INTERNATIONAL FLYING DUTCHMAN CLASS
IFDCO Byelaws - Approved at AGCM  -  8 July 1990

APPENDIX I
FD CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

Note:
Since 1990 the FD Class has made a number of changes to the way Championships are organised. The IYRU is now called the ISAF. ISAF has issued many guidelines relating to the organisation of championships. Furthermore the Racing Rules have been simplified and renumbered. The World Championship has been open since 1990.

The Byelaws are currently under review and an updated version of these Championship Rules will be released when approved by the IFDCO General Committee  (See IFDCO Byelaw 1.2.2)

Any queries regarding the organisation of FD events should be addressed to IFDCO VP Championships (see Class Contacts)


1.0  ORGANIZATION

1.1 The International Flying Dutchman Class Organization, in accordance with IFDCO Byelaw 4, makes arrangements for the organization of the FD World Championship (WC), FD Continental Championships (CC), FD Week (FDW) and FD Masters Championship (MC) in co-operation with the host National FD Class Association (NCA) and the host National Authority (NA) (The Organizing Authority).

1.2 The WC, MC and CCs will take place each year, when possible. The FDW be organized at the same time and venue as the WC and CC when the Championship is not open.

1.3 The WC, CC, MC and FDW should be the best FD events of each continent. Every care will be taken to ensure that these races are sailed in the greatest friendship and harmony.

1.4  The courses and regulations for the FDW and/or MC shall be fixed by the Organizing Authority in co-operation with the IFDCO Championship Organization Committee.

1.5  The FDW and/or MC shall be organized sailing either on a separate course or the same course but starting at a different time from the Championship.

1.6  In the event that more than 80 entries are received for a WC or CC the IFDCO Championship Organization Committee may request the organizers of the championship to divide the fleet into two starts of approximately similar standard by reference to the most recent FD World ranking list and then after the third race, divide the fleet into an A Fleet and a B Fleet on the basis of the results of the first three races. The precise rules shall be provided to competitors with the Sailing Instructions.

1.7  In countries holding National Championships, the organization, course, scoring, nationality, number of races and admission
shall be decided upon by the NCA and the NA of the organizing country. Any NCA or NA holding an Open National Championship are requested to observe paras 2.5 and 5.2 of these Championship rules.

2.0   ELIGIBILITY

2.1  General Requirements

2.1.1 Every helm in a WC, CC, MC, FDW and open National Championship shall be a fully paid up member of IFDCO and shall
comply with all appropriate IFDCO byelaws and class rules.

2.1.2 Helms should recognize the importance of fostering a spirit of international camaraderie at major events and should at all times act accordingly and encourage their crews to join IFDCO and behave in a similar spirit.

2.2    FD World Championship (WC)

2.2.1 Eligibility to enter the WC when it is not declared to be ""open'' shall be on the basis of past performance or national selection within the criteria specified below.

2.2.2 The following shall on the basis of their past performance have an automatic right to enter the WC.

(a) The 40 helmsmen scoring the highest World ranking list points in each of the FD World Ranking Lists for the year ending 31 December and 30 June prior to the first race of the championship, limited to 5 per country.

(b) The defending helmsmen of the WC and FDW.

(c) The current continental champion if the Continental Championship had a Villenia factor of 1.0 or more as determined under the Villenia Cup rules/FD World Ranking list scoring system (IFDCO Byelaws Appendix II).

2.2.3 Each nation may enter boats on the basis of the numbers of its IFDCO membership and numbers of boats attending its national championship as set out below. To qualify as a national championship for this purpose there shall be restrictions on the numbers of IFDCO members entering from the host country.

(a) IFDCO Membership
The maximum number of entries permitted under this heading is as follows
:

Annual Contributions
   1 20:    1 entry
 2140:    2 entries
 4160:    3 entries
 61 -  80:    4 entries
 81 - 100:   5 entries
101 -125:   6 entries
126 -150:   7 entries
151 -200:   8 entries
201 -250:   9 entries
over  250: 10 entries

Any IFDCO member in the previous year whose annual contributions were received by the IFDCO Membership Secretary by 31 January in the championship year shall be taken into account.

(b) National Championship
The maximum number of entries permitted under this heading is determined by the number of boats starting at least one race in their national championship as follows:

Starters
1020 boats: 1 entry
21 -  35 boats: 2 entries
3660 boats: 3 entries
over 60 boats: 4 entries

2.2.5  The number of entries allocated to each nation shall include those entered under 2.2.2 plus the allocations under 2.2.3(a) and 2.2.3(b) with the proviso that no more than 12 boats may sail for one nation.

2.2.6 The host nation has the right to enter a minimum of five boats.

2.3    FD Continental Championship (CC)

2.3.1 Only nationals of the countries comprised in the appropriate continent are eligible to compete unless the CC is declared ""open''. (European continent includes all countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea).

2.3.2 If the CC has been declared a ""limited entry regatta'' then the entry criteria for a WC shall apply except that para 2.2.2(a) shall include the first top 40 helms in the FD World Ranking List satisfying para 2.3.1.

2.4     FD Week (FDW) and FD Masters Championship (MC)

2.4.1 The FDW and MC shall be open to all members subject only to the age restriction for helms in the FD Masters Championship.

2.4.2  Helms in the MC shall be over 45 on 1 January in the Championship year.

2.5   Open National Championship

2.5.1 The National FD Class Association shall endeavour to ensure that any member of IFDCO is eligible to enter their Open National Championship subject to any limit on total numbers applied by the organizing committee in which case it is recommended that the total limit should be declared and entries be accepted in the order they are paid.

3.0  WITHDRAWAL

3.1 Anybody who enters for a WC or CC and who withdraws from the Championship before the end of the series may not be allowed to enter the next year's Championship. This rule shall not apply if the boat is irreparably damaged or if the helmsman is declared ill or disabled by a doctor of the host nation. This decision will be taken by the IFDCO General Committee at its Annual General Committee Meeting from a report of the IFDCO Championship Organization Committee.

4.0  EXPULSION

4.1  In very exceptional cases, after a gross breach of good manners and sportsmanship in a Championship or FD Week, the IFDCO General Committee has the right to expel an owner, helmsman and/or crew from further participation and from future Championships or FD Weeks for a limited period.

5.0 NATIONALITY

5.1 For WC and CC, the representing helmsman of a country shall be a citizen of that country. The nationality of the crew is optional.

5.2 For any other international event the nationality requirements, if any, should be set out in the notice of race or sailing instructions.

6.0 MEASUREMENT

6.1 All boats entering a championship shall conform to the rules and regulations of the International Flying Dutchman Class, shall have a valid certificate and must be able to show these and the measurement form at the Championship. The IFDCO Class Measurer and/or IFDCO Championship Organization Committee and/or the Jury have the right to have the boats or sails etc. wholly or
partially re-measured.

6.2  If discrepancies are found, the boat will not have the right to participate in FD races until a further official re-measurement shows
it conforms to the rules.

7.0  SCORING SYSTEM

7.1 The scoring system for WC, CC, MC and FDW shall be the Olympic scoring system as laid down IYRR Appendix 5 with the following alterations:

(a) There shall be seven races of which the six best for each boat shall be counted for her total points. When it is possible to complete only six races, the best five shall count. When it is possible to complete only five races, the best four shall count. When it is possible to complete only four races, all races shall count.

When only three or less races are completed, the regatta is not valid.

(b) Where there is a tie on total points between two or more boats, the boat that has finished more times in front of the other shall prevail (inclusive of discardable race). For such boats as may still be equal, the better result of the last race in which the points are not
equal will prevail.

In variation to IYRR 74.5(c), a DSQ arising from a Rule 54 infringement may be discarded.

8.0 COURSE

8.1 For WC and CC the course will be Olympic type. Other courses should be discussed with the IFDCO Championship Organization Committee.

8.2 The course should be laid out at a distance of at least one quarter mile from the coast.

8.3 The length of the course shall be approximately 14 miles unless the wind strength is less than approximately force 4 in which
case the course should be approximately 12 miles.

8.4 The minimum average speed for WC, CC, MC and FDW shall be not less than approximately 3 knots. The Sailing Instructions shall show whether this is over the full course or over each leg of the course separately.

8.5  For WC and CC the course shall not be shortened.

8.6  For WC, CC, MC and FDW, the starting line should be laid out at approximately right angles to the wind direction.

8.7 The length of the starting line for WC and CC should be the total length of all boats entered plus 25. The starting line for the WC and CC should be clearly defined by two marker buoys, or one mark and a clear mark on the starting vessel.

8.8  For WC and CC the first leg shall, as far as possible, be dead to windward.

8.9 All marks to be of ample size, visible from the previous mark in good weather.

9.0 COMMITTEES FOR WC AND CC

9.1     Race Committee

9.1.1 The Organizing Authority shall appoint a Race Committee whose duties shall be to plan the Championship and also to be
responsible for the day to day running of the Regatta, both afloat and ashore. The daily management of the races afloat shall be delegated by the Race Committee to its representatives afloat, the Race Officers.

9.2     International Jury

9.2.1 The Organizing Authority shall nominate an International Jury with the consent of the IFDCO Championship Organization Committee in accordance with the conditions for Decisions of an International Jury to be final, (IYRR 1.5 and Appendix 8).

9.2.2 The International Jury shall be responsible for:

(a) Requests for redress from competitors against decisions of the Measurement Committee;

(b) Protest by one competitor against another;

(c)  Requests for redress from competitors against the Championship Committee or Race Committee, in accordance
with IYRR 69 and 74.2.

(d) Actions by the Race Committee against competitors in accordance with IYRR 70.1; or with a Hearing IYRR 70.2.

(e) The authorization of reserve crews and yachts.

(f) Performing the functions set out in IYRR Appendix 8, para 3; to observe for violations of Rule 54 and take action where necessary.

9.2.3 The decisions of the International Jury shall be final. The written consent of the National Authority, when required, to the decisions of the International Jury being final shall be indicated.

9.2.4 The Organizing Authority shall invite at least one member of the IFDCO General Committee to serve on the International Jury.

9.2.5 The principles of the IYRU Protest Committee Procedure (IYRR appendix 6) shall be followed.

9.3  IFDCO Championship Organization Committee

9.3.1The IFDCO Championship Organization Committee is a sub committee of the IFDCO General Committee and its function is to select venues for the WC and EC events, subject to approval by the IFDCO General Committee. At Championships, it represents the interests of the IFDCO and its members sailing in the event. It may convene at Championships together with officials of the IFDCO or National FD Class Association Secretaries present at the event to discuss points of importance concerning the Championship.

9.3.2 Before the first race, the IFDCO Championship Organization Committee will meet with the Race Committee to discuss any modifications to the Sailing Instructions. Any dispute will be referred to the International Jury.

9.3.3 During the course of the Regatta, the day-to-day control of the racing will be in the hands of the Race Committee.

9.4    Measurement Committee

9.4.1 The Measurement Committee will be appointed by the organizing Authority from names to be submitted to the IFDCO Championship Organization Committee for approval. The IFDCO chief measurer shall be President of the Measurement Committee.

10.0  SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

10.1  For WC, CC, MC and FDW events, the official current FD Sailing Instructions shall be used.

10.2 Unimportant alterations may be allowed after consultation with the IFDCO Championship Organization Committee or the International Jury.
 

This page was first published on the IFDCO website on 23 November 2003

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