MARSHAL & STAKE BOAT OPERATIONS ACWS VENICE 2012
The Marshal’s job is to make sure the races can be conducted without interference from spectator boats. It is equally their responsibility to ensure spectators have the possibility of seeing race action and to have a positive experience watching the America’s Cup World Series.
Stake Boats and Marshal Boats
The Stake Boats are sailing boats, 35-‐50ft with GPS equipment and a VHF radio. They will display a large RED AC Flag at the top of their mast and will be assigned GPS positions to create the outline of the restricted area for racing. The Marshal Boats are from the AC organization and patrol the lines between the Stake Boats. Two Marshal Boats have official AC green flags and two have AC blue. Any local Marshal Boats being used will be issued the official white flag. Other official boats will operate inside the course area, all having AC flags: TV-‐Grey, Media-‐ Yellow, RC-‐Orange, VIP-‐Pink, Official-‐White, Rescue-‐Blue, Med-‐ Yellow, Umpire-‐Black. Team chase boats have their team/country flags. Communication All communication between Stake and Marshal Boats is made on a private UHF system. The primary channel is UHF-‐5. If two or more Marshal Boats need to have a longer communication on a specific subject they can switch to UHF-‐6. The call signs for the Marshal Boats are “Security” followed by the number on their green flag. The Stake Boats use their name as call sign unless otherwise agreed. Backup communications will be on VHF channel 67. Equipment Each boat will be supplied with a flag and a UHF radio by ACRM. The skippers of the boats will supply a VHF, GPS, Flagpole and other reasonable boat equipment. AC 500 Speed Trials For the AC 500 Speed Trials an area will be cleared of all spectator boats. The area will be in the vicinity of the St. Marks Square but will depend on the wind conditions. Stake Boats may be used to mark the corners of the area. Stake boats that are not in use should remove their RED AC flag to avoid confusion. Schedule
TBA
Race Day Approximate Timeline 3 – 4 hours prior to start RC Authorities and other briefings Stake Boats information by UHF 5 2 hours prior to start RC, Marshal and Stake Boats depart docks for approx. positions. Stake Boat positions assigned at first briefing. 1 hour prior to start
Stake Boats take up assigned positions
From 1 hour prior to start until AC45s have left the course area
Marshal boats patrol the line between the Stake Boats
Marshal work The Marshal Boats have responsibility to show the edge of the race area. It is equally their responsibility to ensure that spectators have the possibility of viewing the race and have a positive experience of watching the racing. Always be safe and operate your boat in a safe manner. As a Marshal you do not have any real authority. The best approach is to ask a boat to move with a big smile and in a polite manner. When communicating with a spectator boat it less confusing if ONE person onboard the Marshal Boat does the talking and the gesturing. Give directions to spectator boats in a simple manner and don’t expect them to understand yacht racing. Use simple phrases like “go to the North” or “go to the other side of the Stake Boat with a big RED flag”. Be careful how you drive and position your boat. Your speed and direction can sometimes tell more to the spectators than what you try to tell them. It’s often good to drive along the side of the course area, drawing a line with your wake. Keep the Marshal Boats outside the course area to give spectator boats some buffer zone to the stake boats. If a spectator blocks a Stake Boat from the other spectators they will attempt to go closer to try and see. This develops when wind and/or current is pushing the spectators into the course area. Before you go chasing a boat inside the race area, consider the probability that he might be away before the racing yachts arrive or that you might not catch them before they are more than halfway through the course area. It might be wiser to let the Marshal Boat on the other side deal with them. Use your radios for communication. If two Marshal Boats are next to each other it means there is a big gap somewhere else.
Required Experience A Stake or Marshal Boat driver needs to be an experienced person that can handle the boat in all kind of conditions and can handle it skillfully and safely close to other boats. The Marshals will need basic knowledge on sailboat racing. Experience with GPS and VHF is necessary. Most of these qualities you find in sailboat racers, club instructors and coaches or other persons with a passion for sailing. All Stake and Marshal Boat skippers must attend the briefing at the ACRM Base TBA 2012 at 1730.
Course Area Diagram The Courses may be adjusted to local conditions but will most likely contain the following legs. Start-‐Reach around mark-‐Downwind to gate-‐Upwind to Windward Mark, Downwind to gate -‐ Reach to finish
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OFFICIAL FLAGS
Official Flagsofficials flags all have specific tasks inside the Course Area. In addition Vessels carrying Vessels carrying officials flags all have specific tasks inside the Course Area. In every competing team have the right to have a chase boat inside the Course Area identified addition every team have the right to have chase boat inside the Course Area. by their Team Markings.