Sail race signals
Start
Pre-start
Orange Flag
Race Committee (RC) displays Orange Flag. Demarks the
exact location on the boat from which the starting line
is called.
Lima Flag
One horn is blown when raising.
RC in addition fly L Flag when they are ready to check-in
competitors at the beginning of the race day.
If raised later in the day: competitors need to come by the RC boat again.
Answer Penant Flag
Two horns is blown when raising. One horn when dropped.
Postponing the start. If it is dropped on the water, next start may begin in one minute.
When accompanied with A Flag: end of racing for the day.
When accompanied with H Flag: other signals on land.
Starting Flags
Group Flag
One horn is blown when raising.
5-minute countdown to the start.
Can be replaced with the Orange Flag itself, or numeral pennant.
Preparatory signal
One horn is blown when raising.
At 4-minutes. Some combination of these raised.
P Flag: simply ‘Prep Flag’, all right-of-way rules that apply during start are enabled.
I Flag: ‘one-minute rule,’ any boat over the starting line
(‘on-course side’ aka OCS)
after one minute to start, has to sail around the end of the starting line in order to clear themselves and start
properly.
Z Flag: any boat that is OCS will get 20% penalty to their
score, regardless of clearing themselves or not.
U Flag: any boat that is OCS will be disqualified.
Black Flag: same as U Flag but also for restarts of the
race.
These flags are supposed to be raised with P Flag, RC can only raise the most punishing flag.
1-minute to start
‘Prep Flag’ lowered.
Start moment
‘Group Flag’ lowered.
Recall Flags
X-Ray Flag
One horn is blown when raising.
When some boats are OCS and must clear themselves.
RC can hail an OCS boat’s sail number by radio.
X Flag is dropped whtn all OCS are cleared or after 4 min from go, whichever comes first.
If I Flag was flown as prep sign, they have to round an
end of the start line, otherwise can just dip back behind
the starting line.
First Substitute Flag
Two horns is blown when raising.
General recall. Race is fully reset. RC will initiate another entire starting sequence.
Other Flags
November Flag
Three horns is blown when raising.
Race is abandoned, return to starting location.
Can be accompanied with A Flag and H Flag, see Answer Penant Flag.
‘Wear Your Life Jacket!’ Flag
RC informs competitors to wear personal floatation devices.