The RUST Series provides a unique opportunity for all boat owners, of all classes, to compete in short races as a single fleet, every Wednesday afternoon. RUST is short for Retired and Unemployed/Underemployed Sailors Trophy (see the SI for more details).
The guiding principles of the RUST Series are to provide a relaxed and friendly racing environment, to be welcoming to novice or less experienced racers, while still remaining satisfying for all levels of racing skill.
Accordingly the Series’ details, as set out in the RUST SI, are neither designed nor intended to create a serious, highly-competitive event.
No PHRF or Portsmouth Certificate is required, and there are no fees. Just register for racing as usual with the club registrar. RUST uses the National Handicap for Cruisers system, explained further at the link on the RUST Documents page.
The fleet consists of about 50 boats, as of 2025, with some participating in every race all season, and others only occasionally. You may expect 12-15 boats on the start line, and in mid-summer we often see up to 27 boats on the start line.
Use your Club’s standard registration form, just as you would for any other race. Remember to check the RUST box to indicate your interest in joining the series.
Let the volunteer RUST coordinator, Tony Latus, know about your intention to participate. Additionally, inform the RUST scorer, Steven Glover, so they can ensure your inclusion in the race.
For complete details and guidelines, be sure to consult the comprehensive 2025 RUST Cup Sailing Instructions (SI). You can find this valuable resource on BYC’s website.
The course is announced by the Rabbit boat, normally 10 minutes before start time. Course marks may be any of the available Olympic Circle marks, which may require either Port or Starboard rounding, as needed to create a suitable course shape and length. In the event of a simple windward-leeward course, the windward mark will always be rounded to Port. When feasible, the Rabbit Boat will confirm the Start Area & all course marks on VHF Channel 06, and will also hail boats directly. . In the event of East or North winds, that Start Area may be moved to P or Q mark, and the start time will be delayed sufficiently for boats to make the additional transit.
NHC (National Handicap for Cruisers) is an RYA-developed, easily adopted handicap method, which applies boat performance concepts known & used internationally to analyse and adjust handicap numbers. NHC will handicap individual boats, as no two boats are exactly the same, and will take account of size & configuration, weight of boat, LWL etc. After the initial handicap number has been calculated and used in the first race, each boat develops its individual ‘club number’, as the algorithm updates after each race, according to performance of the vessel & crew.. Handicaps increase faster, after good race results, than they fall after poor results. This tried-and-tested system has been refined over the past six years at BYC, with around 2000 boat/race combinations analyzed. The best racers, with a well-prepared boat, will always succeed in the overall series results.
The RUST Rabbit Start procedure follows the Duluth Yacht Club instruction at: Duluth Yacht Club – Rabbit Start Intructions [NB: the spelling error is valid]. The purpose of the Rabbit Start is to allow a fleet of racers to conduct their own start without the requirement for any mark-set boat, Race Committee, or pin. The Rabbit Boat conducts a specific set of maneuvers prior to, and during the actual start. The wake of the Rabbit becomes the start line, which lengthens as the Rabbit sails past, and away from, an existing permanent race mark. The Rabbit Boat continues to sail close-hauled, creating the start line, for a length of time sufficient to give space for all racers to execute a safe start. All boats give way to the Rabbit Boat until the end of the Starting Period.
Start Time
Boat Class
Fees & Handicap
Course Adaptability
NHC Handicap
Understanding the “Rabbit Start”