J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race 2010

If you're thinking of taking part in this year's J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race - or have already made your entry - you've come to the right place! Whether it's your first or your twenty-first Round the Island Race, there's a wealth of information here on the official website to help you make the most of your race weekend.

We have a newly rewritten First Timers' Guide for newcomers to the race and for those of you who don't race regularly, a special foreign competitors page to help those coming from further afield, and a new Layman's Guide to the Racing Rules which will be available with the Sailing Instructions and which we encourage everyone to read. For those of you who raced last year, there's also a summary of our responses to your excellent feedback on the 2009 race.

Of course, with so many people taking part, it's important that everyone completes all of the necessary pre-race administrative hurdles. While we've tried to keep these to a minimum, there a few things your need to do before you can enjoy your day's racing in June. The most important steps are highlighted in our checklist below. Why not print it out and stick it on your notice board?

1	Read the Notice of Race
	The first step is to make sure that your boat is eligible to take part in the race and that you understand the requirements that you and your boat need to meet. The Notice of Race (NoR) contains all of the eligibility criteria, as well as start times and the prizes you can win. You can download a copy here. Pay particular attention to the section on ratings (you will need one if you are not entering a one design class) and conditions of entry (to make sure your boat complies). You may also need a copy of the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations which you'll find here. Finally, do check that your boat has a sail number which is in accordance with the Racing Rules and RYA prescriptions (see the NoR for details). If not, you can apply to the RYA or the RORC for one.

2	Gather your entry details
	Before you fill in your entry form, make sure you have all of the details you're going to need. Read our entry introduction page for details. If you are entering for the ISC Rating System class, you'll need to provide some measurement information so that we can allocate you a rating. You'll find some information on this in our "Understanding the ISC Rating System" document. Also, read the NoR and check whether you are eligible for one of our special trophies for family teams, young sailors and sailing school boats.

3	Make your entry online
	Making your entry is very easy. Just use our online form which you can find here, fill in all of your details and pay for your entry by credit or debit card. Don't miss the entry deadlines. You can save money by getting your entry in before the early-bird entry closing date which is Saturday 6th March.

4	Complete your crew list
	One of the conditions of entry is that you supply us with a full list of crew members that will be on board during the race. You need to do this online before Wednesday 16 June, but you can do it much earlier if you have the information. You can also use the online facility to update some of the information about your entry.

5	Read the Sailing Instructions
	You'll receive your Sailing Instructions (SIs) a couple of weeks before the race. Please do study them carefully! They are essentially the "special rules" of the race and explain what you can, can't and must do on race day. If you don't follow these carefully, you could end up with no result - or worse, disqualified from the race. You should also brush up on your general rules knowledge by reading the Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012. To help those less experienced with racing, we're producing a "Layman's Guide to the Racing Rules" which will be available with the Sailing Instructions.

6	Get your boat ready
	Before the race, check your boat over thoroughly and consider giving it a good clean. Excess weight and a dirty hull will slow you down, especially in light airs! Also check that the letters and number printed on your sails are the same on each sail and match the information you gave us on your entry form (otherwise you probably won't get a result). If you can, get a dodger made with your full sail number on it and display it as detailed in the Sailing Instructions.

7	Check tides and weather
	Don't be caught out! HW Portsmouth is at 0506hrs BST which should give around 4 hours of favourable tide to the Needles - but make sure you know what to expect from the tidal streams. Also, check the expected weather conditions, either from local radio or one of the weather websites (for example, BBC, Cowes Harbour or Bramblemet).

8	Read your Safety Book
	Probably the single most important thing to find time for. Read it when it arrives with your Sailing Instructions, read it again before you go racing and make sure the crew read it too. We want everyone to have a safe race.

9	Have a great race
	We can't guarantee the weather - but if you've got this far, we're pretty certain you'll have a fun, exciting and enjoyable day to remember. Good luck!