Junior regattas here use a 3-minute starting sequence from a sound box on the committee boat — it's loud on purpose, so sailors can't miss it.
The rhythm you'll hear:
- 3 minutes — long horn. The countdown begins for one fleet.
- 2 minutes — horn.
- 1 minute 30 — long horn + short horn.
- 30 seconds — horn.
- Final seconds — a beep every second, counting down.
- Start — one clean horn. They're racing.
Gold fleet starts first; green fleet usually starts about 4 minutes later (if gold is slow getting away, the race committee holds green — so don't panic if the gap stretches).
If you hear horns after a start, check the flags: one horn with an X flag = someone was over early; two horns with First Substitute = everyone in that fleet is coming back for a restart.
Quick decoder for the day: lots of short beeps = a start is seconds away. One horn + a flag right after a start = someone jumped the gun.