Racing - Start boat Flag sequences

[fireball]

If I'm not racing and I'm close enough to read the flags there must be something wrong.

Or you're in chichester harbour!

 

[st599]

When acting as race officer, I am regularly asked bycompetitors
" was that our 10 minute/ 5 minute?"
I point to the flags and receive the retort
" well was it or wasn't it !?"

Hopefully you protested them for trying to obtain outside assistance.

 

[Sandy]

Do you know them?

No

It's been suggested that quite a few non-race skippers who routinely navigate in areas frequented by racing fleets are not aware of race start sequence signals.

Perhaps there might be a reason for this?

I would suggest that it's an advantage to know of them as it will enable you to make a more informed decision when it comes to avoiding the racing boats.
By that I don't mean racing boats have right of way - they should abide by the colregs as well - but if you have an idea of where they are likely to be then you can try not to be there at the same time ...

Having got totally tied up in a racing fleet when I was 16 the skipper turned round and said, "keep going lad you know the COLREGS they are just p&^ting about", to this day racing has zero interest and I still see racers as p&^ting about; each to their own. I still take my hat off to the likes of Goss and MacArthur as that is real sailing.

 

[boaterbaz]

The point I was starting to make was there is no need for aggressive behaviour just because you are a racing sailor. I love my racing and am very competitive not wanting to lose any advantage but find the actions of some racers both embarising and offensive.

 

[snowleopard]

Do you know them?

There are a few variances to the sequence - but this is a link to what seems to be the most common:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racing_Rules_of_Sailing#Start_signal

Thanks for that. I haven't raced for about 15 years and when I did they were just changing from 10 - 5 - go to 5 - 2 - go. I hadn't heard of the P going down at 1 minute.

Unfortunately quite a few clubs have sequences where one class's start is also a signal for the next class and, not having the sailing instructions, it can be too confusing for passing cruisers.