Main Forms of Racing
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Sailboat competitions are governed by strict, internationally recognized ISAF racing rules, the most important of which are aimed at the avoidance of collisions between competing boats. The main forms of sailboat competition are Closed-Course, Coastwise, and Ocean. Closed-Course races are generally held during daylite hours on lakes or inshore waters over a three-leg, triangular course of about 3 to 20 nautical miles long and depends on the type of yachts racing. Coastwide races are usually sailed over much longer courses, possibly overnite along the coastline, on inshore waters, or close to shore. In Ocean Racing the competing vessels must be navigated over extensive stretches of open sea. Notable ocean races in the Asian region include the Darwin to Ambon Yacht Race and the China Sea Race from Hong Kong to Manilla in the Phillippines.

The Course

Yacht races are usually run over a course marked by a number of buoys. At your sailing school or AY Yachting Center, these may be laid just for your race, and your Instructors will brief you on the order in which they are to be rounded.

Starting Procedure

The conventional way of starting any yacht race is to have a starting line between two marks, which boats may cross when the starting signal is given. As it would be virtually impossible to line up a fleet, stationary on the line and then expect the boats to accelerate away, two other signals are given at timed intervals before the start.

A warning signal is usually given ten minutes before the start, followed by the preparatory signal at five minutes to go. Strictly, speaking, these signals must be visual ones, with a sound signal to draw participant’s attention to them. The warning signal is often the class flag of the fleet, whilst the preparatory signal is usually code flag P, the Blue Peter.

There is nothing special about these time intervals, and some clubs prefer to use six-minute and three-minute signals. The whole point is that the signals allow competitors to set and check their racing stopwatches, so that they can time their own approach to be crossing the starting line at full speed just as the starting signal is given. That's the secret of successful yacht racing; most champions acknowledge that a good start is at least 80 per cent of winning closed - course races.

Basic Rules of the Road

As with every other form of transport, there are accepted rules governing your behavior near other boats. They are called the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

Your principal duty is to avoid hitting anything; as a beginner it is always better to slow or stop the boat by letting the sheets go and turning into the wind, rather than to turn away from the wind which will cause it to gain momentum. If you hit anything at speed you will cause considerably more damage than if the boat is slowing.

Port and Starboard

When meeting other sailing yachts, there are two important rules to remember.
1. Boats on port tack must keep clear of boats on starboard tack.
2. If you are on starboard tack you have a duty to maintain your course to allow other boats to keep clear.

Port is the left hand side of the yacht facing forwards
Starboard is the right hand side of the yacht facing forwards

Windward Boat

When boats are travelling together or converging on the same tack, the boat that is to windward must keep clear of the other boat.

Windward - The side from which the wind is blowing
Leeward - The side away from the wind direction (pronounced loo'ard)

Power / Sail Regulations

When meeting motor yachts of similar size, you will be reassured that the old adage about "steam gives way to sail" is true for much of the time. It does not apply, however, if you meet large power-driven vessels in rivers or estuaries where they must keep to certain channels to avoid running aground.

That is equally true whether the power driven vessel is a ship following a buoyed channel in a large estuary or a yacht proceeding under power in a narrow channel leading to a marina.

There are also rules for following or crossing channels. Whenever possible, you should follow a channel by keeping to starboard and cross a channel at 90 degrees, keeping clear of any vessels which are following the channel as outlined above.

Overtaking Boats Finally remember overtaking yachts must keep clear of the vessel they are overtaking. Sailing yachts moving under power or when not racing must observe the Motor Yacht Right of Way Rules (see diagrams below) when yachts meet, especially in rivers and narrow waterways