RegattaCentral

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RACE DISTANCE:  4,450 meters (2.7 miles)   

Junior Novices may have an experienced coxswain.          

Middle School Exhibition and masters’ recreational/novice singles: 2,340 meters (1.45 miles) Middle School Eights MUST have an experienced coxswain.

Adaptive Events: 1,000 meters (.62 miles)                                                              

REGISTRATION:  www.regattacentral.com

Eight $90.00         Four/Quad $70.00        Pair/Double $50.00        Single $35.00

Organizational Fee Cap $1,100.00 per club   To receive this fee cap all entries must be submitted under one account per club.

DEADLINE: October 8th at midnight. Late entries will not be accepted.

USROWING MEMBERSHIP: This is a USRowing Registered Regatta. All organizations must be USRowing Organizational Members to participate.

REGATTA INSURANCE: Regatta insurance is provided by Mariners under the FSRA policy. Non-FSRA member attendees must provide certificates of insurance and NOARA waivers. 

ONLINE WAIVERS: This regatta accepts FSRA & USRowing waivers. Please sign online for each competitor. Masters sign FSRA waivers as unaffiliated. Paper waivers will be accepted at registration.

SCRATCHES: Each entry scratched after Thursday, October 12th will result in a $25 scratch fee in addition to the entry fee. Entries not showing up to the start for their event may be subject to a $25 scratch fee. All of the organization’s entry and scratch fees must be paid in full at registration and prior to launching.

REGISTRATION AND LIGHTWEIGHT WEIGHT IN:  Registration and weigh-in 2:00 to 4:00 pm on Sat, Oct 15th and 6:30 to 8:30 am on Sun, Oct 16th in front of the boathouse.

Max weight junior men 155 lbs.   Max weight women 135 lbs.

Bow & jersey numbers supplied at registration. Bow numbers must be returned to the regatta organizers. Any boat not displaying a bow number on the race course may incur a 10 second penalty.

COACHES’ & COXSWAINS’ MEETING: Sunday October 15th at 6:30 AM at the launching area. Covering the start procedure and weather conditions expected on race day. We strongly encourage a team representative to attend. All competitors shall be responsible for any information disseminated at this meeting.  In addition, be familiar with the no passing zone and the designated arches for both bridges.

TENTS & SPECTATOR AREA: At the finish line in Brittany Bay Park, two blocks south of the boathouse. Due to very strict requirements in the City of Miami Beach, we will provide tents in the park. 10x10 tents will be set up 3 feet apart and may not be staked into the grass or moved. We will provide up to two tents for each team. Please let us know by Oct 8 how many tents your team will need. Space is limited and additional tents will cost $50 each. Please do not bring any tents, generators, grills or Styrofoam products. The City has banned the use of Styrofoam. Please do not park on the grass to avoid vehicles being towed. Please use trash and recycling receptacles provided.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding of our efforts to be in compliance on City property.  There will be overnight security in Brittany Bay Park from 6:00pm Saturday.                               

TRAILERS: Our event permit starts at 12:00pm Saturday therefore, NO trailers may arrive before 12:00pm Saturday. Trailer parking is available at the boathouse, 6500 Indian Creek Dr, Miami Beach, 33141. Trucks must detach as soon as the trailer is parked. Cars bringing singles can only stay as long as it takes to drop off the boat. No cars/trucks/vans/buses will be allowed in the parking lot at the boathouse, only boats and trailers. 

CAR PARKING: Pay parking at the city lot on Collins and 73rd street. There will be a FREE shuttle running from the 73rd street lot to the spectator area on race day starting at 6:00 am Sunday. There’s a private parking garage on 67th Street across from Walgreens.

BUS PARKING: Please contact us in advance if you need parking for team buses. Parking will be at Miami Beach Senior High School.

PRACTICE: Saturday October 12th from 12:30PM to 4:00PM. Safety and insurance considerations mandate that all boats be off the water by 4:00 PM. No boats will be allowed to launch after 3:15 PM on Saturday. Crews violating practice rules may be assessed a penalty which will carry over to race day. The course will not be open for practice on Sunday.

MEDALS AND TROPHIES:  In memory of one of the regatta founders, the winner of the Men’s masters’ single event will receive the Joe “Okie” O’Connor Trophy. For all other events, medals will be presented throughout the day. First, second, and third place medals will be awarded. Masters’ events will be handicapped under USRowing rules. Only coaches may pick up medals for junior teams.

SAFETY:  Boats will be checked for bow balls and bow numbers; quick-release shoes with a 3-inch maximum tie down; coxswain’s opening in bow loaders to be at least 2.30 feet long, as wide as the hull and free of obstacles.  Boats not complying with the required safety features will not be allowed to launch until corrected.  Respect for the safety of other competitors and their equipment must be observed at all times.  Any boat showing a disregard for safety or failing to follow the instructions of officials may be assessed a 60-second penalty or excluded.

DOCKMASTER: Crews are responsible to launch on time. We recommend one hour before the scheduled race time. We will not chase down missing crews. Be prepared - have your oars with you ready to launch for your race.

ANY CREW ARRIVING LATE TO THE START MAY BE ASSESSED A LATE PENALTY OR MAY BE EXCLUDED BY THE STARTER.

The dockmaster will launch participants in order for their event. Only one coach and one assistant per boat will be allowed to accompany a crew into the dock area. No spectators will be permitted access to the launching area or dock.

LAUNCHING:  Crews should launch/recover at the dock promptly. Any boat on the dock for an extended period of time (more than 3 minutes) may incur a 10 second penalty.

Traffic pattern: proceed north from the dock, U-turn at the big orange buoy, then head south to the start.

HOT SEATING: If you are hot seating equipment or rowers, ask the dockmaster for a “HOT SEAT” card before your event. Display the card when coming into the dock and the dockmaster will give priority docking to your boat.

NOTE: No accommodation will be made for hot seating crews arriving late to the start.

TRAFFIC PATTERN: Boats must keep to the right of the racecourse (coxswain's view). In areas where there are no buoys (below the start and above the finish), boats should still keep to the right side of the creek (coxswain's view). When racing, oar blades may go over the buoys but the hull of the shell must stay on the course.  A 10 second penalty shall be assessed to any boat passing on the wrong side of a buoy. A crew that fails to yield to a crew having proper right of way shall be penalized 30 seconds. Traffic patterns should be observed during practice as well as during races.

START AREA: Follow instructions from the Marshal and Starter. Boats are not permitted to travel south of the footbridge at the start. Proceed in sequence and single file once you approach the start line. Crews or scullers failing to follow the Starter's command may be penalized with a 10 second penalty. We will not wait for latecomers! (If you arrive at the start out of sequence you are late.) At the Starter’s discretion, boats that arrive late may be allowed to start behind their assigned position and may be assessed a 10 second penalty. 

START FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL EIGHTS AND MASTERS’ NOVICE/RECREATIONAL SINGLES: The start will be at the opening to Lake Surprise at 50th Street.

THE BODY OF THE RACE: If one or more rowers are ejected or lost from a boat during a head race, the affected crew must stop and remain with those individuals until all are safely out of the water. Crews may be excluded if they do not stop when a rower is ejected during the race.

PASSING: The boat overtaking (Passer) has the right of way to pass on the side of its choice if a safe pass can be accomplished. If a pass is attempted without adequate room and time to complete the pass, the Passer is at risk of incurring interference penalties for an unsafe pass.

There are areas such as the approach to the 63rd street Bridge arch where passing cannot be accomplished safely. (See NO PASSING ZONE) In these situations the Passer must wait until the pass can be accomplished without incident. Contact with equipment or rowers, or aggressive maneuvers will be considered an unsafe pass.

The boat being passed (Overtaken) must yield on the side chosen by the Passer, if a safe pass can be accomplished. Generally this will be the shortest line that gives an advantage. 

Failure to Yield is one of the most serious infractions of competitive conduct. Crews and scullers must be alert to possible upcoming passing attempts and promptly yield when there is adequate room and time. Be prepared to miss a few strokes to allow the Passer to pass safely and without interference however, the boat being overtaken is not expected to move into a position that could be dangerous to equipment or rowers.

Shells with bow-loaded coxswains are advised to have bow seat notify the coxswain if a following crew is about to make a pass. A timely alert from bow seat may help avoid an interference penalty.

NO PASSING ZONE: The south tip of Allison Island through the 63rd street Bridge, including beneath the designated arch, is the no-passing zone. Passing must be completed before reaching Allison Island. If interference occurs in this zone, the Passer will be deemed to be at fault and will be assessed a 60 second Disregard of Safety penalty.

63RD STREET BRIDGE: All boats MUST race through the CENTER (DRAWBRIDGE) ARCH ONLY.

NON-RACING BOATS which interfere in any way with a racing boat may face exclusion. Interference and/or buoy penalties are assigned at the sole discretion of the observing official. Repeated or severe interference will result in exclusion.

GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP should prevail at all times!

APPEALS & PROTESTS: The decision on questions of interference and buoy violations will be final and are not subject to appeal.

Questions on results should be directed to the Chief Judge at the Finish as soon as the results are posted. After one hour the results are final. Protests of interference must be made by the crew at the Finish while still on the water. A crew wishing to be heard by a Jury shall provide a written statement with $50 cash to the Chief Judge at the Finish within one hour after reaching land. If the protest is upheld the $50 will be refunded.

ADDRESS:  Miami Beach Rowing Club, 6500 Indian Creek Drive, Miami Beach, FL, 33141