Helmsman Application

All helmsmen shall fill out this form (click on link above) and submit it to the Farr 395 Helmsman Eligibility Review Committee ("the F395 Committee") for approval to become eligible for participation in sanctioned Farr 395 Class events.

Owners: The Farr 395 One Design Class adopts the Corinthian spirit of amateurism with an emphasis on the amateur owner driving his or her own boat. Approved owner helmsmen are permitted to drive any Farr 395 One Design boat. Charterers and immediate family members shall be considered owners for the purposes of this rule however chartering helmsman shall be eligible to drive only for the event approved by the F395 Committee. Charterers are not permitted substitute helmsman except under extraordinary circumstances as approved by the F395 Committee. For helming in designated one design distance races, please reference Farr 395 One Design Class Rule 1.2.

Approved relief helmsen shall be nominated two weeks prior to a class event on the Sail/Crew Declaration Form (Appendix 5) submitted to Farr International. One approved relief helmsman per boat may relieve an owner at the helm during a Farr 395 class event except that they may not start, finish, steer around or within a two boat length radius of any marks or before the beginning of the third leg of any race. Relief helmsmen shall be permitted to steer during only one leg of any course which is 5 legs or shorter and shall be permitted to steer during only two legs of any course longer than 6 legs. Relief helmsmen may not steer on the last leg of any course. If an exceptional circumstance arises and the owner must give up the helm beyond the limits of this rule, the Protest Committee or Jury shall be informed in writing by the owner and may, at its sole discretion, waive this rule for the specific race if it believes the spirit of the rule has not been violated. Relief helmsmen need not be members of the class association.

Substitute helmsman: In special instances owners may not be able to drive their own boat in a class event. These owners shall submit an application for a substitute helmsman to the F395 Committee for approval at least two weeks prior to such events. Substitute helmsmen shall be members of the class association.

Following are the criteria for all helmsmen:

1. Current Group 1 Eligibility Status (as determined under the current version of US SAILING Appendix R of the Racing Rules of Sailing; by the Competitor Eligibility Committee of US SAILING or by any other authority approved by the Competitor Eligibility Committee of US SAILING and the Farr 395 Committee).

2. The driver shall not have competed in the Olympic Games within the past eight (8) years as a helmsman or crew.

3. The driver shall not have competed on an America's Cup team or associated trial team in the America's Cup trials or finals within the past eight (8) year as a helmsman or crew.

4. The driver shall not be eligible if he or she has won two or more World Championships within the past six (6) years as a helmsman in ISAF or ORC International or Recognized classes, except as an amateur owner/driver of a Farr 395 One Design.

5. The Relief or Substitute driver shall be a minimum of 30 years of age, with the exception of immediate family members of Farr 395 owners. (There is no minimum age requirement for owner drivers.)

6. The driver shall not have competed in a Whitbread or Volvo Ocean Race within the past eight (8) years as a principal helmsman.

7. The driver shall not have competed in the Admiral's Cup within the past eight (8) years as a principal helmsman, except as an amateur owner/driver of a Farr 40 One Design.

8. The Substitute driver shall have a proven long-term background with the owner.

Notwithstanding all of the above, an owner not meeting all of the requirements of Appendix 8 may be found by a majority vote of the F395 Committee to meet the Corinthian intent and spirit of the Farr 395 One Design Class Helmsman Rule, and therefore be approved as a helmsman. Further, an applicant meeting the above criteria must also fit the Corinthian intent and spirit of the Farr 395 Class, as determined by the F395 Committee. Individual committee member votes shall be confidential.

Commencing in the year 2001, rulings of the F395 Committee for relief drivers shall be valid for two calendar years, provided that there is no material change in the activity, circumstances, or achievement from that submitted in the original application during that period. Approved owner drivers need not reapply provided there are no material changes from the original application. Substitute or Chartering helmsman shall be eligible to drive only for the event approved by the F395 Committee or for a longer period of time if designated by the F395 Committee.

If at any time the F395 Committee determines that the information submitted to it by or on behalf of a proposed helmsman is incorrect, incomplete or misleading, or that there has been a failure to report a change in eligibility status, it may withdraw and declare void the approval of that helmsman. The F395 class measurer shall promptly notify the race committee of action taken under this provision, under the terms of RRS 78.3, when that action occurs during a regatta.

Prepared by Farr International - 6 February 20