TVCC Schedule Update Due to Weather

In light of the weather concerns surrounding Helene, we’ve decided to adjust our Saturday race schedule. Participants are now welcome to arrive and set up on Saturday instead of Friday, allowing for safer travel. However, all of Friday’s scheduled events are still happening, so feel free to join us then if you prefer.

This change will help ensure everyone’s safety while still allowing us to have a fantastic regatta. Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to a great event!

Saturdays Original Schedule:

11:00 Skippers Meeting
11:30 Lunch
12:30 Warning signal for first race, additional races to follow
17:00 No Race Begins afterward

Saturdays New Schedule:

11:30 Lunch
13:30 Skippers Meeting
15:00 Warning signal for first race, additional races to follow
18:00 No Race Begins afterward

Thanks,

Chris Edwards

BCSA Race Chair

^{Browns Creek Sailing Association
Tennessee Valley Challenge Cup
September 27th, 28th & 29th, 2024}
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

1. RULES
1.1 The Regatta will be governed by the current Racing Rules of Sailing and by these Sailing Instructions.

2. SAFETY
2.1 The hosting organizations are not responsible for the seaworthiness of a boat whose entry is accepted. Attention is drawn to Part 1, Fundamental Rule 3. All competitors, by entering this regatta, acknowledging acceptance of responsibility for their own safety.

3. ENTRIES
3.1 All sailboats are invited to enter.

4. MEASUREMENT
4.1 Sail or boat measurement is not required. Sail choice is indicated at Registration (Spinnaker, jib choice, etc. for handicapping purposes.).

5. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
5.1 Notices to Competitors are on-line.

6. CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
6.1 Changes to the Sailing Instructions or any changes to the racing schedule will be posted on-line.  Notices may also be given from the RC boat with the “L” flag flown with one horn.

7. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE
7.1 Signals made ashore will be displayed on the Race Committee Boat at the Dock

8. SCHEDULE OF RACES
8.1 Day        Date        Time      Activity

Saturday  Sept 28   12:30     First Warning Signal, followed by additional races.
17:00     No Race Begins Afterwards.

Sunday     Sept 29   10:00    First Warning Signal, followed by additional races.
12:30 No Race Begins Afterwards.

8.2 Competitors are responsible for getting to the starting area on time. If suitable conditions exist for starting a race, the Race Committee (RC) may not wait for latecomers.

9. RACING AREA
9.1 Racing will take place in in proximity of the LGL marker on Guntersville Lake.

10. COURSES
10.1 The course shall be an Olympic triangle. The diagram in Attachment A show the course, the order in which marks are to be passed, and the side on which each mark is to be left.

11. CHECK IN
11.1 All boats shall check in with the Race Committee before the first preparatory signal. Boats should pass astern of the Committee Vessel on either tack, so that their sail number can be recorded.

12. MARKS
12.1 Marks will be yellow cylinders. The offset will be an orange hippity hop by the windward mark. The start pin will be floating orange flag. The finish will be an orange hippity hop.

13. STARTS
13.1 Starts will be the usual Racing Rule 26 starts, five-minute sequence. There will be a multiple horn notification one minute before the first start sequence. Dinghies start first, Black Scull & Cross bones; Keelboat spinnaker, White flag; Non spinnaker Keelboat, Brown flag.

14. CHANGE OF COURSE AFTER THE START
14.1 It is not expected that there will be any changes of course after the start. Before a start, yes.
14.2 Courses may be shortened by shortening the length of a leg or number of legs of a course.

15. THE FINISH
15.1 The finish shall be between the anchored RC boat’s Blue flag and the course side of a floating flag set on its starboard side.

16. TIME LIMIT
16.1 The time limit will be 90 minutes for the first boat. Any boat that finishes within 30 minutes of the first boat shall be scored. All others shall be scored TLE. TLE shall be defined as one more than the number of starters. This changes RRS 35, A5.1, A5.2 and A10. The Race Committee, in their sole discretion, may award places to any of the last 3 boats, before they have crossed the finish line.

18. SCORING
18.1 The Low point scoring system, Appendix A4 of the racing rules will be used. Six races are planned; one race constitutes a regatta. All races count for scoring, no throw-out race.

19. PROTESTS
19.1 Any yacht that wishes to protest, shall comply with RRS 61. A protesting boat shall inform the finishing vessel of the sail numbers(s) of the boat(s) being protested. This information must be communicated to the finish vessel soon after the finish of that race. The protest must be filed with the Committee, within 1 hour of the docking of the Race Committee Vessel, unless the Race Committee feels that a later time is justified. Protests shall be written upon the forms available from the Race Committee and submitted to the Race Committee. Protests will be heard in the approximate order of their receipt following the day’s racing.

20. PRIZES
20.1 Prizes will be awarded according to the following schedule based on the expected number of entries.

Spinnaker –         First Place                          Dinghies – First Place

Second Place                                      Second Place

Third Place                                          Third Place

Non-Spinnaker – First Place                          Overall Club Winner –

Second Place                                     First Place

Third Place

Attachment A:

The Tennessee Valley Challenge Cup (TVCC) regatta was established in 1987 as a successor to the retired Wheeler Cup regatta. From 1976 through 1986, the Wheeler Cup was an annual competition between three sailing clubs: Wheeler Yacht Club, Brown’s Creek Sailing Association, and Muscle Shoals Sailing Club. Each club sent only one boat and crew to compete for the Wheeler Cup, making it a small regatta, akin to a match race but with just three boats.

After 1986, the Wheeler Cup Regatta was retired. In response, the three clubs created the TVCC in 1987 to broaden the interclub competition by including all interested crews and boats from the original three clubs. The significant increase in the number of boats and crews intensified the competition and enhanced the weekend festivities. The Wheeler Cup trophy was repurposed as the new TVCC perpetual trophy, awarded to the winning club.

The annual regatta takes place in the fall when the winds and weather are more favorable for sailing. Typically, the regatta consists of five races and two parties over a two-day weekend. The winning club is determined by scoring the best three finishes of boats from each club in each race. In the first four years, all boats raced together in a single large fleet. However, in 1991, the competition was divided into three fleets: Dinghy, Non-Spinnaker, and Spinnaker.

Over the first eight years, three additional sailing clubs joined the competition: Pickwick Sailing Association, Lake Guntersville Sailing Club, and Privateer Yacht Club near Chattanooga. This expansion led to a record 45 boats racing in 1996. Concord Yacht Club near Knoxville joined the competition in 2012 and hosted 43 boats in the 2018 TVCC.

The host location of the TVCC regatta rotates annually among the participating clubs, giving each club the opportunity to compete on its home waters and showcase its ability to host memorable parties.

Gar Bouse

Secure your Mayor’s Cup T-Shirt before the 5th of May to enjoy free delivery directly to the regatta! In addition, BCSA is currently offering a wide range of shirts and merchandise, which also qualify for free delivery to the regatta. Explore our selections at our stores:

• Mayor’s Cup Store
• BCSA Store