NOTICE OF RACE

35th International Rolex Regatta
St. Thomas Yacht Club St. Thomas, USVI
March 28-30, 2008

1. MANAGEMENT
The St Thomas Yacht Club (STYC) International Rolex Regatta Committee is the Organizing Authority for this event.

2. RULES THAT APPLY
2.1 The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing 2005 - 2008.
2.2 Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA) Rating Rule. Crew limitations for CSA classes will be in accordance with the CSA Rating Rule. CSA rating information can be found at www.caribbeansailing.com
2.3 Minimum safety requirements found in Appendix A of this Notice of Race.
2.4 Multihull Advisory Committee, for multihull classes.
2.5 Portsmouth yardstick, for Beach Cats.
2.6 The minimum number of crew aboard each boat shall be four, except for Beach Cats which shall have a minimum of two crew aboard.

3. ADVERTISING
3.1 The 35th International Rolex Regatta 2008 is designated Category C, regulation 20.
Competitors are requested to respect the brand exclusivity of the Official Sponsor of this event. Rolex’s participation enhances the event for all competitors.
3.2 All boats shall display the event bow stickers on their bow while racing.

4. ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY
4.1 International Rolex Regatta 2008 isextending an invitation to CSA, IRC,Multihulls, Beach Cats and OneDesignclasses with a minimum length of 24’ withcurrent rating certificates. Onedesignclasses and groups of boats wishing to racelevel will have a separate class or will bescored as a separate subclass within theirclass at the discretion of the STYC RolexRegatta Committee based on the numberof entries and the event classes that areestablished.
4.2 You are encouraged to register onlineat www.rolexcupregatta.com.
4.3 Entry Forms will be available from: St. Thomas Yacht Club, 6224 Estate Nazareth 858 St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00802-1104 Tel: 340-775-6320 Fax: 340-775-4701
4.4 The entry fee for the regatta is asfollows:$400.00 (US) for all boats except BeachCats and $225.00 ( US) for the Beach Catsfor all entries received before March 6,2008; $500.00 (US) for all late entriesreceived until 1700 on Tuesday, March 25,2008.
4.5 The completed entry form, and appropriate fees must be received at STYC no later than 1700 on Tuesday, March 25, 2008. No entries will be accepted after 1600 hours on Wednesday, March 26, 2008.
4.6 Registration will take place at St. Thomas Yacht Club from 1000 1800 on Thursday, March 27, 2008.
4.7 As part of the registration process, each boat must complete a crew list form and each individual participating crewmember will be required to sign a declaration accepting a disclaimer of liability.
4.8 Requests for crew substitutions shall be made in writing to the Chief Judge.
4.9 Email regatta questions to: styc@vipowernet.net.

5. SCHEDULE
Tuesday March 25
1700 Deadline for all entries

Wednesday March 26
1200 Class assignments will be made
1600 Registration deadline

Thursday March 27
1000 1600 Yacht Checkin and Final registration at STYC 1600 Welcome Party at STYC 1800 Skipper’s Meeting

Friday March 28
0700 Continental breakfast 0955 First Signal for Racing Lunch and dinner buffets, afternoon and evening festivities and regatta party at the club.

Saturday March 29
0700 Continental breakfast 0955 First Signal for Racing Lunch and dinner buffets, afternoon and evening festivities and regatta party at the club.

Sunday March 30
0700 Continental breakfast
0955 First Signal for Racing

Two or more races may be conducted each day. On Sunday, March 30th there will be no warning signal after 1400. Lunch buffet.

1800 Awards Ceremony and Final Awards Presentations hosted by Rolex and STYC, with regatta party (food, music, and dancing) continuing into the evening at the yacht club.

6. SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Sailing Instructions will be provided in each Entry Packet distributed at registration.In addition sailing instructions will available on the regatta website at: www.rolexcupregatta.com .

7. THE COURSES
The Regatta Committee intends to conduct a varied and challenging schedule of races including both windwardleeward and distance courses in the waterssurrounding the archipelago of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

8. PENALTY SYSTEMS
8.1 Rule 44.2 is changed such that the penalty shall be one turn including one tack and one gybe that in all other respects complies with rule 44.2.
8.2 Rule 44.3, Scoring Penalty, is also available to boats that may have broken a rule of Part 2.

9. PROTESTS
An International Jury will be appointed in accordance with rule 90(b) and Appendix N. Decisions of the International Jury will be final in accordancewith rule 70.4.

10. SCORING
10.1 A maximum of 18 races are scheduled for the Onedesign classes competing on the Jersey Bay Circle.
10.2 A maximum of 12 races are scheduled for the classes competing on the Ocean Circle.
10.3 A boat’s series score will be the sum of her race scores without a discard.
10.4 One race is required to be completed to constitute a series.

11. RADIO COMMUNICATION
All competing boats shall carry a VHF radio capable of receiving communications from the Race Committee on channels 71 and 72.

12. PRIZES
Prizes will be awarded following the racing on Sunday, March 30, 2008. Prizes will be given to first place, second place and third place in each class A Rolex timepiece will be awarded to the winner of each qualifying class. The Commodores Trophy will be awarded to the yacht that has shown the greatest dignity and style in the face of impending disaster. The Johnson’s Reef Trophy will be awarded to the yacht that has suffered the Most Ignominious Calamity.

13. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Competitors agree to be bound by the International Sailing Federation Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 2005/2008, by the Sailing Instructions and the Notice of Race. Competitors agree to take any and all responsibility for the nautical qualities of their yacht, the rigging, the crew's ability and the safety equipment. Competitors also agree to take any and all responsibility for damages caused to third persons or their belongings, to themselves or to their belongings, ashore and at sea as a consequence of their participation in the regatta, relieving of any responsibility the St. Thomas Yacht Club and all persons involved in the organization under whatever qualification and to accept full responsibility for the behavior and dress of the yacht's crew, representatives and guests. Competitors are to be acquainted with ISAF RRS Part 1 Fundamental Rule 4: "The responsibility for a boat's decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone ". In any case, competitors agree that the St. Thomas Yacht Club, the sponsors and their agents, in particular ROLEX S.A., have no responsibility for loss of life or injury to members or others, or for the loss of, or damage to any vessel or property. As part of the registration process, each individual participating crewmember will be required to sign a declaration accepting this disclaimer of liability.

14. PHOTOGRAPHIC AND MEDIA RIGHTS
Competitors will be asked to grant ROLEX S.A. and the Organizing Authority the unrestricted right and permission to use the name and the image for any text, photograph or video footage of either themselves or the yacht they are sailing during the event to be published or broadcast in any media whatsoever (including but not limited to Press and TV advertisements or Internet), for either editorial or advertising purposes or to be used in press information; in this respect, competitors' names and any biographical material of themselves may also be used or reproduced in any way known. As part of the registration process, each individual participating crewmember will be required to sign a declaration accepting this waiver of rights.

APPENDIX A MIMIMUM SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE 35TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ROLEX REGATTA
In the event of a conflict between these requirements and applicable class rules, the class rules will apply.

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR CSA AND MULTIHULLS CLASSES
1.1 Softwood plugs, or other suitable materials, tapered to fit into all thru hull fittings.
1.2 Lifelines and bow and stern pulpits, or lifelines secured in such a way as to form a stern pulpit, of not less than 18" in height, except lifelines may be split at the bow to facilitate sheeting. Lifelines shall be taut with not more than seven feet between supports, taut being defined as no apparent sag between the supports. Lifelines shall be attached securely and in such a way that no part of the system is elastic in nature.
1.3 Fire extinguisher, charged and in date, accessible from the deck.
1.4 Two buckets, of not less than two gallons capacity, fitted with lanyards of suitable strength and length.
1.5 One anchor with chain of suitable size for boat's length and displacement with a suitable rope of at least 150 feet in length. No part of the anchor shall overhang the ends of the boat while racing.
1.6 A First Aid kit suitable for rendering First Aid treatment in minor emergencies.
1.7 Charts covering the area to be raced.
1.8 Lifejackets constructed to an accepted standard, for each person on board, with a whistle attached. Lifejackets shall be of a suitable size for the intended wearer and readily accessible.
1.9 One life ring capable of supporting the largest member of the crew in the water and positioned above deck such that it is immediately available for use in an emergency.
1.10 Heaving line at least 50 feet in length, capable of floating, positioned above deck such that it is immediately available for use in an emergency.
1.11 Four red hand flares and two orange smoke flares.
1.12 VHF radio capable of transmitting and receiving on emergency and race committee channels.
1.13 A compass suitable for navigation.
1.14 A shutoff valve, in working order, shall be fitted to each fuel tank.
1.15 Hatches, companionways and ports shall be capable of being made watertight while racing.
1.16 Cockpits to be selfbailing and fitted with adequate drains.
1.17 Sufficient water shall be carried on board so that at the finish of a race there remains at least one pint per person.

2. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR BEACH CATS
2.1 Life jacket to be worn by each crew member.
2.2 Independent righting line. (Not the jib sheet.)
2.3 Distress flag, 2' x 2', International orange.
2.4 One quart drinking water for each crew member. (This water must be present at the start of the race.)
2.5 50 foot towing line.
2.6 USCG approved emergency strobe light
2.7 Three (3) USCG approved emergency aerial signal flares.
2.8 A VHF radio or cellular phone is required.

3. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR IC24 CLASS
The safety requirements for the IC24 Class are as specified in the IC24 Class Rules.

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"Please fax the Crew Disclaimer and Media Release form to 775-4701 or present it at the time you pick up your registration package". Crew Disclaimer