sailboat race start horn

Specifications

Instructions

Quick Start

Testamonials

Regatta Pro-Start is an automatic starting horn that relieves the race committee of the demanding task of keeping time for shooting guns and allows them to pay closer attention to the start line.

Outstanding Benefits

Fully automatic control of timing and horn blasts.
118 dB blasts are easily heard over long start lines and high winds.
Blasts are easily muffled by placing in bag, center console, or similar confining space.
Beeper orients and synchronizes race committee to the sequence in progress.
Beeper countdown alerts RC to raise and lower shapes and to impending horns.
Crystal controlled accuracy assures precise timing.
Any available 12-volt source (ship's battery, portable power pack, etc.) powers unit.
Eight selectable RRS and ICYRA sequences with selectable beeper alerts.
No visual distractions - all timing signals are audible.
Contestants hear a consistent, reliable, and recognizable sequence every race

Distinguishing Features

Attached clip allows the horn to be quick-mounted to any rail or convenient base.
Eight-foot lead from controller to horn allows horn to be mounted well away from personnel.
Trumpets point back-to-back for full coverage of both the start line and the prep area.
Trumpets mounted to air compressor allow the unit to be placed inside a bag to muffle the volume for close-in or light-air races.
Beeper chirps every ten seconds to confirm controller's operating status.
When first powered up, Beeper and Horn chirp at completion of self-test.
Controller remembers 'sequence' and 'alert' selections when power is removed.

Sailing Race Starts

Sailing race start system by dan zwerg, sailing race starts free.

Sailing Race Starts is the ultimate yacht racing starting system. It provides the sound signals to start races and voice countdowns for use on the racing yacht. The Free version contains a limited set of features and options; the Pro version has them all.

Sailing Race Starts works especially well on phones and tablets, and has many features! Here are some of them: 5-minute RRS Rule 26 horn starts, 5-minute RRS Rule 26 gun starts, 3-minute ISSA starts (high school), 3-minute ICSA starts (collegiate), 5-minute voice starts, 5-minute match racing starts, 3-minute voice starts, ISSA 2-minute and 1-minute starts (for practice), ICSA 2-minute and 1 minute starts (for practice), selectable heads-up sound, selectable heads-up time, rolling starts, individual recall, general recall, postpone up, general recall/postpone down, abandon, exact time race began, countdown timer continues in the negative after start to measure time after start and race duration, sound pad for finish sounds (beep and whistle) and all other other needed sounds, quick user presets, and visual cues for flags. All ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing race signals are shown and explained. Voice countdowns include an additional synchronize function.

Sailing Race Starts is the latest development of Dan Zwerg’s proven start system. Dan Zwerg created the sounds and created the program to play the sounds. He is the Director of Technology and coaches sailing at St. Stanislaus College. His experience and passion for sailing in combination with his technology skills led him to put this project together.

You can use this app to start races, of course. Just connect your device to a loudspeaker system via wire or Bluetooth and you are all set. High school and college students can use an Android device and headphones to practice starts over and over. During an actual race, you can play a voice start on your boat synchronized to your race committee’s sound signals. It will count down the time verbally, freeing up a crew member to do more important things. A race committee that is determined to produce sounds manually can use it as an accurate visual and audio timer with beeps at all the right points to remind you to get ready with the flags.

This is a premium app built by an avid sailor, sailing team coach, and race official. You will love it.

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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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.

More: How-To , print 2020 summer , starting , starting line
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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

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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.

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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.

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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Designed for iPad

4.6 • 5 Ratings

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Description.

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

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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 .

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

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Best Marine Electronics & Technology

By Gary Jobson
Updated: August 21, 2017

Racing yachts these days are becoming increasingly complicated machines that require highly skilled professionals to operate. For the average sailor, though, foiling multihulls and high-stress regattas may hold little interest. But there are times when it’s rewarding to be out enjoying an afternoon on the water with other sailors. Perhaps you are inspired to take part in a charity regatta to support a worthy cause, or your yacht club or community sailing organization has assembled a fleet of boats for a fun race. Now, those sorts of events might just suit your style. And of course, it is more fun to actually win the race. I have participated in a variety of charity events over the years. Many of the crews at these events do very little racing, but even still, they want a good result. Here are some thoughts on how to race safely and arrive at the finish line ahead of the fleet.

To start with, before you even step on your boat, carefully read the sailing instructions provided by the race organizers so you understand the geography of the course and the starting routine. Study the weather, and set up the sails for the predicted wind conditions. Make sure everyone in the crew has the appropriate clothing.

Once you leave the dock, hold a crew meeting to discuss safety procedures, and brief everyone aboard on the course. At this time, assign each person a specific job. Everyone appreciates the opportunity to participate in the race, and if it’s a charity event, encourage everyone on board to contribute something to the cause.

Winning the Start

Getting off the line with clear wind — and in the lead — will give your crew a big morale boost. Most race committees use a five-minute starting sequence of flags and horns, and some also broadcast the start over VHF radio on a designated channel. Again, preview the sailing instructions so you know what to expect. The first horn will sound five minutes before the actual start time, marking the beginning of the countdown. Have a crewmember assigned to time the horns; if you miss the five, you can still recalibrate at the four-minute horn. A single horn will sound again with one minute to go, followed by the actual starting horn.

Listen carefully after the start, and monitor the VHF radio channel assigned by the race committee to see if your boat may have been recalled for being over the starting line early.

Many regattas will have different starts for classes of boats, or boats in a particular size range. Make sure you know when your class is scheduled to start. Some regattas use a pursuit, or staggered, start the theory being that boats of different speeds will all reach the finish at about the same time. If you’re sailing in one of these races, make sure you know your starting time and monitor your VHF for any updates from the race committee.

When starting a conventional race, I like using a time-run approach. Plan to be on the start line two minutes before the start, then sail away on a reciprocal course to what you’ll use when you approach the line for real. At one minute, 10 seconds before the start, tack or jibe and maneuver back toward the line, preferably on a starboard tack so you’ll have right of way over any port tackers you encounter. The tack or jibe will take about 20 seconds. At this point, accelerate to full speed toward the line. Try to stay away from other boats when you make your final approach. If you seem to be early, ease out your sails to slow down, but make sure you are sailing at full speed when the gun sounds. Often the right-hand side of the line will tend to be more crowded, so you can find room for more comfortable maneuvering if you pick a point closer to the pin (the buoy marking the other end of the starting line).

Know the Rules

The basic Racing Rules of Sailing are designed to keep boats from having a collision. The starboard-tack boat always has the right of way over the port-tack boat. On the same tack, the leeward boat has the right of way over the windward boat. An overtaking boat has to stay clear of a boat ahead. And the inside boat at a turning mark has the right of way on an outside boat making the turn. My rule when racing is to carefully watch out for other boats, don’t push the rules too hard, and give way if another boat has the right of way. After all, no one wants to spend time in a protest room after the race — or face costly repairs.

Sailing the Course

Look for the best wind to determine the favored side of the racecourse. You can see what the wind is doing by observing the dark patches on the water that indicate gusts. It sounds simple, but races are won by sailing faster in stronger wind. Assign one person to serve as tactician. This person watches the wind and looks for shifts. If you see more wind on the other side of the racecourse, then head in that direction. A word of caution, though: Limit maneuvering. Every time you make a turn, you slow down and lose distance. On a 1-mile windward leg, two to four tacks are acceptable.

At all points along the course, the helmsman and sail trimmers should work together. The tactician gives regular reports about your speed compared to the other boats. When you are fast, just keep sailing, but if you seem to be sailing slowly, experiment with your sail trim to help you keep your speed up.

Look up at the mainsail. Are the telltales trailing off the leech all flowing evenly? If not, you are likely overtrimmed. A helpful reference is to trim the sail so the top batten is parallel to the boom.

Telltales on the luff of the jib should flow evenly. If the top telltale luffs first, then adjust the jib fairlead on your track forward. If the bottom telltale luffs first, then move the lead aft. Concentrate all the time. You will be popular if you let several members of the crew spend some time steering.

Position the crew so they stay low, and keep the bulk of the crew weight out of the ends of the boat. Often a boat will sail fastest with a slight leeward heel. Move the crew out to the rail, or lean in to maintain the fastest angle of heel. You will learn what’s right by watching your performance compared to the other boats around you. When you are sailing fast, note your angle of heel and try to maintain it.

At the Mark

Approach the turning mark with speed, and make sure to leave it to the side indicated in the racing instructions. Remember the inside boat at the turn has the right of way. Avoid making a fast turn, because the boat will slow down. Turns should be gradual, like a skier making continuous turns on a downhill run. If you are not overlapped then give the boat ahead of you room to make the turn.

Before making that turn, ask the tactician which side of the course looks better, and let your crew know whether you plan to continue with sails set to the same side or if you’ll quickly tack or jibe.

On the downwind leg, try to sail in stronger wind, and avoid being near other boats. Simply keeping your wind clear will help your boat advance.

The biggest mistake many sailors make on the run to the leeward mark is getting wrapped up with other boats. Look for a good time to jibe away from the rest of the fleet. Again, your goal is to sail in clear wind.

Prepare your crew well in advance of any maneuver. Everyone should stay low in the boat, and walk softly from one side to the other. On a run, reshape your sails by easing the outhaul on the mainsail. A fuller sail is faster when sailing with the wind. If you are on a reach, move the jib leads forward to keep the telltales flowing evenly. Many boats use a boom vang. Look up the mainsail and make sure the top batten is lined up with the boom. If the batten is curving inward, this is an indication that the vang is too tight. When sailing straight downwind, a whisker pole might be used to wing the jib out to windward. In this case, be sure there is equal tension on the foot and leech of the sail.

The downwind leg is often the time when the skipper breaks out snacks or drinks. Be strategic when passing around sandwiches and water. It is best to do these kinds of things when the crew is not in the middle of a maneuver. Assign one crewmember to be the boat custodian and make sure everything is cleaned up, lines are clear and everyone is in the correct position.

Around Again

The leeward mark is an important milestone in every race. You are shifting gears from sailing downwind to upwind. Prepare your crew well before the turn. Tighten the outhaul, and move the jib leads to their upwind position. If it’s windy, make sure the crew has the proper clothing on before making the turn. Remember, conditions change when you’re sailing closehauled again. On the first leg, you likely learned the more favorable side of the racecourse. If there was better wind on the starboard side of the course, then it will likely be better again on the next leg. Patterns tend to repeat on the water.

Keep Working

Don’t give up, regardless of your position. Many leaders have lost races by being careless, and many trailing boats have made big gains on the final leg to the finish. Talk about your performance. What have you learned during the race about speed and position? The skipper and tactician should give an update, and add in a pep talk if needed. Take the attitude that you are always trying to gain on the fleet.

Heading for Home

On the final leg, be like a runner sprinting for the finish line. Keep the crew in their racing positions. Approach the finish line on starboard tack when possible so you have right of way on other boats that are finishing at the same time. After crossing the line, sail clear of the area. If there is another race, gather the crew for a debrief. Discuss things that went well, and what can be done better. This is the time to hydrate, prepare sails, loosen up and get ready for round two. You are in the groove now, and can improve. Restate your goal and discuss what your strategy will be for the next start.

If you’re headed for the dock, whether you win, lose or come close, always end the day with a review of the race and a pep talk. The next phase of the day is likely a party back on shore. “Sail hard, play hard” is a good way to live life. Congratulate the winners, thank the crew and feel good that your guests had a good time — and, if it’s a charity regatta, that you helped a good cause reach its goal while you had fun on the water.

Gary Jobson is a CW editor at large. He’s an America’s Cup-winning tactician and longtime chairman of the Leukemia Cup Regatta, which has, to date, raised some $54 million for cancer research.

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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!

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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Guide to running sailboat races

Published on April 17th, 2023 by Editor -->

John Palizza, a Regional Race Officer and Club Judge from Lake Bluff, Illinois, shares this practical guide to acting as a Principal Race Officer:

The best race committees are transparent, races start on time, courses are clearly designated, the starting sequence runs smoothly and scoring is done quickly and accurately. The competitors come in after racing and they don’t even think about the race committee. Alas, in the real world, it ain’t necessarily so.

As a competitor, how many times have you headed out to the course area ready to start racing only to be forced to sail back and forth for what seems to be an interminable period while you waited for the race committee to do its thing? Or how many times on weeknight beer can races has the starting line been so skewed that there is a pileup at one end because you can barely lay the line on the other tack?

Or it’s your turn to run your club’s weekly races, which everyone has to do once a year, and although you’ve been racing for many years, you only have a vague notion of what occurs on the race committee boat?

What I hope to lay out in this article is a practical guide to acting as a Principal Race Officer so that you won’t embarrass yourself and to help you can avoid some of the mistakes I’ve made over the years. It won’t make you ready to run the Olympics, but it should allow you to competently run most club events.

If I’m lucky, I may even persuade a few of you to give back to the sport, take US Sailing’s Club Race Officer certification and to take on a regatta or two.

Step One: Do the Paperwork All races are governed by a Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions. These two documents form the blueprint of what the race committee has to do.

Important things such as a requirement to check in with the race committee, the starting sequences for the classes of boats sailing, the class flags being used, the courses that can be sailed, what the marks and the starting and finishing lines look like, time limits, and scoring are all covered in these documents.

If you have been asked to run a regatta, you should be intimately familiar with them, as you should have either written or reviewed them.

With season long series, it’s a little different, as the Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions are usually posted to the club’s website at the start of the season and often thereafter forgotten. Competitors who have been sailing in the season series for years are often guilty of not re-reading the Sailing Instructions each year.

So here’s Practical Tip Number 1: Just because a competitor hasn’t read the Sailing Instructions doesn’t mean the race officer can skip them. It is absolutely crucial that the race officer knows the content of the Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions.

The ideal is that you know them off the top of your head, but practically, it’s enough to know where to look when a question arises. So take 10 minutes to give a close read to these documents, and have them with you on the RC boat. It can save you a lot of heartburn later.

Step Two: Get Your Ducks in a Row When I was a Boy Scout, I was taught to “Be Prepared”. The same holds true for a race officer when it comes to equipment. At a primitive level, you can run races with just a piece of string on a stick, a good sense of direction, and a watch. However, if you want to do things right, there is a lot of equipment that is needed.

This is complicated by the fact that you are never quite sure what is going to be provided by the club. Some venues do a great job.

For example, at the Houston Yacht Club when I first started working on race committee, the harbor master prepared a bag with all of the flags, zip ties, score sheets, and everything else you needed. You just went to his office and picked it up. If the bag was zip tied shut you knew that he had checked it and you were good to go.

Many clubs, especially smaller clubs, are not as well organized and will have some, but probably not everything you should have, scattered around the club and the RC vessel.

The very best race officers I have known assume nothing will be provided and show up at regattas with their own flags, GPS, startbox, and assorted paraphernalia they need to get races off. As this is not practical unless you are planning on doing a lot of race officer work, here’s Practical Tip Number 2: Work from checklists to see what they have, what may need to be gathered up, and what you need to bring. Click here for checklists for both the RC vessel and mark set vessels.

Step Three: Let’s Get Things Going There is an easy, but commonly overlooked way to insure that races start on time and it occurs when you set the schedule well in advance of race day. This is because most schedules leave inadequate time between the competitors’ meeting and the first warning. This results in sailors being forced to sail around under a postponement flag and wait for the race committee to get the course set up.

Now it’s time for Practical Tip Number 3: When writing the schedule in the Sailing Instructions, leave adequate time between the competitors’ meeting where the race officer is expected to speak, and the first warning.

The amount of time will vary depending on the venue, how far you have to go to set up the course, whether you are using drop marks, and other factors. But, I guarantee that the 30 minutes you often see in SIs is not enough time to get things ready to go.

None of this means that you have to delay the start of racing for the day. There is no rule that says that the competitors’ meeting has to be after the skippers have rigged their boats and are ready to go. Simply hold the competitors’ meeting earlier in the day and then let the skippers go back and rig their boats.

If you are race committee for a season long series where there typically is no competitors’ meeting, the solution is even simpler: leave the dock with enough time so that you are not rushed in setting up the course.

Step Four: Getting Things Set Up Race officers should always keep one important maxim in mind: The competitors did not come out to watch the race committee set up courses; they came out to race. Therefore, setting the course quickly and efficiently goes a long way towards making for successful races. This means you get to the race course well in advance of the racers and decide where the start line should be and then start taking wind readings.

After 15 – 20 minutes you should have a pretty good idea of what the wind is currently doing. That, combined with the forecasts you have looked at and, if you are lucky, local knowledge, should allow you to formulate a plan for the race(s). Now you can set your windward mark and start line, announce the course and get the starting sequence going.

Wait, you say, don’t all of the marks need to be in the water and the course completely set before you start the sequence? The answer is no. As a matter of fact, although I don’t recommend this, the windward mark doesn’t even have to be set before you start the race and you can be moving a starting mark up until the preparatory signal.

So if you really want to move things along efficiently, I recommend you get your upwind mark set, get your start line done and start your first sequence. Your mark set vessels can worry about setting the other marks while the fleet is headed up to the first mark. This will save the fleet from sitting around waiting for everything to be set up and it really speeds things up if you are working with limited resources, such as only one mark set vessel.

Step Five: Things Change As sailors we all know that the wind is not constant; it changes speed and direction with some frequency. This is just as true for race committees as it is for sailors. It is a rare occasion when the wind direction remains constant throughout the day. And on inland lakes? As they say in New Jersey, “fuhgeddaboudit”.

A corollary to the maxim listed in Step Four is that most sailors would rather be racing on a course that is slightly off than waiting around for a perfect race course. If the wind is oscillating, find the median of the oscillation and get your race off before things change dramatically. If the wind is shifting persistently, try and anticipate where it is going and set your course a little ahead of it.

I’ve worked inland lake regattas where we were getting oscillations of up to 60 degrees. If we had waited to set a perfect course, we would have made the fleet wait all day. Sometimes you just have to pick a course you think is reasonable and fair, given the conditions, and go with it.

If you are running multiple races, you may find that the wind has shifted enough during a race that you want to reset the course for the next race. Here’s Practical Tip Number 4: Don’t wait until all boats have finished to reset the marks.

Have your mark set vessel waiting at the windward mark to move it to its new position as soon as the last boat rounds the mark. Then you can reset the start line, get the fleet off and worry about the other marks. Obviously, if you are using a combined start/finish line, you can’t move the line until the last boat finishes the race.

Step Six: Starting and Finishing As a race committee, the two areas you can get into trouble are the starts and the finishes. Racers may grumble that the course was not perfect, but there is no rule that says that it has to be. But, if the race committee doesn’t get the start right or screws up the finishing order, you may be spending time in the protest room as a competitor may ask for redress for those errors.

The standard five minute starting sequence is relatively simple; two flags and four horns. There is simply no excuse for getting it wrong, yet I have seen it done multiple times at beer can races. Charitably, I put this down to inattention.

The person who is responsible for the horn or the flag is chatting with a friend or otherwise distracted and is late with the horn or the flag. Don’t let this happen!

The principal race officer or timer should be counting down to each action, for example, “30 seconds to P flag up and one horn.” Never assume that people know how the sequence works or where they are in the sequence. A little attention to detail here can save a lot of pain later.

The opportunities for distractions or missing something are even greater at the finish, as competitors may be sailing up to the committee boat and informing you of their intent to protest, just as a bunch of boats are approaching the finish line or five or six boats all finish at the same time and your scribe simply can’t keep up.

So here is Practical Tip Number 5: always have the scores taken down by at least two sources – the race officer dictating into a recorder (almost all smart phones have voice recorder functions these days) and a scribe writing things down.

I can’t tell you how many times this has cleared up things post race, when you discover that a finisher did not get written down in the heat of action. Having a voice recording to go back to sure beats tracking down competitors and asking them who finished around them.

Step Seven: Work from a Playbook Commercial airline pilots still utilize a checklist every time they take off. There is no rule that says you have to remember everything that you have to do to run races and when to do them. With the multitude of things that should happen to run a good race, it makes sense to work from a checklist. For people who don’t run races all of the time, using a checklist will insure that all of the bases are covered. Click here for the PRO checklist.

Step Eight: It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over Once the races are over, the race committee needs to record the time and publish the time limit for filing a protest or request for redress. The rules state that this is two hours last boat finishes, however, this is often changed by the Sailing Instructions.

Commonly used at events are when the committee boat docks or when the last competitor reaches the shore or docks. Once you’ve done this, it’s time to score the event. Finally, put away all the RC stuff and strive put it away better than you found it – DONE!

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

Tags: education , John Palizza , race management

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A record on the high seas: Cole Brauer becomes first US woman to sail solo around the world

On Thursday, Cole Brauer made history, becoming the first American woman to sail solo nonstop around the world. The 29-year-old from Long Island, New York, celebrated at the finish line in Spain by drinking champagne from her trophy.

Friends, peers and sailing enthusiasts had been cheering Brauer on since last October, when she embarked on her more than four-month journey.

Race organizer Marco Nannini told USA TODAY he started the Global Solo Challenge to "create a platform for sailors like Cole to showcase her skills and move on to a pro sailor career."

While at sea Brauer kept her more than 400,000 Instagram followers updated − and entertained − with videos from onboard First Light. The trip was extremely challenging and physically exhausting, Brauer said in one video from December.

In the post, she describes how frustrated she felt when she had to fix and replace different parts of the boat.

"I don't want you guys to think I'm like Superwoman or something," Brauer said. "Right now I've been feeling just broken," she added, describing how she had to fix the boat's autopilot system after injuring her torso against the side of the boat's hull amid intense waves.

Who is Cole Brauer?

Brauer is from Long Island and competed for the University of Hawaii sailing team. She went to high school in East Hampton, New York, her university team website says. She was the youngest of more than a dozen sailors, or skippers, in the Global Solo Challenge.

The professional sailor lives in Boothbay, Maine, and during the spring and summer, she can be also found in Newport, Rhode Island, gearing up for races, the Newport Daily News reported last year .

Brauer has sailed on First Light, a 40-foot yacht, for over five years, the outlet reported.

"I always said I wanted to race around the world in this boat," she told the newspaper.

From above and below First Light's deck, Brauer shared aspects of her journey with followers and die-hard sailing fans.

On New Year's Eve, she donned a dress and danced at midnight , and in another post, she showed off how many pull-ups she can do.

As the only woman racing solo, nonstop around the world in the first Global Solo Challenge, Brauer said she was determined to prove there's nothing women and girls cannot accomplish.

"I push so much harder when someone's like, 'No, you can't do that,'" Brauer told NBC Nightly News . "And I'm like, 'OK, watch me.'"

Brauer is the first American woman to sail solo around the world. But Kay Cottee of Australia was the first woman in the world to accomplish the milestone, sailing off from Sydney Harbor in Australia in November 1987 and returning 189 days later.

On her profile page on the Global Solo Challenge website, Brauer said she wanted to send a message to the sailing community that it's time to leave its male-dominated culture in the past. In the profile, Brauer took aim at a lack of equal pay and what she describes as harassment in the sailing industry.

"Just as well as this community has built me up it has broken me and my fellow female teammates down. I am doing this race for them," Brauer said.

Brauer and her spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

How long was Cole Brauer at sea?

Brauer was sailing for over four months after departing on Oct. 29.

She finished second in the race, behind a sailor who departed about a month before she did.

The start times differed because that first place boat, Phillipe Delamare's Mowgli, is much slower, Nannini said, explaining the race's staggered start times.

"The format means that if you enter on a slow, small boat you can still win, which makes it much more inclusive than an event where a bigger budget is a definite advantage," he said.

France's Delamare will win first-place prize money of 7,500 euros (about $8,140), Brauer will win 5,000 euros (about $5,430) and the third place finisher will win 2,500 euros (about $2,710), Nannini said.

How dangerous was Cole Brauer's sailing race?

A medical team including a nurse and a physician trained Brauer and sent her on her journey with medicines and medical supplies, in case of any health issues, according to her Instagram account.

Early in the race, Brauer administered her own IV with a saline solution after she became dehydrated, according to one video posted to her social media.

Brauer's most serious health scare happened in early December when she said gnarly ocean conditions caused the boat to jolt, throwing her across the inside of the boat and slamming her hard against a wall.

Her ribs were badly bruised as a result, and her medical team told her to alternate between taking Advil and Tylenol, Brauer said on Instagram.

"Rigging up a sleeping seat belt has been added to my priority list," she said in the post's caption. "I know I'm very lucky that this wasn't a lot worse."

What is the Global Solo Challenge?

The inaugural Global Solo Challenge is a nonstop sailing race in which competitors departed last year from A Coruña, Spain.

The race encompasses nearly 30,000 miles and takes place mostly in the southern hemisphere.

After leaving waters off the coast of Spain, sailors travel south and around Africa's Cape of Good Hope. The race then includes the two other capes that together make up the famous three great capes: Australia's Cape Leeuwin and South America's Cape Horn.

About half of the other competitors dropped out of the race, according to racing data posted online by the Global Solo Challenge.

Delamare finished the race late last month after embarking on his journey in late September 2023, according to race data.

Contributing: Associated Press

Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race 2024: Start time, crews – and who’ll win

This year’s Boat Race will be the 169th occasion in which Oxford and Cambridge’s men have raced against each other.

Meanwhile, it will mark the 78th time the women’s crews have done so.

In the history of the men’s Boat Race, Cambridge lead Oxford by 86 wins to 81. There was a dead heat in 1877.

Cambridge are more dominant in the history of the women’s race, with 47 victories to Oxford’s 30.

Cambridge took a clean sweep last year , winning each of the four races (men’s, women’s, men’s reserves and women’s reserves).

It was only the fourth time that one university has won all four races in the half century that the four races have been staged.

THE BOAT RACE COURSE

The course is the usual 4.2-mile affair from Putney to Mortlake, commonly referred to as the Championship Course.

A coin toss before the race determines which team gets to pick their preferred station: either Middlesex or Surrey.

Approximately 250 000 people will line the banks of the Thames to watch the race with many more following on television.

WHEN WILL THE 2024 BOAT RACE BE HELD?

This year’s race will be held on Saturday, 30 March .

DID YOU KNOW … ?

The date of the boat race changes every year dependent on tides, university calendars and major London events.

On 30 March in 1912, both boats sank and the race had to be re-run the following week.

WHAT TIME DOES THE RACE START?

The women’s event is set for 16:46 (SA time) with the men’s race starting an hour later at 17:46 (SA time).

The races between the reserve crews take place earlier in the day.

CREWS FOR THE 2024 BOAT RACE

Oxford women.

Sarah Marshall (bow)

Ella Stadler (President)

Tessa Haining

Claire Aitken

Julia Lindsay

Annie Sharp

Lucy Edmunds

Annie Anezakis(stroke)

Joe Gellett (cox)

CAMBRIDGE WOMEN

Gemma King (bow)

Jo Matthews

Jenna Armstrong (President)

Carina Graf

Iris Powell

Megan Lee (stroke)

Hannah Murphy (cox)

Saxon Stacey (bow)

Harry Glenister

Jelmer Bennema

James Doran

Frederick Roper

Leonard Jenkins

Elliot Kemp (stroke)

William Denegri (cox)

CAMBRIDGE MEN

Sebastien Benzecry (bow, President)

Noam Mouelle

Thomas Marsh

Augustus John

Kenneth Coplan

Thomas Lynch

Luca Ferraro,

Matt Edge (stroke)

Ed Bracey (cox)

Men’s winner – Oxford

Women’s winner – Cambridge

The post Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race 2024: Start time, crews – and who’ll win appeared first on SAPeople - Worldwide South African News .

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Race Start Horns for Dinghy Sailing

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

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

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SailBot DIY

$ 299.99

Make your own DIY sailboat race starting horn and have the industry’s best app to control it! Introducing the SailBot DIY, our innovative circuit board along with illustrated instruction booklet that will give you all the information you need to make your own Bluetooth-controlled sailing race start timer and horn. Boards certified to work upon shipping and carry no warranty.

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Do you have an idea you’ve been itching to try of how to better package the electronics and mechanicals for a sailing race start horn? Get a head start on the project by using our circuit board that connects to your iPhone or Android phone by Bluetooth and already has all of the code on-board to control the horn relay.

If you’ve been wanting to hardwire a sailing race audible signal into your Race Committee boat, this is the option for you! Our illustrated guide booklet will give you all the information you need to use the equipment you already own to fully automate your race starting sequences.

Salt water destroying your mechanical air horns? Use a composite IP66 electrical bullhorn and wire it up to this. Thinking of using a handheld bullhorn signal? Wire it up to this.

Boards are certified to work upon shipping and carry no warranty.

Additional information

Related products, (10 pack) basic principles of sailboat racing, battery replacement, sailbot classic, sailbot sport.

Live updates: New Zealand Sail Grand Prix at Lyttelton, Christchurch

Newshub's Mitch Redman gets a guided tour of NZ SailGP boat Amokura. Credits: Image - Photosport, video - AM

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4:43pm - And that's the end of the day's racing, before it even begins. The racing window has closed and Mother Nature has carried the honours.

Surely tomorrow, we'll be better prepared... such a shame for the record paying crowd, who go home without seeing any racing.

Join us again at 3pm Sunday for live updates of the revised racing scheduled.

4:33pm - Still no racing, due to "mammals on course", which is a little embarrassing. The same thing happened last year and dolphins are quite common in this area, so it wouldn't have takent much foresight to make sure they had something to do somewhere else today.

The opening race has been delayed, after a dolphin was sighted on the course. SailGP is known for its respect for the ocean and nature, so wellbeing of wildlife comes before racing.

2:57pm - Great Britain have been docked points - both from the NZ regatta and the season standings - after a training incident with Spain.

The Brits collided with the Spanish boat during the third practice race on Friday and the penalty may have ended their chances of reaching the series final at San Francisco.

"We’re licking wounds from that issue," said GBR driver Giles Scott. "It's really, really frustrating, but tomorrow's a new day - we'll come out swinging and see what the weekend's got."

The British now sit seventh overall, 11 points out of the top-three cutoff for the final.

Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of NZ Sail Grand Prix at Christchurch's picturesque Lyttelton Harbour.

Last year saw the international sailing circuit visit the South Island for the first time and many of the participants described the stopover as the best of the year.

This event was scheduled for Auckland, but unavailability of suitable venues forced organisers to return to Lyttelton, which isn't a bad back-up option.

More from Newshub

The home team were pipped by Kiwi skipper Phil Robertson and his Canadian crew in 2023, but the newly branded 'Black Foils' are determined to take honours this weekend, after back-to-back success at Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Driver Peter Burling wans't at the wheel for the last regatta at Sydney, while he was on babywatch, so he'll chase a hattrick of victories at Christchurch.

Saturday's racing will consist of three fleet races, while Sunday will see two more, plus the three-boat final.

The fleet and championship standings are:

Australia - Tom Slingsby

New Zealand - Peter Burling

Denmark - Nicholai Sehested

Spain - Diego Botin

France - Quentin Delapierre

Great Britain - Giles Scott

United States - Taylor Canfield

Canada - Phil Robertson

Germany - Erik Heil

Switzerland - Nathan Outteridge

Join us at 3pm for the first race.

TAB Odds: Australia $2.90, New Zealand $3.25, Denmark $8, France $11, Spain $11

Canada's Kiwi skipper out to spoil homecoming party again at SailGP Christchurch

The black boat isn't the only one chasing a 'home' win at the New Zealand round of SailGP this weekend.

Last year, Kiwi Phil Robertson stole the show, when he drove his Canadian team to victory on Lyttelton Harbour.

Robertson is back in the country for the first time since the famous win and his sights set on a repeat effort this weekend, but defending his title isn't the only reason to come home.

"It's pretty hard to compete with New Zealand coffee around the world," Robertson told Newshub.

As it turns out, that rule applies to most beverages - including the alcoholic variety.

"I definitely like the local craft breweries and get into it... but I still love a Speights," he joked.

Come Sunday, he'll hope those beers will be celebratory. Last year, he helped Canada achieve their only event win to date, spoiling the party for local hero Peter Burling and the NZ boat.

"That was up there," he reflected. "That was massive."

Not everything about being home is bright and sunny.

"It's cold here, but the colder air brings a denser air, so you go faster," he noted.

The ever-comical Robertson has his own way of describing windy conditions at the last event in Sydney.

"You've got to bring your brown undies and buckle up, because it's going to be a wild ride," he said.

Robertson confirms those brown undies have been included in his luggage this weekend.

"I packed my brown undies, but hopefully I won't need them, because I love the speed."

That should be music to the ears of a record 22,0000 spectators who will make this weekend the world's largest ever ticketed sailing event.

"An event like this here in Christchurch, I'm really hoping it inspires the local kids down here to get into it, because it's a wicked sport and there's so many opportunities around the world," he said.

If Robertson can go back-to-back for Canada, there would be no better example set.

She’s the first American woman to sail around world solo in race — and she’s from Maine

Cole Brauer held up sparkling safety flares as she approached the finish line on March 7, 2024, in A Coruna, Spain.

A s the sun rose, only one mile separated Cole Brauer from the coast of A Coruña in Spain, where a crowd of supporters eagerly awaited her arrival after 130 days alone at sea. The 40-foot yacht First Light sliced through the waves, its blue and red sails emblazoned with “USA 54″ billowing against the wind. Victory in sight, Brauer stood at the bow and spread her arms wide, a safety flare sparkling in each hand. As she neared the finish line, the 29-year-old sailor hollered and cheered, flashing a wide smile.

At 8:23 a.m. on March 7, Brauer made history. Four months after setting sail from A Coruña for the Global Solo Challenge , Brauer became the first American woman to race around the world without stopping or assistance. The youngest skipper and the only female competitor, Brauer finished second out of 16 racers.

“I’m so stoked,” Brauer, of Boothbay Harbor , Maine, said in a livestream as she approached the end . She wore a headlamp over her beanie with the words “wild feminist” across the top, and a couple of boats trailed her. “I can’t believe it. I still feel like I’ve got another couple months left of this craziness. It’s a really weird feeling.”

She circumnavigated the globe by way of the three great capes — Good Hope, Leeuwin, and Horn — headlands that extend out into the open sea from South Africa, Australia, and Chile, respectively, and are notorious for presenting a challenge to sailors. Throughout, Brauer documented the arduous 30,000-mile journey in full on her Instagram feed. She amassed hundreds of thousands of followers, introducing many of them to the sport and upending stereotypes of a professional sailor.

Cole Brauer navigated the First Light to the finish line of the race on March 7 in A Coruña, Spain.

Brauer, who is 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs just 100 pounds, has long defied expectations and overcome skepticism in reaching the pinnacle of the yachting world.

“I’ve always been not the correct mold. I had a guy who used to always tell me, ‘You’re always on trial because the second you walk in the door, you have three strikes against you. You’re young, you’re a woman, and you’re small,’” she recalled in a recent interview. “Now with my platform, I don’t have to be as careful about what I say or do because people care about me because of me — not because I’m a sailor.”

In her videos documenting her long days at sea, she was often vulnerable, crying into the camera when First Light had autopilot issues and sea conditions caused the boat to broach , throwing her hard against the wall and bruising her ribs. She was giddy, showing off her new pajamas on Christmas Eve and dancing in a pink dress on New Year’s Day . As her popularity soared, she was a guide for the uninitiated, providing a breakdown of her sailing routes , her workouts and meals, and how she replaces equipment alone .

A native of Long Island, N.Y., she spent her childhood on the water, kayaking with her sister across the bay to school and finding comfort in the roll of the tide. She went to the University of Hawaii at Manoa , where, longing to be back on the ocean, she joined the sailing team. Brauer learned quickly, becoming a standout and winning the school’s most prestigious athletics award.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by COLE BRAUER OCEAN RACING (@colebraueroceanracing)

After college, she moved to the East Coast, hoping to start a career in sailing. But she found it difficult to break into the male-dominated industry.

“It was very difficult. I got a lot of ‘nos’. A lot of, ‘No way, we want nothing to do with you. You’re a liability,’” Brauer recalled.

Undeterred, she took whatever job she could, often for little pay.

Brauer found her footing in Boothbay Harbor , where her parents, Kim and David, were living. She coached the junior sailing team at the yacht club and met yacht captain Tim Fetsch, who became her mentor. While talking with Fetsch one night over dinner, Brauer shared her goal of competing in the prestigious Ocean Race , known as “sailing’s greatest round-the-world challenge.”

He sent her “ Taking on the World ,” Ellen MacArthur’s book on finishing the Vendée Globe, a solo round-the-world race, at 24. She cried while reading it.

“They allowed me to flourish in Maine,” she said.

With Fetsch, she delivered boats to Mystic, Conn., and Newport, R.I., a sailing capital where Fetsch introduced her to his connections and she “was accepted pretty early on as as a worker bee.”

The sun began to rise as Cole Brauer neared the finish line before finishing the race on March 7 in A Coruña, Spain.

Her big break arrived when she became the boat captain for Michael Hennessy’s Class40 Dragon . She spent several years captaining Dragon and delivering it to races along the East Coast and the Caribbean.

In 2022, she was invited to try out for the Ocean Race. But after the two-week trials in France , where she sailed with a fully crewed team, she was dismissed. They told her she was too small.

“They didn’t want the 100-pound girl unless you were, you know, one of those big guys’ girlfriends, and I was not going to be that,” she said.

Describing the story to a couple of friends after the trials, Brauer made a vow — “I guess I just gotta go around the world alone.”

“It’s almost good that it happened because I needed that to push me over the edge,” she said. “I needed them to make me feel so little that I would do anything to be big.”

Later that year, Dragon was sold to a pair of brothers, who renamed it First Light and said Brauer could keep sailing it for the season. In June, Brauer and her co-skipper, Cat Chimney, became the first women to win the 24th Bermuda One-Two Yacht Race . After the victory, Brauer was prepared to take a break from competition and enjoy a “gorgeous Newport summer.”

Her sponsors had other plans. “You need to take the momentum with this win,” Brauer recalled the brothers saying. “This is probably your one and only chance to really show the world, and we’re willing to help.”

Cole Brauer embraced her father, David Brauer, after finishing the race.

She set her sights on the Global Solo Challenge . First Light underwent a refit. With little time to prepare, Brauer suffered panic attacks and became worryingly thin. But the sailing community rallied around her and she assembled her team.

“Newport said, ‘You are our child, and we’re going to take care of you,’” she recalled.

Brauer took off from Spain on Oct. 29, and her online profile began to rise as she chronicled the voyage. The sudden isolation was overwhelming at the start, bringing her to tears at least once a day.

At one point in the race, while bobbing along in the Southern Ocean, things looked bleak. She was in excruciating pain after being slammed into the side of the boat and could hardly move. First Light was having issues with its autopilot system and she kept having to replace deteriorating parts.

“It took the entire team and my own mental state and my mother and my whole family to kind of be like, ‘You’re tough enough, like you can do this. You can get yourself out of this,’” she said.

In a race where more than half the competitors pulled out, their boats unable to withstand the harsh conditions, Brauer often listened to music on headphones to lower her anxiety.

“This is your everything. You don’t want to lose it,” she said. “Mentally, no one in the entire world knows what you’re feeling. They can’t understand the weather or the wind patterns.”

Cole Brauer opened a bottle of champagne in celebration after finishing the race.

Her team monitored her by cameras, and she spoke each day to those close to her, including her mom, whom she FaceTimed every morning (she used Starlink for internet access). Sometimes they would just sit in silence. Brauer found comfort interacting with her Instagram followers, who peppered her with questions about sailing terminology and sent her messages of affirmation.

She made a ritual of watching the sunset and sunrise, each different than the last.

“Those were the most magical moments,” she said. “No obstructions, no buildings, no cars to ruin the sound.”

As she approached the finish, she described how surreal it felt that the journey was about to be over.

“It’s such a weird feeling seeing everyone. I’m trying to learn how to interact again with people, so we’ll see how this goes,” Brauer said with a slight smile and laugh on her livestream. “I don’t really know how to feel. I don’t really know how to act. I don’t really know how to be.”

Cole Brauer held up her trophy after finishing the race.

Shannon Larson can be reached at [email protected] . Follow her @shannonlarson98 .

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COMMENTS

SailBot™
Sailbot is simply the most flexible and convenient way to automate the Race Committee audible signals at the start of any sailing race. It is an automatic sailboat race starter system consisting of our self-contained horn unit in conjunction with our free app running on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device. Sailing schools, yacht clubs, and ...
SailBot Sport
Key Features of SailBot Sport, an Automated Sailboat Race Starting Horn. 135db so it can be heard by everyone on your line (within reason) Self contained - battery, electronics and air horn pump are built-in. Over 100 starts on a single charge. Long-Range Bluetooth Low Energy for simple, reliable connectivity (no passcode required) Charger ...
Regatta Pro Start Home Page
Regatta Pro Start Automatic Starting Horn. Regatta Pro-Start is an automatic starting horn that relieves the race committee of the demanding task of keeping time for shooting guns and allows them to pay closer attention to the start line.. The timing of the race sequence is always clear, as Pro-Start blasts are easily heard by large fleets on windy days.
Balboa Racing
Rain and Splash Proof. The iStart Controller is designed to easily connect to your ship's horn or any other electrically operated sounding device for perfect starts. It's small and light weight so can be mounted to your committee boat or can be handheld. It can switch up to 30 amps with the included relay or 20 amps directly.
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Sailing Race Starts is the ultimate yacht racing starting system. It provides the sound signals to start races and voice countdowns for use on the racing yacht. The Free version contains a limited set of features and options; the Pro version has them all. Sailing Race Starts works especially well on phones and tablets, and has many features!
Starting Horns
Race Start Horns for Dinghy Sailing. ... Plastimo Mini Trump Air Horn - 100DB - Safety Horn - Just Blow! Stock OK. Price: $13.16. Plastimo Trump Air Horn - 100DB - Safety Horn - Just Blow! Out of Stock. Price: $21.20. 1. Featured Products. This category has no Featured products. See all Featured.
PDF iStart and iStart Pro Owner's Manual
Balboa Racing is the leader in automatic sailboat race starters, using the latest in electronics technology for ease of use, excellent reliability and functionality. ... Press to sound the horn START button - Press to start a race sequence, hold for 3 seconds to reset and stop Rule 26 Starts Usually 5 minutes but also available in 3 or 10 ...
Sailboat Racing Starts Done Right
Sailboat Racing Starts Done Right. The building blocks of a good start are understanding the line setup, how quickly you approach, and making sure you're at full speed. By Greg Fisher. Updated ...
Race countdown: How to time the starting sequence perfectly
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 ...
PDF STARTING RACES USING RULE 26
The race committee uses the same procedure for all starts--those with starting penalties (flag I, Z, Z and I, or black flag) and those without (flag P). This should reduce errors. There is less "wasted" time (5 minutes less) between the warning and the starting signals vs. starting classes at ten-minute intervals.
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 ...
‎SailBot on the App Store
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 ...
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SailBot Classic. $ 899.99. With timeless nautical good looks, SailBot Classic is our premier solution for sailing race start sequence automation. SailBot Classic is self contained and houses the electronics, battery and horn system. To control it you will need an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android phone or Android tablet (sold separately) and ...
Start sequence sound signals
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. ... (22 horns per three minute start), the ...
Basics Of Sailboat Racing Explained
The basics of sailboat racing consist of racing rules and a basic course outline. The type of boat you are using also is relevant. The type of race you are competing in also matters with how many people you have since the rules might only apply to certain one person boats. In my experience sailboat racing is a fun and rewarding time on the water.
Sailboat Racing 101
A single horn will sound again with one minute to go, followed by the actual starting horn. Listen carefully after the start, and monitor the VHF radio channel assigned by the race committee to see if your boat may have been recalled for being over the starting line early. ... The basic Racing Rules of Sailing are designed to keep boats from ...
Racing Signals: Sailing Flag Meanings
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 ...
Guide to running sailboat races
Guide to running sailboat races. Published on April 17th, 2023. John Palizza, a Regional Race Officer and Club Judge from Lake Bluff, Illinois, shares this practical guide to acting as a Principal ...
Cole Brauer first US woman to sail solo around globe
The inaugural Global Solo Challenge is a nonstop sailing race in which competitors departed last year from A Coruña, Spain. The race encompasses nearly 30,000 miles and takes place mostly in the ...
When is the Boat Race 2024? Start time, TV channel and how to ...
The Boat Race course, known as the Championship Course, is four miles and 374 yards (6.8 km) long. It stretches between Putney and Mortlake on the River Thames in south west London.
Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race 2024: Start time, crews
The 2024 Boat Race will be the 169th occasion in which Oxford and Cambridge's men have raced against each other. Everything you need to know. The post Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race 2024: Start time ...
Starting Horns
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 ...
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Live updates: New Zealand Sail Grand Prix at Lyttelton ...
4:33pm - Still no racing, due to "mammals on course", which is a little embarrassing.The same thing happened last year and dolphins are quite common in this area, so it wouldn't have takent much ...
Cole Brauer: First American woman to sail around the world solo
A s the sun rose, only one mile separated Cole Brauer from the coast of A Coruña in Spain, where a crowd of supporters eagerly awaited her arrival after 130 days alone at sea. The 40-foot yacht ...

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