The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions

I'm just having another read of the Notice of Race (fr. Avis de course) and Sailing Instructions (fr. Instruction de course), to remember well all details, and make sure all is in order. There are some interesting points worth noting - see below! I've also prepared a single page with most important navigation details:

Notice of Race:

• NOR 1.3.1 to 1.3.3 - as on Bol d'Or, boats crossing the starting line in the 5 minutes before the departure cannot come back to the pre-start zone and start again, but are instead penalised with 60 minutes added to their real time. Such cases will be marked as ASP (Altenative Starting Penalty - an interesting name 🙂) or SCP (Scoring Penalty). There is no general or individual recall (RSS 29).
• NoR 1.3.4 - starting procedure is:
• warning signal -10 minutes (SYZ white/yellow flag up)
• preparatory signal -5 minutes (P flag up)
• starting signal (both flags down)
• NoR 1.3.5: "RCV 45: Pendant un orage et pour des raisons de sécurité, un bateau peut s’amarrer ou s’abriter dans le port le plus proche jusqu’à ce que l’orage soit passé, puis reprendre la course." - so in a storm, I can seek shelter in a harbour, and continue the race afterwards. No details on the use of motor and a possible unfair advantage etc. - I guess this boils down to sportsmanship and fair play (RRS 2).
• NoR 1.4.4 - autopilots and other automatic helming systems are allowed.
• NoR 3.3 - a reminder to not use external help, private communication, and non-public information. 
• NoR 8 and 9 - various equipment and safety requirements, including navigation lights. 
• NoR 9.3 - a strong recommendation to put light on the front sail (to be visible to other boats) - also makes sense to be able to see how the sail (jib or spinnaker) works
• NoR 9.5 - put light on the mainsail SRS number when passing the marks
• NoR 13 - one-turn penalty (360)

Sailing Instructions

• SI 5.2 - AP flag on land means 60 minutes, not 1 minute
• SI 6 - time limits
• to round the Vieux Rhône mark: Sunday 7am
• to finish: Sunday 4pm
• SI 9.2 - port rounding of the Vieux Rhone mark (different than on Bol d'Or!)