yacht racing start line tactics

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STARTING STRATEGIES: LOW RISK, HIGH REWARD

Tricks for a better race start.

The first two minutes of a race is arguably the most important. Those first two minutes will define where you start on the line, and how much space is around you to accelerate. This makes starting one of the hardest skills to master in sailboat racing. Good news is there are a few tricks that can make starting much easier. These tricks focus on executing a start that is low-risk and has a high-reward. A low-risk start isn’t going to mean that you are leading at every windward mark, but it will keep your options open on the first beat so you can go where you want without being forced which will give you a better chance of rounding the top mark in the front of the pack. Once you are in the front, it is easier to hang in there.

In the video below, our expert Mike Marshall talks us through a ten-boat start where one boat, in particular, had the opportunity to contain the fleet and have a low-risk start with just one small decision change. Instead, because they were too early, they had to sail down the line which then forced them into a high-risk starting situation that gave them no control of the race, or their competition.

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Sailboat Racing Rules at the Starting Line

• By Dick Rose
• Updated: July 17, 2019

Boats are frequently packed close together in the final countdown to the start, and as a result, the rules get a real workout. Thankfully, the rules that apply at a starting mark are significantly simplified because no Section C rule applies at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water (see the preamble to Section C).

So what sailboat racing rules apply at the starting line? They are the same rules that apply in open-water situations. Between any pair of boats, one—and only one—of the basic right-of-way rules in Section A applies at any given moment, and that rule confers right of way on one of the pair and the obligation to keep clear on the other. Three “General Limitation” rules from Section B limit changes of course by the right-of-way boat. These are, in order of importance, Rule 16.1, Changing Course, Rule 14, Avoiding Contact, and Rule 15, Acquiring Right of Way.

You can either aim for a front-row start somewhere in the middle of the pack or, when one end of the line is favored, try to nail the start at the favored end. Let’s apply the rules to each of these starts.

The first diagram shows two typical mid-line situations that occur often in a large fleet of dinghies. Will and Steve have each set up on the windward side of a hole rather early and are barely moving forward on starboard tack. Louise and Portia come in later, both sailing at normal speed, and intent upon occupying the spaces that Will and Steve have been planning to use to bear away and accelerate in the final seconds before the start.

At Position 1, Louise is clear astern of Will and required by Rule 12 to keep clear. Because she is moving much faster than Will, Louise anticipates that she will soon have a leeward overlap on Will and begins to warn Will by hailing “Go up, don’t come down.” If Louise hails while still clear astern, her hail is totally inappropriate and toothless. As long as Will is clear ahead, he is under no obligation to take any action to avoid Louise. As the right-of-way boat, Will can make any course change he wishes provided that, as he does so, he gives Louise room to keep clear (see Rule 16.1).

At Position 2, Louise becomes overlapped to leeward of Will. At that time Rule 12 no longer applies and is replaced by Rule 11, which gives Louise right of way. However, at the moment of transition, Rule 15 requires Louise to give Will room to keep clear. Rule 15 only applies initially—that is for a few seconds after the overlap begins. However, at all times while Louise remains overlapped to leeward of Will, she is bound by Rule 16.1 if she changes course. Louise intends to luff up to enlarge the hole to leeward of her and to deprive Will of any gap in which to accelerate. If Louise were to luff up at Position 2, she certainly would break Rule 16.1 because, if Will tried to luff in response, his stern would swing into the starboard side of Louise’s bow. To avoid breaking Rule 16.1, Louise should delay any luff until she reaches Position 3, at which point there will be room for Will to keep clear.

Portia has her eye on the hole that Steve intends to use. While she is on port tack, and from the time she passes head to wind until she assumes a close-hauled course on starboard tack, Will has right of way, first under Rule 10 and later, afer Portia passes head to wind, under Rule 13. At Position 2, Portia is still required to keep clear under Rule 13. She wants to force Steve to remain in the position he is in. To do so, she must first obtain right of way, by bearing off to a closehauled course momentarily, and then luff again. To improve her chances in the protest room should Steve protest her for breaking Rule 13, Portia should hail, “Closehauled, keep clear” when she is first on a closehauled starboard-tack course.

Now, let’s assume the starboard end of the line is favored and examine how the rules apply to boats vying for the best start at that end. Take a look at the second diagram, where Larry and Wilma are overlapped on starboard tack approaching the stern of the committee boat at the starboard end of the line. Larry has right of way under Rule 11. At Position 1, he can luff Wilma without breaking Rule 16.1 because there is plenty of room for Wilma to keep clear. However, at Position 2 Larry may no longer luff Wilma, because doing so would force her to hit the committee boat. Rule 16.1 requires Larry to give Wilma the “space [she] needs . . . while maneuvering [to keep clear] promptly in a seamanlike way.” Touching a mark (even if there is no damage) is not considered “seamanlike” (see new ISAF Case 114). so a leeward boat intending to “shut the door” on a barging windward boat must do so while there is still room for the windward boat to pass to starboard of the committee boat.

Finally, look at the third diagram. There, the port end of the line is favored. Gambler is trying to port-tack the fleet, while Conrad is cautiously setting up for a start on starboard tack at the pin. Gambler has positioned his boat and timed his run at the line perfectly. The starting gun is fired while the boats are at Position 2, just before Gambler’s bow crosses the line. If Conrad holds his course, Gambler will cross ahead with no need for Conrad to take avoiding action. Conrad was reaching below the line on starboard tack, intending to head up at the start. However, if Conrad were to luff immediately after Position 2, there would be no way that Gambler could keep clear without hitting the mark. Therefore, such a luff by Conrad would break Rule 16.1. Conrad’s cautious approach has backfired. Now, to avoid breaking Rule 16.1, he is forced to hold his course until Gambler has crossed ahead. At that point, Conrad will probably have to jibe around below the line and make a late and risky approach to the line on port tack. The lesson here is clear. If you are trying for the pin-end start on starboard tack and you see a boat setting up for a port-tack start, you should slow up so that, at the gun, you are far enough from the pin to enable you to luff without depriving the port-tack starter of room to keep clear.

Contact Rules at the Starting Line

Rule 14 requires all boats, at all times, to “avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible.” A boat includes all her equipment and her crew (see Terminology in the Introduction to the rulebook). Therefore, if a windward boat’s mainsheet brushes the shoulder of the leeward boat’s crew, it’s contact. Also, if your crew thinks contact is about to occur and fends off to avoid damage, then, when your crew touches the other boat’s hull, it’s contact. There is an understandable impulse to push an offending boat backward and to push your own boat forward when fending off. Resist it! In addition to raising the hackles of the other boat’s crew, fending off in such a manner breaks Rule 42.1, Propulsion, and probably Rule 2, Fair Sailing, as well.

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Racing - Start Line Tactics

Go To: Sailing - Racing

Posted on 04 June 2009 18:04

Whats the best way off the line? Which way do you go? Find out all this and more in our article on starting tactics.

In our first article on Racing, we went over an introduction to all things racing - now we plan to expand on it. These articles still won't be as detailed as they could be - we have yet to cover the rules in detail on Caution Water, and the rules enter into every part of racing - we will cover basic rules, but will probably come back to visit advanced rules at a later date.

When first getting into racing, you'd be forgiven for thinking it's a case of get to the start line, race, finish - it's nowhere near that simple, and the tactics and preparation start at the start line. But first, some basic terms.

Most start lines have a pin end , and a committee or starting boat end. The pin end is typically a buoy or fixed point on the water, and the committee boat end is a safety boat of some sort that is monitoring the race start - the race may be started from this boat, or from a point on land, depending on the venue - obviously if a race is happening just off the coast, then the officers running the race will do it from safety boats, whereas if it's on a lake, they may do it from the warmth of a starters building or the clubhouse if it's next to the water.

An alternative method employed by some clubs is to use a transit system - two objects are placed on the side of the water, and the boats involved have to make a transit between the two objects as shown in the picture below - this is a transit between two points, and indicates the start line. This is typically used at smaller clubs.

Diagram 1: Transit System

Types of Start

There are two types of start - a line start , and a gate start . The line start is the most common, and this is the type that involves a pin end and committee boat end. These two ends are placed a certain distance apart (which depends on how many boats are taking part, the size of the venue etc), and when the whistle blows, or the flag signals change indicating the start of the race, all of the boats have to pass between these two ends of the line to start the race.

The second type of start, the gate start, is not as common. For this type of start, a powerboat travels along the length of the start line in front of the boats racing, and as the powerboat passes in front of you, you are allowed to start racing. Downsides to this include mostly the chance of hitting one of the starting boats, which can give you a penalty - plus you get disrupted water from the wake off the powerboat, which can be especially bad news on days without much wind as what little shape is in the sails can be knocked out by the waves you are sailing through.

Line starts can have their disadvantages too - for particularly large events with over a hundred boats taking part (several of the National Optimist races in the last few years have had over 300 entrants!), the start line can be especially long, and the conditions can vary along the length of the line, which makes your position even more tactical. We'll see more on this in a moment, when we talk about line bias.

How is the race started?

Races are usually started with a series of signals, either noise signals (a whistle or horn) at a set of intervals, or a series of flags are raised and lowered at set intervals, typically 5 minutes, then 4 minutes, then 1 minute, then race start. We'll look more at starting signals in the next article of this series.

So it doesn't matter which end of the line you start on, right? Wrong!

Depending on how the course is laid out, if you start on the left hand side of the line as in the diagram below, you are already closer to the first windward mark, and can sail a shorter distance than if you start on the right hand side of the start line. This should factor heavily into your tactics for deciding where to start on the start line. The race start line is rarely at a true right angle to the first mark - that is the windward mark is directly upwind of the start line as shown, and usually you will find one end is closer to the mark than the other - and the longer the start line is, the greater this advantage can be. This is known as line bias .

Diagram 2: Start Line Bias

However, consider this - if you start on the port end of a biased start line , and say you are two boat lengths closer to the mark, if the wind is stronger and more favourable on the other end of the start line, people starting the other end will be sailing into stronger wind, with more speed. Therefore, is is better to start at the end of the line nearest the wind (i.e. if the wind is coming from the left side, start at the port end of the line).

A good race officer will " bias " the start line by a small amount, say 5 degrees, that is, they will shift one end of the start line upwind slightly, and make the start line angled in relation to the first mark, rather than at right angles to it, as shown. This introduces slightly more in the way of tactical thinking required while you're battling for position on the start line.

Preferred side of the course

But, it's not just about where you start! There is usually a preferred side of the course. One of the most important things to do during pre-race preparation is to get out on the race course and sail it a few times before the race starts - this way you can figure out which side of the course is the better side to sail on.

In the diagram below, the purple boat has picked the side of the course which has a shorter route to the buoy - however, there is less wind on this side of the course. The red boat meanwhile has picked the other side of the course, which while slightly further to the first mark (buoy), has considerably more wind than the other side of the course - therefore the red boat gets to the first mark first.

Why would one side of the course be better than the other? There are various reasons why one side of the course may be better to sail on - it may have stronger wind or more gusts, it may have less currents or tide, or more room to manoevre meaning fewer tacks. Smaller lakes can often be surrounded by trees that can make wind patterns very shifty and hard to identify or monitor, leading to wildly varying wind conditions over the lake (on our lake, in one 10 x 10 metre spot in the middle the wind often does a complete 180 turnaround).

Features of the land can also cause differences in wind, particularly around headlands - we'll cover more on this in a later article. They don't have to be obvious either - when we were sailing in Greece, we were in a semi-sheltered bay, with a pretty consistent wind over the entire bay, yet even sailing in Lasers in a steady Force 2 morning breeze every race there was a faster side of the course to sail on - not alway faster by much, but you could definitely tell. All of these can mean one side of the course is better to sail on than the other.

Unfortunately, the only way to determine which side is the best side (apart from visually identifying key features such as headlands, or looking up maps that show tides and currents) is to get out on the course first thing, and find out for yourself.

But why is this important for start line tactics? We're talking about the rest of the race, aren't we? Yes, but the side of the course you want to sail on helps decide which end of the start line you wish to sail on. If you are going to come off the start line on port tack, then immediately tack onto starboard, you may be best starting at the port end of the start line, otherwise you may have lots of boats heading straight at you - you may well have right of way, but there are going to be a lot of angry sailors on those boats, some with bowsprits they can poke you with!

Starting Penalties

Once the whistle or flags go - you're off... that is, unless you did something wrong. If you were over the start line at the start of the race, this is known as OCS ( On Course Side at start), and depending on the race rules, you can either be recalled back, in which case you have to sail back behind the start line, and cross it again (i.e. restart) - if you don't you will be disqualified even if you completed the race, or you can be disqualified straight away. Generally speaking, you are recalled to recross the start line. Sometimes if too many boats are over the start line before the race starts, the entire race start will be called off, and all the boats will start the countdown to the start again.

Believe it or not, this is again only an introduction to starting tactics - there are all kinds of detailed rules telling you how you can find a spot on the start line, who you're allowed to force out of the way and so on, but for now, if you've read through what's written above, you'll be better off than a lot of smaller club sailors!

Fig 1. Get all the gear ready

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The Tactic of Sailboat Racing

• Introduction
• Track optimization
• Long distance
• Miscellaneous

In a hurry? You're an amateur sailor?

Then visit our Tactics Lite page

You know the rules of the game?

Nevertheless it might be useful to have a closer look at our page Rules Crashcourse

We all know that the start is the most deciding factor for the final result of a race.  With a bad start and post-start phase, the race is over. 

With good speed and tactics you might still overtake several boats, but you won't see the leaders until they come back on the downwind leg.  Because the start is so important, we are going to look at all aspects of it in detail.

The individual phases of a start form the headings of this page

• Preparation for the start
• Pre-start phase
• Post-start phase

Preparation for the Start

This phase begins with arrival at the race location about 10 minutes before the Start. The importance of this phase is under-estimated by many regatta sailors; they often arrive at the Start zone very late, especially when there is stronger wind. The reasons for this are often 'I don't want to wear myself out too soon', or 'Why should I ruin/damage my sails?

Young sailors in particular think its cool to be still standing on theshore, when everyone else is sailing to the Start zone. Watch your role models, the ones who always win races. It can be that even they arrive late at the course, but possibly only because they arent taking the race completely seriously and know that they can beat you anyway. At races where they are not superior and are sailing against others with equal potential, the will be among the first into the water.  This is because there are a lot of things that need to be done, time is short anyway, and unnecessary stress is the last thing you need at a start;  adrenalin levels are high enough there anyway.

So – when should be be in the Start zone? 30 minutes before, 60 minutes before? That's not so easy to answer. As always, it depends. How long before the Start the race organiser normally lays his course, what the starting order is how difficult the area is, whether currents can be expected, whether we have a helper on the water who will collect information and support us, or whether we are relying on ourself alone.

All these factors are important for judging the right moment to run out to the Start.   There's no sense in waiting around in the cold out there if it hasnt yet been decided exactly when you are going to sail.

So when should we be in the Start zone?  The only correct answer is – in time.  In time to be able to collect all necessary information and to formulate a plan for the Start.  We shouldnt forget, we are talking here about tactics.  In the preparation time for the Start we must also adapt our boat to the prevailing conditions and, depending on the boat class we are sailing in, choose the correct sail for them.  That too takes time.

So the first job in this phase is

Collect information

In most cases the marks won't be laid out when we arrive on the regatta course, so we have a little time to occupy ourselves with the weather conditions.

If wind strength and direction agree with the weather forecast generally, what do the clouds look like?  If our observations agree with the weather forecast overall, we can assume with some certainty that the other information we have taken from the forecast will be correct.

For our plan we need further information though:  is the wind oscillating around a constant direction or is it blowing steadily in one direction. Possibly the wind is blowing in one direction, but this constant flow will be overlapped by other deviations. On which side of the course is there most wind?  Are there land influences -  for example covered areas and obstacles caused by the shore formation? How do we get all this information?  Since we seldom have coaches with us on the water, who provide this information, we are obliged to get it ourselves. But even if a coach were to do everything for us, we shouldn't blindly depend on the data provided, but make our own observations and records and compare this in the pre-Start discussion.  The practice of recording the wind direction every 5 minutes has proved itself.  If our instruments are sufficiently well calibrated we can depend on the True Wind Direction they indicate. In most cases it will be most accurate if you position the boat against the wind and work with the compass. If we know the turning angle of our boat in the prevailing conditions, its not necessary to turn the boat against the wind, we simply need to note the course on which we are sailing.

We can test the supposed turning angle if, immediately after noting the course, we make a turn and note the new course afterwards. But be careful; first of all the boat must have reached its target speed for the prevailing conditions. 

If we have collected this data for some time, all that remains is to turn this data into information. From a simple graphic which one can easily produce, some information can already be gained. For example: main wind direction 20 degrees, oscilating 10 degrees around the main wind direction.  Amplitude circa 4 minutes, strength constant circa 12 knots.

In any case we should now know (or at least believe we know) what we need to do.

With regard to the wind direction:

• Winddirection turns constantly to the right
• Winddirection turns constantly to the left
• Wind varies circa x deg around the main wind direction
• There is no recognisable wind pattern

With regard to the wind strength:

• Wind is increasing
• Wind is decreasing
• Wind is evenly between x and y knots
• On the right of the course the wind appears to be weaker
• Because the course is far away from the shore, no land influences are expected

With regard to the current:

• The measurements and observations have given no indication for current

That is already quite a lot of information that we have in advance of our competitors, who are just arriving in the regatta area.  Isn't that a great feeling, always to be a step ahead of competitors?

Even if the course is settled, many more challenges await us. How far from land does the course lie? Will we have to reckon with land influences? Can we see all the marks?   If we are unsure about anything, we can ask one of the regatta organisers or another competitor who we are friendly with.

Towards the end of the pre-start phase, we should focus intensively on the situation at the start line.

Determine the favored side of the start line

Now is the time to determine how the line lies relative to the central wind direction. You should know, thanks to your preparation for the start, how the wind is going to develop and the preferable side of the start line depends on that.

As long as the windward mark cannot be reached without tack it doesn't matter whether a direct line from the starting vessel or from the Pin End is shortest.  The deciding factor is how the start line lies in relation to the wind.  If the wind is coming from the left of the start line, the Pin End is preferable.  If it is coming from the right, the starboard side is preferable.

The following diagram shows that the boat starting at the Pin End has an advantage over the one which started by the Start boat.  Just after the start the green boat gains the advantage by a tack and the following turn to the right.  As mentioned before, the position of the windward mark is irrelevant.

But what is the situation really? 

The wind varies by 20 degrees left or right.  The mean wind direction is 10 degrees to the right of the starting line. Just before the start the wind moves to the left.  Everyone tries to reach the Pin End of the line quickly to benefit from the supposed advantage.  Directly as the starting gun is fired, the wind changes to the mean wind direction. Finally, red will benefit from starting on the right hand side of the starting line and will reach the windward mark before green.

Take bearings to land objects

Because its very difficult to work out, from the middle of the starting line, how far away you are from the line, it makes sense to take bearings to land objects. With a land bearing it is significantly easier to estimate how far away from the line you are. But land bearings are not available at all times. Apart from this land bearings are often concealed by other boats at the critical moment.

Pin End bearing

Especially when the Pin End side of the line is favored, it is often sensible to take additional land bearings to enable us to realise whether we are to the right or left of the layline to the Pin End Mark. Normally a battle will develop before the start for the leeward position of the boats which want to start at the Pin End because only one boat can win the optimal starting place.

The following animation shows the typical approach of the boats at the Pin End mark. the port bias is about 10 degrees.

The red boat didnt break off the fight for the optimal position in time and has landed in the so-called death zone, from which there is no possibility to escape.  The green boat took a bearing of the maximum high course to the Pin End starting mark during the preparation for the start.  (Bearing between the anchored dinghy and the pin end mark).  Because green recognised that to defend the last attack by red would result in both boats being under the Layline, green decides not to defend the last attack by red so it can head for the Pin end and cross the starting line from the left with free wind and full speed.  On the other hand, this bearing can also help to recognise that one more attack can be made to reach the optimal position, which without the sounding you wouldn't have dared to do for fear of landing in the dead zone.

Electronic aids

Pre-start phase.

This phase begins about 10 minutes before the start and lasts up until about 1 minute before. It is important in this phase not to be too far away from the starting line.

Controlling the starting line

Are our conclusions which we made about the starting line in the pre start phase still correct?  Would/will the starting line change?  Competition organisers like to change the starting line by extending or shortening the anchor chain.  This can be done very discreetly by remote control of the windlass.  So it is necessary to watch the starting boat and the Pin End very carefully in this phase.  We know that the starting line can be altered up to the time of the preparatory signal, and good competition organisers will use this opportunity.  For larger boats with many crew members it can be a sensible to task one of them with watching to see if the starting line will be changed.

If your plan passes this check, or if it needs modifying due to new information, you should now know on which side of the starting line you want to sail.  Is your plan to sail more to the left or the right of the course, or rather to go to the windward mark in the centre of the course.

Where are my opponents?

Usually this question is less important at the beginning of a race., than towards the end, where you     don't have to sail against everyone any more, but only against certain boats.  There will be a special chapter on this on the 'Miscellaneous' page.

Positioning at the starting line

About 3 minutes before the start, you should have a plan for how to approach the starting line. If the wind is heading roughly straight towards the line, you should on no account think of port tack start.  Because you have decided that you will start on starboard tack, the next thing to decide is how to approach the starting line. There are two variations here, which both have their advantages and disadvantages.  The conventional beginning of an approach to the start position from the right has the disadvantage that you have to decide very early on from which position to move to the starting line.

The approach from the left offers many advantage, especially if you intend to start from the right hand side of the starting line, which doesn't necessarily have to be directly next to the starting vessel..

The following diagram shows a typical distribution of boats at the starting line.  We're now going to analyse the starting position of each boat.

Situation:   Boat 1 approaches the Pin End with the wind coming from the left.  Because the starting line lies neutral to the wind, this boat has no chance of passing the starting line. Boat 1 has to keep clear from boats 2 and 3.

Options: Boat 1 cannot pass behind boat 2 without hindering boat 3. The only option for boat 1 is a quick tack and then to pass the pin end mark on the wrong side. Immediately bear down and gybe to restart behind boat 2 and three. However, in this case Boat 1 must keep clear from any latecomers sailing on starboard.

What do we learn from this?   This, or a similar position, must absolutely be avoided. This boat, thanks to a bad approach, has already given up any chance of a good start, way before the starting signal.

Situation: Boat 2 finds itself in the leeward of Boat 6, but below the layline.  Possibly it went a bit too far in the duel with 6 during the approach to the Pin End. Directly to windward, below the layline, boat 6 is right behind boat 7.

Options:   Maybe there is a possibility, to luv in the wind to pass the line on the correct side. However, even if the momentum is enough to cross the starting line, there are two problems. If it is not possible to keep away from the mark and Boat 2 touches it, it is doubtful whether in this case there is a possibility to take a penalty under Rule 44.1a., because Rule 44.1b states that if a boat despite taking a penalty, gaines a significant advantage in the race she has to retire.

The second problem is boat 6, direct to windward.  According to Rule 11, boat 6 is the windward boat and has to keep clear. However, under Rule 16.1, boat 2 is restricted in its freedom to move and shall not make an abrupt change of course, which would be necessary to keep away from the mark. Accordingly, the only option for boat 2 is to break off the start, to pass by ileeward of the pin end mark, to gybe at the first opportunity, make use of the first gap in the starbors starterst, and to sail over the starting line on port tack.

What can we learn from this?   Avoid sailing below the layline to the Pin End at all costs; often you are so focused on the battle for the optimal Pin End start, that you make one more attack or defence to win the Pin End and then you find yourself below the Pin end layine. It is helpful in such cases, to have a Pin End layline bearing to a land object or anchored ship or something other not moving object. Have a look on chapter " Pin End Bearing ".

Situation: Boat 3 is a so-called late starter. At the starting signal he is a good two boat lengths behind the line and apart from that is sailing on starboard tack, below the left layline. There is non boat immediately to windward of him..

Options: Boat 3 can tack to approach the line on port tack. If boat 3 has to keep clear of other boats approaching the line on starboard tack. with right of way boat 3 can try a leeward tack and arrive at the left side of the course with relatively clean air. Another possibility would be to dive in behind the boats with right of way to look for the way to the starboard side of the course. But I think that if boat 3 had wanted to get on the starboard course side, it would have chosen a starting position near the starting boat.  Also the loss of distance caused by frequent dipping in behind is so great that it would make it impossible to stay in touch to the leading boats.

What can we learn from this?    Definitely avoid sailing beneath the Layline at the Pin End. Nevertheless the options in this case are much better than those of boat 1 and boat 2.  Because  he is two boat lengths too late, more possibilities open up for him than for boats 1 and 2. This doesnt  mean, however, that it's generally better not to be up on the line.

Situation: Boat 4 sails 4 boat lengths behind the starting boat on port tack. Options:   The only option for boat 4 is to sail behind the field. The skipper of boat 4 is either not knowedgeable about the rules and because of that is trying to avoid all conflict, or he hasn't been involved very long in regatta sailing.

What can we learn from this? Before it gets to a regatta you should get to grips with the matter and practice the approach to the starting line in training competitions. Taking part in regattas with the lack of this knowledge is a waste of time and money.

Situation: Boat 5 has gone too far to windward.  His course on the wind leads direct into the stern of the starting vessel. It is known that on the starting marks normally Part C (At Marks and Obstruction) of the Racing Rules of Sailing does not apply. Therefor boat 15 is the right of way boat under Rule 11. 

Options:   Boat 5 has the possibility of quickly luffing and pass the starting vessel on the wrong side, then a tack and a gybe and a new start.  How far will the good starters then be?  If it is a small and light boat, there's a possibility for it to stop completely and wait until boat 15 has passed and then start. Then you would come away with a black eye.  

What can we learn from this? The start in the optimal place can quickly become a nightmare. Nowhere is it more important to weigh up risks than at the start. Especially with a neutrally laid starting line like this one, it is seldom sensible to want to be the first boat leeward of the starting vessel..

Situation: Optimal timing in pre-start phase enabled this boat to have the perfect Pin End Start. The boat has clean air and the freedom to tack.

Options: Boat 6 can now set its perfect plan in motion, without being hindered in its execution by another boat.

What can we learn from this?   With a perfect start we are halfway there. Things couldn't go better. Even a port wind shift would have been a problem for boat 6 thanks to its freedom to tack.

Situation: Boat 7 starts at the Pin End, but lies immediately behind boat 6.  Boat 7 hat freedom to tack.  Boat 7 abstained from the last duel with boat 6 in order not to end up below the Layline.

Options: Boat 7 has to tack immediately after the start in order to escape from the bad air of boat 6. With an perfect tack lee of boat 9, boat 7 could reach clean air again and get to the left side of the course that he probably prefers.

What can we learn from this?   Because boat 7 broke off from the struggle with boat 6 for the Pin End in good time, he is able to save his start and finally, although not the first boat, reach the side he prefers and can sail in clear after a few seconds after the starting gun.

Situation: Sails on port tack, relatively unbothered but almost two boat lengths behind the line at the end of the left hand third of the starting line.

Options:   Although boat 8 completely slept through the start, a quick tack offers him the possibility of beginning the upwind leg with reasonably free wind and that is more than could have been expected with that starting position. Boat 7 won't bother him for long after his tack. Because boat 6 will tack to avoid the dirty air of boat 6.

What can we learn from this? The important things is to predict the situation and the behaviour at the start and to deal with it quickly and proactively. If boat 8 does not realise that boat 7 will tack immediately to escape the bad air from boat 6, boat 8 would wait with his tack and then for long time will be dealing with bad air from the crowd on the starboard side of the line.

Boat 9 Situation:   Boat 9 starts from about the middle of the starting line, about half a boat's length behind the line. His competitors are neither direct to windward, nor direct to leeward. Options:    Because boat 9 isn't involved in any kind of duels, it has the opportunity to fully concentrate on the VMG to the windward mark.  No other boats can hinder the execution of his tactical plan. What can we learn from this?    If the starting line lies neutrally, starting from the middle of it is a good choice. The likelihood of being able to go across the line unmolested and with maximum speed is significantly greater from here than at either end of the line. The gap of half a boat's length arises because its not so easy to judge the distance from the starting line in the middle as it is at the sides.  Diagram 107 shows the typical sagging of a starting line in the middle.  In this case, the yellow boat has split up the slack and has moved far forward.   This encourages the boats in his vicinity also to move further forward. Die Abbildung 107 zeigt einen typischen Durchhang einer Startlinie in der Mitte. In diesem Fall hat das gelbe Boot den Durchhang geteilt. das gelbe Boot ist weit vorgefahren, Dadurch ermuntert es die Boote in seiner Umgebung ebenfalls etwas weiter vorzufahren.             Boat 10

Situation:   This boat is the one lying furthest to leeward of the group starting on the starboard side of the line. At the start, it lies almost half a boat length behind the line, but has free wind.

Options: Boat 10 can concentrate on his optimal speed.  An attempt to guarantee a windward position of Boat 11 by sailing higher could end with a collision with Boat 11.  A possible attack by by Boat 11 trying  to sail deeper and faster to get Boat 10 into his downwash can easily be countered by bearing away or, equally, acceleration.   Although Boat 10 started leeward of the first third of the starting line, it has no possibility in the immediate future to sail on the right hand side of the course.

What can we learn from this? With a well-designed / laid out line, it is a good idea to start leeward of the windward throng /group,  but, however, only if you want to be on the left of the course, or if you want to cross to the middle and catch the wind currents/gusts.  Due to the fact that you won't know the exact bearings of the boats at the starting line, you won't be so close to the line as the boats starting at the ends.   For this reason, it is not usually possible to sail to the right for some time from this position without having to pass behind several other boats, losing many meters' distance.

Apart from the situation of the starting line, the starting place directly next to the starting vessel is the most popular. Most boats try to start on the atarbord end of the starting line. On the one hand this is because its easiest when next to the starting boat to judge the distance from the starting line. On the other hand, its because after a start near the starting vessel, you can more speedily achieve the freedom to tack. This is a great advantage especially if your plan is to sail on the right hand side of the course to the windward mark. 

Its extremely difficult to give tips about starting near the starting vessel, because the most important skill for an optimal windward start is experience, and cannot simply be learned. One has to look ahead and judge how the situation will develop in the next seconds and minutes. However, it can be that competitors do something unpredictable, or even break the rules. Stay cool, don't let yourself be distracted from analysing the situation in a few seconds and coming to the right decision. Experienced sailors already know, minutes before the start, that their position at the approach is not optimal and can still react accordingly, while less experienced sailors fall into the trap and end up in the second row at the start, crowded by boats to leeward and windward. 

The most important thing is timing. Nothing is worse than arriving too soon at the starting line. You often see sailors who approach the starting line from good positions, but simply too early, and are only concerned to decrease their boatspeed in the last seconds before the start , instead of being able to concentrate on accelerating and crossing the line at full speed.

But enough now of mistakes and problems at the start on the starboard side of the line. What can we do to speed up the learning process and to belong to the good starters on the right side sooner? Timing can be practised; you don't even need a partner for that. You don't need anything more than a buoy and a stopwatch to practice it. You set two minutes on the watch and try to get as close as possible to the buoy, and to reach it within those two minutes.  At the end of the two minutes, depending on the size and weight of the boat, you should be 2-20 metres away from the buoy (2 metres for a small boat like a Laser, 20 metres for a heavy yacht). 

In the following animation you can see how important the positioning in the pre-start phase is:

Green positions itself relatively high behind the starting boat and realises too late the threat of danger of red and brown. Because Rule 18 of the RRS does not apply on the starting line, red and brown do not have to give way and can force green to break off his start, to pass the starting boat on the windward side, and to start again, with an additional tack and gybe, behind most of the other boats. It would have been better for green to reduce speed, to cross behind brown and red and to try  to establish an overlap leeward of these boats. Even if red and brown had averted this attack, and green had to abandon it, all three boats would have been further leeward after this manoeuvre, and green would no longer have been positioned above the starboard lay line. Nothing could then prevent a good start for green.

Red finds itself a little above the lay line too, but realises the danger from brown in time. He slows down his boat speed and crosses the stern of brown. He realises that brown has already got to reduce his speed, in order not to cross the line too early. This, together with the additional boost through bearing away helps red to establish a leeward overlap to brown. Unfortunately, with this manoeuvre, red gets to close to yellow. After the start it had to fight against the durty air from yellow. Luckily for red, yellow decides to sail a bit fuller to bring the turquoise boat under his control.

Brown has chosen an almost perfect starting point for the approach to the starting line. Not too high, but high enough to reach the starboard end of the starting line well. No boat to leeward. Already at position 1, one can see that Brown will have a good, if not the best, start. Brown reacts correctly to the attack by red and tries by luffing to win some space from him. Brown doesn't give in to the temptation to give up his optimum position, to prevent being overtaken by red.

Yellow Yellow forgoes from the outset the optimum position as first boat leeward of the starting boat, and positions itself below the lay line. Not very aggressive, but relatively safe.  In this position there is more room to manoeuvre and the opportunity to react to unexpected things is greater here than directly next to the starting boat.  Yellow can also cross the line at full speed, relatively unbothered, at the starting signal.  In fear of coming in a cover from red, yellow bears away a bit, accelerates and stays in clean air. The disadvantage of yellow's position is that it doesn't have any freedom to tack.  Yellow's plan before crossing the start was to sail more on the right hand side of the course. Yellow sticks to his plan and doesn't want to wait until red falls back sufficiently in dirty air before he can make a tack to the right.  Because of this, yellow bears away immediately after the start to gain enough space behind red to cross to the preferred side of the course.

The fight for the Pin End

The main problem with a Pin End start is that only one boat out of the whole field can have an optimum start. The following animation shows a typical battle for the best position at the Pin End. Each of the boats tries to reach the leeward position of the other which results in a typical snake-like course. At red's last attempt to position himself leeward of green, red lands below the port lay line of the starting line.

Green, due to his heading to the anchored dinghy, has recognised in time that another defence of his position no longer makes sense, because he would end up below the lay line at the Pin End.

Starting on port tack

This is really only an option in exceptional situations, and then only if you have good insurance.  One can attempt it in exceptional cases, if the starting line lies extremely badly.

A further criteria for a successful port tack start, as well as the situation of the line, is the width of the boat. With very wide boats, for example catamarans, it is simpler to perform a port tack start from the left at the Pin end, simply because the space from boats approaching the Pin End on starport needs to be significantly larger, in order to keep clear from the pin end mark of the starting line.

The start phase begins about one minute before the start and lasts until the starting signal.  Our aim in this phase is to cross the line in the planned position with maximum speed.

The most important thing at the beginning of the start phase is to defend our position. It is important to retain the ability of our boat to manoeuvre at all times. Only then can we defend our boat from attacks by the boats around us. Nothing is more frustrating than to have to give up our fought for place to a boat overtaking leeward from behind, just because we couldn't close the gap in time. In this phase, we must also not get too close to the starting line because that means we would have to reduce speed, lose our manoeuvrability, and with it our readiness to defend. We also need space up to the line to be able to accelerate to our target speed. Naturally, all that depends on the boat on which you are sitting; with a Laser you can sail closer to the line than you would with an 8 ton cruiser racer. The more weight our boat has, the further away we have to stay from the line to allow room for the acceleration phase.  The angle to the wind is also dependent on the size of the boat. With a small, light dinghy you can almost place yourself against the wind and still maintain  manoeuvrability, because with a short, abrupt rudder movement the angle of attack of the boat can be changed within seconds. With a heavy yacht without motion, there's no quick opportunity to change the boat's angle of attack to the wind.

Accelerating

According to the weight of the boat, you have to fully accelerate some time before the starting signal. This acceleration phase and the timing at the start can be well practised; all you need for this is a small anchored buoy. You approach this buoy from behind on a fictional lay line.The aim of the training is to get to the buoy with maximum speed within a pre-determined time. You should practice this with every wind strength until the timing becomes instinctive. With a different type of boat, conditions naturally change and you need to train again.

Post-Start Phase

The post-start phase begins immediately after the start and lasts until one is sailing in clear air to the windward mark. How we behave in the post-start phase depends on how our start went. Let's begin with the worst case; there's an individual recall...and we have a bad conscience. . 

We are on the course side

Now we have a case which though it isn't very comfortable, but is part of regatta sailing. It would be bad to start to think only now whether the race official showed the P or I flag at the prepatory signal. In the start phase we should already consider an escape strategy for the event of an early start. If we start to consider, after the start, how we can get back to the start side the quickest, without hindering the others we are losing further valuable seconds.  Sometimes if an early start appears unavoidable, it is also sensible to break off a start and purposely to sail over the line and so get back to the start side of the race course faster.

Sailing is a gentleman's sport. Often, fair treatment of a competitor pays, because perhaps you may be dependent on their goodwill in a situation later on.  But this doesn't apply for the immediate post-start phase. Her the principle 'eat or be eaten' applies.  If you have the opportunity to cut off a competitor sailing above you, then do it.  If you don't you will regret it in the next squall, if your opponent can accelerate a little earlier and then comes down on you to kill you with his cover. You must do the same if you have an opponent close to leeward.  If there's a chance to fall down on him and to give him dirty air, then do it.  That way a lead of a few centimetres at the start can quickly become a lead of several boat lengths, because your opponent will normally need two additional tacks to escape your cover.

In the following animation, Blue and Yellow are equal at the start.  Yellow makes use of a small speed advantage in the post-start phase (it can be enough there that blue has briefly hit a wave) to fall onto Blue. Blue finds himself in dirty air and can only tack away behind Yellow. If Yellow hadn't immediately used this situation to his advantage, he would then have landed in the dirty air of Blue.  Now that Blue no longer poses any danger, Yellow can fully concentrate on sailing at maximum VMG to the windward mark..

Here, all three boats are all on a par with one another. Green recognises in time the danger which Yellow threatens and uses every opportunity to get nearer to Yellow.  Finally he succeeds in reaching the safe leeward position near Yellow.  Yellow finds himself in dirty air and only has the option to tack and to try his luck on the right hand side of the course. 

Gain advantages

If you started on the good side, you must try to use this track advantage to the utmost. A quick tack brings you in between the main field and followers.  He who waits too long and waits until the wind comes back again has lost his advantage.

Everyone, even a World Champion, can mess up a start. But stay active , try to take action and adapt your plan to the situation. Try to reach free wind as quickly as possible. If your self confidence is right; with some good moves in the post-start phase, you will catch up with the field.

In the following animation Yellow lost the start and finds himself in the dirty air of Green after the start.  With two tacks, Yellow frees himself from this situation and a few minutes after the start finds free wind again.

Stick to your plan

In the pre-start phase you carefully considered how to sail to the windward mark. Your plan is good, so don't abandon it just because your start didnt allow you to put it into action straight away. Usually there's a good opportunity to stick with it without much loss.

I can show you that with the two following animations:

The Violet boat actually has the plan to cover the starboard side of the race course. Because Green started immediately to the right of him, Violet has no opportunity to tack.  If Violet were to stay passive  it would have to sail on with Green on the left hand side of the course, and wait until Green tacks.  Instead of this, Violet actively follows his plan, bears away a little and slows his boat down until the gap between him and Green is big enough to make a tack and bear away behind Green. The loss of not even one boat length is measured against the fact that Violet can now carry on with his plan and, if the plan was justified, could potentially arrive at the windward mark several boat lengths ahead of Green.

But – be careful: its best not to bear away to early. in order to take away the possibility of Green tacking windward and in front of Violet.

In the following case, Violet wants to begin his upwind leg on the left side, but is prevented from carrying out his plan by Green, who had a perfect Pin End start, because the loss of distance and time caused by Green's dirty air would simply be too great. Instead of tacking and giving up his plan, Violet decides to be offensive, bears away behind Green until there is free wind and this way can continue to follow his plan on the left hand side of the course.

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5 tips: OCS (on course side) or over the line at the start – what should you do?

• August 12, 2015

An OCS can ruin your series as much as your day, but it can also be hard to avoid. Jonty Sherwill asks World Match Racing champion Ian Williams how to reduce loss – or even gain advantage

Fleet start, bow 12 over. Photo Rick Tomlinson

Pundits at any local sailing club say you’re not trying hard enough if you don’t stray over the line once in a while. So, never mind honing your starting skills – you also need to think about recovery if you find yourself OCS.

If it’s a restart after a general recall, then it’s vital to keep a sharp eye on the flags at the committee boat. Penalties and tactics will vary depending on what preparatory flag is being flown: ‘P’, I’, ‘Z’, ‘Z’ with ‘I’ or the one that commands most respect, Black.

It’s a risky strategy to rely on being hidden in a bulge at midpoint on the starting line, particularly if the ‘I’ flag is flying. This is because the ‘round-the-ends’ rule will be in force for those boats OCS in the final minute of the sequence and it could be a two-minute sail or more to reach either end of the line, and without rights over the other boats that are starting correctly.

Notwithstanding a Black flag, when only one sound signal is made at the start, if boats are OCS there will be at least two sound signals and if there are individual recalls the ‘X’ flag will be flying. That’s the moment to asking hard questions: was it us; do we go back; will the ‘X’ come down or do we wait to see the results?

A lot can go wrong for other boats during a race, so if you do return to clear the line, keeping a cool head and knowing which side of the first beat is favoured could see you back in the hunt sooner than you think.

As those pundits at the club will also tell you, a race is never over till it’s over and you’ve reached the finish line.

1. Signals, speed and set-up

Agree what signals the bowman will use and especially whether he or she is calling distance sailing or distance perpendicular to the start line (see our 5 tips: bowman signals ); most boats use perpendicular distance.

In addition, know how long it takes to sail one length closer to the line by timing it on a practice run. I usually time six to ten lengths to improve accuracy; depending on wind strength, current and start line bias, this can vary a lot.

For your final approach, consider conditions when positioning against the fleet. In light airs it is fatal to drop out of the front row as you will have no wind to build up speed. In stronger winds it is the boats that push the line too early that are in most danger because it is much harder to reach along the line at the last moment.

2. Risk and GPS

Discuss with the bowman before the start how hard you want to push the line. If you are a fast boat in the fleet and there is no clearly favoured side on the beat, you can afford to hold back a little and keep the risk down. If not and you must go left, it may be worth pushing things a little harder.

GPS data is now very accurate, so provided you have accurately pinged the line (and it has not moved), you should be able to trust it to tell you how far from the line you are (particularly useful on very long start lines such as at Cowes Week).

But be wary of ‘time to the line’ or ‘time to burn’ information – unless you have your polars and calibration very well set up this information can be misleading.

3. Baling out

Sometimes, seconds before the start, you will know you’re in a bad position and are not going to get a good start however hard you fight for your gap. If you call it early enough, you can often make room to tack or duck back through the fleet and be away on port only a few lengths behind the leaders.

But if you continue to fight, start second row or find yourself OCS and are then blocked from tacking, you are already looking at a big deficit, with no good options for clear air.

If you are OCS, remember you retain your rights until you are heading back, so (subject to RRS 16) you may be entitled to luff the boat to windward in order to make space to return. You won’t make many friends doing this, mind you!

4. Marginal calls

If you think you are OCS, the sooner you decide to go back the better. If the race committee is calling OCS boats on the VHF, ensure the radio is to hand and that somebody is listening straight after the start.

If OCS boats are not being announced, then somebody on board will need to make the call – ensure you have a clear process for this before you start, so a decision can be made quickly.

The final call is probably best made by the skipper or tactician, based on the most reliable information – that is likely to come from the bowman on a larger yacht. On dayboats and sportsboats, the helmsman will usually make the call based on the chat in the final 20 seconds of the start sequence.

5. The aftermath

Although being disqualified is frustrating, sailing is a team game, so learn from it and bounce back – you may be able to discard that result anyway.

But be attentive if there is a general recall after a Black-flag start; listen to the VHF and/or look at the noticeboard on the committee boat for your sail number because if you were OCS under a Black flag (and the race was not postponed or abandoned before the start signal) you are excluded from further restarts.

If you do join in, your OCS will be counted in your overall series score. It is possible to request redress for being OCS, but unless you are confident there is clear video evidence or you have credible witnesses from other boats it will be a waste of social time for you and the jury.

Ian Williams is current and four-times ISAF match racing world champion and the first European to hold multiple match racing world titles; a nine-times winner on the World Match Racing Tour, he has 27 podium finishes. Ian is also well-known as a tactician on the pro big-boat circuit.

The Start Line

Favoured End Because sailboat racing takes place on water and depends on the wind, it is impossible to set a completely "square" course, meaning that at any given point the course will be skewed so that some marks are a shorter sailing distance than others. On the start line, the side of the line (pin end or boat end) that is a shorter sailing distance to the first upwind mark is referred to as the favoured end. In the absence of other obstacles, you always want to start at the favoured end of the line. 

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5 - Starting Strategies Episode Three - The Dinghy Start

Welcome to “Race to Win”, a sailing podcast brought to you by raceQs.com where we analyze raceQs’ 3d Regatta replays and review racing tactics, rules, and winning strategies.

Today’s podcast is the third one in a five part series about sailboat race starting strategies. Today we’re going to over the “dinghy start”, a classic small boat starting strategy that works well for almost any boat with quick acceleration.

You basically find your spot on the line and defend if without really moving around too much, and then bring your sails in and accelerate quickly to squirt over the line when the gun goes off.

This is an easy start to execute, buts its also pretty easy to screw up. If you sheet in too early, you’ll be over early. And if you sheet in too late, you’ll be late to the start.

The thing is, in these dinghy starts, everyone is often doing pretty much the same thing, so you’re going to get a big line of people all lined up on the starting line. This can actually be helpful if you are a beginner, because you can just look at the guy next to you- and when he sheets in, you sheet in. Off ya go.

Let’s get into the details. Just like before I am using this replay of the 2013 Melges world championships. In case you missed the earlier explanations, this green line is the pacer line, giving me my proper pace to approach the starting line on time. If your boat is moving along, right on the pacer line, you’re going to have an on time start. It you’re in front of it you’re early, and if you are behind it, you are late. We also have the fleet rankings and time to start here on the right hand side.

Something we haven’t talked about yet, so I will mention it briefly, is finding the favored end of the line. I like to think of the favored end as the part of the line that is “closest”, or furthest upwind to the windward mark. If you aren’t’ sure which end is favored, it’s really easy. Just sail up to the line and turn dead into the wind so that your sails are luffing right down the middle of the boat. When you are head to wind, whichever end of the line your bow is pointed closer too, is the favored end. Easy, right?

So most of the time you would think, it would be better to start at the favored end of the line. Once you figure that out, the big question is, is it worth it to try and start at the favored end? Do you really want to be battling it out for position, right in the middle of the pack? Or, is it better to start on the other side, where no body is around? Maybe you don’t have as good of position, but you can get clear air and get away from everyone battling it out.

Once you decide where on the line you want to start, you need a strategy to approach the line.

Just find your hole on the line, and sit there. When the guy next you pulls his sails in, you pull your sails, and off you go. In a crowded fleet, there is a problem with running out of room. If you don’t secure your position early enough, you are going ot end up in the second row. And once you are behind in these competitive one design fleets, it can be very difficult to get ahead.

Most of the time, in these dingy fleets. Where you start ,is where you finish. So if you start last you are probably going to be finishing pretty close to the end. Let’s watch an example of a Melges 24 executing kind of a modified version of the dingy start.

So keep an eye on boat 37, you can see from that colored line which is speed coded GPS track, he’s kind of been hanging out in this area. Now he’s stopped, he knows where he wants to go. Did you see that little acceleration there? He was not going to let that boat get his spot. And now, he’s early, he’s too early to the start so he’s going to come right up to the edge of the starting line, stop, lay in wait for this boat behind him, and just when he thinks he might sneak by, he accelerates up to the full speed, starts just right on time. So that is a good example of a dinghy start, but it happened pretty fast so let’s take a look at it again.

This time we are going to watch it from head on. The boats are actually sailing away from us right now. They are playing around in the starting area, trying to pick out his hole. Remember, the place on the line where he’s going to start. SO now, we are one minute from the start and her he his, stopped, just completely stopped. So WOOSH there’s that little spurt of sped again. That was a little to fast, he’s a little to early so hes gonna slow down and let the sails out a bit, and now here again, he’s going to come a to a total dead stop. The classic dinghy start. Here s comes that guy up behind him again, he’s not going to get in front of him though! Hes got his timing down, accelerates hard, whoosh, right over the line. Looks like he was late by six seconds. That’s pretty good, considering that amount of boats there are in this fleet.

You can see with the fleet rankings on the righ its really interesting to see who used wihich methods and how their start was. That’s all I have for you today. I hope that watching this series is helping you get down the basics of your starting techniques, or brush up if its been awhile. We look forward to talking about more advanced topics soon!

If you enjoyed this podcast, you can find more on our website. Www.raceqs.com/podcast. Or, search or raceqs.com on iTunes and click subscribe. We would love to hear from you so please give us a review on iTunes.

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Team Racing Talk: Starting

March 12, 2013 by Sail1Design Editor Leave a Comment

By Airwaves Writer Zach Brown

Team racing is comparable to a soft science major like psychology because it requires a healthy balance of rigid by-the-book-plays and creative genius to succeed.  At certain times in the race you must be disciplined and at others you need to be smart.  Successful starting demands the key mix of structure and creativity that is shared between the positions of the boat end, the middle, and the pin end. 

A modified zone starting strategy is the best approach to the start because it provides structure while offering the ability to switch and shift.  The boat end starter is the gate keeper who is risk averse and very disciplined because 95% of his/her role is predetermined.  The middle starter is the most creative and similar to a rogue James Bond character with the license to kill because he/she must be opportunistic in each situation.  The pin end starter is 80% disciplined and usually the most risk loving because he/she lives and dies by the sword.

One of the best ways to view the role of each position is to recognize the percentage of time a boat leads or chases in the prestart.  The table below outlines some general strategies.  Other factors come into play such as wind strength and shiftiness.  The stronger the wind, the more power to the chasing boat.  The lighter the wind, the better it is to lead.  A shifty northerly wind favors leading.    

Pin Starter: Stone Cold

Pin end starters play a tough game that usually results in either a first place or a sixth place start.  The best pin end starters love to get deep in the bottom left of the starting box and make an educated guess of where the pin end starboard tack layline lies.  If the starter executes an accurate layline call and smartly manages his/her distance to the start line than the opponent can only do two things, setup on the hip and hope to live in a thin lane off the line, or kamikaze underneath and take out both parties.  The best pin end starters exude confidence, work well with the middle teammate during the start, and understand how to stretch out the line to make space for teammates mix it up in the starting box.

Middle Starter: Ferocious

The middle starter’s job is not easily defined and usually undervalued do to its complexity.  A middle starter must juggle many jobs and prioritize them on the fly.  While the boat and pin starters work within the confines of rules and plays, the middle starter uses creativity to orchestrate a great team start.  The first thing to consider before the start is which side of the start line is favored and then focus on being on that side of the opponent at go.  The second strategy to develop is picking up/taking out opponents at vulnerable times and controlling them until the start.  Many times the boat or pin opponent will cycle out and that is a prime opportunity to shake up the system and get the other team out of their rhythm by engaging a new opponent.  The third job, which occurs at 20 seconds to go, is to organize the sandwich and determine if it’s an animal burger (two teammates at the pin), a single burger (blue, red, blue, red), or a double burger (blue, red, red, blue).  Traits of a good middle starter include working well with teammates, recognizing opportunities to switch positions, saving teammates from tough situations, and organizing the team’s start in the last 30 seconds to go.

Boat Starter: Disciplined

The boat position is a duty that all other teammates should sincerely appreciate.  It’s considered a duty, not a privilege because no matter how great a start you can achieve at the boat, you still have to obey the rule of protecting right at all costs.  The boat starter embodies the phrase “I got your back” because if your blind side isn’t covered, the whole team could be in a world of pain.  The boat starter is the gate keeper because he/she manages the entire right side of the course and can let teammates get back into the game on the right side of the course after ducking out, or can eliminate the other team’s options to get back in the race by slamming any boat trying to escape to the right.  The attributes of a boat starter include extreme discipline and excellent timing.  There is little room for error at the boat and timing is everything.

Positioning is only important if the timing to the start gun is correct.  Having control of an opponent at 25 seconds is entirely different from having control of an opponent at 10 seconds.  It is important to recognize that each boat has its unique cycle time.  The best way to learn how to start a boat you’ve never sailed is to count the time it takes to tightly circle out of the startline with a tack, gybe, and full acceleration.  An FJ is maybe 15 seconds in medium wind while a Sonar is 35 seconds.  Once the cycle out time is known for the breeze velocity and current strength, you should be able to judge if your opponents are early, late, or right on time to the line. 

A good rule of thumb is that if you are consistently starting poorly it’s usually because you are too early to the start line.  The best fix is to cycle out at the 20 second time period by letting the trailing boat hook your leeward stern while you tack out and re-setup.  The goal is to put the opponent in a position that is awkward and vulnerable in the last seconds to the start.

It’s Called TEAM Racing

Take some time to sit down with your teammates and have an honest discussion with constructive criticism about how each of you can work together better to generate some strong team starting chemistry.  Having good prestart rhythm is an unquantifiable skill that makes two seemingly equal teams on paper vastly different on the score sheet.  The discussion doesn’t start with “you were in my way.”  It takes a real leader to get up and admit their mistakes. 

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8 Tips For the First Time Sailboat Racer

By: Pat Reynolds Learn To Sail , Sailing Fun

Once you get through the ASA 101 course and are beginning to experience sailing in a more second nature sort of way, you may want to challenge yourself to a sailboat race. Racing is a great way to accelerate the learning curve. It mandates all of the lessons into a short amount of time, with the power of consequence as a motivating factor. On a normal round the buoy race sailors are forced to make sail changes, tack , assess the conditions and maximize performance every step of the way. Some don’t care for the pressure it can bring about, but a few sailboat races is great for learning the ropes quickly. Here are eight tips for the first time sailboat racer that will make the challenge a bit more manageable and a little less daunting :

• Choose the right race Ask around and pick a race that’s not ultra competitive. There are always races that are more mellow than others. Choose one that is centered around fun, maybe a benefit regatta or a barbecue race. Allow some time to get ready and view it as a learning goal. Ask a racer along for the ride.
• Ask a racer along for the ride Find an experienced racing friend to crew and be your safety net. Nothing will take the edge off more than having a patient pal along with you to whisper in your ear as you make your way around the course. Lean on him or her as you need, but try to manage as if they were actually just crew.
• Enter non-spin class. Even if your boat has a nice spinnaker and you’ve used it a bunch of times, do the first race without that complication. Depending on what kind of boat you’re sailing you might not have a choice, but if you do, go spinnaker-less for the first couple of times out to get the rules figured out.
• Learn the fundamental rules Sailboat racing is fortunately one of those sports where you don’t have to learn every rule in order to participate, but you do have to know the basics. Check out Peter Isler’s Sailing for Dummies or Getting Started in Sailboat Racing to get up to speed on the absolute must-know rules. Once you have those pretty clear you can get out there and get some on-the-job-training without hurting anyone or spoiling anyone else’s day.

• Read the NORs Make sure you grab the Notice of Race on the website of the hosting club and read it thoroughly. This precious document will tell you lots of important information for game day. It will discuss the course(s), order of starts, communication channel and lots more. Looking at them prior to the race and having a solid understanding of what’s going on is extremely important. Go to the skipper’s meeting.
• Go to the skipper’s meeting Lots of experienced racers might skip the skipper’s meeting for races they’ve done before, but as a newbie, definitely schedule that into the plan. There you can solidify your understanding of the NORs and ask any questions you might have.
• Blow the start If you’ve done everything according to plan up until this point you may feel like you could actually win this thing! That may be so, but don’t push too hard at the start. This is the one place that gets reliably intense – boats are very close to each other and a firm understanding of the rules is on full display. In time you’ll find this is one of the most exciting parts of racing, but in the beginning, watch and learn.
• Follow the leader Once you’re off the start line and there isn’t any fiberglass dangling from your boat, just watch what others are doing and emulate. If you like racing, there will be plenty of time for waxing the fleet, but today just be a copycat. Watch what better sailors do and attempt to understand why they are making these choices. There is arguably no better way to learn than immersion and imitation.

After the last race, the most important lesson of all is revealed – that beer tastes better after a day of racing. It’s a scientific fact – Einstein proved it, but it was never published… Enjoy!

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The Effects of the Current on the Starting Line

Article originally published in July 2007 on snipe.it Surely you have all experienced a starting line that was especially favored at one end. In some cases, the Race Committee has perfectly positioned the starting line square with the true wind, but doesn't consider a fundamental aspect: from the perspective of the sailors approaching the line, the line is still skewed.

Article originally published in July 2007 on snipe.it

Surely you have all experienced a starting line that was especially favored at one end. In some cases, the Race Committee has perfectly positioned the starting line square with the true wind, but doesn’t consider a fundamental aspect: from the perspective of the sailors approaching the line, the line is still skewed.

We analyze a specific case. Why in Cervia (during the Piada Trophy in 2007) were there so many general recalls?

One reason is certainly the lively competitive spirit. But it is not the only reason. Or rather, what is the reason for so much competitive spirit? Why did so many fight to start close to the pin, and why could they immediately tack to port and cross the fleet? Why was anyone who tacked immediately very far in front and upwind of those who started just a little closer to the committee boat?

The reason is geometric and is linked to a discrete current.

From the Race Committee Boat the pin end was set perpendicular to the wind. However, the current ran along the starting line from the RC boat to the pin. To be more precise, the current direction (bearing) was 60-70 degrees to the right of the true wind on the first day, and maybe more on the last day of racing.

From a boat anchored, like the Race committee boat, the direction of wind, taken from the deck, is not influenced by the the current. It is obvious that the anchored boat does not move over the sea bottom (she turns due to the power of the current, but does not move relative to the bottom) and, therefore, the direction and intensity of the true wind are not affected by the current.

Now imagine a boat, not anchored, in the complete absence of wind, which moves with current. It will move – the comparison is Stuart Walker’s – as if on a moving carpet compared to the floor. The relative movement due to the current will create the tide wind, which is equal to the force of the current and in the opposite direction (of the current).

At this point we can add into the scenario the true wind. Our boat will detect a different wind direction from that taken by the anchored boat; this is called apparent wind and is shown in the diagram below. The “apparent wind over water” is calculated by the vector sum of the true wind and “tide wind”.

The picture exaggerates what really happened in Cervia. Here the current is at 90 degrees to the true wind and its intensity is equal to half the speed of the wind (6 knots of current and 12 knots of wind), so that the apparent wind over water appears much more deviated to the left. Even with the current less strong, its effects on the starting line are crucial.

Boat A and Boat C are starting on port with an excellent angle off the line, while Boat B is crossing the line on starboard with difficulty.

It’s clear that, in the presence of lateral-current, it is essential to set the starting line at 90 degrees to the apparent wind over water. Ths is not easy from an anchored boat. The expert race committee in Cervia moved the pin end downwind, until it was not so much favored.

Finally we have to consider that the current, in addition to the starting line, also changes the geometry of the race course. In cases like this, the port tack is always longer than the starboard tack, and continuing on port tack, it takes more time to reach the starboard lay line then it happens when you sail on starboard to the right side of the course. This also affects tactical and strategic decisions.

The ISAF Race Management Manual has a specific section about the general effect of a current on a course (section L.7 “Adjusting a course for currents”, p. 163)

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The Ultimate Guide to Yacht Racing Rules and Regulations

• by yachtman
• September 6, 2023 June 22, 2024

Yacht racing is an exciting sport! It requires skill, accuracy, and knowledge of rules . These regulations guarantee fair play and safety. To really appreciate the activity, you must understand the regulations.

At first, navigating the rules may seem intimidating. But breaking them down into chunks makes it easier. One important point is the hierarchy between boats. It shows which boat should give way in different situations.

It’s also important to know the race signals. They communicate crucial info, such as race starts and course changes. Participants and spectators need to know these.

Stay updated on any rule changes or amendments issued by World Sailing . They refine existing regulations and add new ones to improve the sport. Knowing the latest rules will give you confidence.

Finally, read case studies of past incidents/disputes during yacht races. This way you can learn from mistakes and be ready for unexpected situations.

Understanding the Basic Rules of Yacht Racing

Understanding the Fundamental Regulations of Yacht Racing

Yacht racing involves a set of basic rules and regulations that govern the competition. These rules are essential for ensuring fair play and safety on the water. To help you understand the fundamental regulations of yacht racing, here is a beginner’s guide to yacht racing :

• Start Line Procedure: Before the race begins, all yachts must line up at the designated starting line. This line is typically marked by buoys or flags, and competitors must position themselves according to the rules specified by the race committee.
• Right of Way: Yacht racing follows a set of right-of-way rules that determine which yacht has precedence in certain situations. For example, a yacht on a starboard tack (wind coming from the right side) usually has right of way over a yacht on a port tack (wind coming from the left side).
• Mark Roundings: Yacht courses often include marks, such as buoys or flags, that competitors must round during the race. The rules specify how yachts should approach and pass these marks to ensure fair competition and prevent collisions.
• Protests and Penalties: If a competitor believes that another yacht has violated the rules, they can file a protest with the race committee. The committee will then investigate the incident and may impose penalties on the offending yacht if the protest is upheld.
• Finishing Line: The race concludes at the finishing line, which is typically marked by buoys or flags. Yachts must pass this line in the correct direction and often have to radio or signal their finish time to the race committee.

These steps outline the key elements of understanding the fundamental regulations of yacht racing. It’s important to familiarize yourself with these rules to ensure a safe and fair competition.

Pro Tip: Before participating in a yacht race, take the time to thoroughly study and understand the specific rules and regulations for that event. This will help you navigate the race effectively and avoid unnecessary penalties.

Get ready to navigate through a sea of confusing jargon as we dive into the essential terminology of yacht racing – it’s like learning a new language, but with more wind in your sails.

Essential Terminology in Yacht Racing

Yacht racing requires a unique language to be mastered by all sailors. Knowing these terms is essential for successful communication and cooperation during races.

Check out some of the key vocab words used in yacht racing:

Plus, other crucial terms like “luffing” (sail fluttering due to lack of wind), “tiller” (lever for steering boat) and “hull speed” (maximum speed a boat can reach in water).

Pro Tip: Get to know these essential yacht racing terms to up your enjoyment of this exciting sport!

Key Rules and Regulations for Yacht Racing

Yacht Racing: A Comprehensive Guide to Rules and Regulations

The rules and regulations governing yacht racing are crucial for ensuring fair and competitive events. Understanding these guidelines is essential for both participants and organizers to guarantee a level playing field and maintain the integrity of the sport. Below, we have compiled a table highlighting key rules and regulations for yacht racing in an easily accessible format.

Key Rules and Regulations for Yacht Racing:

These rules and regulations provide a framework that allows for fair competition and keeps participants safe. However, it is important to note that each race may have additional guidelines specific to the event or location, and participants should familiarize themselves with these unique details.

One such incident in the world of yacht racing involved a team that, due to a technical malfunction, found themselves adrift just moments after the race had begun. With quick thinking and teamwork, they managed to rectify the issue, rejoin the race, and ultimately finished in an impressive third place. This story illustrates the resilience and determination required in yacht racing, where unforeseen challenges can arise at any moment.

Yacht racing rules and regulations are comprehensive and necessary for maintaining fairness and safety. By adhering to these guidelines and being prepared for unexpected circumstances, participants can fully engage in the thrilling and competitive world of yacht racing.

Navigating through the racing course is like playing chess, except the pieces are yachts and the stakes are higher – imagine the drama when someone accidentally knocks over the queen!

Racing Course and Markings

Ahoy, mateys! Hop on board for a wild race on the high seas! It’s time to learn about the racing course : a carefully crafted area for a thrilling competition . Keep your eyes peeled for the start line – it marks the beginning of the race. Then, look out for the turn marks ; these designated points show where sailors must change direction. Finally, the finish line indicates the end of the race.

If ye want to be the best sailor, ye must understand these course and marking details. It’s essential for a successful yacht racing experience, so don’t miss out! Time to set sail and make your mark in the world of yacht racing.

Right of Way and Collision Avoidance

In yacht racing, we must pay close attention to the right of way and collision avoidance. Following specific rules and regulations is key to ensuring a fair race and preventing accidents.

Let’s look at the key rules related to right of way and collision avoidance in yacht racing:

These rules are just the beginning of the comprehensive regulations. Now, let’s look at a unique detail. In some cases, when two yachts on different tacks approach a mark, they may have equal rights. It’s important for skippers to communicate and coordinate to avoid possible collisions.

To show the importance of following these rules, here’s a story. During a competitive race, two yachts were nearing a turning point. The skipper of one boat did not yield the right of way, which violated rule number 10. Both boats were damaged and their chances of winning were ruined. This serves as a reminder that even small errors can have big consequences in yacht racing.

Starting and Finishing Procedures

Before the yacht race, boats must gather in the starting area. Skippers must steer clear of any collisions or rule-breaking.

Next comes the starting sequence – with flags or sound signals showing the time until the race starts. Skippers must pay close attention to them.

Once the final signal is given, the yachts race across the start line. Skippers must judge their entry properly to get an advantage and stay within the racing rules.

At the end of the race, the finish line is reached. Skippers should navigate and strategize here to cross it fast while following regulations.

Each race may have different start and finish procedures. Participants must read instructions from race organizers to stick to all rules.

The America’s Cup is one of the oldest sailing competitions. It began in 1851 around the Isle of Wight. It’s a big international event now, with teams competing every few years for the trophy.

Safety Guidelines for Yacht Racing

Safety Measures for Yacht Racing

Yacht racing events prioritize the safety of participants to prevent accidents and mishaps. Here are essential safety guidelines for yacht racing:

• Adhere to proper safety equipment regulations, including life jackets and distress signaling devices.
• Ensure all crew members are familiar with emergency procedures and know the location of safety equipment on the yacht.
• Maintain clear communication channels, using appropriate radio frequencies or signals during the race.
• Regularly inspect and maintain all equipment on board to ensure it is in proper working condition.
• Monitor weather conditions and take necessary precautions, such as altering course or seeking shelter in case of inclement weather.
• Adhere to collision-avoidance rules, maintaining a safe distance from other yachts and objects in the water.

It is important to stay up to date with the latest safety guidelines and regulations in the yacht racing community to ensure the well-being of all participants.

Yacht Racing Safety History:

Throughout the history of yacht racing, safety measures have evolved to enhance participant protection. Collaborations with maritime organizations and advances in technology have led to the development of comprehensive safety regulations and equipment. The efforts have significantly reduced the number of accidents and increased the safety of yacht racing as a sport.

Yacht racing may be a high-stakes sport, but remember, not everyone can pull off the bold fashion statement that is a life jacket.

Personal Safety Equipment

To ensure success in yacht races, it’s important to prioritize safety! All sailors should wear a well-fitted life jacket at all times to provide buoyancy aid. Personal locator beacons transmit distress signals if someone falls overboard. A harness with a tether will keep sailors attached to the boat. Protective clothing, such as gloves, boots and waterproof gear, guards against hypothermia and injuries. Reliable communication devices are necessary for crew members to stay in touch. Also, inspect all safety equipment regularly.

To further enhance safety, organizers can do regular safety drills. Employing support vessels is key for immediate response. Establishing clear communication protocols allows for effective coordination. By following these suggestions, yacht racers can reduce risks and maximize safety levels. Safety equipment and measures are essential elements for successful yacht races!

Safety Precautions on the Water

Yacht racing can be thrilling – but don’t forget to stay safe! Here are some essential tips:

• Always wear a life jacket : No matter how experienced you are, you can never be too careful.
• Check weather conditions: Sudden storms or high winds can make racing conditions dangerous.
• Create a communication plan: Make sure everyone in your crew is informed of any hazards or changes in course.

Plus, don’t forget to research local rules and regulations. Safety should always come first! So, gear up and get ready for a thrilling experience on the water. Enjoy the fun and camaraderie of yacht racing – just remember to stay safe!

Common Penalties and Protest Procedures

Yacht racing penalties and protest procedures involve various rules and regulations that must be followed. To ensure fair competition and resolve any disputes, there are consequences for violations. Here is a breakdown of the common penalties and the procedures for lodging a protest:

It’s important to note that each yacht race may have its specific procedures and penalties, so it’s crucial for participants to familiarize themselves with the rules beforehand. This ensures a fair and competitive environment for all racers.

Understanding the common penalties and protest procedures is vital for yacht racers to navigate the intricacies of the sport. By abiding by the rules and properly addressing any issues through the protest process, participants can ensure a level playing field, maintaining the integrity and fairness of yacht racing.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to compete fairly and enjoy the thrilling experience of yacht racing. Familiarize yourself with the penalties and procedures to avoid any confusion or missed chances. Stay informed and make the most of your yacht racing journey.

“Being disqualified in yacht racing is like being told you’ve won the lottery, but then realizing it’s April Fool’s Day.”

Types of Penalties in Yacht Racing

Penalties in yacht racing are necessary to ensure fairness and compliance with the rules. These penalties act as a deterrent against any wrongdoings or rule-breaking, keeping the sport’s integrity intact.

A descriptive table can help us understand the various types of penalties in yacht racing:

These penalties have serious consequences, which act as a warning to sailors not to take any unfair advantages or act dangerously. Knowing these penalties is essential for competing in yacht racing.

Penalties have been part of yacht racing since the beginning. They were put in place to maintain order in races and create a fair playing field. Over time, these penalties have been adapted to fit the changing dynamics of the sport.

A good grasp of the penalties in yacht racing helps competitors perform better on the water. It also promotes sportsmanship and upholds the spirit of fair play in this exciting discipline.

Initiating and Resolving Protests

• Pinpoint the issue .
• Be sure it follows the rules.
• Gather data, facts, and material.
• Create a clear and concise statement.
• Submit the complaint to the right body.
• Talk to the parties.
• Look for a fair outcome through negotiation or mediation.
• Pay attention to deadlines.
• Respect protocols.
• Take charge and protect your rights.
• Act now and make sure your voice is heard!

Strategies and Tactics in Yacht Racing

Strategies and tactics are vital in the world of yacht racing. Understanding the nuances of this sport can make a significant difference in performance. Here, we explore some essential strategies and tactics employed by skilled yacht racers.

In yacht racing, there are unique details to consider, such as utilizing current knowledge to select the best racing route. Additionally, understanding the impact of tidal flows and currents can help racers make more informed decisions during a race.

To become a successful yacht racer, it is crucial to study and practice these strategies and tactics diligently. By mastering these techniques, one can maximize their chances of success and stay ahead of the competition.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to excel in yacht racing. Enhance your skills by incorporating these strategies and tactics into your training regimen. Start implementing them today and take a step closer to becoming a champion on the water.

Positioning and Sail Trim Techniques: Where you’re positioned on the yacht may determine if you’re the first to cross the finish line or the first to take an unexpected dip in the water.

Positioning and Sail Trim Techniques

Table of Positioning & Sail Trim Techniques:

Plus, spinnaker handling has methods like gybing – shifting the spinnaker from one side to the other when sailing downwind. Helm balance is critical to good steering during racing.

Sir Ben Ainslie , a great sailor, said mastering positioning and sail trim techniques is the difference between successful racers and those who have difficulty competing in yacht racing events.

Reading Wind and Weather Conditions

Wind and weather conditions are essential for yacht racing. They let sailors make wise decisions, plan well, and have an edge. Here’s what to know about understanding these conditions:

• Observation – Skilled sailors look closely at wind direction, strength, and patterns. They keep an eye on clouds, waves, and temperature changes. By doing this, they can predict future weather shifts.
• Analyzing – Racers check forecasts, barometric readings, and sea temps. They combine this with their observations to get a clear picture of present and future winds.
• Adaptability – Successful sailors change their strategies with the changing conditions. They often reassess their tactics during the race, to take advantage of good winds or limit bad weather.

Yacht racers also think about local geography, tidal currents, and nearby landforms. This helps them sail complex courses accurately.

Sarah, a seasoned sailor , showed her skill in reading wind and weather conditions. Though she started in a difficult spot due to unfavorable winds, she noticed slight changes in the breeze. She used this knowledge to take risks while maneuvering her boat. Making smart decisions based on changing conditions, Sarah won in speed and tactics.

Reading wind and weather conditions is essential for yacht racers. With keen observation, data analysis, and flexibility, sailors can do well on the water. So, if you’re joining a regatta or a sailing trip, mastering this art is important for success.

Resources and Additional Information

The following section provides additional resources and information related to yacht racing rules and regulations. These resources can be helpful for further understanding and clarifying the various aspects of the sport.

• Visit reputable online platforms such as yacht racing associations, federations, and governing bodies for comprehensive rules and regulations.
• Explore websites that provide educational materials, instructional videos, and interactive tools to enhance your knowledge.
• Delve into specialized publications authored by renowned sailors, coaches, and officials. These books cover a wide range of topics, including racing tactics, strategies, and the intricacies of specific rules.
• Engage with fellow enthusiasts, experienced sailors, and professionals on sailing forums and online communities. These platforms offer valuable insights, practical tips, and discussions on various rules and racing scenarios.

It is essential to stay updated with the latest developments and amendments in the rules to ensure compliance and maintain fair competition. Continuously seek new sources of information to enhance your understanding of yacht racing regulations and improve your performance on the water.

Yacht racing rules and regulations have evolved over time to ensure fairness and safety in the sport. The sport’s history is replete with instances of rule modifications and adaptations to address emerging challenges and technological advancements. A testament to the sailing community’s commitment to maintaining a level playing field and promoting the spirit of competition.

Get ready to navigate through a sea of paperwork and bureaucracy as we dive into the world of associations and governing bodies where bold sailors become masters of red tape.

Associations and Governing Bodies

Associations and Governing Bodies are vital for managing various industries. We present an overview of some important associations and governing bodies relevant to distinct sectors. To make it easier to understand, let’s list out the information in a table:

This table shows some examples of associations and governing bodies from many areas. Each association has a major role in setting up standards, creating rules, and promoting collaboration within its industry.

It’s worth noting that there are other associations and governing bodies in other places, each doing their part to foster growth and uphold ethical practices. These organizations often provide materials such as industry-particular research, networking chances, and professional growth programs.

Pro Tip: To stay up to date with the most recent developments in your field, participate actively in related associations or governing bodies. This can help you stay ahead and build valuable connections within your sector.

Recommended Reading and Online Sources

Unlock helpful resources to boost your knowledge! Try these ideas:

• Read up on industry news with Harvard Business Review .
• Learn new skills with Coursera or Udemy courses.
• Check out free materials from universities like MIT OpenCourseWare .
• Listen to inspiring TED Talks .
• Get answers in online forums and communities like Stack Overflow .

Go deeper with niche topics. Try IEEE Xplore or JSTOR databases for in-depth research. Master tough concepts with interactive learning platforms like Khan Academy .

Pro Tip: Don’t just consume info, engage with it. Take notes, join discussions, and apply what you learn.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is yacht racing?

Yacht racing is a competitive sport where sailboats or yachts compete against each other in a designated course to determine the fastest or most skillful boat.

What are the basic rules of yacht racing?

The basic rules of yacht racing include giving way to other boats, avoiding collisions, understanding right of way, and following course boundaries. Each race may also have specific rules and regulations.

How are yacht racing courses determined?

Yacht racing courses are determined by race organizers and can vary depending on the type of race and the location. Courses typically include marks, buoys, or specific geographic points that boats must navigate around.

What is the role of a race committee in yacht racing?

The race committee is responsible for organizing and overseeing yacht races. They set the course, establish starting and finishing lines, enforce rules, and ensure fair competition.

Do yacht racing rules change for different types of boats?

Yes, yacht racing rules can vary slightly depending on the class or type of boat. Different classes may have specific regulations regarding sail dimensions, equipment, or crew size.

How can I learn more about yacht racing rules and regulations?

To learn more about yacht racing rules and regulations, you can refer to official rulebooks such as the Racing Rules of Sailing published by World Sailing. You can also seek guidance from experienced sailors or enroll in sailing courses.

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Yacht Racing Tactics Starts

Interested in racing? We have collected a lot of interesting things about Yacht Racing Tactics Starts . Follow the links and you will find all the information you need about Yacht Racing Tactics Starts.

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Great singles cruises to book and meet fascinating people

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Start humming the theme song to “The Love Boat” because we’re going to do a deep dive into how to find the perfect singles cruises to book if you want to meet people.

Is it possible to meet your forever match on a cruise ship? Absolutely.

An editor I once knew found her true love on an expedition-style cruise. They married within months of returning home and now have two children. Whether it was the thrill of the expedition, the forced digital detox of a remote destination or the close quarters of a small ship, their relationship clearly blossomed on board.

Cruise ships offer a unique way to meet new and often fascinating people, whether you’re looking for romance or simply want to enjoy the company of other people vacationing the same way you do.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter .

There are single cruisers on almost every ship. Some sail solo; others are in friend or family groups. Dining arrangements, onboard activities and port tours make meeting like-minded people easy. Also, it’s socially acceptable to strike up conversations with others throughout the ship.

Some cruise lines make it even easier for singles to find each other with solo cabins clustered together and scheduled events for singles.

If you’d like to find companionship at sea, here are our top tips for making the most of a singles cruise.

Tips for making the most of a singles cruise

As on dry land, activities are often the best way to meet people on a cruise. If you love to dance, go where the music is. If water sports are your thing, book a tropical cruise with a schedule of shore excursions that involve snorkeling, surfing, scuba diving and similar activities. Choose tours focused on wildlife watching, historical sites or food and beverage to meet shipmates who enjoy the same.

You’ll often find other singles within shore excursion tour groups . However, you can increase your odds by joining social media groups specific to your cruise dates where you can connect pre-cruise with anyone cruising single.

In fact, there are dozens of social media groups dedicated to singles who love to cruise. Some groups focus on specific cruise lines, while others are broader in scope. Either way, they provide an easy opportunity to start a conversation with other singles before you ever set foot on the ship.

Your vessel’s daily activity schedule is also a good place to find other singles. Check on the cruise line’s app , on the interactive TV in your cabin or in the printed version (if there is one) for planned gatherings of singles, which are often pre-dinner meetups at bars.

A theme cruise is another way to meet people with similar interests. Sailings focus on country music, popular TV shows, wine tasting, crafting and other hobbies and interests. Not only will you likely find plenty of singles ready to mingle, but it might also be easier to strike up a conversation, knowing you have at least one thing in common.

Chartered singles cruises take the work out of finding other singles because you’ll travel together in a group, often with a host to organize everyone. On larger ships, the charter will connect you with other group members through planned onboard meals, gatherings and activities. On smaller vessels, the tour company might charter the entire ship, so every passenger is single.

One word of caution here: It’s easy to think that meeting someone on a cruise ship takes all the inherent danger out of hanging out with strangers. You’re in a confined space surrounded by lots of other people. Sounds safe, right?

While cruising is, overall, incredibly safe, crime on board can happen. Like any form of travel, it’s best not to let your guard down, especially if you go off alone with someone you’ve just met.

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind when seeking other singles on cruise ships is to start with an appropriate cruise line for your age and lifestyle . Here are some great singles cruises for various age groups to help you get started.

Best cruises for singles over 20

For young singles, cruising can sometimes feel like an expensive way to meet people. To avoid the high cost of single supplements charged to solo travelers in standard cabins meant for at least two people, single cruisers can travel with friends and share a room. (Many cabins can sleep up to four.) Also, you might feel more confident heading to the ship’s bars or nightclubs in a group.

Try short three- to five-night cruises on low-cost mainstream lines like Carnival , Norwegian Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean , where you’ll find more young adults and more of a party scene . Singles on a budget can also save money cruising on older, smaller ships across the mainstream fleets, which typically have lower cruise fares.

Margaritaville at Sea is another good choice for quick and affordable two-night trips to the Bahamas, though you’ll need to find love quickly on such a short cruise.

Twentysomethings who have a larger travel budget and wish to cruise on their own can look for cruise lines with solo cabins. These rooms for one are in limited supply, so they can be priced at a premium and sell out quickly.

Related: The 6 best cruise lines for solo travelers

Our top pick for this age group would be a short Carnival cruise from almost any U.S. departure port.

The price is right, there’s plenty of onboard fun designed for this age group (great live bands, nightly karaoke, poolside games, trivia and deck parties). It’s also a good way to get your feet wet when it comes to cruising as a young single. Carnival ships have many cabins that can sleep several of your besties if you choose not to go alone.

Best cruises for singles over 30

Cruising singles in their 30s have slightly different vacation needs from their younger peers. Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and Carnival are all still great choices for this age group, whether you’re traveling on your own or with a group of friends.

Another cruise line that works well for young singles is Virgin Voyages , which is child-free and has rooms and activities designed for singles. Its cheeky, nontraditional vibe is a plus for thirtysomethings.

Use the tattoo you got at the onboard tattoo studio as a conversation starter, make friends at an ’80s-themed workout class, or chat up your neighbor at an after-hours cabaret or at a communal table in one of the line’s many complimentary restaurants.

Related: A beginner’s guide to picking a cruise line

Single parents who vacation with their youngsters might want to add Disney Cruise Line to the list. The kids can enjoy amazing supervised programming in the expansive kids club while mom or dad enjoys adult pleasures like wine tastings, fine dining and dancing — all of which could lead to meetups with other single parents on board.

A warm-climate Royal Caribbean cruise with your best buds can be an ideal option for the over-30 set. We recommend one of the line’s newest and biggest ships so you have plenty of options for food, entertainment and hangouts to try. From slides and water attractions that get your heart racing to dance clubs open until the wee hours of the night, these ships have plenty to offer young singles and plenty of places to meet new friends.

Best cruises for singles over 40

Singles in their 40s generally are ready for a little less party and a little more romance on a singles cruise. This age group won’t be out of place among festive singles on board Virgin Voyages or Carnival, but Celebrity Cruises is another cruise line to consider.

The line’s newer Edge Class ships have a younger, hipper ambience than their older ships. Think martini bars, foodie havens and jazz clubs, all with decor that looks nothing like your parents’ cruise ships.

Related: Best cruise ship bars

For those who like to gamble, try the mainstream cruise lines. The large casinos offer yet another opportunity to meet other singles on board — particularly at the table games. Margaritaville at Sea is another line to consider with plenty of gambling singles on board.

For fortysomething singles looking for onboard romance, we suggest a studio cabin for seven nights on NCL’s new Norwegian Viva bound for the Caribbean . There’s plenty to do on board and in port to help you meet people.

Additionally, the solo cabins, which have been redone in a more elegant style than on some of the line’s older ships, provide access to the Studio Lounge for socializing. The lounge has also been revamped, giving it an upscale feel with free daily snacks and drinks. (Note that Norwegian’s cabins for one sell out quickly, so you’ll want to book early.)

Another great pick would be Virgin Voyages’ four-night Fire and Sunset Soiree sailings from Miami on Scarlet Lady . They include stops at Key West and a private beach club on Bimini , plus a sea day to get to know your fellow passengers. The cost for a single “sailor,” as Virgin calls them, starts at around $700.

Best cruises for singles over 50

For senior singles cruises, all the previous options are still reasonable choices. However, some lines cater a bit more to this age group. The caveat is that cruise lines that cater to mature travelers are often targeted at couples, with solo travelers skewing older.

Oceania , Azamara and Holland America are tops on this list, especially on their shorter cruises that attract still-working professionals. The ships are large enough to have a mix of singles among the usual crowd of couples but small enough to provide a strong chance of actually meeting those other singles on board.

These lines offer port-intensive itineraries, so book ship tours to connect with like-minded folks on board since you likely won’t spend as much time lounging around the pool.

For singles over 50, a Celebrity Cruises itinerary in the Mediterranean will likely include many other singles with whom you can mingle. Mediterranean cruises are popular with active mid-lifers looking to see more of the world. What could be more romantic than cruising the Greek Isles or the Italian coastline?

Best cruises for singles over 60

Single retirees with the freedom to enjoy longer and often more expensive cruises have loads of options for meeting people. The list starts with premium lines like Holland America, Oceania and Cunard , but also Viking and Princess Cruises .

Single travelers in their 60s and older with a large travel budget should consider luxury cruise lines like Seabourn Cruise Line , Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Silversea Cruises . All of these cater to singles with reduced supplement charges and singles meet-and-greets.

Visit the maitre d’ on the first day of your cruise to ensure you are seated at the same table or group of tables with other singles for dinner in the main dining room. Dance classes, trivia games and port tours also put you in the right place at the right time to strike up conversations with others looking to make new connections. Social hostesses on luxury lines can introduce you to other solo travelers, too.

Related: Why it’s easier to meet new people on a smaller cruise ship

River cruises in Europe are another possibility for singles in this age group. River cruises are inherently social, in part because of the small size of the ships, but also because daily tours put people with shared interests in proximity during walking and bus excursions. There are also choices of specialty theme cruises for LGBTQ+ cruisers , wine lovers, golfers and ancestry seekers, all of which make it easier for singles to meet people on board.

Lines to consider include AmaWaterways , Viking River Cruises, Avalon River Cruises, Emerald Cruises and Uniworld River Cruises. River cruises also sometimes offer reduced single supplements, making them more affordable for those traveling alone.

A top pick for this age group would be an Alaska sailing on Silversea Cruises. This luxury line includes everything in one fare — even many fabulous Alaska excursions you would pay hundreds of dollars for on any other line. The ships are small enough that you can easily meet your fellow travelers, and the excursions make it easy to share experiences with other singles on board.

Bottom line

The romance of a cruise is undeniable. From dressy dinners to the moon’s glow on the ocean waves, cruising can feel like a setting straight from a Hollywood film. Though not as simple as swiping right, cruising to meet other singles has appeal.

Choosing the right cruise line and activities can help you narrow your potential candidates. Looking for an outdoor adventurer? Choose active tours in port. Want to share your love of music, wine or Blackjack with someone? Pick a theme cruise focused on your passion.

If you just want to dance the night away with singles in your own age group, there’s a ship for you — whether your jam is rock ‘n’ roll, hip hop or a classic waltz.

Also, you lose nothing by trying. Even if you don’t meet the partner of your dreams, you’ll enjoy a fantastic cruise vacation.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

SPONSORED:  With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.

And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free. 

These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Why Tipping Is Everywhere

In the united states, many say tipping is expected in more places these days. here’s how tipping culture exploded..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

Hello. Excuse me?

My name is Sabrina. This is Claire. We’re journalists. Could we ask you a question?

You just did.

[LAUGHS]: Another one. [UPBEAT MUSIC]

What is your view of tipping?

I think it’s become excessive. Whatever they do, they got that jar and they’re wanting you to put a tip in there.

They have the iPad. And it’s like, all right, how much you want to tip? And it’s like you bought a $5 coffee. It’s like, all right, well, tip $3.

There’s a lot of pressure. You feel like you have to tip. And I feel like people are watching you at that moment.

Yeah, yeah. I feel a lot more pressure to tip more. Wages haven’t kept up, so I feel like I should be tipping more. And it’s annoying because my wages haven’t gone up either, so it’s annoying.

The other day I just bought a loaf of bread, and the tip thing came up, gave me the option of 15 percent or 20 percent. Do I really have to tip somebody to buy a loaf of bread?

I went to the self-service machine. And it was like, add a tip. And it’s like add a tip for what? I’m the one that did the work, you know what I’m saying?

You’re like, I should be tipping myself.

I actually am a tip worker. We’re literally paid less wages in order for the customers to pay us.

What do tips mean for you and your work?

It’s how I feed my family.

Yes. 100 percent.

Unless you work in the service industry, you don’t really understand how crucial tipping is.

Tips mean a lot. They are 60 percent, 50 percent of my paycheck. And my hourly is pretty low to begin with.

Whatever I get at the end of the night goes towards dinner. Or for example, I didn’t have money for sanitary pads one time. And then that tip, grabbed it.

I feel like a lot of people feel like you did nothing for me. You just put a cup on the counter and I took it. Like, why should I pay you extra for that?

What do you say to someone who says that? You didn’t do anything, you just put my food in a bag.

If you knew what my paycheck looked every week, you would think different. Or maybe not, maybe you don’t feel bad for me and you’re like, get a different job. But like, this is a job I’m good at and the job I like. And I’d like to be able to make a living off of it. That extra dollar or two really makes a difference.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise and this is “The Daily.”

Tipping, once contained to certain corners of the economy, has exploded, creating confusion and angst and now even becoming an issue in the presidential campaign. Today, economics reporter, Ben Casselman, cracks open the mystery of this new era of tipping.

It’s Thursday, August 29.

So Sabrina.

Can I ask you a personal question?

What is your philosophy on tipping?

[LAUGHS]: Exactly.

Sabrina, I think I’m a sucker. Look, I’ve always tried to be a good tipper in restaurants. It feels like part of the deal.

I worked as a waitress for many years. That was the only way I actually made money. If there’s no tip, there’s no salary. Restaurants, it’s a rule.

Absolutely. But now tipping is everywhere. You see these tip screens in places you never would have tipped before. I mean, never mind the coffee shop, you see it at the fast food place. You see it at the oil change place. I’ve heard stories of people seeing it at the self-checkout line. Who’s even getting that tip?

And every time a tip screen pops up, I always tip.

Oh, my god, Ben, so do I.

It’s totally irrational. I hate it. But there’s some part of me, and I don’t love this about myself, that is just convinced somebody is going to be sitting there judging me or I’m terrified that they’re going to. And, oh, my god, if I click No Tip, am I a bad person?

And someone behind me in line might see that.

I can’t click that No Tip button.

I am exactly the same. Every single time I’m presented with this iPad screen thingy, the tips come up. I press max, 30 percent. My husband, an economist, thinks this is ridiculous.

He says, you’re tipping 30 percent on a bottle of water someone just handed you. Don’t do that. That is crazy. But I keep doing it because I can, so I should. I don’t know, I have guilt about it.

Your husband is objectively correct. This is crazy. But tipping is not about objective cold economic logic. It’s emotional. It’s cultural.

There are norms around it. And right now, we have no idea what those norms are. And so we’re all stuck in this panicked moment of trying to decide which button you press and whether you should be expected to tip in this circumstance.

OK, so we are both suckers. We’ve established that. What we need to do now is figure out this panicked moment. I want you to explain this to me, Ben. Why has tipping exploded?

I think there are three reasons. The first of these is just technology. Several years ago, we started to see these tablet-based checkout systems everywhere. And it’s very easy to just add a tip screen onto there, that little, do you want to add a tip, 10 percent, 15 percent, 20 percent.

Right. And as I had less cash and then no cash in my wallet, this was always the way I paid for things.

Yeah, so it became very easy technologically to add tipping. But then the real shift came in the pandemic.

If you think back to that moment, many of us were lucky enough to be able to work from home and to be relatively safe. And we felt a lot of gratitude for the people who weren’t able to do that, who were bringing us food and delivering groceries. And so there was an explosion in tipping. And an explosion in tipping, even in places where we didn’t used to tip.

If you go and pick up takeout at a restaurant, you probably always tip your delivery driver. But if you went to the restaurant and you picked it up, you didn’t tip there. But now in the pandemic moment, they add a tip screen saying, would you like to tip? And yeah, of course, I’d like to tip. These people are risking their lives out there to make my chicken tikka masala.

Right. You basically wanted to tip the UPS guy.

Yes. And so we were tipping everybody. And so that allowed tipping to spread into these new areas. It got a beachhead in places where it didn’t used to be.

And maybe if the story ended there, it would have been this moment in time and then it all would have gone back to the way it always used to be. But that didn’t happen because we had this intense worker shortage when things started to reopen.

And how does that fit into this?

Businesses start to reopen. They need workers. They’re having a hard time finding them. Workers are reluctant to come back for all sorts of reasons. And tipping became a way of attracting workers.

Businesses were paying more, but they were also looking for other ways to get workers. And saying, we’ll add a tip screen that’ll boost your pay further. And if there’s one coffee shop where there’s a tip screen and there’s another coffee shop where there isn’t, you can be pretty sure which one you’re going to go work at.

Completely. I mean, we were talking to workers yesterday, and they were very specific about which chain stores allowed tips and which ones didn’t. And they much preferred working for the ones that allowed tips. I mean, it makes sense.

And I asked them, as a proportion of your earnings, how much are tips? Tips are a lot. Does that mean you make less in the place that doesn’t have the screen that allows it? Absolutely.

We saw workers demanding this. In fact, when some Starbucks stores were unionizing, one of the things they demand is, we want to be able to take tips on credit card payments.

Interesting, yeah.

This became a source of negotiation between businesses and their workers. And the thing is, once that happens, it’s really hard to put the genie back in the bottle.

But why? I mean, this all sprung up into our lives in the matter of a couple of years. So why can’t it go back to the way it was just as quickly?

Imagine that coffee shop worker that you were talking to yesterday, who’s now making, in many cases, 20 percent, 30 percent, even 40 percent of their earnings in tips. The business can’t just say, never mind, we’re going to get rid of the tip screen. Maybe, we’ll put out a tip jar and people can leave $1 or $2 when they want to. That’s a huge pay cut for that worker.

OK, they could instead say we’re going to get rid of tipping and we’re going to raise your pay. Instead of paying you $15 an hour and $5 in tips, we’ll give you $20 an hour. But now the business is going have to raise prices as a result.

And you, Sabrina, the coffee-drinking public are going to say, no way, I’m not going there and paying $8 for my latte or whatever the price may be. And so for the business, they can’t just get rid of the tip, because they can’t just cut off the pay and they can’t raise prices enough to raise pay accordingly.

Right. Nonstarter for the business.

Can’t work for them. And the worker is certainly not going to stick around if they try to do that.

So has there been some experimentation with this? I mean, have restaurants actually tried to go tipless?

Yeah, so we’ve seen an example of exactly this. A few years back, Danny Meyer, a big New York restaurateur, and a bunch of other restaurants as well tried getting rid of tipping completely. They said, this system is unfair, it’s unequal. We’re going to raise wages for everybody, for waiters, but also for cooks.

We’re going to raise our prices, accordingly, to pay for that. And customers will understand. They’ll understand that they’re paying the same amount at the end of the day, it just is in the form of a direct cost instead of a cost plus a tip. And it didn’t work.

For a bunch of reasons. But mostly because customers looked at the price on the menu and people didn’t want to pay it. I also think, look, we all complain about tipping. But customers also kind of like the tip. They kind of like looking generous.

You get to show off to your date or to your father-in-law. And, of course, you can, at least in theory, express your dissatisfaction by withholding a tip or by tipping less. Not you and me, we apparently don’t do that. But some people do, I hear.

The restaurant’s like, suckers, OK, great. Yeah, we don’t even have to worry about them.

Customers rebelled against the idea of not tipping. And most of those restaurants eventually went back to the old model.

Interesting. So we do have this love-hate relationship with tipping.

Yes. We hate being asked, but we like the control. And I think that is part of why all these changes feel so difficult for so many people, because it doesn’t necessarily feel like you have the control anymore.

That screen in front of you with the barista watching you, with the person in line behind watching you —

Oh, my gosh, I’m sweating already.

— you don’t feel like can press the No Tip button. Or at least suckers like you and me don’t.

Exactly. The choice is gone.

The choice is gone. Or the choice, at least, is sort of psychologically more taxing.

Right. [LAUGHS]

You feel pressured to do it.

OK, so that’s the customer experience. But with this new uptick in tipping, one question I always have is, is the worker on the other side of the screen getting this tip or will the business owner pocket it?

The worker is getting the tip with some caveats. By law, the business owner or the managers, they can’t take the tips. If you click a Tip button or you leave $1 in the tip jar or you tip in any way, if that ends up in the pockets of the business owner or the general manager or what have you, that is wage theft. It happens. We certainly hear stories about it happening, but it’s certainly not legal and it’s certainly not the norm.

That doesn’t mean that the worker, the person who hands you your latte, is the person getting your dollar. It often gets pooled across all of the workers who are working that shift or even all of the workers who work over an entire week. But it’s going to the workers.

People like us can rest assured that the workers are getting the full benefit of that tip that you’re pushing.

In many ways, what you are doing as the customer is you are subsidizing the wage. If you, you coffee shop worker, want to get $25 an hour, you don’t care whether that’s $20 in pay and $5 in tip or $25 in pay or any breakdown of that.

$25 is $25.

$25 is $25. When I leave a tip of $1, on some level, that’s $1 less that coffee shop has to pay you, the barista. Tips are helping the business pay their workers. They’re shifting. The business is shifting some of the burden for paying its workers off of its revenue onto its customers.

In other words, you and I, Ben, we are kind of helping foot the bill for these wages.

Absolutely. And from the businesses’ perspective, that’s a pretty great deal, because they basically get to charge, say, $4 for the latte and then for the customers who are willing to pay more, they’re basically charging more. Those people throw on the tip.

It’s a way of the business getting the maximum dollars that it can out of the maximum number of customers that it can attract.

But for workers, this system where they’re increasingly reliant on customer tips carries some real risks.

[UPBEAT MUSIC]

We’ll be right back.

Tell me about these risks of our tipping system.

Look, tipping has always had a lot of problems associated with it. If you think in restaurants, they’re often really big pay disparities where the servers at the front of the house, who are getting tipped, often make a lot more money, especially at a nice restaurant, than the cooks and dishwashers and all of the people at the back of the house.

You hear these stories of people going to cooking school and then basically bailing on the cooking career and becoming waitresses and waiters because it’s just more money.

Yeah. And then within tipped occupations, there’s a lot of inequity here. There have been studies that have shown that a pretty young woman gets tipped better than other people, that white people often get tipped better. There are tons of problems around sexual harassment, because if your earnings are dependent on the table that you’re serving liking you, then maybe you put up with things that workers shouldn’t have to put up with.

Those are the problems that have always existed in this system. But then as tipping spreads, the risk is, first, just more workers have to deal with this, but also that more workers become more dependent on tips for their earnings.

In the short term, this has all worked out pretty well for workers. This has been a period where they’ve been in hot demand, and so their wages have been rising. And at the same time, they’ve gotten all these tips on top of that. And that’s been really great.

But it’s not clear that that’s true over the longer term. Over the long run, you could imagine that all of these businesses get to just raise wages more slowly, that tips sort of eat away at wages over time. And then if we ever see customers pull back a little bit, tip less, then all of a sudden, all of these workers could really suffer.

Basically, you’re describing a system in which the earnings are just more vulnerable, more dependent on the kindness of strangers.

Yeah. And more at risk if those strangers become a little less kind.

Yes. And this issue has become so much a part of the national conversation that it’s actually entered the presidential race. Both former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have announced policy plans to help service workers. And essentially, they’re calling for no tax on tips.

Yeah, that’s right. So President Trump announced this several weeks ago as his big new “no taxes on tips” proposal. Kamala Harris followed up and basically endorsed that proposal, again, a little while later. We don’t have a lot of details on how this would work. But essentially, it would mean that if you earn tips, those tips are exempt at least from federal income tax.

What would that mean?

Let me tell you, economists hate this idea. Left-wing economists and right-wing economists, this is one point they can kind of all agree on.

And why do they hate it?

Because they say it’s unfair. It singles out this one group of workers for special treatment. The person who works at McDonald’s who doesn’t get tipped, they don’t benefit from this. The retail worker doesn’t benefit from this. It’s just this one group of workers who get this special treatment where they don’t have to pay taxes.

Right. Right.

But there’s also maybe an even more fundamental issue, which is that if you think you hate tipping now, if these proposals go through, you’re going to see so much more tipping.

Uh-oh, I’m holding on to my hat.

Because it’s basically a subsidy for tips.

As a worker, we said before, you don’t care whether you make, $25 an hour or $20 plus $5 an hour in tips, except that if some of that money isn’t taxed, you want more of that. You want more tips.

Basically, you want your entire salary to be a tip.

Ideally, right? And so that works great for the business perspective. Great, I don’t need to pay my workers.

[LAUGHS]: Wee!

It’s all tips now. Workers happy about that. What that means is you’re going to see more businesses looking for ways to have their workers count as tipped. Maybe you start to see tips in places that we’re not seeing them at all. Maybe you really do start to pay tips at a retail outlet, at a gas station.

Grocery store?

At a grocery store, why not? And the issue there, beyond just it being annoying for you and me, is that it further ingrains this system. All those problems that we were talking about in tipping now involves even more workers across the economy. And they’re even more vulnerable to that possibility that you and I start tipping a little bit less.

Ben, how would you describe where we are in this tipping moment? Is this just the new normal?

I think we’re still in a period of transition here. The fact that we’re having this conversation on some level tells you that we’re not totally in a new normal yet. You don’t leave a restaurant and say to yourself, man, I can’t believe I was asked to tip. But we’re still all the time having this conversation about, you wouldn’t believe I got asked to tip at the self-checkout.

Right. The bakery, for god’s sake.

It’s still a transition. It’s still happening. Over time, norms will develop. We’ll figure out the places where we tip and the places where we don’t, and how much and all of that.

But the dust hasn’t quite settled yet.

It hasn’t settled. But I think what we do know is that we’re not going back. We’re now going back to a world where we only tip in those set of circumstances where we used to. And remember, this whole transition has happened during a period of relative economic strength, when people have had money to go out and spend and to tip. The question is, what happens when that’s no longer true?

Right. When there’s a recession, people are going to be nervous about their pocketbooks and probably won’t be as generous.

Whenever we get to the next recession, it will be the first one in this new era of tipping.

And there’s a whole new group of workers who are going to lose out when that happens, who are dependent on tips and will suffer when customers start pulling those tips back.

Ben, thank you.

Sabrina, thank you so much. And the screen is just going to ask you a couple of questions at the end here.

[LAUGHS]: Ben, 30 percent.

Here’s what else you should know today. On Wednesday, at least 10 Palestinians were killed when hundreds of Israeli troops launched major raids overnight in the occupied West Bank, targeting Palestinian militants, after what Israel said was months of rising attacks. The operation, the largest since 2023, followed months of escalating Israeli raids in the occupied territory, where nearly three million Palestinians live under Israeli military rule.

And the Supreme Court maintained a temporary pause on a new plan by President Biden to wipe out tens of millions of dollars of student debt. The plan was part of the president’s approach to forgiving debt after the Supreme Court rejected a more ambitious proposal last year that would have canceled more than $400 billion in loans. The scaled-down plan was directed at certain types of borrowers, including people on disability and public service workers. The court’s decision leaves millions of borrowers enrolled in the new plan in limbo.

Today’s episode was produced by Mooj Zadie, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Eric Krupke, and Clare Toeniskoetter. It was edited by Lisa Chow and Brendan Klinkenberg, contains original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, and Rowan Niemisto, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

[THEME MUSIC]

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you tomorrow.

• August 30, 2024   •   36:09 What Phil Donahue Meant to Me
• August 29, 2024   •   26:43 Why Tipping Is Everywhere
• August 28, 2024   •   28:30 The War That Won’t End
• August 27, 2024   •   31:28 The First Major Cyberattack of the 2024 Election
• August 26, 2024   •   39:30 Trump vs. Harris on the Economy
• August 23, 2024   •   37:44 At the Democratic Convention, a Historic Nomination
• August 22, 2024   •   29:42 The Republican Plan to Challenge a Harris Victory
• August 21, 2024   •   27:54 Inside Ukraine’s Invasion of Russia
• August 20, 2024   •   36:54 Biden Leaves the Stage
• August 19, 2024   •   44:28 The Story of Kamala Harris
• August 18, 2024 The Sunday Read: ‘The Man Who Couldn’t Stop Going to College’
• August 16, 2024   •   29:47 How Air-Conditioning Conquered America

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Featuring Ben Casselman

Produced by Mooj Zadie Asthaa Chaturvedi Eric Krupke and Clare Toeniskoetter

Edited by Lisa Chow and Brendan Klinkenberg

Original music by Dan Powell Marion Lozano and Rowan Niemisto

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow ‘The Daily’ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio

Tipping, once contained to certain corners of the economy, has exploded, creating confusion and angst. Now, it is even becoming an issue in the U.S. presidential campaign.

Ben Casselman, who covers the U.S. economy for The New York Times, cracks open the mystery of this new era of tipping.

On today’s episode

Ben Casselman , a reporter covering the U.S. economy for The New York Times.

Background reading

How to deal with the many requests for tips .

Former President Donald J. Trump called Vice President Kamala Harris a “copycat” over her “no tax on tips” plan.

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We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Michael Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson, Nina Lassam and Nick Pitman.

Ben Casselman writes about economics with a particular focus on stories involving data. He has covered the economy for nearly 20 years, and his recent work has focused on how trends in labor, politics, technology and demographics have shaped the way we live and work. More about Ben Casselman

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