SAFETY REGULATIONS


Download FICO safety regulation 2007 in .pdf format

FICO instructions applicable until 31 December 2007

The safety rules applying to FICO races in 2006/2007 comprise the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations for 2006/2007, with the addition of the following FICO instructions.

Race notices and instructions must specify which category1 (1, 2) of the following rules will apply, and must make it clear whether a race is a single-handed event.

Official interpretations and/or amendments are published by the FICO Technical Committee on the FICO web site. Such interpretations and/or amendments will take precedence over the contents of this document.

FICO Technical Committee
The FICO Technical Committee includes 3 FICO member clubs: the RORC, the RWYC of England and the UNCL.


FICO definitions

Clearance
This is the greatest vertical distance between the highest point of the mast or a sail and the surface of the water. When measuring clearance, the rigging must be set to give the maximum measurement.

Working deck
1.1 the working deck of a hull includes the coachroof and cockpits in which the crew may remain or move around during normal sailing.
1.2 except where the provisions of 1.2.1 below apply, the lateral limit of the working deck is the sheerline.
1.2.1 where the sheerline is a surface (no clear line of intersection between the surfaces of the hull and deck), the limit of the working deck will be the line defined by the points of contact between a rule inclined at 45° and the surface at which the deck and hull meet.
1.3 the forward limit of the working deck is the point at which the two deck sheerlines (§1.2 or §1.2.1) meet. Where a pulpit is mounted aft of this point, the working deck then extends to the foremost point of the pulpit. The horizontal projection of this imaginary line must not be ahead of the foremost extremity of the bow.
1.4 the aft limit of the working deck is the vertical plane passing through the aft extremities of the deck sheerline (§1.2 or §1.2.1).

These instructions apply to the following races:
- Monohulls: Categories 0, 1 and 2 (OSR categories)
referred to in the text as: Mono 1-2
- Multihulls: Categories 1 and 2 (OSR categories)
referred to in the text as: Multi 1-2


FICO Regulations

Should the race notice open an event to one or more ISAF classes, and the class rules concerned conflict with the FICO instructions, the class rules that are FICO-approved will prevail.
The following instructions apply only to the following race categories:
Monohull 1 & 2
Multihulls 1 & 2
Category 0 boats must comply with their class rules.

1 - Multihulls – General limitations

 

description
Category
1.01 LOA must be between 12.19m (40 ft) and 18.28 m (60 ft).
Mu 1,2
1.02 Clearance must not exceed 1.5 x LOA m
Mu 1,2
1.03 Forestay height. The vertical distance between
(a) the surface of the water and
(b) the point at which the stay or its extension meets the forward face of the mast must not exceed 88% of the clearance.
Mu 1,2
1.04.1
Bowsprit and/or pole:
Not permitted on trimarans
For catamarans:
The forward extremity of the bowsprit and/or pole must never overhang the bow by more than 0.1 LOA (as measured in the symmetrical plane of the boat).

 
1.04.2
Freeboard marks
A freeboard mark must be visible on both sides of the hull. These freeboard marks are used to check the measurements described in §1.02 & §1.03.
Trimaran: two stickers on each side of the central hull approximately 100 mm above the waterline
Catamaran: two stickers on the inner faces of the hulls approximately 100 mm above the waterline

Mu 1,2
1.05
Freeboards must be measured under the conditions
Set out below (§1.06)
Mu 1,2
1.06
Trim for freeboard measurement
1.
the multihull must be fully rigged (standing rigging, halyards, sheets, storm jib and storm sail. Additional sheets must be in the positions where they will be used)
2.
mainsail furled on top of the boom
3.
all jibs in their normal positions with luff engaged in the headfoil or furled on the furler.
4.
other sails within the hull or hulls, or on deck
5.
fixed water tanks empty
6.
fixed fuel tanks must not contain more than 20 litres of fuel
7.
water ballast spaces must be empty
8.
standard spare parts only must be present onboard.
9. all the equipment required by the OSR and FICO must be present onboard.
10.
No jerricans (water/fuel/oil, etc.) must be present onboard


Mu 1,2
1.07
Sails
No part of any sail or running rigging may exceed the aft LOA, unless temporarily.
Mu 1,2

 

2 - Monohulls – General restrictions

 
description
Category
2.01 LOA must not be less than 12.19m (40 ft) or more than 18.288 m (60ft).
Mo1,2
2.02
Draught
Draught must not exceed 4.50m. The Draught of boats built after 31 December 1999 (measured in accordance with the FICO regulation contained in appendix 1) must not exceed:
Max. Draught = 0.296 x LOA – 0.961.

Mo1,2
2.03
Sails, stays and rigging
1. no part of the forestay may extend further forward than 0.60m beyond the forward extremity of the working deck.
2. other parts of the rigging (other than the forestay) must terminate on, or pass through, the working deck.


Mo1,2
2.04

Crew working
1. no equipment may be installed in such a way that when worked on by a crewmember, the equipment concerned is more than 0.60m forward of the pulpit or the working deck.
2. deleted

Mo1,2
2.05
Booms, bowsprit, masts, sheets, etc.
1. booms, bowsprits and masts must not exceed the bow and stern by more than 1.82m in total (where an overhang exists at both bow and stern, the two are added together).
2. no sheet may pass through a block or be rigged further aft than the limit of the working deck


Mo1,2
     

3 - FICO instructions supplementary to ISAF Offshore Special Regulations (OSR)

In addition to
OSR
description
Category
3.03
Where OSR instructions 3.03.1 and 3.03.2 cannot be complied with, the skipper must provide a written statement explaining that the boat has been designed and built (and, if applicable, repaired or modified) to withstand the conditions likely to be encountered during the race.
Mo Mu 1,2
3.04
Stability
Boats must comply with:
1. The stability criteria set out in ISO 12217-2 as it applies to Category A
2. Boats fitted with water ballast(s) and/or canting mast and/or canting keel must comply with the criteria set out in OSR Appendix K (2006/2007)
The skipper must supply the organiser with a full stability documentation produced by an organisation or consultant approved by the organiser.
Where required, the skipper must also supply every item of documentation (computer files, etc.) required to calculate the stability criteria and/or conduct a stability test. All the operations involved in stability criteria checking are the responsibility of the skipper.
Mo 1
 

CE-certified boats without water ballast and/or canting keel may not be modified (by the addition of water ballast and/or canting keel) without requesting re-certification to CE status by an approved organisation and complying with the criteria set out in the previous paragraph.
Mo 1
 

Boats must comply with:
1. the stability criteria set out in ISO 12217-2 as it applies to Category B
2. Boats fitted with water ballast(s) and/or canting mast and/or canting keel must comply with the criteria set out in OSR Appendix K (2006/2007)

Mo 2
 
The skipper must supply the organiser with a full stability documentation produced by an organisation or consultant approved by the organiser.
Where required, the skipper must also supply every item of documentation (computer files, etc.) required to calculate the stability criteria and/or conduct a stability test. All the operations involved in stability criteria checking are the responsibility of the skipper.

 
 

CE-certified boats without water ballast and/or canting keel may not be modified (by the addition of water ballast and/or canting keel) without requesting re-certification to CE status by an approved organisation and complying with the criteria set out in the previous paragraph.
Mo 2

 

In addition to
OSR
description
Category
3.13 1 - Watertight bulkheads
1. Compliance with OSR 3.13.6(a) is compulsory.
Mo 1
3.28
1 OSR 3.28.4 is modified. Boats must carry sealed batteries or batteries containing gel-type electrolyte. Batteries must be kept in dedicated and suitably-ventilated containers or compartments.
2 Hot air from the engine must not be used directly for heating any compartment whatsoever, and may only be used for this purpose when it is passed through a heat exchanger.


Mo 1,2 Mu 1,2
4.02
Marking
All appendages must be painted fluorescent orange, as well as:

 
 

1. at least 4m2 of those parts of the hulls visible when a multihull is upturned
Mu 1,2
  2. at least 1m2 of the hull below the waterline
3. at least 1m2 of the working deck
Mo 1,2
4.01


Race numbers
Where race numbers are used in a FICO race, the following specifications must be complied with:

The race numbers are allocated or approved by a recognised organisation.
The colour used for marking race numbers must contrast strongly with the background to which they are applied.
• 1/ the race number must be applied to both sides of the mainsail, and cover the area described in ISAF Appendix G1.3.
minimum dimensions: height 450mm, width
300mm, line thickness 60mm and character spacing 90mm.
• 2/ the race number must be applied to the working deck (preferably the foredeck) in such a way that the “top” of the number is nearest the bow and the “bottom” of the number is towards the stern.
• 3/ the race number must be applied to both sides of the hull in such a way as to be visible to an observer located abeam of the boat at water level.

minimum dimensions for paragraphs 2 & 3
above: height 900mm, width 600mm,
line thickness 120mm and character spacing 180mm

Mo 1,2
Mu 1,2
4.04
Lifelines and MoB equipment
In addition to OSR 4.04:
1/ It is recommended that both ends of lifelines be fitted with end stops to prevent safety harness clips sliding off if the lifeline fixing point fails.
2/ Boats must carry a system that enables crewmembers who fall overboard to climb back on board. This system must be usable when the boat is upright, heeled or capsized.
3/ It is compulsory to fit permanently-fixed grab handles or equivalent systems to the stern of the boat to help crewmembers who fall overboard to climb back on board. These must be usable when the boat is upright, heeled or capsized.

4/ Catamarans must have:
• 4.1 1 a lifeline on, or in the immediate vicinity of, each hull
• 4.2 1 longitudinal lifeline from the forestay mounting point to the mast foot
• 4.3 1 lifeline from the cockpit to the centre of the aft beam
5/ Trimarans must have
• 5.1 longitudinal lifeline running the full length of the central hull
• 5.2 1 lifeline on each outrigger between the two braces
• 5.3 1 transverse lifeline enabling the central hull to be reached from each outrigger, or one lifeline on each brace.
6. A multihull must have a sufficient number of jackstay points on the undersides of the hull(s)
Mo 1,2 Mu 1,2
4.10

Radar reflector and SART
In addition to the passive radar reflector required under OSR 4.10, boats must also carry a radar transponder powered by the boat’s electrical system and transmit on 9 GHz (X band).

Mo 1,1,2
Mu 1,2
4.19.1


1- a SARSAT-COSPAS 406 MHz and 121.5
MHz beacons. However, and INMARSAT type E EPIRB may be substituted for the SARSAT-COSPAS 406/121.5MHz beacon.
2- the skipper must provide the organiser with the beacon registration code before the start of the race.
3- Regardless of type, every beacon must be checked against its manufacturers’ instructions.

Mo 1,2 Mu 1 2
4.20
Liferafts
1 Each liferaft must be sealed in the stowage position used during racing. If a seal is broken during a race, the organiser must be notified as quickly as possible, and a penalty may be inflicted.

Mo 1
4.21

Survival container
In addition to the requirements contained in OSR 4.21.2: A waterproof bag or container must be installed and sealed to a fixed point near the liferaft. Its contents must be used in the event of an emergency.
If a seal is broken during a race, the organiser must be notified as quickly as possible, and a penalty may be inflicted.
The survival container must contain the equipment listed in OSR 4.21.2, as well as:
• 1 / a can of brightly-coloured paint (not orange)
• 2 / small toolkit (pliers, knife, screwdriver and metal saw blades)

Mo 1,2 Mu 1,2
5.07

Survival equipment – survival suit
1. The survival suit described in OSR 5.07.1 (a) must be carried for every crewmember in the categories designated.

Mo 1
Mu 1,2
 

AIS (Automatic Identifier System)
The boat must be fitted with an AIS receiver connected to its onboard chart plotter. Both items of equipment must be compatible and in good working order.