The Royal Yachting Association, in collaboration with the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, is extending its use of robotic race mark technology at national and high-level events throughout the 2024 season.

With backing from UK Sport’s National Events Programme, the race marks positioning technology from MarkSetBot will help to run accurate and precise race courses with a faster turnaround time between races, whilst also protecting the seabed by not using anchors. A reduced reliance on busy volunteers as well as mark laying RIBs, and the fuel they burn, is an additional benefit.

Used worldwide over the last few years, with impressive accuracy, the MarkSetBot system has been chosen by international race organisers such as SailGP, TP52 Super Series and the RC44 class and will also be used for boundary-setting at the 37th America’s Cup this year.

The Bots hold position to an assigned GPS coordinate and use the onboard hardware and sophisticated anchoring algorithm to hold a stable position in the most extreme conditions. They have been tested in 30kts of wind and three-metre seas. The Bots can also integrate key technologies, like wind instrumentation, AIS transponders and horn systems to help automate additional aspects of the racecourse.

Following a successful second year of supporting the RYA Youth National Championships, the MarkSetBot use has been extended across RYA National Match Race events, RYA Olympic Classes Events, as well as at RS Feva, Formula Kite, Topper, UKLA and WASZP National Championships this season.

Course accuracy more quickly

“We’re excited to have the MarkSetBots available for RYA events throughout 2024,” commented Niall McLeod, RYA Racing Services Manager. “As technology develops we want to ensure that the RYA’s events and race officials remain at the forefront to allow us to be able to provide our affiliates and members with the advice on the latest tech whilst providing our sailors with the best possible racing.”

Sally Reynoldson, Senior Operations and Sailing Manager at WPNSA, said: “Having the Bots available for big events that come to WPNSA is great. They give the sailors accurate courses which can be laid quickly allowing the Race Officers to get on with organising everything else. Not having to set and pull up a racing mark’s ground tackle takes a lot of strain and risk away from our Mark Layers, as well as avoiding damage to the seabed compared to traditional anchored race marks.”

Mark Woods, Principal Race Officer at the 2024 RYA Youth Nationals and 2022 RS Games, said: “Being the first Race Officer to use autonomous marks at a UK dinghy championship was seen by some as a risky move, but the decision was made that we would for the RS Feva Worlds and RS Tera Worlds – both part of the RS Games 2022. Without question it was the correct decision and MarkSetBot contributed to the smooth running of the two consecutive World Championships with 32 races being completed for the 320 boats.  

“I have since used MarkSetBot a few more times over the past couple of years and can only see benefits in using them. You still need an experienced Mark Layer on the course to be part of your team, but you don’t need as many. In addition to the benefits as a Race Officer in setting the perfect course configuration, if your sailing club has deep water and/or problems fulfilling sailing duties then this technology is probably the perfect answer.”

Charles Darbyshire, of UK MarkSetBot Operators FourthCape, said: “Having the Bots deployed all season in the 2012 Olympic sailing venue of Weymouth and Portland will give many more sailors the opportunity and experience in racing around the Bots. We are pleased that the RYA sees the true benefits of not only the well-proven hardware but of the advanced race control software which truly sets the MarkSetBot system apart from other Robotic Marks on the market.”

RYA affiliated clubs and classes who are considering using race mark technology at their events and would like to benefit from the RYA’s experience in using this technology are welcome to contact the RYA Racing Events team via racing.events@rya.org.uk. 

MarkSetBots are available to lease, purchase or rent in the UK immediately.  Contact the FourthCape team at msb@fourthcape.com for more information.

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