Chebeague Island Yacht Club
Bates Island Picnic Race
August 16, 2025 - 1:30 PM
1. Rules: The race will be governed by the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) as amended by these instructions.
2. The Picnic and Location: The picnic will be held on the beach and sandbar between Bates and Ministerial Island. Access will be from the NE. The island is privately owned and a house and pier are located on the SW half of the island. To preserve the owners’ privacy and honor the permission they have given us to use the island, please stay on the shore from the sand bar to the NE end of the island. No fires are allowed at the picnic and we must remove all our equipment, clothing and trash from our picnic before racing can start. High tide is at approximately 11:01 AM. Please consult the chart when anchoring and beware of low tide rock near the shore.
3. The Course: One of three courses will be used, depending on conditions. All boats shall start from where they are anchored. No boat can be anchored NE of a line drawn perpendicularly from the NE end of Bates Island (high water line). The course marks from the start are as follows:
Course 1 - R 6 Bell SW of Birch Is. (leave to Port)
Finish Line between C 5 NE of Crow Is and Race Committee Boat
Course 2 - R 6 Bell SW of Birch Is. (leave to Port)
R 8 Nun NE of Stave Is. Ledge (leave to Port)
G 7 Can NE os Sand Is (leave to Starboard)
Finish Line between C 5 NE of Crow Is and Race Committee Boat
Course 3 R 8 Nun NE of Stave Is. Ledge (leave to Port)
R 2 Bell - lighted SW of Hope Is (leave to Starboard)
G 3 Can E of Jenks Ldg. (leave to Port)
Finish Line between C 5 NE of Crow Is and Race Committee Boat
A chart showing these three courses is appended to these instructions. The course will be selected by the Race Officer before skippers and crew depart for their anchored boats.
4. The Start: Once all gear from the picnic is picked up, skippers choosing to race shall notify the Race Officer of their intention, name of boat, sail number and number of crew. Then the skipper and crew may go to their boats. Crew can prepare boats for racing, but cannot raise sails or lift anchor from the bottom prior to the starting horn signal. Dinghies and tenders must be towed during the race by each racer.
Once the Race Officer sees that all participants have boarded their boats and has given them approximately 5 minutes to prepare, the Race Officer will sound one long blast on the starting horn to start the race and record the starting time. Participants may then raise sails and anchors and proceed on the course selected by the Race Officer prior to participants leaving for their boats. Should the Race Officer determine that a yacht has raised sails or lifted anchor off the bottom prior to the starting signal, he/she shall attempt to notify the offending yacht on channel 72 on VHF radio. The offending yacht shall reanchor and lower sails before restarting. If the offending yacht does not respond, it will be disqualified.
5. The Finish: The Race officer shall set a finish line from the Crow Island G 5 can and his/her boat roughly perpendicular to the course from the last mark of the course. The Race Officer shall record the finishing time for each yacht.
6. Time Limit: At least one boat must complete the course within 2.5 hours of the start for the race to be completed. Any boat not finishing within 3 hours of the start will be counted as Did Not Finish. Any boat having to withdraw shall notify the Race Officer on channel 72.