Windward Beat

An air horn will sound and the official boat will raise a YELLOW flag. This means you have five minutes to get into your starting position. You should be in the boat and ready to paddle out when the yellow flag is raised.

Once at the starting line, your boat holders will position the boat just in back of the starting line and will, in theory, hold you in place. Nevertheless, the steersman is responsible for being behind the line at the start, and all paddlers should be ready to kahe or back paddle to help maintain position.

The YELLOW flag on the official boat will begin to WAVE for no more than five seconds before the RED flag goes up.

When the RED flag goes up, you will have one to five seconds before the race begins. As the red flag goes up, the starter will also call "READY ALL."

After the RED flag is up for five seconds (or less), the GREEN flag will be raised, signaling the start of the race. A gun or air horn will also signal the start of the race.

It is important that all paddlers—and especially steersmen—be familiar with the starting protocols. The starting procedures are designed to give steersmen both an audible and a visual signal.

Paddlers should not focus on the official boat after the yellow flag begins to wave.

Focus on your boat and listen to the start command from your steersman—not the green flag from the official’s boat. Your steersman may try to get a stroke or two in before the green flag, or may wait until the gun/air horn sounds.

In any event, if your boat crosses the starting line before the green flag goes up, or if you touch any flag on your start, you are disqualified.