Sail Numbers

Issuing Sail Numbers

In accordance with Class Rule 2.6.3, sail numbers for British Europes are issued by the RYA, the national governing body for sailing in the UK. For those purchasing new boats, or importing boats into the UK, you will need to contact the RYA Technical Department, who will allocate your boat a new sail number. These are issued in numerical order, and can be obtained for £30, or £15 for RYA members. 

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​If you have purchased an older Europe and are unsure of the correct sail number, get in touch with the RYA Technical Department who keep a database of existing sail numbers. They will ask you for your serial number, listed on the IYRU/ISAF/World Sailing plaque of your boat, and should be able to match the serial number with a pre-registered number. If your boat is not on their database, it will most likely have never been registered in the UK. In this case, the RYA will assign a new sail number.

Fitting Sail Numbers

All sail numbers shall be fitted in accordance with Racing Rules of Sailing Appendix G, avaliable on World Sailing's website.

• National letters and sail numbers shall be in capital letters and arabic numerals, of the same colour,  of a contrasting colour to the body of the sail, and of a sans-serif typeface. In addition, the letters and numbers identifying the boat shall be clearly legible when the sail is set.

• All characters shall have a minimum height of 300mm.

• The minimum space between characters and from the edge of the sail shall be  60mm.

• Class insignia, national letters and sail numbers shall be placed on both sides and such that those on the starboard side are uppermost.

• National letters shall be placed above the sail numbers on each side of the sail. 

For advice on applying sail numbers, click here to see Rooster's helpful video. 

Changing Sail Numbers

For those looking to purchase second hand sails, the time may come when you need to remove an old number in order to replace it with your own number. It is important however to ensure no sticky residue is left behind on the sail, as this will attract dirt.

1. Peel off the old numbers.

2. To remove the sticky residue, use a solvent adhesive remover. Apply solvent to a soft cloth and rub over the adhesive until the solution can soak in.

3. Leave the sail for a bit while the solvent soaks in.

4. Using an old credit card, scrape off the old sticky residue.

5. Repeat this process if any residue remains, until there is no longer any sticky residue.