Information for Clubs 

Find out more about how the competition works.

For the purpose of this page, 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! A schematic drawing of the course can be found in the download area. The slalom buoys are set 12.5m apart for 4.6m 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 practice and one as a 'hot lap'.  Both runs are timed and the fastest time put forward. Please see the diagram in the download area showing the overall structure of the competition.

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 15th September 2014 and similarly in the 13-16 year old section they should not have had their 17th birthday before 15th September 2014.

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 (if possible, a second safety lanyard should be attached to the instructor/competent adult at all times).

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. The risk assessment will need to be adapted for your event. If running a Club heat, please email the organisers for an information pack. Please include your name, club and the address to which the pack should be sent.  The pack will include: information sheet, entry form, the course, risk assessment, child protection information and incident reporting form.

Personnel

You will need, as a minimum:

• Shore-side person to brief each competitor and answer queries
• Start/Finish judge
• Timekeepers
• 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 without penalty)
• Missing a buoy - 5 seconds
• Failing to come to a complete stop at the STOP exercise - 10 seconds
• Failing to complete the STOP exercise - 10 seconds
• Flooding in reverse - 5 seconds
• Failing to complete reverse exercise - 5 seconds 
• Instructor/competent adult discretion  -+ 10 seconds (i.e. crashing through gear changes 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.

Eligibility for Regional Final

• Clubs may only enter the final of the region to which the Club belongs.
• 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 a competitor belongs to more than one Club he/she can only represent one Club in any given year.
• It is up to the individual Club to decide if they want to put forward a competitor in each class.  
• 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 2015.
• The reigning Winning Club (i.e. the winner of the 2013 National Final) is not permitted to enter their Regional Final in the age category of which they are champions.  Please see the document named 2014 Championship Structure available in the download area.
• The reigning Winning Club (i.e. the winner of the 2013 National Final) puts forward a suitable competitor to the 2014 'head to head' in the age category of which the Club is champion.  Please see the document named 2014 Championship Structure available in the download area.  The competitor put forward must be within the correct age range i.e. for the 8-12 year olds the competitor should not have had their 13th birthday before 15th September 2014 and similarly in the 13-16 year old section they should not have had their 17th birthday before 15th September 2014.
• If representing a reigning Winning Club (i.e. the winner of the 2013 National Final) in the 2014 'head to head', the competitor will not have competed for another Club in any 2014 Regional Final.
• Reigning National Champions are not permitted to represent any Club at a Regional Final during the 2014 championship but may compete in the 'head to head' if selected by their reigning Winning Club and are within the correct age range for the category.

Details of Regional Finals are available on the 2014 Regional Finals Schedule page; please contact your Regional Co-ordinator directly for further details, as he/she is the person organising the event on the day.

Equipment for Regional Finals

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

• Two Highfield 460 RIBS with 50hp 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

Regional Final 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 the RYA, using the details provided.

National Final

Regional Champions will compete to become National Champion and win a boat for their Club.  After the prize-giving on the day of the National Final, the 2014 National Champions will then compete 'head to head' against representatives from the 2013 Winning Clubs. Please see the document named 2014 Championship Structure available in the download area.

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 Highfield 460 RIB with a Honda BF50 engine for their club, organisation or training centre. The prizes will be delivered to the winning Club 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 winning Club's sole responsibility and the winning Club 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.

The winner of the 'head to head' will win a perpetual trophy for their Club and a prize for themselves.

We hope you have a very enjoyable summer and look forward to seeing you at the PSP Southampton Boat Show on Sunday 14th September for the NATIONAL FINAL of the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship 2014.