The overwhelming majority of racing in the UK is organised and run on a grassroots basis by the members of individual sailing clubs. Race officials are usually enthusiastic volunteers, many with a huge amount of expertise in this field. Most clubs also rely on the competitors themselves in this respect, with active members asked to act as a race officer, or crew a safety boat, for one or two days each season.

Almost without exception, clubs are affiliated to the Royal Yachting Association, the sport’s UK governing body, which organises racing and other boating activities at a national level, including training schemes and coaching programmes. They include courses for race officers and safety boat drivers. In turn, the International Sailing Federation is the worldwide body that governs the sport of sailing.