What is matchracing?

Match racing means that two boats sail against each other and first across the finishing line wins. Why all the fuss with umpires, flags and guns at different intervals to select the winner, you may well wonder.

During the Prohibition era the gangsters fought it out without intervention from the police. Things will never get so far out of hand here. The umpires and the Race Committee set the limits with the help of rules, flags and buoys. That doesn�t mean the yachtsmen always like the rules or the decisions. On the other hand the spectators only need a few simple guidelines to appreciate the tough showdowns to the full.



The start is of extreme importance to get control of your opponent. One single mistake and your opponent may decide the match before it even started. There is a gun ten minutes before the start and then one five minutes later to make the crews aware that the starting procedure is under way. At the gun four minutes before start, the two boats meet on the starting line, gating in from opposite directions. The boat coming from port flies a blue flag and the one coming from starboard flies a yellow one. Already in that first encounter you can bring your opponent to his knees. With a combination of psychology and strategy a strong crew can gain the upper hand almost before the boats have met. Then the typical match racing twisting and turning begins. The boats attack, block and chase each other. Neither wants to approach the starting line too soon to risk getting the opponent in a controlling tailing position. If a boat makes a false start, its identification flag (yellow or blue) is hoisted on the starting vessel. Then there is nothing for it but to turn around and make a new, correct, start. Often both boats are early across the line, sailing on the margins not to give the opponent a head start.

The starting gun for one pair of boats means that there are five minutes left before the next pair starts. An umpire boat follows each pair. In it are two umpires who together decide if a rule has been violated. With the help of the rules and precedents they decide how aggressive you can be on the course. An umpire must know the rules by heart and make a correct decision in less than thirty seconds. The competitors show a yellow and red striped protest flag when they think their opponent has violated the rules. The umpires decide if, when and whom to penalise. They show a green and white flag (no violation or wash-out), a yellow flag (the yellow boat is penalised) or a blue flag (the blue boat is penalised). A boat that has committed a serious violation is shown a black flag, is disqualified and has lost the match.

The four basic rules that the spectators need to know:
1. Boat with right of way must not hinder the other boat from giving right of way.
2. Boat with the wind in from starboard has right of way.
3. Boat to leeward has right of way.
4. Boat rounding a mark between the other boat and the mark must be given room to do so.

Even if you manage not to break any of these rules, there are several other mistakes to make. Those could be: getting caught on the anchor line of the starting ship, colliding with a spectator boat, losing your mast, running aground or dropping your spinnaker like a colourful trawl. All of the above won�t happen; but keep your eyes open!