Most races here run a windward/leeward course: start, sail upwind to a mark, turn and come downwind, and repeat before finishing. Optis often sail a triangle instead — up, across, and back.
Why the zig-zag: a sailboat can't point straight into the wind. Going upwind means sailing at angles and switching sides ("tacking") — so what looks like wandering is actually the fastest legal route. Downwind they sail nearly straight, often with sails winged out.
How to follow a race:
- Find the orange flag + orange ball — that's the start/finish line.
- Watch the start (the horns tell you when — see "Horns and the 3-minute start").
- The fleet sails away from you toward the windward mark (set straight upwind, so its position moves with the wind).
- First boats back around and downwind are your leaders.
Wind changes everything: if the breeze shifts, the race committee may move marks, shorten the course, or abandon and restart — that's the radio chatter and flag changes between races. The live feed in this app mirrors those calls in plain English.