Guidelines for Club Heats 

These guidelines are intended to assist rather than be hard and fast rules, as each club uses different types of water and may have to adapt to suit.

For the purpose of this document, RYA affiliated clubs, RYA affiliated organisations and RYA Recognised Training Centres will be referred to as Club or Clubs.

The Competition

The competition takes the form of a time trial around a set of marks - the fastest time wins! The sample course is a schematic drawing of the course used at the PSP Southampton Boat Show last year, a similar course is used at all Regional Finals. The slalom buoys are set 12.5m apart for 4.8m Ribs.  If using larger boats the buoys would have to be set accordingly.  Skill and control, and not necessarily speed, are the most important factors.  Each competitor has two runs, one as a practise and one as a 'hot lap'.  Both runs are timed and the fastest time put forward.

Classes

There are two classes: 8-12 years and 13-16 years. This is the age of the entrant at the time of the National Final, ie for the 8-12 year olds the competitor should not have had their 13th birthday before 17th September 2012 and similarly in the 13-16 year old section they should not have had their 17th birthday before 17th September 2012.

Safety

Safety is paramount. An RYA Powerboat instructor, or competent adult with minimum Powerboat Level 2, should be in the boat at all times attached to the safety lanyard. An instructor is preferred. If at any point during a run the instructor/competent adult considers that the competitor is driving in a dangerous or unsafe manner the run should be aborted immediately either by asking the competitor to throttle back or by operating the safety lanyard. All competitors and the accompanying instructor/competent adult should wear lifejackets or buoyancy aids at all times when on the water. An additional safety boat should be made available.  Only the instructor/competent adult and competitor should be in the competing boat during the run.  Any other boat, whether practising or acting as a safety boat, should keep well clear of the course.

The course should be set in sufficient water for the draft of the competing boats and should be laid well clear of any land, jetty, wall or any other object that could cause damage to boats or competitors.

Clubs should run their own heats and carry out their own risk assessment, a generic risk assessment can be found in the download area. If running a Club heat, please email the organisers using the link for an information pack which will include: information leaflet, entry form, the course, risk assessment, child protection information and incident reporting form.

Eligibility

Clubs may only enter the winner of each class from their club heat to the final of the region to which the Club belongs.  It is up to the individual Club to decide if they want to put forward a competitor in each class. The region is defined as that where the club house is situated or, where there is no fixed club house, it is where the Club's main contact for the purpose of this Championship resides, according to the RYA's database.  Competitors are only permitted to compete within their own region. If the date for the club heat is after the date for the Regional Final, the club can put forward a competitor who is acknowledged to be a skilled boat handler. The heat should still be run and the winner put forward as your Club's ‘reigning champion’ for 2013. 

Details of Regional Finals are available on the 2012 Regional Finals Schedule page; please contact your Regional Organiser directly for further details, as he/she is the person organising the event on the day.

Personnel

You will need, as a minimum:

• Shore-side person to brief each competitor and answer queries
• Start/Finish judge
• Timekeeper
• Instructor/competent adult with minimum Powerboat Level 2 for each boat.  An instructor is preferred. 
• Marshals/instructors to ensure running order is adhered to
• Safety boat with competent personnel if only one boat is being used for competition
• First Aider on site

Each should have sufficient equipment for their role e.g. white/black board, stopwatch, and safety equipment. If you have any further queries please contact the RYA.

Penalties

• Touching a buoy - 5 seconds (the STOP exercise buoy can be touched)
• Missing a buoy - 5 seconds
• Failing to stop at the STOP exercise - 5 seconds
• Failing to complete the STOP exercise - 5 seconds
• Flooding in reverse - 5 seconds
• Instructor/competent adult discretion  -+ 10 seconds (i.e. crashing through gear changes, missing the STOP exercise or any other misdemeanours the instructor/competent adult deems necessary)

The Boats

Boats for Club heats should be RIB's or Dory's or any other vessel capable of planing.

Regional Finals

At the Regional Finals the RYA, where possible, will provide:

• Two Ribcraft 4.8m RIBS with 60hp Honda outboards
• Buoys and ground tackle for the course
• Stopwatches and shore equipment
• Medals and certificates  for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each class
• At least one person to help and advise
• Six VHF/UHF radios

Entry Form/Risk Statements

The entry form containing various risk statements and photographic consent information can be downloaded using the link. Please read it carefully before using it for your event. Should you have any questions regarding the entry form please contact Sally Curry at the RYA, using the details provided.

The Prizes

At the Regional Finals medals, certificates and other prizes are presented for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each age group.

At the National Final medals, certificates and other prizes are presented to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each age group. In addition the winner of  the 8-12 age group will win a Honwave T40 RIB with a Honda BF20 engine for their club, organisation or training centre and the winner of  the 13-16 age group will win a 4.8m Ribcraft RIB with a Honda BF60 engine for their club, organisation or training centre. The prizes will be delivered to the winner at a UK mainland location (including Northern Ireland). If the winners represent the Channel Islands the prizes will be delivered to any mainland UK port. Upon delivery the prizes shall become the winner's sole responsibility and the winner shall be responsible for arranging insurance, shipping and the payment of all costs and expenses (including any tax or duty that may be payable) from the time of delivery onwards.

We hope you have a very enjoyable summer and look forward to seeing you at the PSP Southampton Boat Show on Sunday 16th September for the NATIONAL FINAL of the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship 2012.

Request your 2012 Posters (please give your name, address and how many posters you would like to receive).