Editing Yacht racing (section)

==History==
[[Yachting]], that is, recreational boating, is very old, as exemplified in the ancient poem [[Catullus 4]]:
[[File:Bermudian sail racing boats by Lady Brassey 1885.jpg|thumb|right|1883 description of the racing of Bermudian boats, by [[Anna Brassey, Baroness Brassey|Lady Brassey]], with illustrations showing the [[Bermuda rig]]. Initially, working vessels were rented for weekend racing in Bermuda, but affluent competitors of the [[Royal Bermuda Yacht Club]] soon purpose-built racers]]
<blockquote><poem>
The yacht you see there, friends, 
says that she's been
The fastest piece of timber ever seen;
She swears that once she could have overhauled
All rival boats, whether the challenge called
For racing under canvas or with oars.
</poem></blockquote>
(trans. James Michie)

"Yacht" is referred to as deriving from either Norwegian ("jagt"), Middle Low German ("jaght") or from the Dutch word jacht, which means "a swift light vessel of war, commerce or pleasure. The sporting element in the word lies in the derivation of jaght from the root jaghen, which means to hunt, chase or pursue…."<ref>{{cite book|last=Phillips-Birt|first=Douglas|title=The History of Yachting|year=1974|publisher=Stein and Day|location=New York|isbn=0812817044|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofyachtin0000phil/page/9 9]|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofyachtin0000phil/page/9}}</ref><ref>[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/yacht Free Dictionary: definition and derivation of "yacht"]</ref>

The formal racing of boats is believed to have started with sailboats in the Netherlands sometime in the 17th century. Soon, in England, custom-built racing "yachts" began to emerge and the [[Royal Yacht Squadron]] was established in 1815. In 1661 [[John Evelyn]] recorded a competition between ''Katherine'' and ''Anne'', two large royal sailing vessels both of English design, "…the wager 100-1; the race from Greenwich to Gravesend and back."<ref>{{cite book|last=Phillips-Birt|first=Douglas|title=The History of Yachting|year=1974|publisher=Stein and Day|location=New York|isbn=0812817044|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofyachtin0000phil/page/14 14]|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofyachtin0000phil/page/14}}</ref> One of the vessels was owned, and sometimes steered, by [[Charles II of England|Charles II]].

In 1782, the [[Cumberland Fleet]], a class of sailing vessel known for its ability to sail close to the wind, were painted racing up the [[Thames River]] with spectators viewing from a bridge.<ref>{{cite book|last=Phillips-Birt|first=Douglas|title=The History of Yachting|year=1974|publisher=Stein and Day|location=New York|isbn=0812817044|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofyachtin0000phil/page/22 22]|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofyachtin0000phil/page/22}}</ref> Much like today, this obsession with sailing close to the wind with speed and efficiency fueled the racing community.

In the 19th century, most yacht races were started by allotting starting positions to the competitors. Buoys were laid in a straight line, to which the competitors attached their yachts by means of spring ropes. The yachts were required to keep all the sails forward of the mainmast on deck until the starting signal was given.<ref>Athlone Yacht Club, 'notice of race' for Lough Ree Regatta 1835 in Athlone Sentinel, 31 July 1835</ref>      
The Yacht Racing Association was founded in 1875 by Prince Batthyany-Strattman, Captain J. W. Hughes, and Mr. Dixon Kemp.<ref>Dixon Kemp's manual of Yacht & Boat sailing and Architecture, 11th edition of 1913</ref> The Y.R.A. wrote standardised yacht racing rules which included the 'Flying Start' used today.<ref>Dixon Kemp's manual of Yacht & Boat sailing and Architecture, 11th edition of 1913</ref>

Bringing yacht racing to the forefront of public life, the [[America's Cup]] was first raced in 1851 between the [[New York Yacht Club]] and the [[Royal Yacht Squadron]]. Not ruled or regulated by measurement criteria as today, it is the second-place finisher was Aurora, "and but for the fact that time allowance had been waived for the race she would have been the winner by a handsome margin."<ref>{{cite book|last=Phillips-Birt|first=Douglas|title=The History of Yachting|year=1974|publisher=Stein and Day|location=New York|isbn=0812817044|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofyachtin0000phil/page/28 28]|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofyachtin0000phil/page/28}}</ref>  Subsequently, the Cup races were conducted, usually every three to four years, based on a challenge issued by one club to the current Cup holder, which until 1983 was the NYYC.

As at 2017,  the La Ciotat Based Yacht [[Partridge 1885]] is documented as being the world's oldest, still fully operational classic racing yacht.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.yachtingworld.com/blogs/andrew-brays-blog/the-worlds-oldest-racing-yacht-12231 |title=The world's oldest racing yacht? |website=yachtingworld.com |publisher=Yachting World |date=22 October 2008 |access-date=10 October 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/419960733986831222/|title= he bowman gets a good dousing on "Partridge", one of the oldest yachts ..... }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.regatesroyales.com/en/home-uk/historic |title=Cannes & the Régates Royales |website=regatesroyales.com |publisher=Société des Régates de Cannes |access-date=10 October 2018 }}</ref>