User:Jsinclairc/Draft Article

History

Yacht racing is a form of sport reserved for sailing vessels of substantial size and weight. “Yacht” is derived from the Dutch word jaght, which means “a swift light vessel of war, commerce or pleasure. The sporting element in the word lies in the derivation of jaght from the root jaghen, which means to hunt, chase or pursue….” Not to be confused with yachting, yacht racing's history began in 17th century England and is arguably demarcated by the establishment of the Royal Yacht Squadron in 1815. In 1661 John Evelyn recorded a competition between Katherine and Anne, two large royal sailing vessels both of English design, "…the wager 100-1; the race from Greenwich to Gravesend and back.”

Yachts Racing 1860

One of the vessels was owned, and sometimes steered, by Charles II, the King of England. The king lost. In 1782 the Cumberland Fleet, a class of sailing vessel known for its agility to sail close to the wind, were painted racing up the Thames River with spectators viewing from a bridge. Much like today, this obsession with sailing close to the wind with speed and efficiency fueled the racing community. As yacht racing became more prevalent, and yacht design more diverse, it was necessary to establish systems of measurements and time allowances due to the discrepancies in vessel design. Larger yachts are inherently faster than smaller ones, therefore, to level the playing field of the 1820s a “primitive system of time allowance was introduced on the Solent.” Larger yachts were essentially handicapped, but owners with the biggest vessels had a problem with the allowance system, for they thought crossing the finish line first, much like other land based races, should suffice to win the race. From here, ratings and “one-design” racing found its impetus. As sailing technology and rules advanced, combined with the popularity of the yacht club, and the rivalry egos of the same, yacht racing began to flourish. But nothing brought racing into the forefront of public life that that of the America’s Cup, first raced in 1851 between the New York Yacht Club and the Royal Yacht Squadron. Not ruled or regulated by measurement criteria as today, it is interesting to note the second place finisher was Aurora, “and but for the fact that time allowance had been waived for the race she would have been the winner by a handsome margin." The fight over rules and measurement systems is still going on today, just look at the history of the America’s Cup over the past twenty years. After the first America’s Cup, yacht racing has accelerated to where it stands today. From a gentlemen’s race between royalty, to the technical rigmarole of advanced design and technolgoy, yacht racing is still about money, time, and competitive sport.

Rules & Ratings

There is no yacht racing without ratings and racing rules. As mentioned before, since the early 19th century, the question of a level playing field between yachts of different shapes and sizes has always been on the minds of yacht racers. And toward that end, yacht clubs, and eventually yacht racing organizations, developed standardized systems for determining time allowances. Such systems are split between handicapping for multi designed racing and measurement ratings for one-design racing. The most prevalent handicap rating systems today are the ORC, ORR, IRC, and the PHRF.

There are no distinct rules for yacht racing. Whether you race a dinghy or a 100 foot J-Boat, Racing Rules of Sailing are the same. First established in 1928 , the rules are revised and updated every four years and currently promulgated by the International Sailing Federation.

Races

The major races of today can be classified as offshore, ocean, around the world, and inshore racing all adhering to one set of rule, but diverse handicapping standards.

Offshore:

• Fastnet – established in 1924 with 7 boats, the race covers approximately 600 miles starting at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, rounding Fastnet rock on the southern coast of Ireland, and finishing at Plymouth.
• Tour De France A La Voile – established in 1978 with 20 boats, the race parallels the cycling event and takes place along France's three coasts: English Channel, Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean. It covers over 1000 miles.
• Sydney-Hobart – established in 1945 the race runs from Sydney, Australia to Hobart, Tasmania covering over 600 miles.
• Newport to Bermuda – started in 1923 the race runs from Newport, RI to Bermuda, a small island approximately 600 miles off the Georgia coast.
• Chicago to Mackinac – founded in 1898 with five boats, the race runs from Chicago, IL to Mackinac Island on the northern tip of Michigan covering over 300 miles of freshwater racing.
• Coastal Classic – starting in 1982 this race is New Zealand’s premiere fleet race. Covering about 125 miles, it is shorter than most offshore races and runs north from Auckland to Russell, which is at the northern tip of New Zealand’s North Island.
• San Fernando – this race, started in 1975 with six yachts, runs a distance of 500 miles between Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Ocean Classics:

• Route Du Rhum – established in 1978 and starting in November, this race happens every four years. It is primarily a singlehanded race, but crewed boats do compete. It starts in France’s north coast running to Guadeloupe, a French Island in the Caribbean. The race covers about 3700 miles.
• Mini Transat – started in 1977, this is a singlehanded race held every two years that crosses the Atlantic on a similar route as the Route Du Rhum. This race is broken up into two legs, the first going from France to the Canary Islands and the second to Guadeloupe Island in the Caribbean.
• Osaka Cup – first held in 1987 the race runs from Melbourne to Osaka and is slated as a double hander, only two crew. Many different types of boats race this including tall ships.
• Transpacific – one of the oldest races, the Transpac, as it is known, started in 1906 with only three boats. Originally the race was to take place between San Francisco and Ohahu, but the 1906 fire moved the starting line to San Pedro, CA. It is predominately a downwind race and covers 2225 miles.
• South Atlantic – originally the Cape to Rio, it was established in 1971 with over 50 original entries. The race runs from Capetown, South Africa to Rio de Janeiro covering 3600 miles.

Around the World Races:

• Volvo Challenge – formerly known as the Whitbread it started in 1973/74. This race is one of the pinnacles of yacht racing, mostly professionally crewed. Originally a four leg race constituting 27,930 miles, it is now a nine leg race.
• Around Alone—formerly known as the BOC Challenge, this race started in 1982 with 17 entries. As the name suggests, it is a singlehanded race around the world with 4 legs.
• Global Challenge – this race was established in 1992/93 by Scottish sailing icon Sir Chay Blythe, the first person to sail around the world alone against the prevailing winds and currents. This is what makes this race unique, participants “beat” their way against the sea which makes for very uncomfortable, but safer, sailing conditions than sailing downwind. The race is sailed in one-design boats that are designed and built specifically for the race. The crews cannot be professional, and are made up of novice sailors who pay for a berth.
• Vende Global Challenge – this race started November 26, 1989 with 13 entries. It is single handed, non-stop, without assistance race. The first race took 120 days, and only 7 finished.
• Jules Verne Trophy – established in 1993 the race was designed to be a race against the clock, not other boats. Participants can start any time, have any design, any amount of crew, and the only two rules are: 1)start and finish at the Ile d’Ouessant, and 2) complete the journey under 80 days.

Inshore Races:

• The Admirals Cup – created in 1957 by the Admiral of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, it is raced every two years. This is a competition between countries who are allowed to send one team and three boats of a chosen one design class.
• The America’s Cup – established in 1851, this is the oldest, and arguably the most prestigious, exclusive event in yacht racing. Participants are restricted to a measurement formula for the boats, and the rules concerning the same have been controversial ever since Australia II took the cup away from the U.S. with a secret winged keel.