Pursuit Racing - all you need to know

How does a Pursuit Race work?

In a Wednesday pursuit race, boats of different speeds start at different times based on their RYA Portsmouth Number (PN). Start times are further adjusted to account for each sailor's skill and experience.

There are two parallel fleet races. The MAIN fleet is finished at 1945, 60 minutes after the base time/ COUNTER start 00 . There is a parallel race for the SLOW fleet which ends at 1930, 45 minutes after the counter time of 00. The boat(s) in front of their respective fleet at that time win

Entry

The MAIN fleet is open to all boats. The SLOW fleet is open to any boat with a PN from the Oppie (PN 1629) up to that of an RS FEVA (PN 1248). With agreement of the Race Officer, Rear Commodore Sailing or Operations Manager less experienced juniors sailing a boat with a PY less than 1248 may enter the 45 minute / SLOW race with a start time appropriate to their boat PN. Please note though that results will only be published for boats qualifying for the slow fleet (i.e. in the PN range 1248 to 1629).

Prizes

Series prizes will be awarded to main and slow fleet entrants in line with their series results. Junior prizes will be awarded to slow / 45 minute fleet entrants who qualify as juniors in line with their results in the slow fleet. If 3 or more juniors qualify in the main fleet the lead junior will be rewarded with a prize.

Personal handicaps/ helm adjustments

At Spinnaker, our pursuit races have a special element where each helm starts according to their own personal adjustment within their class. In the faster fleet, the most experienced and skilful sailors will add +7 minutes to the Class start time. Helms with progressively less experience/ success will have earlier start times ranging from +6 minutes through to zero (0) minutes. There is a one minute difference for each grade. For the slower fleet we have 4 personal adjusts also separated by one minute. Please speak with James.

You need to watch the big COUNTER board at the Race Hut, or the Committee Boat which displays the start time counter in whole minutes. You should start when your start time is displayed on the COUNTER board. As there will be sailors starting earlier you should keep clear of the start area until 1 minute before your start time (i.e when the COUNTER board shows your start time minus 1).

Your counter start is simply based on boat type/ class plus your individual handicap adjustment and is a number of minutes after the base (COUNTER = 00) time. These adjustments are published in the race hut; and also available from your class captain or from the Rear Commodore Sailing.

The race

To make clear the start is due to happen a 3,2,1,Go sequence with flags and hoots will run before the counter base time/ start.

With all boats sailing the course right up to the finish gun, it is a tough task for the Race Officers to log every position - even aided by a photo. For this reason it is important for each helm to note the sail number of the boat in front and the boat behind and to sign off with this information in the Club House at the end..

Start times

Your start time is available in the Race hut, your class captain or Robert M.

Last updated 09:45 on 4 April 2026