Call the Coast Guard
The RC needs to notify the Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service when on the scene before the race. Call them by phone, (206) 217-6152 or VHF channel 14. They will want to know how many boats will race, give them your best guess, and the course: Olympia Shoal to around Herron Island and back, inside Budd Inlet, etc. They will also want to know our permit number: C146-07B.

You need to call back when it is over.

Choosing the Course, Setting the Line
Observe the average wind direction. The first leg should be to windward, they should need to tack to get to the first mark, and the Starting line should be at a right angle, square, to the wind. You may well have to watch for half an hour or more to figure out exactly where the wind is coming from. Choose a Starting Mark based on wind direction. Choose a first Mark that it is as directly upwind as possible from the Starting Mark you just chose. The first leg should be a beat.

SOME COURSES REQUIRE THE RC BOAT TO SHIFT THE ANCHOR AROUND THE MARK. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO DO THIS - DO NOT CHOOSE ONE OF THESE COURSES. They should be clearly marked with an @ on the RC Course Tables.

Display the Colored Course Flags
Flying The Flags, read top-down. The preferred method when there is enough wind to fly them.
Flags Over the Boom, read fore to aft.

Starting Signals   All times are taken from the visual (flag) signals
6 min. to the First Start	   no Flags     			and a gun

5 min. to the First Start	up Class Flags				and a gun
4 min. to the First Start	up P flag				and a horn
1 min. to the First Start	down P flag				and a horn
First Start / 5 min. to second start down Class flags of starting class and a gun
	up Class Flags next start
Repeat 5 minute sequence untill all classes have started		Description of Class flags below

If for any reason you need a break between starts, do not raise the next start class flags at the start of the preceding class. Instead, after starting one class do what ever needs doing. Then start the sequence again by raising the class flags with a gun. The next start is then in 5 minutes.

Individual Recalls: recalled by hailing sail number and/or name. A sample hail is, "Over early, 59266, 5970, 181."
Clearing: As each hailed yacht crosses completely behind the Starting Line, hail by sail number (eg; "59266, Clear"). Note that clearing yachts as they return is not required. It is a courtesy. Yachts starting ahead of their class are over early.
Any yacht failing to return and restart should be noted at the top of the Race Time sheet.

1. Make one audible signal immediately after the Starting Signal (that’s two audibles in total).
2. Hoist the First Substitute pennant (also called the First Repeater), the class flags come down.
3. Begin the normal Starting procedure for the recalled classes one minute after you Lower the First Substitute.
4. The classes shall start in the scheduled order.

To Postpone: raise the ANSWERING PENDANT give TWO (2) SOUND SIGNALS
To Resume: lower the Answering Pendant give One (1) Sound Signal The STARTING SEQUENCE THEN BEGINS IN 1 MINUTE with the Warning Signal (class flags).

To Abandon: raise CODE FLAG "N" give THREE (3) SOUND SIGNALS
Abandon When: The Time Limit for the Race has expired OR you have been unable to start a race (no wind). Wait at least an hour before giving up (unless it’s not the first race of the day and it’s been dead a while).

Shortening The Course
Set a Finish Line by the Mark of your choice and fly the appropriate flag.
Fly Code Flag S to end the race, for all classes, at the Mark you are at.
To shortened course for only some ClassesFly Code Flags S AND the Class flag(s) for the Class(es) you wish to shorten.
H — Yellow
S — Green
A — Orange
B — Blue
D — White

You may shorten the Course at any rounding Mark you can get to before the racers. Sometimes it can save the race, particularly when the wind is light.
However if the RC boat is a turning Mark, you can not move until all boats have rounded.

Setting The Finish Line
If you haven’t moved, the starting line becomes the Finish Line. Most Courses are set so that you do not have to move. HOWEVER SOME COURSE REQUIRE THAT YOU SHIFT ANCHOR AROUND THE MARK YOU STARTED AT TO FINISH THE RACE. These are marked with a @ on the RC Course Tables and there is advice on how to shift the RC. There are two RC symbols on the Course Charts for these races, showing the approximate position of the Finish Line.
If you have moved for any reason you will need to set the Finish Line. The Line should be at right angles to the wind if Finishing a windward or a leeward leg; or at right angles to the rhumb line from the last Mark of the Course if the last leg is a reach.

Finishing
Before the first finisher returns, set the blue flag. This means "We are ready to accept finishers."
A yacht has finished when any part of her hull, gear, or crew in a normal operating position crosses the Finish Line. It is not necessary for a yacht to pass completely through the Finish Line. However, they do need to get clear of the line without hitting a Mark or fouling an other boat : if they foul without clearing, they have to do their penalty turns and then recross the line to Finish.
Finish time should be recorded in ordinary clock time or, preferably military time in Hours:Minutes:Seconds. Do not use or calculate elapsed times - do not separate by class.
Whenever possible, identify yachts by both name and sail number, This will serve as a cross check when loading the computer. If you cannot properly identify a finisher, for whatever reason, hail it to identify itself. If necessary, hail it to stand alongside until it can be identified. "White Catalina 27" won’t work in the computer.