Passages Rules and Regulations

Version 1.4 March 24, 2008

Note: Rules are subject to change. Changes hopefully will get published on COM in the Passages Rules and Regulations section. To be sure you have the latest rules be sure to get a new set of rules regularly from the Rules Vendor at the Passages Pub at Starboards Yacht Club. Lastest changes are in green.
1. General

     1.1 The Passages Rules provide a framework for timed navigation contests in the area of the southern USS-SL.

     1.2 Written with the Trudeau Tradewind brigantine in mind, the rules can apply to any class of boats skippers may want to  organize contests between.

     1.3 These guidelines apply to both Contests and Knotlaps.

          1.3.1 Contests are organized to occur at a set time each week and should be announced on the SL Sailing Calendar  at slsailing.com

          1.3.2 Knotlaps can be held at any time. Knotlap captains should record both the Course sailed and the option selected. Knotlaps can also just include a trip to one rock and back. East Rock Knotlap, South Rock Knotlap, and West Rock Knotlap.

     1.4 All captains shall ID their boats prior to any contest. A valid ID consists of the pound sign (#) followed by a sequence of numerals. The ID must be added to the Name field of both the the sit and rez portion and any wearable parts of the boat.

2. The Courses and Options

     2.1 Terminology: SF= Start/Finish line WR= West Rock; ER= East Rock; SR=South Rock

     2.2 There are Three Passages Courses.

          2.2.1 The Normal Course: West Rock is in Empress Augusta Bay and East Rock is in Mare Nostrum. In all courses South Rock is in the Sea of Tranquility

          2.2.2 The Coral Sea Course: West Rock is moved to Coral Sea while East Rock remains in Mare Nostrum.

          2.2.3 The Mar Manor Course: West Rock in Empress Augusta Bay while East Rock is moved to Mar Manor.

     2.3 There are two options available to captains regardless of the Course declared by the Admiral.

          2.3.1 The West option follows the following course: SF, WR, SR, ER, SR, WR, SF . 

          2.3.2 The East option follows the following course: SF, SR, ER, SR, WR, SR, ER, SF. This is a change. Note the addition of the first leg trip to SR before the first trip to East Rock.

      2.4 At no time shall any vessel pass though Kula Gulf sim.

     2.5 Rocks may be rounded in whichever direction the captain chooses.

3.  Captain and Crew

     3.1 Ships may sail with as many or few crewmembers as the Captain desires.

4.  Starts

    4.1  All boats will start on the same line but at different times (staggered starts).

    4.2  Boats will be paired up for the purposes of starts

          4.1.1  Boat pairings will be determined in a casting of dice ceremony at the start of the day’s contest.

    4.3  All boats will rezz in Santa Cruz sim and pass close enough to the windsetter on the starboard end of the line to aquire race wind.

          4.3.1  Boats one and two will then moor in Santa Cruz sim prior to the start of the countdown.

          4.3.2  Boats three and four will then moor in Santa Barbara sim prior to the start of the countdown.

          4.3.3  Boats five, six and all subsquent boats will then moor in Hollywood sim prior to the start of the countdown.

    4.4  The countdown sequence

           4.4.1 At the beginning of the three minute count down Boat One and Boat Two will raise sails and mill. They need not remain in Santa Cruz.

           4.4.2 At time 0:00  Boats One and Two start Boats Three and Four will raise sail.

           4.4.3 At time +3:00 all other boats raise sail

           4.4.4  Aat time +6:00 all other boats start

             4.5  The Clock
  
          4.5.1 It is suggested that captains maintain a seperate RL clock of their time.
         
         
5.  Start and Finishes

    5.1 Boats times shall be determined by net time (your finish time minus your start time).

    5.2 There is no penalty for starting reasonably early (suggest not earlier than 15 seconds before your official start time).

6. Additional Regulations

  6.1 Other Startlines: If a boat crosses another startline during the the contest (other than the Passages start/finish line) the boat is disqualified.

  6.2 Crashes: If the Captain of a boat crashes he may return to SL, find his boat, and continue the race from that point.   If he cannot fine his boat (rez and sit) he can raise new instance of his boat at the point where he crashed. (Suggest captains make note of location and heading when they crash. The boat will most likely be found on that heading).

    6.3 Any boat that loses the Passages race wind shall immediately moor then set boat wind to spd 10m/s and dir 220.  Note: speed is set to 10 instead of 11 to compensate for lack of  wind dir variance.

  6.3 ISF Rules 10 (starboard rights), 11 (leeward rights) , 13 (no rights while tacking), and 18 (rounding marks), are protestable. These rules can be found in video links in the SYC clubhouse.

  6.4 Good sportsmanship and seamanship are more valued by your fellow Captains and mates than winning at any cost.

These Rules were drafted by Admiral Aubrey Trafalgar who serves at the pleasure of the King and who is tasked with creating and maintaining an open and fair Passages environment for all residents and captains of Second Life. God Save the King.

Passages Rules and Regulations
Version 1.4 March 24, 2008