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Sailing or yachting is an Olympic discipline. Competition between athletes takes place on ships that are driven by the force of air currents. The task of each athlete is to overcome the water distance on the courts and overtake each other. Such competitions are called “regatta”.
About the history of yachting
Shipping appeared more than 5,000 years ago during the development of fishing and shipping. At the same time, sailing developed separately. Such vessels were used for recreation and competitive swims.
According to historians, for the first time, they learned about sailing in the Netherlands. Such a phrase appeared in the Dutch-Latin dictionary in the 16th century. As for the first official swims on sailing ships, they were organized in England in 1661. After a while, in 1720, the Cork Royal Yacht Club was opened in Ireland.
In the 18th century, the first training places for regattas appeared, as well as their organization. So, in England in 1775, the Cumberland Flotilla was formed. At the same time, many continued to use yachts for boat trips until the middle of the 19th century.
The first yacht club was opened in the early 19th century. He appeared in England in 1812 at Cowes. It was named the Royal Yacht Squadron. A little later, similar clubs were opened in France, Sweden, the United States, and Russia. Sailing was included in the Olympic Games in 1900. Then 11 programs were presented.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the first international sailing union was formed. The development of this direction, which appeared in 1907, is carried out by the International Federation, which includes 100 national federations.
Varieties of yachting
When classifying, a number of indicators are taken into account:
Regatta scale:
marine;
oceanic;
local, around the world.
Yacht class:
Single-hull regattas;
swims of two- and three-deck ships;
competitions of large yachts with sailboats from 30 m in length;
monotypic competitions between yachts of certain sizes and types of construction;
competition between boats that meet one or more of the criteria;
regattas of cruising yachts (vessels that are used for long autonomous swims) and dinghies (sailing craft with a daggerboard – a special device that does not allow the yacht to be demolished during strong winds).
The composition of the crew, the number of people in the team:
Singles (with one athlete);
Team (under the control of 2 or more people);
Age (with the participation of athletes of a certain age);
Consisting only of men or women.
Distance type:
Stage competitions with a divided track into several parts;
Flight, in which athletes move non-stop along a predetermined route.
Duration:
Long;
Short.
Competition Rules
Regattas consist of 7 competitions between different yachts. The main goal is to overcome the distance first, overtaking other rivals.
The water route is equipped with buoys, which the competitors bypass in the prescribed manner from a certain side. The “Start” command is given at the same time to all participants in the competition. The one who first completes all the tasks and gets to the finish line becomes the winner.
What equipment do yachtsmen choose?
When choosing equipment, athletes take into account the type of competition and its duration, as well as the weather. For short distances, shorts and a T-shirt are suitable, for long routes – overalls or a wetsuit that will protect against wind and sea water. In cold weather, thermal underwear is worn under clothing.
As for shoes, moccasins or sneakers are chosen for short distances and good weather conditions. For long swims, special “deck shoes” are used, which are durable, have anti-slip properties, and do not allow moisture to pass through.
As the main accessory, gloves made of artificial leather, complemented by Kevlar inserts, are chosen. The model provides shortened fingers and reinforced palms for ease of control. Neoprene gloves are suitable for cold weather. For a swim in sunny weather, high-strength glass sunglasses are a must-have accessory.
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