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OMER Hatteras Blue Water Open - July 18-20, 2008 7th annual tournament in the Outer Banks of NC with over $10,000 in prizes.

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Old 03-10-2008, 10:29 AM   #1
Mattedhead
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Tournament Rules and Info

OMER 7th Annual Blue Water Open
Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
July 18th, 19th, and 20th, 2008
$10,000 in prizes
1st - 3rd place trophies (total aggregate)
Large Fish Trophy

Mark Laboccetta, info@omerdiving.com , Omer USA, Technosport, Inc.

Date and Duration

1. The meet will be held over three days, from Friday July 18th to July 20th, 2008, with the earliest daily start from Hatteras Inlet at 0630 hours Friday morning with the earliest fishing time of 8am. All competitors must report back to the weigh in station at Teach’s Lair Marina by 1700 hours during the three days of the tournament. Boats that are inside Teach’s Lair dock by 5pm but who have not yet weighed their fish do not count as late.
2. There will be a divers meeting for all entrants at 5pm on Thursday July 17th and a captain's meeting at 630pm at Teach’s Lair Marina.
3. All vessels must leave from Hatteras Inlet and boats that report back after the official finish time of 1700 hours will not be allowed to record any entry of fish that day.
4. Entrants may trailer their own vessels to Hatteras provided they abide by the above rules and have valid NC recreational fishing licenses.


Diving Rules

1. All divers using charter vessels will have saltwater fishing licenses that apply during the days of the tournament. Those divers who trailer their own vessels for the tournament are responsible for acquiring a North Carolina state saltwater fishing license. All entrants will receive a copy of the fishing regulations, not a license, in their tournament packets.
2. Divers must be freediving when they spear and land their catch. Artificial breathing devices may NOT be used to retrieve fish.
3. Divers must propel themselves unassisted and without motors.
4. Divers must remain in the water unassisted until the fish is subdued.
5. Divers must pull their fish to the surface while they remain in the water. Once the fish is subdued and at the surface, someone may gaff it from the boat.
6. Diver must maintain contact with their float and/or line at all times. If contact is lost, they must reestablish contact while remaining in the water. No assistance may be provided, except for other divers or persons out of the water to inform the diver of the location of the fish or float.
7. Fish must be free swimming unrestricted by nets, traps, fishing lines or other devices.
8. Fish must not be in an artificial environment such as penned in bays or in close proximity to fish nets.
9. Fish mutilated by the spearfishing equipment or by predators are competition eligible only if in whole condition.
10. Although all scoring is on an individual basis, contestants must choose their buddy, which will be respected for the duration of the competition. If no particular buddy is requested at time of application, organizers will allocate a buddy.
11. All boats must be equipped with a marine VHF radio capable of 20 mile range.
12. The Event Organizer will have a safety/police boat in the area of the competition at the time of the event. This boat will serve two purposes: safety boat and official supervision. This boat will be the only boat carrying SCUBA tanks and rescue divers, as no compressed air tanks will be allowed on competing boats. This boat will also have the power to submit a report for disqualification to the committee in case any of the competitors are seen to have broken any of the competition rules. Boat will carry Oxygen and First Aid. This boat is not to be used to transport fish. Any person using the safety boat for this purpose would automatically be disqualified. Being towed in by a safety/police boat will not lead to disqualification, provided the fishing boat arrives at the meeting point prior to the agreed reporting time.
13. No fishing lines, hooks, bait or similar fishing devices will be in the water with divers.
14. Competitors must not load their guns out of the water, exit the water with a loaded gun, or be in a vessel with a loaded gun.
15. Chum, frozen or fresh, may be brought and used if all the diver’s on the vessel and the captain agree to it. Fish may not be shot for the sole purpose of being used as chum.
16. Divers' fish who did not make weigh in time at 1700 that particular day will not count for that particular day. The fish can not be kept to weigh in the following day. Breaking these rules will result in disqualification.

Equipment

1. Spearguns: The gun must only be loaded by the contestant using personal muscle power only meaning band and pneumatic spearguns.
2. Terminal gear: Reels and trail lines are allowed. A float/floats are compulsory.
3. A float, colored Red, Orange or Yellow is to be towed by each competitor. This float must be of sufficient volume to support the diver in distress, and with a minimum length of 450mm (18"). A dive flag must be fixed to each competitors float, or can be towed behind the float. It must be weighted so as to fly vertical at all times - even in windy conditions, and is to be used for the duration of the competition. Flag dimensions minimum size 300mm x 250mm (12" x 10") with base a minimum of 200mm (8") above the surface of the water.
4. A sheathed knife is to be carried by each competitor during the hours of the competition.
5. Each contestant's float and knife must be presented at the sign in area each morning, prior to the commencing of the day's event if requested.
6. No powerheads or explosive devices allowed.

Locality and Transportation

1. The fishing area will cover the waters from the northern boundary of Cape Hatteras and offshore of the Diamond Shoals Light Tower, and the southern boundary is Cape Lookout. There is no offshore boundary. July usually provides the widest variety of pelagic fish. Suitable spots to encounter them can vary considerably and are not limited to Graveyard of the Atlantic shipwrecks, Sargasso weed lines, temperature breaks, light towers and bait concentrations.
2. Most of the “for-hire” charter boats are 35-55ft fast twin diesel powered sport fishing boats, with world class sport fishing captains. These boats are fast, comfortable, seaworthy fish chasing machines that specialize in big game charter services. There will be room for 6 people, three pairs of divers per boat plus Capt. and 1st mate. The boats will be targeting pelagic fish the divers are after and will do their best job to put the divers on the fish. It is the responsibility of the divers to make the charter book arrangements with their captain.
3. The boats will be leaving Teach’s Lair Marina and the other Marinas the boats are berthed no sooner than 6:30am every morning with an earliest fishing time of 8am, although loading the boat can begin as early as the divers want. All boats regardless of local marinas departed from, will weigh in at Teach’s Lair Marina by 5pm each day.
4. Divers trailering their own boats to Hatteras may launch from any of the three boat ramps provided they weigh in their fish at Teach’s Lair Marina by 5pm every day.

NOTICE: We strongly encourage the use of charter boats because of the value, safety, and enjoyment of the blue water diving tournament they provide. Many of these captains have been fishing blue water a lifetime and it is their specialty as this is the year round business they depend on. This will take away any headaches of local inlet and ocean navigation to the dive spots and will maximize the chances considerably for successful blue water hunting.
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Old 03-10-2008, 10:30 AM   #2
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Re: Tournament Rules and Info

Species List

1. Each diver must purchase a valid North Carolina recreational fishing license unless they are on a boat that licenses its passengers. http://www.ncwildlife.org/
2. This competition will solely aim at pelagic fish, generally found in less than 20 meters, roughly 60ft of water.
3. No species except for those stated below will be allowed to be weighed-in during the length of the competition, and any competitor found to shoot bottom/reef fish will automatically be disqualified from the event.
The only eligible fish for the tournament will be:
* Amberjack 1 point per pound
* Bonito 2 points per pound
* Dolphin / Dorado / Mahi Mahi 2 points per pound

* Cobia /ling/lemon fish 1 point per pound
* King Mackerel 1 point per pound
* Rainbow Runner 1 point per pound
* Bluefish 1 point per pound
* African-pompano 1 point per pound
* Yellowfin Tuna 2 points per pound
* Blackfin Tuna 2 points per pound
* Wahoo 2 points per pound


3. In view of the sensitive nature of spearfishing in the public eye, the event organizer asks all competitors' understanding and cooperation by promoting a correct and conservative attitude. With this in mind, we would ask competitors who will be spearfishing in the area before or after the event to restrict their catches only to pelagic species, thus not affecting the resident fish population.
4. No fish of any species below 10 lbs will be weighed. Therefore for smaller pelagic fish like Rainbow runner and king mackerel, only those that look larger than 10lbs should be taken.
5. All fish weighed in during the tournament become the property of the organizers.
6. Fish not weighed in for the tournament provided they are within the 5 fish per person daily limit may be used by the diver to dispose of as he or she wishes, or contributed to the barbecue.

Scoring System

1. All scoring is on an individual basis.
2. Contestants are not to shoot more than 5 (five) fish per day, or more than 1 (one) per species per day, whether recorded or not.
3. A maximum of 3 (three) fish per contestant are allowed to be recorded over the duration of the competition, and a maximum of 1 (one) fish per species.
4. Once a competitor has recorded a species, he cannot record another fish of that species (No upgrading).
5. All fish caught must be weighed in and measured each day at the certified scales, which will be placed at the weigh in station at Teach’s Lair Marina. All competitors must sign - confirming species and weight of fish weighed in - with officials present at the scale.
6. Any contestant wishing to present any of the fish caught during the day must do so at the daily tournament meeting held at 4:00pm. It is each contestant's responsibility to be personally present at the meeting in order to present his fish and receive points on site. On the last day of the meet, the contestants must present their fish at the official finishing time of 5:00pm sharp.
7. Scores will be tabulated at the rate of 1 point per pound (lb.) - the equivalent of 2.2 points per kilogram.
8. Mahi-mahi, Wahoo, and Tuna count 2 points per pound.
9. There is no maximum weight.
10. In the event of a tied place, the competitor with the largest fish breaks the tied place.

Liability

1. All competitors must be insured by a recognized Insurance Policy for death and injury due to the obvious hazards involved in the sport of freediving and spearfishing.
2. The competitor will exempt and relieve the Event Organizer, Mark Laboccetta, Technosport, OMER and other sponsors, the assistants, Teach’s Lair Marina and its directors, the charter boat services and crew, agents or representatives from liability for personal injury, property damage or wrongful death caused by negligence or for any other reason. By signing the application and the liability waiver, the contestants will confirm that they have read and understood the rules of the competition and will assume the risk of personal injury, property damage or wrongful death upon themselves.

Prizes

1. The list of prizes available is as follows:
* The organizers will provide trophies for the open champion, runner-up and third place individual.
* At the discretion of the organizers an individual trophy may be awarded for the diver who catches the largest fish officially presented to the weigh-in.
2. Depending on if it is feasible to do so within the tournament budget, the "boat captain" who accumulates the most points caught on his boat over the five days of the event will be given a bonus cash prize.
3. If you are interested in sponsoring the event, or including your company or product's information with meet details, please contact the event organizer. All forms of media exposure are expected to be heavily promoted.

Awards Banquet

An awards banquet will be held for all contestants and their families, boat captains and officials at a location to be decided.
1. Dress is semi-formal (No coat/jacket required).
2. Invitations will be sent out to the North Carolina Fish and Game, Coast Guard, and other local and state government bodies without whose support this event would not be possible.

Registration

1. All applicants must be over eighteen (18) years old. Juveniles over the age of 16 may participate only with a consenting parent whom is their partner during the three days of diving.
2. All contestants must submit an application form and a liability disclaimer prior to being accepted for participation in the meet. This can be downloaded from the web site and filled out. This application must be RECEIVED from international contestants by the organizer prior to July 1st 2008, with an accompanying check for $150
3. A credit card NUMBER and EXPIRATION date may be used to hold the divers spot. There will be no refunds one month prior to the event due to the planning involved. The event is limited to 50 participants and your acceptance will be confirmed by phone/fax/email on the July 1st2008. All checks received from a party, whose application is not successful, will be returned by mail.
4. Registration fee for each participant is $150
The $150 entry fee includes:

* Tournament packet including maps, local accommodation information and a photocopy of a nautical chart and other useful information.
* "Omer Hatteras Blue Water Open" T-shirt.
* Dock side BBQ following the last day of competition on Sunday.
* Awards ceremony on Sunday evening.

NOTICE: Captains and mates work hard to do everything they can to put the divers on the fish they're after and mates generally expect approx 10% gratuity of the cost of the charter (approx. $20-30 per diver).

7. Payment schedule: Organizers must receive US $150 (non refundable) for the entry fee which must be paid by check or credit card by June 18th. The $150 entry fee is non refundable.
8. Entrant will pick up their tournament packets at sign in on Thursday, July 17th at Teach’s Lair Marina. All payments and applications must be sent to: Mark Laboccetta, OMER Blue Water Tournament, 1176 Jensen Drive, Virginia Beach VA 23451
9. No refunds will be issued unless the organizer cancels the event, or an application is denied.

Cancellation

1. Unsuitable weather is the only reason for cancellation of a designated contest day.
2. A designated contest day will be considered valid if competitors had the opportunity to dive during the hours of the competition whether they had done so at their discretion or not.
3. In the event of the entire cancellation of the contest due to weather, all money received for entries will be held in trust until all expenses are paid out after the close of the competition. The balance will be divided up equally and returned to individual contestants by mail within 1 month of the cancellation of the meet.

Protests

1. Any contestant, event official or the Event Organizer may register a protest.
2. Protests must be registered in writing to the event organizer within 2 hours of the end of each day's fishing. It must be dated and carry the name and signature of the person protesting.
3. In the case of exceptional circumstances for which no provision has been made in the Rules, the Jury may, on protest from the competitor concerned, use its discretion to lift a disqualification and impose a different penalty.
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Old 03-21-2008, 05:20 PM   #3
Azorian Spear
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Re: Tournament Rules and Info

Where do i get the application for registration?

Thanks
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Old 03-21-2008, 05:28 PM   #4
Mattedhead
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Re: Tournament Rules and Info

Go to omerdiving.com Choose events and then click on the tournament...registration should be there.

Take care-
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Old 03-21-2008, 05:43 PM   #5
Azorian Spear
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Re: Tournament Rules and Info

Got it thanks!
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Old 03-23-2008, 09:18 PM   #6
Azorian Spear
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Re: Tournament Rules and Info

What's the water temperature going to be in July?

Thanks
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Old 03-23-2008, 09:30 PM   #7
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Re: Tournament Rules and Info

Quote:
Originally Posted by Azorian Spear View Post
What's the water temperature going to be in July?

Thanks
Very Niiice!
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Old 03-23-2008, 09:47 PM   #8
Azorian Spear
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Re: Tournament Rules and Info

I know it's going to be nice but if anyone knows # would be great, so I know what wetsuit to bring!

Thanks
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Old 03-24-2008, 07:38 AM   #9
Mattedhead
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Re: Tournament Rules and Info

It will be 78-80+... occasionally the thermoclines are a little cooler.
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Old 04-16-2008, 10:45 AM   #10
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Re: Tournament Rules and Info

I definitely want to go to this event. I am sure my spearing skills are not on par for the real competitors. But I want to experience blue water hunting. My saltwater hunting experience is limited. So I am a little apprehensive about entering.

I am making plans to get there though and I hope to meet some new people and great spearos!
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