the race office a written statement that she accepts the penalty and that identifies the race number and where and when the incident occurred.