Busan Regional Office of Oceans & Fisheries

• History of Yachts
• Classification
• About yacht racing Sport events
• About yachting facilities

About yacht racing Sport events

All the international yacht racings practice the International Class adopted by International Sailing Federation. Various international events, including Olympic Games, choose the specified events from the International Class. The certified International Class includes 98 items ranging from small size dinghy to multi-hulls with more than two hulls. The sailing programs of the 29th Beijing Olympics in 2008 were totally 11 classes including men’s 470 Class / Laser Class / Star Class / RSX Class, women’s 470 Class / Laser Class / Laser Radial Class / Yngling Class / RSX Class, and open events of 49er Class / Tornado Class / Finn Class. The sailing programs of the 30th London Olympic in 2012 were 10 classes including men’s RSX Class / Laser Class / 470 Class / Star Class, women’s RSX Class / Laser Class / 470 Class / Eliott 6m Class, and open events of Finn Class / 49er Class.

Racing Rules of Sailing

The ranking determined based on the sequence of finishing the course, marked by buoys on the surface of the water, within the predetermined time (generally 1hour and 30 minutes). The geometry of courses can be Triangle, Trapezoid, Zigzag, Windward-Leeward, Sausage or revolving.

The organizing committee of a race should publish Sailing Instruction regulated by International Sailing Federation and make available for each yacht. Sailing Instruction refers to a document informing participants of necessary information of the racing including the start signal, course, scoring and protest time. In accordance with this document, some rules of the race may be changed.
The participants should not wear or carry any clothing or equipments for the purpose of increasing their weights. In the case of sailing clothing and gear, they should not exceed 8 kg except for the hiking harness or trapeze harness and the clothing worn under the knee (including shoes). However, the Class Rules or Sailing Instruction may stipulate the weight lighter or heavier up to 10 kg. Class Rules may include the weights of shoes and other clothes worn under the knees within the stipulated weight. The hiking harness or trapeze harness should have safe buoyancy and the weight should not exceed 2kg. However, the Class Rules may stipulate a heavier weight up to 4kg.
The start line of the race is the imaginary line between one buoy and the Committee boat. Yachts participating in the race should stay in the start line and wait for the start signal. The starting procedure proceeds in the sequence of a warning signal 5 minutes before the start, a preparatory signal 1 minute before and the start signal. If some part of a yacht is on the line or already crossed the line just before the start, that yacht should come back to the waiting area for the restart. This process is called a recall. The recalled yacht should depart from the start line again. Each yacht completes the race by starting properly, passing the turning point properly and finally finishing the finish line.
During the race, if another yacht violates the rule and causes you a disadvantage, as a way of protesting, you shout at the violated yacht. Then, after finishing the race, you fill out the Protest Form and submit it to the Protest Committee. The Protest Committee conducts a hearing about the protest complying with the requirements. Based on the verified facts, the Committee should take the measures of disqualification, penalty or exoneration.
When yachts meet in the middle of race, the Right of Way occurs. For example, when two yachts are on opposite tacks, the starboard-tack yacht has the right against the port-tack yacht. When yachts are on the same tack, the yacht clear astern has the right against the boat clear ahead.
As a yacht race is strongly influenced by the day’s condition of the sea, such as the wind, tides and waves, there are a series of races held, and the ranking will be determined by the total of race scores. The number of races is 7-9 times in total and, 1~2 or 1~3 times of races are held per day in average. The scoring method can be either bonus point method or low point method. In the bonus point method, the top places from the first to the 6th are given the following points: 1st place 0 point, 2nd place 2 points, 3rd place 5.7 points, 4th place 8 points, 5th place 10 points and 6th place 11.7 points. The 7th and lower places are given 6 points plus their corresponding places. The low point scoring method grants the points as in: 1st place 1 point, 2nd place 2 points, 3rd place 3 points and so on. Recently the latter is more frequently used. The series score will be the total of the race scores excluding the worst score. The ranking is determined in order of achieving lower points.