Traffic Pattern: Crews shall launch from the beach at Ferson Creek Park. Once launched boat shall stay on the west side of the river as they head north up to the Fox River to the START line. Boats shall arrange themselves in bow-number order as they reach the staging boat near the START line. Crews shall not cross the buoy line onto the course while proceeding to the starting area.
Hotseating: Crews whom are hotseating must notify the Dock Master. Crews should not access the beach to hotseat until their boat is approaching, and should launch from the beach as soon as possible. All crews are responsible for arriving at the start line in a timely manner; hotseating is not an excuse for being late to the start.
Start Time: Crews shall arrive at the starting area 5 minutes prior to the scheduled start of their race. It is the sole responsibility of crews to arrive at the starting area on time. Crews arriving late to the start will be excluded. Under no circumstances will a crew be allowed to row for time if that crew arrives at the start area after the next scheduled event has begun. .
Bow Numbers: Each crew shall have a bow number indicating its’ place in the starting order. No crew will be allowed to start without the appropriate bow number being affixed to the bow of their boat in a manner that allows the number to be seen by the starter. Crews crossing the finish line with the wrong bow marker will be excluded.
Starting: The Starter will arrange the crews so that crews cross the starting line at scheduled intervals.
Right of Way: A crew is deemed to be overtaking another crew when it has moved to within one length of open water of the crew ahead. On those portions of the course that are straight, a crew being overtaken shall move to the starboard and allow the overtaking crew to pass. Where the course turns, a crew being overtaken shall move to the outside of the turn and allow the overtaking crew to pass along the shorter path. Nevertheless, passing is not allowed, nor is the crew being overtaken required to yield, in cases where the overtaking crew’s position clearly prevents safe passage or where the overtaking crew’s position clearly prevents safe passage or where there is insufficient room to yield.
Penalties:
- Where buoys mark the boundaries of the course, and in particular mark turns on the course, a crew may be penalized 10 seconds for each buoy that the crew passes incorrectly. A crew passes a buoy incorrectly when any part of its hull pass on the wrong side of the buoy.
- A crew that misses its correct order at the start may be penalized 10 seconds
- A crew that fails to maintain open water between its bow and the stern of the boat ahead of it may be penalized 10 seconds.
- A crew that fails to yield to a crew being summoned to the starting area, or otherwise interferes with the staging of the start, may be penalized 10 seconds by the Marshal or Starter.
- A crew that fails to yield to a crew having proper right of way may be penalized 30 seconds.