When has a sailing boat started, and when has it finished?
B · Beginner · Racing and scoring · 1 of 5A boat starts when any part of its hull crosses the start line towards the course at or after its starting signal, having been entirely behind the line. It finishes when any part of its hull crosses the finishing line from the course side. The first boat to finish takes first place in that race.
How it works
- Starting: the hull must have been entirely on the pre-start side of the line at or after the starting signal. Then any part of the hull crossing to the course side is the start.
- Finishing: any part of the hull crossing the finishing line from the course side, after the boat's starting signal.
- Not finished after all: a boat has not finished if, after crossing, it takes a turns penalty, corrects an error in sailing the course made at the line or continues to sail the course.
- No need to cross fully: after finishing a boat need not cross the finishing line completely.
- The lines: an orange flag marks one end of the starting line and a blue flag one end of the finishing line.
- When a boat is racing: from its preparatory signal until it finishes and clears the finishing line and marks, or retires, or until the race committee signals a general recall, postponement or abandonment.
- Places: the order in which boats finish decides their finishing places. Under a handicap or rating system a boat's corrected time decides it.
Tricky cases
Does the whole boat have to cross the finishing line?
No. A boat finishes when any part of its hull crosses the line, and it need not cross completely afterwards.
A boat was over the line at the signal. Has it started?
No. Its hull must first be entirely on the pre-start side at or after the starting signal. It has to come back and cross again.
Do the rules apply before the starting signal?
Yes. A boat is racing from its preparatory signal, four minutes before the start in the standard sequence, and the rules for when boats meet apply even earlier to boats in the racing area that intend to race.
Why the rule exists
Boats cannot stand still on a line the way runners do, so the start is a moment in time that every boat approaches at speed. Judging by the hull, and by the direction of crossing, gives the officials one thing to watch at each end of the race.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Racing Rules of Sailing | As above | RRS Definitions (Start, Finish, Racing); RRS A3 |
| Sailing instructions | May change the direction in which boats cross the finishing line | RRS Definitions (Finish) |
| Handicap racing | Corrected time decides the place | RRS A3 |
| Windsurfing, kiteboarding, match and team racing | Appendices B, C, D and F change some of this. Not read | RRS Introduction |
From the rule book
World Sailing The Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028, Definitions (Finish, Racing, Start), Race Signals and rule A3. In force from 1 January 2025. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: The Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 (PDF).