5 Minutes, 4 Minutes, 1 Minute, DSQ

Before any race in sailing begins there is always a five minute start sequence which allows people to get themselves ready and on the line before go.

Unlike in running, we can’t just walk up to the line and start moving when the gun goes. It is almost impossible to have a boat completely stationary in the water without an anchor, something my boat doesn’t have.

5 minutes, 4 minutes, 1 minute and go are all accompanied by a flag and sound signal to warn sailors how long they have before the race.

In that sequence, we sometimes have the excitement of seeing the black flag being used.

And by sometimes I mean

All

The

Time

Because my class is really bad at starting properly.

The rules of starting are easy enough. When the gun goes, cross the line. The problem is that in order to cross the line, you have to have been behind it in the first place. Should be simple and yet, in a vessel that never fully stops, it is easy to find yourself pushed over.

If the race committee thinks that too many people were over the line for it to be a fair start, they will pull the fleet back and make them do the start sequence again. Only this time they replace the U-Flag with the Black-flag.

The black flags means that if you’re over the line at the beginning of the race you will be disqualified until after that race is sailed.

If the race is sailed immediately then it’s fine because you can race in the one straight after that. If the race is delayed though, you might have to wait as long as over-night before you’re allowed to race again.

The only two times I’ve been black flagged in 7 years of racing, I’ve had to do that.

You’d think the prospect of a black flag would make people think twice about being too close to the line but you’d be amazed. If it’s the last race of the event, most people will actively try to get a black-flag disqualification because then they can go in early to pack up and head home.

On cold days, the fleet can have up to half the boats disqualified like this before we’re able to get a race done.

Our coaches also get particularly irritated when we lose out on sailing time as a result of pushing our own team mates into black flag territory…