Yacht racing

This website is intended to assist people interested in sailing. We will be mainly focusing on principles of sailing, rules in yacht racing, sailing techniques and nautical navigation.

The handling of a yacht is ofcourse best learned by practical experience. When it comes to yacht racing the steersman in a race must endeavour to get the utmost out of his boat. It is natural to every experienced helmsman to try to do so even when cruising, but it is especially important to the man at the helm of a racing yacht. Not a second must be lost.

Now I venture to think that my hints upon the first principles of steering a yacht may lead the young helmsman into the right channels if he proceeds upon the methods I have suggested he ought to become a helmsman with "a good style" and with practice develop into a useful man in a race.

I believe that a novice at racing who has really mastered the broad and general principles of the sport, is far more competent and likely to be successful, than the man whose idea of the rules is built up upon a smattering of individual "rules" "foot-notes" and " pro-test cases".

My advice to the beginner at this game of Yacht Racing, after he has given his attention to the details of the actual steering and sailing is to study the rules of the road.

The rule of the road in yacht racing is largely built up upon what I believe lawyers call case law. Knotty points, peculiar cases, curious situations, often arise in yacht races, merely from the fact the vessels are always moving and rapidly changing their positions and the steersmen get into a situation in which it is disputed which rule, or clause of a rule, should apply. A protest arises. It is decided by the Sailing Committee of the Club. It is afterwards referred to the Council of the Y.R.A. to decide the point of law.

The decision is given and such decision stands as a Ruling Case for the future guidance of yachtsmen. The Y.R.A. sailing rules were founded in 1875. Occasionally during that time the rules have been changed but not often.