Sailing - Racing Formats

Short Course Racing

In this type of racing, a triangular course is marked with a number of buoys. The racing involves one or more laps of the triangular course. An imaginary line is drawn from the committee boat to the pin. A player needs to keep his attention to many warning signals that will be shown by the referee. As a crew, your aim is to cross the starting line as fast as possible.

Some of the longest and famous racing events under this category are −

• Cowes Week
• Olympics
• Mug Race
• America’s Cup

The process in this type of race involves tacking upwind till buoy (windward marker). Then starting from a downwind leg, the crew has to bear away towards the second jibe marker. Another jibe also is made towards the last mark known as downwind mark. After crossing this mark, the boat marches towards the finishing line.

Coastal Inshore Racing

The racing is conducted in an open sight nearby any island or across any open ocean. The race can be conducted in daylight or overnight. Sometimes the race continues for several days also. The equipment required for this racing depends upon the distance to be travelled and the safety measurement. However, the list of equipment is not as large as in case of offshore racing.

Offshore Races

These types of races are organized in open water for a very long distance which lasts for several hours. Sometime the races continue overnight. So you should pack up with many necessary types of equipment as follows −

• A head torch having red light indication to save your night vision.
• A small GPS versioned PLB
• Tether
• Knee pads (if you are bowman)
• Personal medical kits
• Safety equipment

Some of the famous offshore races are Bermuda race, South Atlantic race, transpacific yacht race, Hamilton island race week and Fastnet race. Sometimes offshore racings are otherwise termed as oceanic racing.