USING THE OLLIE RACE START MACHINE

Using this machine is very simple and will insure that you have loud and clear signals at the correct times.  However, you need to know a few things about its operation so that you can raise and lower the flags correctly.  Remember it is the flags that indicate the official time, not the Ollie, so the signal officer (flag person) needs to SMARTLY raise or lower the flag at the precise time.   (Note: In real life, the sailors will trust the Ollie more than the flag person -- machines are more reliable than people -- so don't worry if a small mistake is made.)

Inside, the machine has a little toggle switch with three settings: 1) dinghy, 2) short dinghy, and 3) rule 26.  It should be on the rule 26 setting.  This is the 5-4-1-Go system. 

Outside, the machine has a black button and a toggle switch:

  • The black button is used to manually sound the horn.  You need this when you raise and lower special flags like the postponement flag, the over-early flag, and the general recall flag. 
  • The toggle switch is what you flip to begin the starting sequence.  Note that when on the rule 26 setting, the machine signals back-to-back starts by rolling one 5-minute sequence into another.

The machine makes loud horn blasts for the competitors to hear and “internal beeps” for the RC to hear so that they know what is coming up.

For the competitors, the machine first makes 5 “wake-up” blasts that begin 10 seconds before the FIRST 5-minute warning blast.  (A mistake for the signal officer to avoid is to raise the flag or to appear to begin to raise the flag when the 5 wake-up blasts begin.)  The machine then makes a blast at 4 minutes for the prep signal, a long blast at 1 minute when the prep signal comes down, and a blast at 0 for the start and the next class’ warning.

The whole process from turning on the machine to the first warning blast takes 20 seconds: 10 for countdown to beginning of wake-up blasts, 5 for the wake-up blasts themselves, and 5 for countdown to the first warning blast. When you turn on the machine begins counting down with beeps for 10 seconds.   Then it makes 5 "wake-up sailors" blasts.  Then it counts down another 5 seconds to the warning blast.  It is important for the Timer to count down out loud with the machine as guidance to the flag person.  5-4-3-2-1-Class flag up.  

Before each upcoming signal at 4, 1, and 0 minutes, the machine gives the following get ready beeps to the RC:

  • 30 seconds before:  3 short beeps  (The Timer should say out loud: 30 seconds until such and such.)

  • 20 seconds before:  2 short beeps 

  • 10 seconds before:  1 short beep

  • Last 5 seconds: 1 beep per second  (The Timer should count down with the machine 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, such and such flag up or down)

After all the classes have started, turn the machine off (by the toggle switch).

You can use the manual horn button at any time.  The machine can be in a starting sequence or not.  Using this for postponement, over early, and general recall.