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Sailboat Racing Starts Done Right

• By Greg Fisher
• Updated: August 11, 2020

A boat that gets off the ­ starting line in a good position and has good upwind speed is probably going to be near the top of the fleet at the first weather mark. That’s easy to say but challenging to do, especially the starting part. However, if you learn to follow a script or plan that makes the starting routine mechanical, you’ll discover that each start becomes better, and your starts, overall, become more consistent. The good news is that plan can be followed wherever you start on the line and whatever the breeze.

How do you know when you’ve managed a good start? Simply put, you’ve gotten off the line in the front row with competitive speed so you can take advantage of the first shift. It’s cool to be able to blast off the line with a boatlength or two lead and have the fleet over your shoulder. But even just one boat hanging on your weather hip eliminates your opportunity to tack on the first header and, as a result, a good start is wasted.

Determine Where to Start

The race committee’s goal is to set a line basically perpendicular to the wind so that no single boat has an advantage, regardless of where it starts. However, the wind almost always shifts, and seemingly does so at the last minute. If the line is fairly short and/or one end is favored by 5 degrees or less, starting in the middle becomes an excellent choice, giving a conservative starter the opportunity to take advantage of a shift from either side of the course. The fastest ­college ­sailors often start near the middle of the line, knowing that they can protect the left side of the course or tack and consolidate the right.

However, in big fleets—50 boats or more—or on a line where one end is heavily favored, say, 15 to 20 degrees, then starting closer to the favored end becomes more advantageous. I emphasize closer , as it can be risky to start right at the favored end because everyone’s trying to start there. Starting a third of the way up or down from the favored end is much less risky and can make it easier to get off the line.

Remember, the angle of the wind relative to the starting line determines which end is favored, and unless the course to the first mark is way off square to the wind or the starting line is skewed by more than 30 degrees, the course to the first mark shouldn’t have any effect on where you start.

Follow Your Pre-start Checklist

While there are several ­different methods in checking which end is favored, unless I am sailing in a small fleet or on a small inland lake, I use the compass. If the line is short and the fleet is small, head into the wind and note which end of the line the bow points closer toward. That’s the favored end. On longer lines with more boats and in more-extreme ­conditions (very light or very heavy winds), the ­compass is much more accurate. Take a compass heading while sailing down the line and compare it to your head-to-wind reading. If more or less than 90 degrees (which tells us if the line is square), not only will you know which end is favored, but also how much it’s favored. In addition, once you have the line compass bearing, you can double check which end is favored anytime, anywhere (and away from all the traffic on the line) just by ­heading into the wind.

If you have GPS technology, ping the ends of the line once the line is set. Luff head-to-wind, close to the committee boat, moving very slowly so it’s easy to get a good reference. At the leeward end, set up outside the line, again head-to-wind and moving slowly, where it’s easy to gauge exactly when on the line. Once you have confidence in your pings lining up, managing the last minute becomes much easier.

I focus on one approach for every start. Therefore, I know exactly how I’ll set up, no matter where I want to be on the line. The only variable becomes the timing.

Without a GPS (and to ­double check your GPS settings), rely on line sights. Start at the weather end, on starboard tack, closehauled, loosely trimmed and moving slowly, four to five boatlengths below the line. Start taking line sights with something onshore through the leeward end of the line. Ideally, you’ll have one at four to five lengths, three lengths and two lengths off the line, as well as the final shot right down line. Those early “safe” line sights are crucial in gauging the speed and timing to the line, because invariably the sights down the actual line become tough to maintain in the last 10 seconds, when the fleet is lined up. Sometimes a line sight to weather through the committee boat by the forward crew can be a valuable check in the last 10 to 15 seconds.

Check for current at all spots on the line, recognizing that there could be current at different speeds and different angles at each end. Practice the laylines at each end to gain confidence in the approach angle to the line, and especially where you ideally would want to start. Finally, practice your actual maneuverability and the speed required to maintain control of your boat. It’s important be able to recognize when you are too slow to be able to head up or bear off, even when using your sails to help control the boat.

Own Your Final Approach

While many sailors develop a series of different approaches to draw on for starts in different conditions in different size fleets and for different positions on the line, I focus on one approach for every start. Therefore, I know exactly how I’ll set up, no matter where I want to be on the line. The only variable becomes the timing. The two most common approaches are starboard luffing, where boats line up several lengths below the line several minutes before the start, and the port-tack approach, which is my favorite.

With the port-tack approach, come in a boatlength or two below the bulk of the fleet; most boats will be luffing on starboard. Depending on the breeze, the waves and the size of the fleet, I’ll look for and then tack into a hole on the line close to one minute before the start, depending on the conditions and fleet lineup. In some ways, this approach might seem risky because you’re sailing on port tack toward a group of starboard tackers. However, remember that one of the most important goals of the starboard tack boats is to develop a hole to leeward. If this hole is big enough and left open, it’s an open invitation for a port tacker.

One of the keys to a ­successful port-tack approach is the tack into the vacant hole. This tack should be slow and controlled so that once around and onto starboard, your bow will be slightly behind that of the boat to weather. Speed after the tack should be slow so that you are immediately in a position to become the leeward controlling boat. Leave yourself the opportunity to accelerate and not be dangerously close to the line. This is one of the major differences between the starboard and port-tack approaches. During the port-tack approach, you are attacking the starboard boat’s position, while those using the starboard approach are usually trying to defend.

If you’re the approaching port-tack boat, you must sail all the way through the tack and onto your starboard closehauled course before you can assume your new, leeward boat rights. And you must give the weather boat room and time to fulfill its new obligation to keep clear. Once the port tacker has completed his tack to starboard, the now windward starboard tack boat must begin to keep clear and assume the port tacker has now become the leeward boat with rights.

What if there isn’t a hole at the spot where you want to tack? In that case, you probably wouldn’t want to start in that pileup of boats anyway. Instead, sail down the line a bit farther until a more inviting hole ­presents itself.

Obviously, the starboard-tack boat will not just sit and wave you on into the hole they have been working hard to create. They should defend by bearing off toward you as you approach. If the hole is small, or the tack from port to starboard becomes rushed, the port tacker most likely will become discouraged with that spot and sail up the line looking for the next hole.

Once you know how you’ll approach the line, the remaining variable is timing. Ideally, you’ve practiced your timing in that five or 10 minutes before the start. When I set up with the port-tack approach, I determine how long it takes to get from the leeward end pin to my spot of choice on the line, unless the line is super long. I sail back and forth several times in order to determine how long it takes, and then add 10 to 15˛seconds for the tack. Usually, I try to complete the tack onto starboard by 55 to 60 seconds before the start, depending on the breeze and the size of the fleet—the lighter the breeze, the lumpier the wave state; the larger the fleet, the earlier the tack. If we know it takes 40 seconds to get to that spot, we’d leave the pin with 1:45 left before the start.

Once in position, ­control your hole and the boat to windward. This doesn’t demand any sort of attack that requires the use of the rulebook. It requires you to maintain a position where your boat can dictate when the windward boat can trim in and accelerate. Position your bow slightly behind the windward boat’s bow but still in clear air. Your course should be just above closehauled with your sails luffing. Use mainsail trim to help maintain this bow-up position. Try to maintain a boat’s width or slightly less between you and the weather boat. If the weather boat begins to trim and accelerate, trim, gradually head up, and force it to slow down. As long as they’ve been provided the opportunity to keep clear of you, they will also need to luff.

At the same time, work hard to stay off the boat to leeward, if there is one. Constantly watch the leeward boat’s position and speed. If they accelerate and sail higher toward you, react by doing the same to maintain a safe distance—hopefully as much as two to three boat widths. This hole to leeward is key in allowing you to sail slightly below closehauled, in first gear, in order to accelerate in the five to 10 seconds before the gun.

In the last 15 to 20 ­seconds, the GPS pings and/or line sights are important gauges that will give you confidence in your positioning. Pay close attention to your placement relative to the lineup of boats close by. Especially watch the two to three boats to windward, always trying to maintain the same slight bow-back position throughout the entire starting approach. That will give you a runway to accelerate into so you can begin to trim before the competitors above do. If any of those boats to weather trims and begins to accelerate, trim immediately and match its speed, no matter where it is on the line or the time before the gun. If even one of those boats gets the jump and ends up on your wind after the gun, it can be game over.

One tip is how to slow the boat when you find yourself dangerously close to being over early. Our instinct tells us to turn down, away from the line. However, bearing away usually means burning up the valuable hole to leeward and, in fact, you end up accelerating right into it. Instead, head up to near head-to-wind. The boat will slow more quickly and slow the weather competitors. You’ll buy more time and save distance to the line. Most important, you’ll build the hole to leeward and close the ­distance to windward.

Especially for the first minute after the start, boatspeed is king. Fight the urge to point as high as possible until the boat has sailed through all the gears and is at top speed. Definitely do not pinch. A common mistake is to trim the sails too tightly, too quickly. If the sails are trimmed right to the closehauled position before the boat has the time to sail through the gears, the boat will load up and slide sideways. Talk about ­burning up the hole to leeward!

On our boat, we divide all the responsibilities where, in the last 15 seconds, I am simply steering when and where the crew indicates. If we’re sailing with three, the jib trimmer keeps track of the line and our position relative to the boats to weather. That person has control of our final timing and dictates exactly when to pull the trigger. The middle person keeps the time and looks aft and to leeward for boats approaching late on port or behind and low on starboard. Our boat is anything but quiet in these last seconds, but this constant influx of information allows me to concentrate entirely on boatspeed.

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Race Start Horns for Dinghy Sailing

Whether you’re competing in an event or hosting one of your own with various competitors, the chances are you’ll need air horns in order to keep the event as safe as possible. With these starter horns and safety horns you can ensure that all of your competitors are as safe as possible, offering peace of mind to everyone who takes part. If you yourself are taking part in an event then securing one of these pieces of equipment is a must, there’s no doubt about it. Whether you come across some difficulties while out on the water or you need emergency assistance, these safety horns will be your go to piece of equipment that could very well save you and your dinghy in a time of need. See more... Whether you opt for a mini version or a normal version, these Plastimo starting horns are built and designed to output nearly 100DB of sound. With these small but essential pieces of kit, you can not only use them for safety but to also signal the beginning of a race. Take a look at the air horns on offer today at Coast Water Sports and discover prices that are affordable, meaning you don’t have to spend a lot to enjoy your time out on the water. We care about your safety more than anything and can ensure that these horns are tested to ensure that they are in fully working condition so you can rest easy knowing that when you need them, you won’t be let down. When dinghy sailing and racing, it’s vitally important that you have a means of communicating when in distress, these horns will help you do just that. Make sure you’re always safe and secure out on the water with best pieces of equipment and always ensure that you have an air horn for the very worst circumstances. While you’re not likely to encounter any issues while sailing, it’s important you’re fully prepared in case you do.

Plastimo Mini Trump Air Horn - 100DB - Safety Horn - Just Blow!

Plastimo Trump Air Horn - 100DB - Safety Horn - Just Blow!

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Your Ultimate Sailing Race Companion

Make your sailing race control easy for all to use with SailStart race control equipment

If you’ve ever started a sailing race you’ll know how challenging it is juggling clip boards for boat registration, starting stop watches, switching lights, sounding horns, etc, etc. No wonder it’s often difficult to encourage club members to help with OOD (Officer of the Day) duties. SailStart has been designed to take the stress out of running a sailing race, encourage participation in race control and ensure the race always goes ahead.

One push of a button automatically controls:

• The 5 minute start sequence
• Countdown timing
• Swiching light s on/off
• Sounding horns
• Race timing
• Finish time recording

Key Benefits of SailStart Race Control

Automatic start sequence.

Our control system simplifies race management. With a single button press, it automatically initiates a the Racing Rules of Sailing 5 min countdown sequence. It activates lights and horn signals at he appropriate times and then starts the race timer. This allows officers to focus on boats crossing the line and enjoy a stress-free experience.

Store up to 20 finishing times

One button press from the Officer of the day sounds the horn and records a finish time so they can focus on boats crossing the line. Later transfering the finishing times to their Sailwave or other race software system at their leisure

Simple & Robust

Built to withstand harsh conditions in an impact-resistant polypropylene (PP) case to withstand knocks, bumps, and splashes, it's perfect for boats, clubhouses or start huts. Quality components ensure longevity for years of reliable performance.

Intergrates with exisiting equipment or Sailstart accessories

External connectors control lights and/or horns that are already installed on sailing club race control rooms or committee boats via SailStarts internal switching relays. Alterntively Sailstart can provide light poles and horn packs that simply plug in to the control box.

Colour coded tacktile buttons

Making race control as easy as possible Sailstart is supplied with colour coded buttons so you'll easily see which which button to press. However, clear text is engraved on the control panel too so there is never any confusion.

Accurate race finish times

Sailstart has a 'Real Time Clock' module to ensure accurate time control. Finish times are recorded to tenths of a second.

Recall penalty notification

If a boat crosses the start line too early there's no need for the officer to panic. Just press SailStarts recall button once and the recall sound signal and light will automatically be activated. Once the boat has taken their penalty press the recall button again and the signal is cancelled

Mains or 12v supply

Sailstart is able to be powered by a standard 240v socket via it's power supply or from a committee boats 12v power supply. Alternatively, it can be powered from the Sailstart battery supply pack.

Your One-Stop Solution for Sailing Race Control!

Our SailStart Race Control Box is the perfect companion for race organisers, yacht clubs, and sailing enthusiasts alike. With its advanced features and intuitive design, it takes the hassle out of race management, allowing you to focus on what truly matters: the thrill of the competition. Let us show you how this incredible device can transform your sailing experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the sailstart control box work.

Our SailStart Control Box utilises advanced electronic technology to automate key race control functions. It connects to the sailing club lighting system and/or horns using internal switching relays to control them, allowing you to relax and enjoy the race. Alternatively it can be supplied with plu and play SailStart lighting and sound accessories to ensure you have all the options you need on the water or in the start hut.

Can the SailStart Control Box be customised for different race formats?

Quite possibly! We have written our own control coding which might be modified to suite your specific requirements of your race format. Please contact us to ask if you have a specific need.

Is the SailStart Box easy to install and operate?

Yes, it is! We have designed our control box to be user-friendly and hassle-free. Installation should be straightforward for most existing equipment, and the intuitive interface makes it easy to operate.

Can the SailStart Control Box be used for other water sports events?

While our Electronic Control Box is primarily designed for sailing races, it could be used for various other sports events that would benefit from the 5 min start sequence. Whether it’s a swim meet, wind-surfing regatta, or any activity that requires precise timing and control, our device is up to the task.

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STARTING STRATEGIES: LOW RISK, HIGH REWARD

Tricks for a better race start.

The first two minutes of a race is arguably the most important. Those first two minutes will define where you start on the line, and how much space is around you to accelerate. This makes starting one of the hardest skills to master in sailboat racing. Good news is there are a few tricks that can make starting much easier. These tricks focus on executing a start that is low-risk and has a high-reward. A low-risk start isn’t going to mean that you are leading at every windward mark, but it will keep your options open on the first beat so you can go where you want without being forced which will give you a better chance of rounding the top mark in the front of the pack. Once you are in the front, it is easier to hang in there.

In the video below, our expert Mike Marshall talks us through a ten-boat start where one boat, in particular, had the opportunity to contain the fleet and have a low-risk start with just one small decision change. Instead, because they were too early, they had to sail down the line which then forced them into a high-risk starting situation that gave them no control of the race, or their competition.

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Build Your Own Countdown Regatta Box

Introduction: Build Your Own Countdown Regatta Box

An countdown "box" is a box with horns. When a regatta starts the box sounds the horns at predetermined intervals: 5 minutes before the start, 4 minutes before the start, 1 minute before the start and at the instant of the start. There are two types of sequences: 3 minute and 5 minute. In this instructable me and Chris LaBorde will show you how to build one by yourself. Because marine salt and water environment of boats, the box must be at least splash proof. Using the box will release two volunteers.

Step 1: Components Needed

This photo shows an LCD shield and one realy module.

Arduino UNO from dfrobot

One LCD Shield from dfrobot.com (see photo)

Two relay modules from dfrobot.com

One YUASA deep cycle 12 V 7A battery

One charger for the Battery of 8A

One piezo buzzer

Three push connect only switches

One toggle switch

One on/off interrupter

One splash proof box

A set of two horns and a compressor with the air tubes.

One Tupperware small

Cables, shrink tubes, solder (optional)

Step 2: How to Charge

1. Open the box to charge the battery when needed.

When battery charging push the red toggle switch to charge mode. When not charging push back to 'normal'

Step 3: How to Use

The big green button starts the countdown.

The small button sounds the horn manually (override in case of emergency)

The yellow button inside the box toggles the sequence type between: three minute countdown or five minute countdown.

Step 4: How to Wire

1. Stack the lcd shield on the arduino board.

2. Connect the relays inputs to pins D11 and D2, connect relay D11 to piezo and D2 to the compressor.

3. Connect the big green button to the lcd push buton 'LEFT' (solder cables to the switch pins in the LCD board, the push button will override the lcd 'LEFT' button)

4. Connect the yellow push button the the lcd push button 'SELECT' (same as 3)

5. Connect the small green button between compressor + and battery + poles (to sound it manually)

6. Connect battery to charger via the red switch and baterry to compressor and arduino power input via the 'normal' position of the red switch.

Step 5: The Splash Proof Box

Find a splash proof box with rim seal. Use foam at the bottom so nothing is loose. Once the wiring is done put the Arduino and relay modules inside a Tupperware for added waterproofing. Make holes for the tubes that power the horns. And fix the horns as in the picture.

Step 6: Programming the Arduino

To program the Arduino: Download the Arduino IDE to your laptop. Upload the code to the Arduino with a usb cable. Source is here: https://github.com/orioli/ollie/blob/master/produc... the time units is 100ths of second and the time resolution < 10ms approx.

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August 2024

In the August 2024 issue of Yachting World magazine: News Few finish a tempestuous Round The Island Race European rules are eased for cruising to France and Greece Olympic sailing…

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Race countdown: How to time the starting sequence perfectly

• September 23, 2019

Crossing the start line at the right time and maximum speed can be the key to winning a race. Mike Broughton explains how it’s done

Yachts approach the start line of the 2017 Fastnet Race. Photo: Carlo Borlenghi / Rolex

Starting a yacht at the right end of the line at target speed is very much a team game. On boats longer than 40ft, vital input comes from the bow person, trimmers, helmsman, tactician and navigator.

The role of the navigator has evolved in recent years to assist the tactician and helmsman by utilising navigation software to help the timed run into the start. Before the start of any competitive race fleet we now see over 90% of the fleet ‘pinging the ends’ of the line – GPS positioning helps us work out where the start line is and how far away we are at any moment.

We can now do the same with a modern sports watch with a GPS interface. However, to start a boat like a TP52 , there is a little more to it than just GPS positioning then using course and speed over the ground; but even this information can be very useful – particularly with long start lines.

I’ve been using software to help start races since I first discovered Deckman in 1989. It was developed to aid America’s Cup starting, but in those days many crew were pretty sceptical about its merits.

To work out our sailing time to the start line, the software needs to know our boat’s polars (how fast we will sail compared to true wind speed and true wind angle). One factor we need to refine is that normally we are not able to sail at 100% polar speed in the run into the start line as we have other yachts in close proximity and more ‘dirty air’ to deal with.

Simplified version of the B&G data for the two minutes pre-start on Y3K , showing time, distance to the line and boat speed as a percentage of polars

The solution is to use separate start polars and here I tend to reduce the normal optimum upwind boat speed target by about 12-15%. I also reduce the downwind polar speeds as we don’t usually have a spinnaker when downwind sailing pre-start.

For working out our time to the line, we also need to know the tidal stream or current. Some software will try to factor it in for you, but with a lot of manoeuvring it can easily give erroneous readings and it can be best to dial it into the software manually just for the start. A good habit is always to check the current on the start boat and pin end as you ‘ping’ their positions.

If the calibration of our sailing instruments is awry it can generate big errors in the software predicted ‘time to the line’, which is exacerbated if you need to tack or gybe prior to your final run-in. Instruments often take up to 45 seconds to settle down after a manoeuvre.

Quicker systems with high-speed GPS all help, but most software has a ‘t’ feature that allows the navigator to ‘hold’ or freeze the wind while turning. A useful tip here can be to just call boat lengths to the line while turning.

For good reasons, we sometimes slow the yacht down, then ‘pull the trigger’ or increase speed in the approach. Few racing software packages can handle yacht acceleration, and the afterguard need to be aware of that.

Once we have pinged both ends of the start line, we can instantly see the line bias, but that is only true for that moment. My tip here is to give the ‘square line’ bearing and compare that with the mean true wind direction over the last five minutes. It is always worth double-checking the line bearing with a hand-bearing compass as you get the line transits (a shoreline object that you can line up with the pin or buoy end).

Helping to work out where the layline to each end of the line is a useful feature of starting software. With a couple of practices you can often then identify another transit to help you quickly find that layline in the heat of the battle.

Using a countdown in boat lengths to the layline helps the tactician a great deal, particularly in placing your yacht relative to another already approaching the start line. When sailing in current you preferably need to know the ‘tidally adjusted layline’ transit.

Article continues below…

How to win at double-handed racing – 5 top tips from a Fastnet champion

The popularity of double-handed sailing is on the rise. The Rolex Fastnet Race is the perfect case in point –…

Navigation briefing: How to anchor your yacht mid-race

There are two factors to consider when it comes to racing and anchors. One is whether you might find yourself…

It is usually a matter of the tactician’s preference whether to call ‘sailing time to the line’ or ‘time to burn’ and whether you are factoring in the time for a tack or gybe if required. My view is to switch to ‘time to burn’ from 2 minutes 30 seconds to go, though you need to specify ‘time to burn’ to the start line and your preferred start end.

Larger and heavier yachts really don’t want to be manoeuvring in the last 45 seconds prior to the start. So helping find the correct turn in is vital. One of the best yachts at starting I have raced on is the J Class yacht Velsheda , which weighs in at 143 tonnes.

The team never likes to have to alter course in the last minute as they start building speed. On a 140ft boat they use headsets for communication and the bowman has a key input in the last 30 seconds when it comes to calling the time to burn.

With practice, the crew can learn to have good confidence in the navigator’s calls using software, but it’s vital also to cross-check those calls with reality. This is particularly important in light and shifty conditions. Here you have to remember the software can’t see that shift that is 50m away from the boat. In light winds it is a useful to focus more on boat lengths to the start line (also when in the middle of a tack).

About the expert

Mike Broughton is a pro race navigator who has won many titles including World and European championships. He is a qualified MCA Master to captain superyachts and previously had a successful career in the Fleet Air Arm flying Sea King and Lynx helicopters.

Racing Signals: Sailing Flag Meanings

Last Updated by

Gabriel Hannon

August 30, 2022

Where other competitions have umpires and referees right next to the players, sailing race committees have to rely on flags to communicate with sailors.

In this article, we are going to explain the meanings of all the flags used at regattas to communicate with sailors. The flags can give information about starting procedures, course information, and on-the-water judging, so a basic understanding is a crucial part of general seamanship.

While nautical flags all have defined meanings in a historical context, they have very specific meanings in the context of racing competition. For instance, in the general nautical world, the Z-flag means that you are in distress and are in need of a tow or relief from a tug boat. At a regatta, the race committee may fly the Z-flag to indicate an additional penalty for any boat that has crossed the line early. Moreover, even though there are certain flags that have well-defined roles, race committees may stipulate additional meanings or introduce new flags via an announcement in the sailing instructions for the event, so we will cover some of these more common changes as well. We will break down the meanings into the various categories of usage.

A secret that I have learned over many years of regattas at every level from proverbial ‘beer-can’ races to national championships is that, as well as both you and the race committee can recite the racing flag rules on land, someone is always going to make a mistake or misunderstand these symbols. That is why I will be going through the official flag meanings and rules from the Racing Rules of Sailing for 2021-2024 to clarify any questions that you might have when the race committee flies a flag that hasn’t been seen since we used Clipper Ships to cross the oceans. Hopefully this article will help break down all the most common signals so that when your friend turns to you and asks ‘is that the flag that tells us it's time to go in,’ you’ll be able to help out!

Table of contents

‍ Flags at the Start

The start of a race is often the most confusing part of a regatta and is where the most flags must be used. We will be going over the rules for the flags at a basic 5-minute start. These can be modified for 3-minute dinghy starts, 5-minute match race starts, 6-minute Olympic starts, or 10-minute big boat starts, but the same logic applies.

A few flags are crucial to set everything up on the starting line prior to the starting sequence.

To begin, the race committee must have an Orange Flag visibly displayed, as this demarks the exact location on the boat from which the line is called. If there is a pin boat, they will often fly an Orange Flag as well, but if it is just a buoy, then the buoy serves as the other end of the line.

Next, the RC will additionally fly the L Flag if they are ready for competitors to check-in at the beginning of the race day. This helps them confirm that everyone is sailing under the correct sail number, which is often a logistical nightmare. They will blow one horn when raising this flag. If this flag is raised at any point later in the day, it is meant to tell competitors to come by the committee boat again.

Finally, the AP Flag is a general purpose postponement flag. The race committee may raise this on land to indicate that the harbor start has been delayed or on the water to indicate that there will be a delay in the starts. While there are other flags that are used for abandonment situations, particularly the N Flag, the AP is commonly used in informal situations. Two sounds accompany the raising of the AP, and it can be said that competitors are ‘under AP’ until it is dropped, along with one sound. If it is dropped on land, competitors may immediately launch. If it is dropped on the water, the next start may begin in as little as one minute.

The final note with the AP Flag is that the race committee may indicate the end of racing for the day by flying ‘AP over A.’ Again, the AP could technically be replaced with the blue and white checkerboarded N Flag, but the two serve very similar purposes at most levels.

Starting Flags

Once the race committee is set up and everyone is ready to go sailing, the next task is to get the right fleets to the starting line for their start. At the warning signal, one loud horn that indicates that the 5-minute countdown to the start has begun, the race committee will raise some type of Class Flag that indicates which type of boat will be starting. Above we have the different class flags for the different competition rigs for the ILCA-Dinghy, formerly known as the Laser, which would be raised to indicate which rig is starting.

This is a convention even if there is only one class on the water. Sometimes this is replaced with raising the Orange Flag itself, or some other flag as laid out in the sailing instructions. Often classes have been assigned a numeral pennant, of which 1-4 are displayed above, in place of the highly specific Class Flags. Still, some flag of this nature goes up at 5-minutes and remains up until go, at which point it is dropped.

At 4-minutes, the RC will sound another horn, known as the preparatory signal, and raise some combination of the above flags.

The P Flag is always required to go up, and it is simply the ‘Prep Flag,’ which signals to the racers that they need to get serious about the race. Once the P Flag is raised, all the right-of-way rules that apply during the start switch on and racers, particularly in team and match racing, are allowed to begin tactically engaging with each other (though in team racing this would happen at minute 2 of the 3-minute start). Moreover, racers can talk with their coaches until the prep signal, and race committees may alter the course up until this moment. Afterwards, all coaching is banned and all course changes on the current leg are not allowed. This belies the fact that a 5-minute starting sequence is actually a 4-minute sequence with a warning signal at 5-minutes, but that is a purely semantic detail.

Depending on how rowdy the competitors are, the race committee may raise any combination of the I, Z, U, or Black Flags. Each of these flags deals with boats that start ‘on-course side’ (OCS), essentially a false start for sailing. If any of these flags is raised, a boat is not allowed to be anywhere within the triangle formed by the starting line and the first mark of the course after the 1-minute signal during the start. These flags essentially help the RC ensure that they can get off a clean start and ensure that they can identify any boats that are OCS at go. When they are flown, the following penalties are added beyond requiring a boat to clear itself by dipping back under the line:

• I Flag: Conventionally referred to as the ‘one-minute rule,’ this requires that any boat over the line after a minute also has to sail around an end of the line in order to start the race fairly. This punishes a boat for being over by potentially making it a little harder to clear themselves if they are over on a large line.
• Z Flag: Often flown in combination with the I Flag, this flag adds that any boat that is OCS will get a 20% penalty on top of their score in that race, regardless of whether they clear themselves or not. This further hurts any boat that is ‘pushing the line’ by ensuring that even if they manage to clear themselves and come back, they will still see an impact on their scoreline that is equivalent to immediately being passed by 20% of the fleet.
• U Flag: Now we’re getting into harsh territory. When the RC is really trying to brush the fleet back off the plate, this flag immediately disqualifies a boat that is over after a minute with no course for redress. If these boats are identified, they tend to be told to stop sailing the race by a notice board at the top mark.
• Black Flag: The black flag serves a very similar purpose to the U Flag, except it is a step harsher. It disqualifies you after a minute and even prevents you from sailing in a restart of the race or a race abandoned halfway through.

The I Flag is by far the most common flag, and is often effective at keeping boats from being over. The U Flag rule was introduced in 2013 as an option and formally codified in the Racing Rules in 2017 and is massively more popular than the Black Flag, which is considered overly punitive. In particular, when many sailors are over in a Black Flag start, such that the RC cannot determine who was over, they are forced to make unfair decisions that carry over to the restart, so the U is now almost universally used in its place. Additionally, as the U has become more popular, people tend to shy away from the Z flag, which is considered cumbersome for scorers and confusing to sailors.

In general, while these flags are supposed to be raised in conjunction with the P Flag, often the RC will only raise the most punitive of the flags, as any of them can essentially be considered as a prep flag.

As the starting sequence continues, any prep flag(s) raised must be lowered at the 1-minute signal. The class flag is then lowered at go, leading to the next category of flags: Recall Flags

Recall Flags

After the pain of raising and lowering all those start flags, the RC then has three possible jobs. If the start is clean, they shout ‘All Clear!’ and can then relax until they have to start another race or record finishes for the race in progress. Unfortunately, this is often not the case, as they likely will need to ‘recall’ certain competitors for being ‘OCS,’ i.e. false starting. They have two choices here.

If only a few, easily-identifiable boats have started early, the RC will raise the X Flag along with a single sound in what is referred to as an individual recall. This indicates to the boats on the course that there are some competitors who are currently OCS and must clear themselves. If the I Flag had been flown for the start, competitors have to round an end; if not, they can just dip back behind the starting line and restart from there.

While the X is suitable on its own to inform a boat that it has been called over, it is an oft practiced courtesy for the RC to hail an OCS boat’s sail number over a megaphone, a radio, or other transmission device. The X Flag is dropped when all OCS boats have cleared themselves or after 4 minutes from go, whichever comes first.

If more boats than can be easily identified are called over, the RC can blow two horns and fly the First Substitute Flag, indicating a general recall. In this case, the race is fully reset and the committee will initiate another entire starting sequence for that fleet. After a general recall, the RC will often, but not always employ the next level of penalty flag for the restart in an attempt to get the race off cleanly.

Sometimes, as in college sailing or as stipulated by other sailing instructions, any general recall immediately implies the I Flag for the next sequence if it had not been flown previously. As such, the RC does not necessarily have to fly the I if it is unavailable. Still, such stipulations are almost always written out explicitly for a given event and are often accompanied by a verbal announcement as a courtesy.

Still, outside some usages of the AP or N Flags to abandon or delay starts already in sequence, these are all the flags that deal with general housekeeping and the starting sequence.

While Underway

While the starting flags are by far the most complicated of the flag rules, there are still other flags to keep track of while racing. The first among these are...

Course Change Flags

Although course changes are relatively rare, race committees often pull them out when conditions change substantially during races or if there has been a problem with one of the marks.

When wind or time constraints require, the race committee may send an official to any mark of the course that no boat has yet rounded and have it raise the S Flag along with two sounds. This indicates that the fleet shall finish at that mark, cutting off the race earlier than written in the sailing instructions.

In the case of any other change to the course, such as a minor adjustment to the angle or distance of an upcoming leg, a race committee boat will go to the preceding mark and raise the C Flag along with repeated sounds.

This is sometimes accompanied by a Red Square or a Green Triangle to indicate that the mark has been moved to port or starboard respectively. Although during less formal events, you can change the positions of any marks so long as there are no competitors currently sailing on that leg of the course, it is considered poor form if at all possible to inform competitors, particularly in longer races. Sailors make decisions based on the position of the marks, and if this has been changed without them noticing, that can drastically affect the outcomes of strategic decisions, so in large competitions the C Flag is a must.

If, meanwhile, something odd has happened to a mark of the course, any official boat may fly the M Flag with repeated signals. This serves to inform the competitors that they have become a replacement for the missing mark. This is relatively uncommon, but anchors do occasionally snap on marks, so it is always good to have a support boat with the M if possible.

Finally, as mentioned before, if conditions have deteriorated to the point that a race is considered no longer possible, due to lack of wind, fear of foul weather, or some form of interference -- I’ve seen it happen because cruise ships wanted to pass through a dinghy course, and you don’t say no to them -- the race committee may abandon the race using the N Flag. Still, this flag is relatively rare as you will often see the AP in its place for convenience, as they are functionally similar.

Miscellaneous Flags

While we have covered the bulk of the flags necessary for racing at any level, there are a few more flags from across different disciplines and classes that are worth mentioning, if only to let you in on these quirky parts of the racing world! This starts with what one could reasonably call…

The Cheating Flag

Calling the O Flag the cheating flag is certainly a bit of a misnomer. The O Flag does, however, suspend Rule 42 of the Racing Rules of Sailing. Rule 42 is particularly notorious, as it bans pumping, rocking, ooching, sculling, and excessive maneuvering, all of which are methods to make your boat go substantially faster. While Rule 42 is worth an article in and of itself, the larger point is that it is meant to keep anyone from gaining an unfair advantage over their competitors.

Certain competitive classes, however, including the Olympic class 470s and Finns and many of the new foiling fleets, allow competitors to ignore Rule 42 in certain conditions, typically in heavy breezes that are referred to as ‘planing’ conditions. There are differences across the classes, but whenever it is allowed and the RC flies the O Flag, Rule 42 is switched off and competitors can ooch, pump, rock, and tack their boats all around the racecourse. This allows for a much more physical style of sailing and is a rule that many different classes and sectors of sailing are beginning to consider.

If conditions no longer meet the threshold for that class’s rules regarding suspension of Rule 42, an official boat will raise the R Flag at some point during the race. They can only do so at a mark of the course so that it is fair to all the competitors throughout the fleet. This is relatively rare, and is normally done between races, but is still a key part of the O Flag rule.

Judge and Umpire Flags

On the topic of Rule 42, there are certain fouls in sailing that can be actively enforced on the water by judges or umpires, depending on the context.

Rule 42 is enforced by judges with a Yellow Flag, which they will point at an offending boat along with a sound signal and a direct sail number hail. That boat may clear themselves from their first Yellow Flag by taking their two-turn penalty, but, unless otherwise noted in the sailing instructions, any subsequent violation can entail disqualification.

Finally, certain levels of modern match and team racing, with the addition of high-performance racing like SailGP, have full on-the-water umpires who actively follow the racing to make calls on fouls and other plays. While this is not the spot to go through the intricacies of team and match race calls, the basic gist is as follows.

In any interaction, any boat involved in the race may call in the umpires if they believe that their opponent has fouled them. If the opponent clears themselves quickly, essentially admitting fault, the umpires will not get involved. If no boats clear themselves, the umpire has to make a call on whether there has been a foul. If they determine that the maneuvers were clean, they will make one sound and fly a Green Flag, thus exonerating all boats in the interaction. If they determine there was a foul, they will fly a Red Flag with a singular sound and hail the offending boat.

Beyond that, if a boat is found to have broken a rule not related to an interaction, the umpires may come in and fly the Red Flag without being directly invited into the situation. Further, if a boat is found to be in violation of sportsmanship or refuses to take a penalty as assessed by an umpire, the umpire may fly a Black Flag, disqualifying them from the race.

While there are differences at each event and in each discipline, these general guidelines are followed in most umpired races, with specific flags used at various events, generally depending on availability.

With that, we have made it from land, through the start, a few general recalls, all the way to umpire flags! I hope this has helped you get a grasp of the various flags used across sailing. While this has not scratched the specifics of the various alterations made for kiteboards and windsurfers, nor some of the annoyances of protest flags and more, we have gone through the bulk of regularly used race committee and umpire signals.

The ‘Wear Your Life Jacket!’ Flag

Finally, we have a safety flag. At big boat regattas, the race committee may, if it chooses, fly the Y Flag at any point prior to a start to inform competitors that they must wear personal floatation devices, which is not always strictly necessary.

The Most Important Flag

While I wish I could tell you that everyone uses their flags properly and accompanies them with the proper timing and sound signals, that is far from the truth. Everyone’s flag set is slightly incomplete or out of date, and invariably there is going to be a miscommunication somewhere, where the race committee forgets to put the I Flag up but really should have; I’ve certainly done that a time or two. Still, there’s nothing quite like being on the water, so, despite the endless mutual griping between racers and their race committees, hopefully everyone comes back to shore flying the ‘Happy Flag.’

Happy sailing!

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I have been sailing since I was 7 years old. Since then I've been a US sailing certified instructor for over 8 years, raced at every level of one-design and college sailing in fleet, team, and match racing, and love sharing my knowledge of sailing with others!

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Start your sailing races with style! Connect over Bluetooth to SailBot™, the most advanced air horn system for starting sailing races. Sailbot™ is simply the most flexible and convenient way to automate the audible signals at the start of any sailing race. Sailing schools, yacht clubs, and sailing teams will love the ease of use and durability of construction. Compact, robust, reliable and ready for action; SailBot™ was designed from the ground up to be an integral part of any RC toolkit. Make your Race Committee job easier by automating your starting sequences today! SailBot™ is a self-contained and portable unit that connects to your iPhone or iPod Touch by Bluetooth technology. SailBot™ is the only automatic sailboat race start controller that offers custom start sequence editing and modification. Choose from one of the many included ISAF starting sequences, modify them or create your own. The options are limitless. All software for controlling the horn is contained in the app on your iPhone or iPod Touch so updates are automatic and your device is always up to date. Say goodbye to hard-wired sequences forever! Requires Bluetooth 4.0: iPhone 4s or greater, and iPad 3 or greater

Version 2.0.2

Add medium horn length to sequence editor.

Ratings and Reviews

Pretty cool.

The app works perfect. I’d love to see it display the start time and a running stop watch after the race has started right in the big button. That way us folks running phrf races would have the start times and finish times without using two phones or switching apps.

Easy starts

Our Ollie timer died and we replaced it with SailBot and love it. Light years ahead of our old Ollie timer.

Has exactly what I need for FJ (dinghy) starts. My only complaint is that the high pitched tone can get lost in windy days, a variety of tones would be super awesome ;) Also if there's any way to increase the volume I think my sailors wouldn't mind since I'm using a Bluetooth speaker with it and my phone set to max volume off the committee boat for our starts

App Privacy

The developer, Slope LLC , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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Slope - Finance Tracker

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Published on February 20th, 2023 | by Editor

Start sequence sound signals

Published on February 20th, 2023 by Editor -->

by Chip Till, US Sailing Regional Race Officer & Club Judge The second sentence of RRS 26 (starting races) states, “Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded.” To paraphrase, the visual signals (flags) prevail over the sound signals.

While this is the rule, sailors do pay attention to the sound signals. In fact, an ill-timed sound signal made during a starting sequence is indeed a Race Committee error and there is no rule that says it may be disregarded. An ill-timed sound becomes more problematic if it results in boats being misled and results in an OCS.

So, if you’re approaching the line at your starting signal in a competitive 60 boat One-Design fleet, is it more important to look down the line at the flags on the Race Committee signal vessel or listen for the sound signals while you’re also trying to get a good start with maximum speed?

To this point, properly timed starting sequence sound signals are imperative. One of my favorite Race Committee equipment tools as a Race Officer is my iStart which is an “automatic sailboat race starter”. The iStart has a built-in air pump which sends pulses of air to a set of air horns to make the starting sound signals.

The air pump is powered by a large internal battery which is controlled by a sophisticated motherboard with a built-in timer display so that you know where you are at any given time during a starting sequence.

The motherboard also has dozens and dozens of pre-programmed timing modes so whether you are running two minute Radio controlled starts, three minute College starts, five minute Fleet starts, seven minute Match race starts or ten minute Olympic race starts, the iStart has a built it timing mode that you can select.

Given the iStart’s versatility and broad range of timing options, it really helps with timing during any starting sequence. The iStart is especially helpful when running Team Racing events given the magnitude of races that are run daily.

Even with 70 Team Races on a given day, which is 1,540 horns (22 horns per three minute start), the battery has enough power to last the whole day. If you find that your iStart battery performance begins to decline over time, it’s not a problem because you can send your unit in for service or you can replace the battery yourself.

Many of you that are already familiar with the iStart may be aware that in 2021 the company stopped making new units and serving existing units, but worry no more as the company is under new ownership. In early 2023, new units and service to existing units will be available. For additional details, click here .

Reprinted courtesy of US Sailing Race Management Committee, [email protected] .

Tags: Chip Till , education , Race Committee

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SailBot Care

$ 199.00

Volunteers and the marine environment are tough on your gear. Protect your investment by adding SailBot Care to your SailBot Classic or SailBot Sport purchase and receive two years of coverage.

See Terms + Conditions for program details.

Description

You break it, we’ll make it right. Get covered for 2 YEARS.

SailBot Care offers extended warranty and accidental damage coverage with unit replacement. Your coverage starts when SailBot ships.

Accidental Damage Coverage Damaged your SailBot Classic or SailBot Sport by accident? You’re covered! We’ll send you up to two replacements, each subject to a service fee. Does not cover lost or stolen SailBots.

Rapid Repair or Replacement We’ll fix your SailBot or send a replacement to get you back in the game as quickly as possible.

Replacement Horns & Batteries Horns and batteries can be replaced and are included with your coverage. Receive up to one replacement horn set and battery. Volunteers and the marine environment are tough on your gear. Start races with no worries.

Priority Support Receive priority customer service for two years.

Extended Manufacturer’s Warranty Extend your SailBot warranty from the standard one year to a full two years.

Full details can be found in our SailBot Care Terms + Conditions .

Related products

Sailbot diy, sailbot classic, battery replacement, sailbot sport.