Sailboat racing can be intimidating to beginner sailors, and knowing all the rules can seem daunting.

There are rules to cover every sailing scenario, but understanding a handful of simple concepts can get you into the action in no time.

The most common start sequence for fleet racing is a 5 minute countdown to the start. You want to be at the starting line when your class flag is removed. The Sailing Instructions for the event will say what this flag will be.

The starting line is between the staff of the orange flag on the Race Committee signal boat and a buoy to its port side. Keep clear of this area until your group's class flag is displayed if there are other starts in the sequence.

If the hull of a boat is on the course side of the starting line at the starting signal, flag X will be displayed with a sound signal to indicate an individual recall.

If you were over early, return fully to the pre-start side of the starting line after sailing clear of other boats.

No matter who has right-of-way, all boats are required to avoid collisions when reasonably possible.

The right-of-way boat only needs to act when it is clear the other boat is not keeping clear. 

Boats on port tack must keep clear of boats on starboard tack.

Where boats are on the same tack, the windward boat must keep clear of boats to leeward. Overtaking boats must keep clear of boats clear ahead when overtaking.

Round racing marks counterclockwise unless otherwise specified.

There is an imaginary circle around a mark of 3 hull lengths radius. A boat that is overlapped inside the zone to the outside of another boat must give the inside boat room to round the mark.

A boat that breaks a rule will promptly take a penalty. This is most common in right-of-way interactions and when hitting a mark.

Get clear of all other boats and do 2 complete circles in the same direction. Hitting a mark only requires 1 complete circle.

The finishing line will commonly be the same as the starting line except there will be a blue flag instead of an orange flag displayed.

A boat has finished when it has sailed the course and any part of its hull crosses the line, unless it is taking a penalty turn or it continues to sail the course.

Keep clear of this area after finishing.

These rules should only be thought of as the beginning for aspiring racers.

The latest edition of the Racing Rules of Sailing are available through US Sailing, World Sailing, and numerous practical guides.



Class Flag - A visual signal indicating a class or grouping of boats sailing together

Course Side - The side of the start or finish line containing the course to be sailed.

Port Tack - A point of sail where the windward side of a boat is the port side.

Starboard Tack - A point of sail where the windward side of a boat is the starboard side.

Windward - Towards the wind. When overlapped on the same tack, the boat upwind from the other is the windward boat.

Leeward - Away from the wind. When overlapped on the same tack, the boat downwind from the other is the leeward boat.

Clear Ahead - In the forward position relative to another boat when not overlapped.

Overlapped - The position where the hull of a boat are ahead of a line abeam from the aftermost point of the other's hull. This also applies when a boat between two boats that would otherwise be clear ahead and clear astern overlaps both.

Zone - The area around a mark with a distance of three hull lengths of the boat nearer to it.