Safety and rules · 6 minute read
Autopilot racing rules Australia
How autopilots fit into Australian racing: Special Regulations, class rules, sailing instructions, two-handed divisions and what race crews actually practise.
Autopilot use in racing sits at the intersection of three separate rule sets: the racing rules themselves, the Australian Sailing that set safety equipment by race category, and whatever the class rules, notice of race and sailing instructions for your particular event say. The short answer for most Australian offshore racing is that pilots are allowed unless something specifically says otherwise, and shorthanded divisions have made them close to standard.
The longer answer is that rules change between editions and between events, so this guide explains how the pieces fit together rather than quoting specifics. Always read the current documents for the race you are entering, and if anything is unclear, ask the organising authority in writing before the start.
Key facts
- Authority
- The notice of race and sailing instructions for your event
- Equipment
- Australian Sailing Special Regulations set safety gear by category
- General position
- Pilots permitted unless a class rule or SI prohibits them
- Two-handed
- Recent editions of major races include two-handed divisions
- Lookout
- Racing does not suspend the collision regulations
- Check
- Always read the current edition rather than last year's
Racing Rules of Sailing, Special Regulations and event instructions
The racing rules govern how boats sail against each other. The Australian Sailing govern what safety equipment and preparation a boat needs for a given category of race, from inshore events up to long ocean races. Class rules govern what a particular design may carry and use. And the notice of race and sailing instructions for a specific event sit on top of all of it and can modify what is permitted.
Autopilots are generally treated as equipment rather than as outside assistance, which is why they are commonplace in Australian offshore fleets. But a one-design class may ban them, a handicap division may restrict them, and an event may impose conditions for a particular division.
The practical approach is straightforward: read the notice of race and the sailing instructions for the specific event, check your class rules, and look at the current edition of the for the category involved. Do not rely on what was true last season or on what someone tells you in the bar.
The current documents are the only authority
Shorthanded and two-handed divisions
Two-handed racing has grown rapidly in Australia, and recent editions of major offshore events, including the Sydney Hobart, have run two-handed divisions. Those divisions generally permit autopilot use, for the obvious reason that two people cannot hand steer a boat for several days while also navigating, trimming and resting.
The requirements attached to shorthanded divisions can differ from the fully crewed fleet: equipment lists, qualifying passages, experience requirements and the like. Check the specific division's conditions in the current notice of race, because they are revised regularly and the details matter for eligibility.
For crews coming from fully crewed racing, the mental shift is substantial. In a two-handed boat the pilot is not a convenience, it is the third crew member, and the boat should be set up, tuned and practised on that basis long before the qualifying passage.
Autopilot modes used by shorthanded race crews
At the top of the fleet, B&G systems integrated with H5000 processors are common, using high-quality wind and motion data to steer to a wind angle in conditions where a compass heading would be useless. NKE systems have a strong following among shorthanded and offshore racers, particularly for their gyropilot behaviour and their wrist remotes.
The pattern across brands is the same: a fast, powerful drive, a good motion sensor, high-quality wind data, and settings that have been developed on that specific boat rather than left at defaults. Racing pilots also draw far more power than cruising installations, often in the range of three to five amps average, which has to be planned for.
Whatever the brand, the pilot needs to be able to steer downwind under kite in a seaway without broaching. That capability comes from drive speed, sensor quality and tuning, and it is developed over a season of practice rather than bought in a box.
The lookout obligation does not change
Racing does not suspend the collision regulations. A boat racing under autopilot in Bass Strait has exactly the same obligation to keep a proper lookout as a cruising boat alongside it, and the fact that everyone else in the fleet is doing the same thing is not a defence.
In practice, shorthanded crews manage this the same way solo and couple crews do: AIS transmitting and receiving, alarms set properly, a scanning routine, and honest decisions about sleep. Fleet racing adds the complication that other boats are close, manoeuvring hard and often sailing without anyone looking anywhere but at the sails.
Night racing on the New South Wales coast, where the fleet crosses commercial shipping close inshore, is where this bites. Set the AIS closest point of approach alarm and use it, even when the boat is going well and nobody wants to interrupt.
Practising pilot-driven manoeuvres
The difference between crews who use a pilot well and crews who fight it is practice on the water. Gybing a symmetric kite under pilot, bearing away under spinnaker in building breeze, sailing a tight wind angle in shifts, and taking the helm instantly when the pilot cannot cope are all learnable skills, and they are best learnt in daylight in twenty knots rather than at two in the morning in a race.
Build a practice list and work through it during club racing and training sails. Keep notes on which settings suited which conditions, because a racing pilot's settings are a boat-specific asset that gets better over a season.
- Hoist, gybe and drop the kite with the pilot steering a wind angle
- Bear away and round up under pilot in twenty knots, then in twenty-five
- Practise the instant takeover, from both sides of the cockpit
- Sail a long leg in true wind angle and compare with apparent wind angle
- Reef and shake out with the pilot holding the boat
- Run the energy numbers for the race and confirm the charging plan
Preparation and scrutineering
Race preparation is a good moment to give the pilot a proper service, because a system that fails on day two of a long race costs far more than the inspection would have. Check the drive, the connectors, the rudder reference and the software versions, and do a full sea trial with the settings you intend to race with.
Safety categories bring audits and equipment inspections. The autopilot itself is normally equipment rather than a required item, but the boat's electrical system, batteries, charging and steering arrangements all come under scrutiny, and a pilot that draws heavily is part of the energy picture the auditor may ask about.
Finally, write your settings and procedures into the boat's documentation. In a crew that rotates, the person who knows how the pilot behaves in a building sea should not be the only person who knows it.
Questions
Frequently asked
Are autopilots allowed in Australian offshore racing?
Generally yes, they are treated as equipment rather than outside assistance, and they are standard in shorthanded divisions. A class rule, a divisional condition or a sailing instruction can prohibit or restrict them for a specific event. Always check the current notice of race, sailing instructions and class rules for the race you are entering.
Do the Special Regulations require an autopilot?
The Australian Sailing Special Regulations set safety equipment and preparation requirements by race category, and self-steering arrangements are considered in the context of shorthanded sailing. Requirements are revised between editions, so read the current edition for your category rather than relying on a summary. If in doubt, ask the organising authority.
Does the Sydney Hobart have a two-handed division?
Recent editions have included a two-handed division, introduced in the early 2020s, in which autopilot use is permitted. Division conditions, eligibility and qualifying requirements are set each year in the notice of race, so check the current documents for the edition you plan to enter.
Does racing change my lookout obligations?
No. The collision regulations apply to a racing yacht exactly as they do to any other vessel, and an autopilot does not keep a lookout. Shorthanded crews must still manage lookout honestly, with AIS, alarms and a scanning routine, particularly when crossing commercial shipping at night.
How much power does a racing autopilot use?
Considerably more than a cruising installation, often in the range of three to five amps on average and much more in heavy conditions downwind, because the drive is working hard and constantly. That has to be designed into the energy plan along with instruments, navigation and lights. Work the numbers before the qualifier, not during the race.
More in safety and rules
Practise autopilot operation with an instructor
Habits are learned at the helm with someone watching. The training section explains what a good instructor covers and where to find one in your state.