Clearwater Yacht Club
NOTICE OF RACE
Snipe International Racing Association
65th Annual Midwinter Championship
March 24-26, 2003

ORGANIZING AUTHORITY:
Snipe Class International Racing Association and hosted by the Clearwater Yacht Club, 830 South Bayway Blvd, Clearwater, Florida 33767

GOVERNING RULES:
The event will be governed by the current Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), the SCIRA Rules of Conduct for Sanctioned Regattas, the Deed of Gift, this Notice of Race, the Sailing Instructions and any amendments thereto.

REGATTA SITE:
The Regatta will be sailed from the beach at the Clearwater Community Sailing Center and raced in The Gulf of Mexico.

ADVERTISING:
The Regatta is designated Category A in accordance with the SCIRA Advertising Prescription.

ELIGIBILITY:
This regatta is open to SCIRA registered boats and skippers.                                       

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
Advanced entries are requested and can to be made on line or mailed to Yachting, Clearwater Yacht Club, 830 South Bayway Blvd., Clearwater, Florida 33767. Entry forms are available on line from the regatta web-site at Clearwater Yacht Club (www.clwyc.org).                                  

REGISTRATION:
On-site Registration will be held Monday March 24, 2003, 0800 to 1100 at the Clearwater Community Sailing Center, 1001 Gulf Blvd, Clearwater, Florida, 33767. This is located on Sand Key, on the South side of Clearwater Pass. Boats and trailers will be stored here for the event. Registration is $50 per boat which includes all the social activities. Every effort will be made to arrange hosted housing (if requested) for pre-registered crews.

MEASUREMENT:
Measurement will be held Monday March 24, 2003 0800 - 1100.
All boats are subject to measurement at any time at the discretion of the Class or Race Committee. All boats are required to have a current Class decal properly displayed.

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS:
Sailing Instructions will be available during the on-site registration period.

SCHEDULE OF RACES:
Monday            March 24, 2003
0800 Measurement & Registration
1100 Skippers Meeting
1130 Harbor start
1230 First warning signal. Subsequent races to follow.

Tuesday          March 25, 2003
1000 Harbor start
1100 First warning signal. Subsequent races to follow.

Wednesday     March 26, 2003
1000 Harbor start
1100 First warning signal. Subsequent races to follow.
No warning signal will be made later than 1400.

COURSES AND STARTS:
The courses to be sailed are the Class approved courses for Sanctioned regattas as published in the current SCIRA Official Handbook.

SCORING:
The SCIRA Low Point scoring system will be used. Seven races are scheduled.  One completed race constitutes a regatta. A drop race will be permitted upon completion of six (6) or more races. Ties will be broken as described in the SCIRA Official Rulebook.

PROPULSION:
Appendix N of the RRS will apply.

SUPPORT BOATS/PERSONNEL:
Coaches and other support personnel shall not enter in the racing area during the races. They must register and use the provided numbered identification flag.

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES:
The informal Grapefruit Grog Party is planned for Monday evening and an Awards Dinner is planned for Wednesday night at the Clearwater Yacht Club. Coffee and donuts will be provided Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at the Clearwater Community Sailing Center. Water will be provided. Lunches may be ordered at on-site registration and will be delivered to the Clearwater Community Sailing Center each morning. Participants will be provided Regatta Membership and may use the Clearwater Yacht Club facilities at any time.

PRIZES:
Prizes will be awarded to the skipper and crew for the top five (5) places. The Midwinter Championship Perpetual Trophy will be awarded to the boat with the lowest total points. The Major Phillip Blair Masters Perpetual Trophy will be awarded to the skipper, fifty years or older, with the lowest total points. The Frank Levinson, Jr. Memorial Sportsmanship Trophy will also be awarded during this regatta.

FURTHER INFORMATION:
For further information, please contact.
Regatta Chair Dick Boblenz                    BoblenzRB@aol.com        727-461-5488
Clearwater Yacht Club, Lynda Barrett       office@clwyc.org             727-447-6000