Fairway Challenge 2024

FAIRWAY CHALLENGE 2024

1. INVITATION and EVENT DESCRIPTION

1.1. Invitation

The Moreton Bay Boat Club invites eligible sailing boats to take part in its annual inter-club “FAIRWAY CHALLENGE”.

The Fairway Challenge is aimed at ocean capable sailing boats able to safely complete an “out and back” 80 nautical mile course from the Redcliffe Peninsula to the Moreton Bay entrance NW Fairway mark to the east of Caloundra. The race is a practice event for the Queensland Cruising Yacht Club (QCYC) Brisbane to Gladstone race at Easter.

The Fairway Challenge will cater for multihull participants by way of a separate division.

1.2. Venue and features

The Fairway Challenge race area is northern Moreton Bay and its NW entrance. The event starts off the Redcliffe Peninsula north foreshore and, after a short leg south down the east foreshore, follows a course generally adjacent the shipping channels to the NW Fairway mark off Caloundra. The return course is a reverse of the outgoing course (omitting the east foreshore leg) to the finish within Deception Bay to the north of the entrance to the Scarborough Boat Harbour.
The event offers significant public exposure due to the first 2 legs being in close proximity to the Redcliffe Peninsula foreshore.

The event offers complimentary berthing of finished boats at the Moreton Bay Boat Club Marina. Note that berthing will be limited.

1.3. Organization and support groups

The Organizing Authority and event sponsor is the Moreton Bay Boat Club (MBBC).

The MBBC utilises Redcliffe Coast Guard as a support and rescue organisation.

1.4. Event schedule

The event is scheduled for the weekend of 9th and 10th March so as to contribute as a Moreton Bay exit practice event for the 76th QCYC Brisbane to Gladstone event at Easter 2024 (https://www.brisbanetogladstone.com/ ).

Complementary berths and marina facilities will be available to participants from the preceding Friday (8th March) through to midday on the Sunday (10th March). Berthing will be limited therefore prior arrangement via the MBBC reception is essential.

The start of the Fairway Challenge will be at 11:00 am on Saturday 9th March. The conditional time limit for the event shall be 7:00 am on Sunday 10th March.

A reasonable priced breakfast on the MBBC boardwalk will be available to the crews of all participating boats from 8:00 am on the Sunday. Breakfast needs to be booked in advance – please indicate with your entry the number of breakfasts required.

Placing announcements and presentation of prizes will commence at 9:30 am Sunday 10th March (subject to any protest hearing). Shore activities are scheduled to conclude prior to 12 noon.

1.5. Rules

The event will be governed by this Notice of Race, the Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024 (RRS), the Australian Sailing Special Regulations 2021-2024, the Sailing Instructions and Maritime Safety requirements prescribed within the associated Aquatic Event Authority. All relevant information and references will be included within the sailing instructions.

2. ELIGIBILITY and ENTRY

2.1. Statutory requirements and safety

Maritime Safety prescriptions

All participating boats must comply with the safety requirements mandated by the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Regulation. Maritime Safety Queensland resolves this down to a simple statement.

All owners and operators, masters and crew members must ensure the ship is:
• safe
• properly equipped and crewed
• operated in a safe manner.

Australian Sailing prescriptions

Boats entering the Fairway Challenge will be required to satisfy the requirements of Australian Sailing Special Regulations 2021-2024 Category 4 Uprated (consistent with the QCYC 2024 Surf to City race – https://surftocity.com/ ). The Uprated requirements to a standard Category 4 Safety Audit are:

Monohull

Reg 3.24.1 Inboard engine, tank(s), fuel and exhaust system permanently installed.
Reg 3.24.5 Minimum speed, charging and fuel comply to CAT 2.
Reg 3.24.6 Separate starter battery if electric starter.
Reg 5.05.1 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) with GPS; 1 per crew.
Reg 5.05.2
(a) Within battery life
(b) Regularly tested
(c) Registered with relevant authority

Multihull

Reg 5.05.1 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) with GPS; 1 per crew.
Reg 5.05.2
(a) Within battery life
(b) Regularly tested
(c) Registered with relevant authority

NOTE:- All race entrants must be RRS Category 4 Uprated compliant. Confirmation of compliance must be proven by forwarding a current completed and signed Australian Sailing equipment audit form with the entry (if not previously provided). The audit must be completed by an Australian Sailing official auditor. Self-audits are NOT acceptable.

2.2. Aquatic Event Authority requirements

The Sailing Instructions will contain an appendix being a ‘brief’ detailing specific prescriptions for participants associated with the Aquatic Event Authority (AEA) issued by Maritime Safety and the MBBC emergency plan for this event. These prescriptions target participating vessels, their owners (or owner’s representative) and skippers.

Subsequent to publication of the Sailing Instructions, all event entrants will be required to confirm via email that they have read and understood the AEA prescriptions and the MBBC emergency plan. Failure to forward that confirmation will cause the boat to be ineligible.

The AEA prescriptions are mandatory and override the sailing instructions. Any incident, being a breach of these prescriptions and resulting in action being taken by Queensland Water Police, Queensland Boating and Fisheries patrols, Maritime Safety Queensland or Brisbane VTS, may be deemed by the race committee to be grounds for disqualification.

2.3. Racing handicap divisions

The race will be conducted with the following handicap categories (if sufficient entries are received):
– Performance Handicap (PHS) monohull
– AMS handicap monohull
– Double-handed PHS monohull
– Multihull division

NOTE 1:- If the number of entries in the multihull division is less than 3, that division will be cancelled and any fees paid will be refunded. Each monohull division requires at least 3 entries to be viable. If the number of entries is 3 or 4, only a first place prize will be awarded. Monohull boats may enter one or more category if the criteria are met. A current, valid AMS certificate is required to enter that category.

Current handicap indices must be provided by each entrant by way of a copy of a current PHS (or arbitrary) based race result issued by an Australian Sailing affiliated club. The race committee reserves the right to adjust any submitted PHS index on the grounds of reasonable equitability. AMS handicap record must be provided if entering the AMS category.

2.4. Entry lodgment and closing date

Race entry is by forwarding a completed entry form to the MBBC Sailing secretary at sailing@mbbc.org.au. That entry must be accompanied by confirmation of (a) payment of the entry fee, (b) Category 4 Uprated safety compliance (or higher), (c) proof of the required insurance (refer 3.9), and (d) completed Participant’s Crew List (separate document available upon request or from the MBBC Sailing web site at https://mbbc.org.au/sporting/sailing/).

Please also indicate the number of breakfasts requested for Sunday 10th March.

The entry ‘cut off’ date is Wednesday 6th March 2024.

2.5. Entry fees

The race entry fees are:-
• Monohull PHS $50
• Multi-hull $50
• Plus $20 to also enter the AMS or double-handed PHS categories.

The preferred payment method is via EFT to BSB 633 000 ACCT # 1301 300 65. The reference must be the entrant’s surname followed by F for Fairway. A copy of the transaction confirmation must be submitted concurrent with the entry.

2.6. Eligibility of Crew

All crew shall comply with RRS 2021-2024, Rule 46, i.e., be members of a club affiliated to Australian Sailing and have an Australian Sailing Number. Crew who do not hold an Australian Sailing Number may apply to the Organising Authority.

The minimum number of crew on a boat shall be 2.

3. MANAGEMENT

3.1. Sailing Instructions

Sailing instructions will be available from the MBBC web site at www.mbbc.org.au from Monday 27th February 2024.

Amendments to the sailing instructions will be advised to entrants via email and will be posted on the MBBC web site.

3.2. Course to be sailed

The start, finish and course diagrams are attached to this notice. The start of the event is to the north of the Scarborough Harbour entrance. The 1st leg is to the Reef Point green beacon which is to be taken to starboard. The 2nd leg is south along the foreshore to a laid mark off Margate Beach. The course then generally follows the shipping lanes to the NW Fairway and return. The finish is within Deception Bay at the red lateral mark marking the entrance to the Scarborough Boat Harbour. With the exception of brief intrusions into the shipping channels around M8, M3, NW12, NW1 and NW4, the designated course lies to the west of the primary Moreton Bay entrance shipping channels. The presence of sandbanks adjacent the course mandates the use of a current northern Moreton Bay and shipping entrance navigation chart.

Note: If the weather is such that the use of support boats off the Redcliffe Peninsula foreshore is untenable, the Redcliffe turning mark would be a virtual mark at location 27 deg 13’S 153 deg 08’E. This would be announced by VHF.

3.3. Penalty system

RRS 44.1 is changed so that the Two-Turns Penalty is replaced by the One-Turn Penalty. Where a boat has not taken a One-Turn Penalty for a breach, the race committee may apply a time penalty.

3.4. Support boats

Support boats will be identified by orange flags being flown.

3.5. Communication

All flag signals will be flown from the start boat. There will be no signals ashore. The start boat can be identified by an orange flag displayed while on station.

The official radio communication channels will be VHF77 (primary channel) and VHF21 (secondary channel). Effective VHF communication is mandatory. This will be verified during “log on” and mandatory position (safety) transmissions.

The MBBC Fairway Challenge shore station call sign is “FAIRWAY RACE CONTROL”.

Maritime Safety Queensland requires boats to monitor VHF12 while adjacent to or within shipping channels. These requirements will be included within the sailing instructions. Incidents involving errant participating boats reported to Brisbane VTS by commercial shipping may result in disqualification at the discretion of the race committee.

Mandatory safety radio transmission requirements will be advised within the sailing instructions.

Relevant shipping movements can be obtained from QSHIPS at https://qships.tmr.qld.gov.au/webx/ (Ship Movements page) and will be advised on the day.

3.6. Finishing and Berthing

After completing the event, entrants having pre-arranged complimentary berthing at the MBBC marina will have full use of the marina facilities.

The Scarborough harbour entrance is defined by a lit yellow special mark and an associated lit port lateral mark. The entrance channel is defined by synchronized lit port and starboard lateral marks.

Deeper draft boats should keep to the centre of the entrance channel at the turn around the rock wall.

The harbour entrance least depth occurs within the west channel of the harbour between the rock wall and the Scarborough Marina (soon after the rock wall entrance). The following table gives approximate least depth data related to Brisbane Bar tides (Brisbane Bar tide level plus 1.8m).

Boats entering the harbour will be guided by committee personnel on the MBBC Marina extremities to advise berthing locations and facilities information. Communication will be via VHF77.

Because the MBBC marina has limited visitor berthing space, boats taking advantage of the complimentary berths must be prepared to raft if necessary.

The MBBC Marina is a ‘live aboard’ marina and as such general noise abatement, environmental protection and social activity responsibilities are identical to those associated within a normal urban area. Although permanent marina occupants will be aware of the event and the expected increased activity, visiting marina occupants are requested to give due cognizance to the amenity and privacy of permanent occupants.

3.7. Presentation and prizes

The presentation venue will be the MBBC clubhouse, Bird o’ Passage Pde. Scarborough. The presentation will commence at 9:30 am on Sunday 10th March 2024 (subject to any protest hearing).

Generally, prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each division and for line honours (subject to 2.3 – Racing handicap divisions). Prizes will depend on sufficient entries.

First prize for monohull PHS is $1000. First prize for multihulls is $1000. Other cash prizes will be awarded.

A prize will be awarded for the closest ETA to the finish advised as returning boats pass M8.

3.8. Disclaimer of liability

Competitors participate in the event entirely at their own risk (refer RRS 4 – Decision to Race). The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage, personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with, prior to, during, or after the event.

The boat’s decision to enter will be considered to be testament that :-
• the boat complies with the event entry eligibility requirements within this Notice of Race;
• the skipper and crew fully understand the meaning and intent of the RRS PART 1 – FUNDAMENTAL RULES;
• the skipper and crew have the necessary knowledge and skills to safely participate in and complete the event
• the participants indemnify the organizing authority, its agents and volunteers from any responsibility for any matter relating to the boat’s participation in the event.

This consideration is made in relation to the application of the Civil Liability Act 2003 to dangerous recreational activities.

3.9. Insurance

All boats participating in the event must be covered by a current third party insurance policy (with 100 NM racing cover) with a minimum 3rd party/public liability of $10,000,000. A copy of the certificate of currency (or an equivalent document) must be lodged with the entry.

3.10. Enquiries

Enquiries should be directed to sailing@mbbc.org.au or one of the following race committee members:-

Graeme Henderson
MBBC Sailing President
0418 888 584

Michael Andrews
MBBC Sailing PRO
0402 683 778

Joe Purrer
MBBC Sailing Secretary
0410 468 835

Darryl Wright
MBBC Handicapper
0408 936 962

4. COURSE DIAGRAM

The course diagram is for general reference only and must not be used for navigation. Each participant must comply with Australian Sailing Special Regulations 4.10.1 regarding navigation charts.