The Future of GPS tracking in Sailing: RTK technology and 1cm accuracy
For decades, sailors have relied on their instincts, their eyes, and the keen judgment of race officials to navigate a racecourse. Yet, despite all the experience in the world, how many times have you been called over at the start, thinking you were safely behind the line, only to discover you were just a fraction too early? Those split-second errors can cost a race—and they’ve often been impossible to conclusively prove or dispute.
Enter RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) GPS tracking, a game-changing technology pushing the boundaries of precision sailing. Unlike standard GPS, which gives positional accuracy to a few meters, RTK technology can pinpoint a boat’s location to within 1cm. That’s smaller than the width of a pencil. For sailors, coaches, and race officials alike, this level of accuracy is nothing short of revolutionary.
What This Means for Race Officials
One of the most immediate benefits of RTK tracking is its potential to eliminate ambiguity at the start line. Officials can now see, in real-time, which boats are OCS (on course side) with absolute certainty. The days of “I thought I was behind the line” disputes may soon be behind us.
Beyond starts, RTK tracking also allows officials to review complex race situations with unprecedented detail: rounding marks, penalties, or even assessing fair play in close tactical battles. Every centimeter of movement is recorded, making decisions fairer, faster, and more transparent.
In fact, World Sailing has announced that the next Olympic Games will feature digital officiating, marking a significant shift towards technology-driven fairness at the very highest level of the sport. RTK tracking and precise GPS data will play a key role in this digital officiating, ensuring that even Olympic starts and finishes are indisputably accurate.
What This Means for Sailors
For sailors, the technology is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it removes uncertainty, so you can focus purely on strategy and speed rather than second-guessing your positioning. On the other hand, mistakes are irrevocably visible—there’s no “I swear I was behind the line” defense anymore.
Some might wonder if this takes the human element out of racing, but in reality, it’s about enhancing skill, not replacing it. Sailors are still the ones making split-second tactical decisions; RTK just ensures that outcomes are recorded with unprecedented clarity.
TracTrac and Cutting-Edge Hardware
To make this possible, TracTrac is working with cutting-edge hardware manufacturers to provide the RTK GPS units needed for this level of accuracy. By combining advanced hardware with their tracking platform, TracTrac is ensuring that sailing competitions worldwide can benefit from precision, transparency, and real-time data like never before.
A Glimpse Into the Future
Imagine an entire regatta streamed live, where every boat’s position is visible in real-time with 1cm precision, and race analysis can be done down to individual maneuvers. Coaches can give pinpoint feedback, competitors can study exact patterns, and race officials can enforce rules with complete confidence.
RTK tracking isn’t just about technology—it’s about elevating the sport, making racing fairer, more transparent, and ultimately more exciting for everyone involved.
The start line has never been this clear. And with digital officiating on the horizon, the next generation of sailors—and the next Olympics—will experience a level of fairness and precision previously unimaginable.
