A start is run by flags; the sounds only draw your eye to them. Learn the sequence, what each preparatory flag threatens, and what to do when you are over the line.
1 · The sequence
Five, four, one, go
How does the five-minute starting sequence work under rule 26?
Under rule 26 the class flag goes up at 5 minutes, the preparatory flag at 4 and down at 1, and the class flag comes down at the start. Times are taken from the flags, not the sounds.
To go
Flag
Sound
Signal
5 min
Class flag up
1
Warning
4 min
P, I, Z, Z with I, U or black up
1
Preparatory
1 min
Preparatory flag down
1 long
One minute
0
Class flag down
1
Start
Times are taken from the flags: a missing horn changes nothing, and a horn without the flag is no signal. The sailing instructions may change the five minutes. The next class's warning comes with or after the start before it. You are racing from your preparatory signal.
2 · Preparatory flags
What the last minute can cost
What happens if I'm in the triangle in the last minute under the black flag, rule 30.4?
You are disqualified without a hearing: under the black flag, a boat identified in the triangle between the ends of the line and the first mark in the last minute is scored BFD and cannot sail a restart.
Flag P adds nothing. The others police the last minute before your starting signal. Under I, a boat with any part of her hull on the course side must sail round an end, across an extension of the line, to the pre-start side before starting. Z, U and black concern the triangle between the ends of the line and the first mark: a boat identified there is penalised without a hearing, even if she is behind the line at the gun.
Flag
Penalty
After a recall or resail
Z · 30.2
20 % scoring penalty
Stands; caught again, 20 % more
U · 30.3
Disqualified
Cancelled
Black · 30.4
Disqualified
Stands: number displayed, no restart for you
None applies if the race is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal. The 20 % is of the score for not finishing, entries plus one, rounded to a tenth of a point: fifth of 30 becomes 5 + 6.2 = 11.2. Sail a restart after your number was displayed and that disqualification cannot be discarded. Z with I: both rules apply.
3 · Starting correctly
Hull behind the line at the gun
I was over the line at the starting signal: what must I do to start properly?
Return your whole hull to the pre-start side of the line or its extensions, keeping clear of boats that are not returning, and cross again. Until then you have not started; sail on and you are scored OCS.
You start when your hull, having been entirely on the pre-start side at or after your starting signal, crosses the line from that side. Only the hull counts, not a bowsprit or crew. Over at the signal, you have not started, whatever the cause and whether or not anyone tells you.
Bring the whole hull back to the pre-start side of the line or its extensions, by any route under flag P, round an end under flag I, and cross again. While returning after your starting signal you keep clear of boats that are not, until your hull is completely on the pre-start side; then your ordinary rights are back. Sail on and you are scored OCS.
4 · Recalls
X for some, First Substitute for all
What is the difference between flag X and First Substitute at a race start?
Flag X with one sound is an individual recall: boats over the line return and start. First Substitute with two sounds is a general recall: racing stops, and the new warning comes one minute after it is lowered.
Individual recall: flag X with one sound, promptly after the start, when a boat is over or must round an end. The committee need not hail numbers. X stays up until those boats have returned, but no later than four minutes after the start or one minute before the next start.
General recall: First Substitute with two sounds, when the committee cannot identify the boats over or erred in the procedure. Racing stops. The new warning comes one minute after First Substitute is lowered. A breach in the recalled start is not penalised, except under rules 2, 30.2, 30.4 and 69, or rule 14 with injury or serious damage.
5 · Postponed, abandoned
AP before the start, N after it
What does the AP flag mean in a sailing race, and when is the next start?
AP with two sounds postpones races not yet started; the warning signal comes one minute after AP is lowered. Over a numeral pennant 1–9 it postpones by that many hours; over A, no more racing today.
Signal
Sounds
Meaning
AP
2
Races not started are postponed; warning 1 minute after AP comes down
AP over numeral pennant 1–9
2
Postponed 1–9 hours from the scheduled start
N
3
Races that have started are abandoned: return to the starting area
AP or N over H
2 or 3
Further signals ashore
AP or N over A
2 or 3
No more racing today
Before the starting signal the committee may postpone or abandon for any reason. It may change the course until the warning signal and move a starting mark until the preparatory signal. L afloat: come within hail or follow this vessel. Y: wear personal flotation devices.
6 · Before the gun
Right of way on the line
Do I get mark-room at the committee boat when starting a race?
No: a starting mark surrounded by navigable water gives no mark-room as boats approach it to start, so a windward boat has no claim on the gap. The usual rules apply: port keeps clear of starboard, windward of leeward.
Before the gun the usual rules decide: port keeps clear of starboard, windward of leeward. A starting mark surrounded by navigable water gives no mark-room as boats approach it to start, so a boat reaching in to windward has no claim on the gap at the committee boat. The leeward boat may hold her course or luff, giving room to keep clear when she changes course.
Before the starting signal there is no proper course, so rule 17 does not stop a luff. Touch a starting mark while racing: one-turn penalty, unless another boat's breach forced you onto it. A boat backing a sail to move astern keeps clear.
7 · Scores and redress
Reading the results sheet
What do OCS, ZFP, UFD and BFD mean on race results?
OCS: over the line at the starting signal and did not start; ZFP: 20 % penalty under flag Z; UFD and BFD: disqualified under flag U or the black flag. All are scored without a hearing; if wrong, request redress.
Score
Meaning
OCS
Over at the starting signal and did not start, or broke rule 30.1: entries plus one
ZFP
20 % penalty under flag Z
UFD · BFD
Disqualified under flag U · under the black flag
DNS
Did not start, e.g. past the time limit in the sailing instructions
The committee gives these scores without a hearing. If it erred, request redress in time: the remedy for an improper action or omission of the committee that made your score significantly worse, such as a wrong OCS. Current or a dying breeze is no ground.
Practice questions
Questions from this topic, as the app asks them. Open one to see the answer.
5 min?On the committee boat
Class flag hoisted
One sound signal
No other flags flying
Wednesday evening club race, a mixed fleet of ILCA 7s. You are reaching behind the line when the committee boat hoists the class flag with one sound. The notice of race says nothing unusual about the starting sequence. What has just happened and when is your start?
That was the warning signal — the starting signal comes 5 minutes later
That was the one-minute signal — start your watch for 60 seconds
That was the preparatory signal — the starting signal comes 4 minutes later
That was the starting signal — the class flag goes up when the race starts
Show the answer
A. That was the warning signal — the starting signal comes 5 minutes later
Rule 26: the class flag with one sound is the warning signal, 5 minutes before the start unless the NoR or SI say otherwise.
Four minutes before the start of a 29er fleet the committee boat hoists flag I instead of flag P. Your crew asks what changes for you compared with a normal P-flag start.
If you are over in the last minute you are disqualified without a hearing
If any part of your hull is on the course side in the last minute, you must sail round an end of the line to the pre-start side before starting
Nothing — flag I is just another preparatory flag; you may dip back across the line if you are over
If you are over in the last minute you get a 20 % scoring penalty without a hearing
Show the answer
B. If any part of your hull is on the course side in the last minute, you must sail round an end of the line to the pre-start side before starting
Rule 30.1: under flag I a boat on the course side in the last minute must sail across an extension of the line to the pre-start side before she starts.
P-flag start in a 20-boat Melges 24 fleet. At the gun your bow is half a metre over the line. You bear away, cross back behind the line until the whole hull is on the pre-start side, then harden up and cross again. Have you started?
Yes — you started at the gun; the second crossing was unnecessary
Yes — you started the moment your hull crossed the line the second time, having been entirely on the pre-start side after the starting signal
No — you started the first time you crossed, but you are OCS and cannot cure it
No — once over the line at the gun you must sail round an end of the line before you can start
Show the answer
B. Yes — you started the moment your hull crossed the line the second time, having been entirely on the pre-start side after the starting signal
Definition Start: a boat starts when her hull crosses the line from the pre-start side after being entirely on that side at or after the starting signal.
Two classes start five minutes apart. After the first start flag X is hoisted for several OCS boats. Three minutes after that start, with two boats still not back, the race committee lowers flag X. One of them later asks for redress, saying the flag was taken down too early. Was it?
Yes — flag X must stay up for a full 4 minutes after the starting signal
No — flag X may be lowered at any time once the first boat has been identified
Yes — flag X must stay up until every recalled boat has returned
No — flag X comes down no later than 4 minutes after the start or 1 minute before the next starting signal, whichever is earlier; here that is 3 minutes
Show the answer
D. No — flag X comes down no later than 4 minutes after the start or 1 minute before the next starting signal, whichever is earlier; here that is 3 minutes
Rule 29.1: flag X stays up until all have returned, but no later than 4 min after the start or 1 min before any later starting signal, whichever is earlier.
Two minutes before your warning signal the wind drops to 3 knots. The committee boat hoists flag AP with two sounds. Your helm wants to head for the harbour for coffee. What does the signal tell you?
Races are abandoned; the sequence will restart one hour later
The race is postponed and further signals will be made ashore
Races not started are postponed; the warning signal will be made one minute after AP is lowered — stay near the line
Racing is over for today — you may go ashore
Show the answer
C. Races not started are postponed; the warning signal will be made one minute after AP is lowered — stay near the line
Race signals, AP: races not started are postponed; the warning signal will be made 1 minute after removal unless postponed again or abandoned.
Twenty seconds before the start you are reaching along the line on starboard towards the committee boat, planning to squeeze in at the stern. Blue, to leeward and overlapped, also on starboard, luffs to close-hauled and there is no longer a gap between her and the committee boat. She hails "No room!" What are your rights?
You may hold your course and Blue must bear away because you hailed for room first
You are entitled to mark-room — you are inside and overlapped when you reach the committee boat
None at the committee boat — at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water rule 18 does not apply; under rule 11 you must keep clear of Blue, even if it means going behind the committee boat
Blue must hold her course — a leeward boat may not luff within three hull lengths of a starting mark
Show the answer
C. None at the committee boat — at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water rule 18 does not apply; under rule 11 you must keep clear of Blue, even if it means going behind the committee boat
Section C preamble: rule 18 does not apply at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water while boats approach it to start; rule 11: windward keeps clear.
All 100 questions of this topic are in the app: practice by topic with the reason after every answer, your mistakes brought back, and a timed mock exam. Free, no sign-up, in the browser or in Telegram.
