Sailing start sequence timer.
The RRS 26 start sequence on any screen: which flag is up, what comes next, and a horn at every signal. For the committee boat, the club window or a skipper who wants a second clock.
Free to use in your browser. No account, no app.
Under RRS 26, times are taken from the visual signals and the absence of a sound signal is disregarded. This timer helps the race committee keep time and draws attention with sound; it does not replace the flags on the committee boat. Check the sequence in your sailing instructions.
Run it for the whole fleet — everyone’s phone shows the same countdown with VesselSOS Racing (pilot).
Run your next raceThe RRS 26 start sequence
| Minutes before start | Visual signal | Sound | Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5* | Class flag up | One | Warning signal |
| 4 | P, I, Z, Z with I, U or black flag up | One | Preparatory signal |
| 1 | Preparatory flag down | One long | One minute |
| 0 | Class flag down | One | Starting signal |
* or as stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions — that is where a 3-2-1-0 sequence comes from. AP up: two sounds; AP down: one sound, warning signal 1 minute later. General recall: First Substitute with two sounds; it comes down with one sound and the warning signal follows 1 minute later. Individual recall: X with one sound, down when the boats have returned, no later than 4 minutes after the start.
Sources
- World Sailing — Racing Rules of Sailing 2025–2028: rule 26, rule 29, Race Signals · checked 18 Oct 2026
Questions
Can I use this timer as the official start signal?
Use it to keep time and to cue the flags, not as the signal itself. RRS 26 says times are taken from the visual signals and a missing sound is disregarded, so the class flag and the preparatory flag on the committee boat are what count. The horn here is there to draw attention.
What is the difference between 5-4-1-0 and 3-2-1-0?
RRS 26 gives the warning signal 5 minutes before the start, the preparatory signal at 4, the one-minute signal at 1 and the start at 0. The rule lets the notice of race or sailing instructions change the times, and many dinghy and club races use a 3-minute sequence (3-2-1-0). Pick the one your sailing instructions state, or set your own times.
How do postponement and general recall work in the timer?
Postpone puts AP up and stops the sequence. When you lower AP, the warning signal comes 1 minute later and the sequence restarts. General recall puts the First Substitute up; when you lower it, the warning signal for the new start comes 1 minute later — as the Race Signals and rule 29.2 describe.
Can I start the gun at an exact time?
Yes. Enter the starting time (for example 11:00:00) and tap "Sync to this time". The timer counts down from your device clock, so set the phone or laptop to automatic network time first.
Does it work offline and with the screen locked?
Once the page is open it needs no connection. Big screen keeps the display awake where the browser allows it (Screen Wake Lock); if it does not, keep the device from sleeping. Phones may silence sounds in silent mode — test the horn before the race.
Can every boat see the same countdown?
Not with this page — each device runs its own clock. In VesselSOS Racing (pilot), the race office runs the sequence and every joined phone shows the same countdown, the flags up and the next signal, synced to the race-office clock.
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