Anyone who is interested in following the regatta on the water is welcome to do so, yet there are several security regulations to be aware of.
Here are a few rules that must be respected: :
-Anticipate! That’s a general principal at sea, and one that must be constantly followed.
-Avoid making waves near the racing boats by navigating at slow speeds.
-At the start of the race, please stay clear of the Committee Boat. If a participating sailboat misses its start, it has to go around the Committee Boat, and boats with spectators and photographers too close to the starting line would only be in the way.
- These boats are in a race, and it goes without saying they more concentrated on their adversaries than their spectators. A regatta is one of the only sports to take place on the "open road!” The participants are aware of this but the skipper is often as far as 100’ from the front of the boat and his field of vision is greatly reduced.
- To get to the buoys marking the course, the boats might have to tack. In a space of 10 minutes, there are boats zigzagging in all directions and it is easy to get “trapped” in the middle of the group. In this case, reduce your speed and maneuver slowly and carefully to get clear.
-Always be in a position to make a quick getaway, with your bow in the direction you need to move. In fact, if your bow is pointed toward the boats in the race, you will find it difficult to back up if a participant suddenly makes a move in direction.
-Do not get too close to the boats in the regatta, especially the multi-hulls, as their reactions are very rapid.
-Respect the instructions from the security boats and surveillance boats .
-Respect the competition, ALL the boats in the race.
-Be ‘Fair Play’: Do not get in the way of the competition by positioning yourself behind the lead boat and interfering with those following. Always be attentive to not approach the head of the race or any other boat unless you are certain not to be in the way of the competitors, and especially do not position yourself to block their wind.
-Respect the rules of navigation .
-If an incident takes place between a race boat and a spectator motorboat, the motor boat will be judged responsible if it committed a navigational fault or an act of interference with any of the participants.
-Don’t forget that many of these boats are moving 150 tons and more at speeds of 10 knots, or even 25 knots for the multi-hulls and they certainly do not have brakes.
-Respect the speed limits authorized around the island and in the port zone.
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