41-594: The Kyōtei ( 競艇 ) , literally " boat racing " and referred to as BOAT RACE , is a runabout racing event primary held in Japan . It is one of Japan's four "Public Sports" ( 公営競技 , kōei kyōgi ) , which are sports events where parimutuel betting is legal. Kyōtei was introduced in Japan in April 1952, when the first race was held at Ōmura Kyōtei Stadium in Ōmura City, Nagasaki Prefecture . In April 2010, to promote
82-465: A population density of 810 persons per km . The total area of the city is 77.15 km (29.79 sq mi). Yanagawa is located in the southwestern part of the Chikugo region in the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, approximately 100 kilometers south-southwest of Kitakyushu City, approximately 50 kilometers south of Fukuoka City, approximately 20 kilometers southwest of Kurume City. The city
123-643: A mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 19 members. Yanagawa contributes one member to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Fukuoka 7th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan . Yanagawa has a mixed economy, with agriculture and commercial fishing , as well as manufacturing centering on semiconductors and woodworking. There
164-449: A "Late Start" ( 出遅れ , deokure ) , will disqualify the boat, where it is scratched from the race and bets on that boat are refunded. The Japanese term for this exclusion is "return absence" ( 返還欠場 , henkan ketsujō ) . In a sense, the flying start system can be compared to the mobile start used in harness racing . Once a race begins, boats fight for the best position entering the first turn marker. Race winners are often decided on
205-978: A boat is a vessel small enough to be carried aboard a ship. Boats vary in proportion and construction methods with their intended purpose, available materials, or local traditions. Canoes have been used since prehistoric times and remain in use throughout the world for transportation, fishing, and sport. Fishing boats vary widely in style partly to match local conditions. Pleasure craft used in recreational boating include ski boats, pontoon boats , and sailboats . House boats may be used for vacationing or long-term residence. Lighters are used to move cargo to and from large ships unable to get close to shore. Lifeboats have rescue and safety functions. Boats can be propelled by manpower (e.g. rowboats and paddle boats ), wind (e.g. sailboats ), and inboard / outboard motors (including gasoline , diesel , and electric ). The earliest watercraft are considered to have been rafts . These would have been used for voyages such as
246-489: A boat's hull and covered over with cement. Reinforced with bulkheads and other internal structures it is strong but heavy, easily repaired, and, if sealed properly, will not leak or corrode. As the forests of Britain and Europe continued to be over-harvested to supply the keels of larger wooden boats, and the Bessemer process ( patented in 1855) cheapened the cost of steel, steel ships and boats began to be more common. By
287-409: A framework with animal skins, could be equally as old as logboats, but such a structure is much less likely to survive in an archaeological context. Plank-built boats are considered, in most cases, to have developed from the logboat. There are examples of logboats that have been expanded: by deforming the hull under the influence of heat, by raising up the sides with added planks, or by splitting down
328-433: A modern context, empty oil drums). The key difference between a raft and a boat is that the former is a "flow through" structure, with waves able to pass up through it. Consequently, except for short river crossings, a raft is not a practical means of transport in colder regions of the world as the users would be at risk of hypothermia . Today that climatic limitation restricts rafts to between 40° north and 40° south, with, in
369-556: A year and are only open to the highest A1 kyōtei competitors. The last major tournament of the year, the Grand Prix , determines the annual champion in terms of prize money won. A unique aspect of the sport is the fact that women can compete as equals with men. As the weights of racers make an important difference in hydroplane racing, female racers, often lighter than their male counterparts, have certain advantages. Roughly 10% of Kyōtei racers are women. Training of Kyōtei competitors
410-568: Is 1946 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around 6.0 °C. Per Japanese census data, the population of Yanagawa is as shown below The area of Yanagawa was part of ancient Chikugo Province . Yayoi pottery dating back approximately 2,000 years ago was excavated in the Kamachi area on
451-410: Is a modern construction method, using wood as the structural component. In one cold molding process, very thin strips of wood are layered over a form. Each layer is coated with resin, followed by another directionally alternating layer laid on top. Subsequent layers may be stapled or otherwise mechanically fastened to the previous, or weighted or vacuum bagged to provide compression and stabilization until
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#1732790213847492-499: Is also a thriving tourism industry. Yanagawa has 19 public elementary schools and six public junior high schools operated by the city government and one public high school operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education. There are also two private high schools, and Fukuoka Prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped. [REDACTED] Nishitetsu Tenjin Ōmuta Line Yanagawa
533-542: Is also known as "GRP" (glass-reinforced plastic) in the UK, and "FRP" (for fiber-reinforced plastic) in the US. Fiberglass boats are strong and do not rust, corrode, or rot. Instead, they are susceptible to structural degradation from sunlight and extremes in temperature over their lifespan. Fiberglass structures can be made stiffer with sandwich panels, where the fiberglass encloses a lightweight core such as balsa or foam. Cold molding
574-753: Is carried out at the Yamato Kyōtei School (now the Boat Racer Training School) in Yanagawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture . Boat A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship , which is distinguished by its larger size or capacity, its shape, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically used on inland waterways such as rivers and lakes , or in protected coastal areas. However, some boats (such as whaleboats ) were intended for offshore use. In modern naval terms,
615-523: Is in the shape of a rhombus or diamond, measuring 12 kilometers from north-to-south and 11 kilometers from east-to-west, Almost all of the city is in the flatlands of the Chikushi Plain, with the northeastern two-thirds of the city consisting of alluvial plains and the southwest one-third consisting of reclaimed land . The reclaimed land was gradually developed from the Edo period into the modern era, so
656-450: Is popular with Japanese tourists because of its 470 km of wide canals (930 km inclusive of all watercourses). Yanagawa riverboats, called "donkobune", are used to take tourists around the city. In 1987 a video documentary was created by Studio Ghibli about these canals and their restoration. The Story of Yanagawa's Canals ( 柳川掘割物語 , Yanagawa horiwari monogatari ) is widely available and includes English subtitles. Yanagawa
697-605: Is short of the minimum weight, their boat will be loaded with additional ballast weight to compensate. Each racer involved in Kyōtei is assigned a rank. From the top down, the ranks are A1, A2, B1 and B2 . Each competitor's performance over a six-month period determines whether they are promoted, demoted, or keep the same rank. Racers in the higher A classes are permitted to compete in more races more often. Each tournament carries one of five designations: SG (Special Grade), G1, G2, G3 and General . SG races are held around eight times
738-551: Is the birthplace of Kitahara Hakushu , a Meiji era poet and writer of children's songs. An annual three-day festival is held every November in Yanagawa complete with poetry readings, fireworks, music, and a great number of evening boat rides. During this festival, most activities begin from Shimohyaku Town and center at the Hiyoshi Shinto Shrine. In addition, Hakushu's birth house is located in Yanagawa and open to
779-490: Is the main, and in some cases only, structural component of a boat. It provides both capacity and buoyancy . The keel is a boat's "backbone", a lengthwise structural member to which the perpendicular frames are fixed. On some boats, a deck covers the hull, in part or whole. While a ship often has several decks, a boat is unlikely to have more than one. Above the deck are often lifelines connected to stanchions , bulwarks perhaps topped by gunnels , or some combination of
820-629: The Baltic , the Plimsoll line was introduced to prevent overloading. Since 1998 all new leisure boats and barges built in Europe between 2.5m and 24m must comply with the EU 's Recreational Craft Directive (RCD). The Directive establishes four categories that permit the allowable wind and wave conditions for vessels in each class: Europe is the main producer of recreational boats (the second production in
861-608: The Edo period . After the Meiji restoration , the town of Yanagawa (柳河町) was established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. On April 1, 1951Yanagawa annexed the neighboring villages of Higashimiyaga, Nishinomiyaga, Jonai, Okibata, and Ryokai and changed the kanji of its name to "柳川町". Yanagawa was raised to city status on April 1, 1952. On March 21, 2005 the towns of Yamato and Mitsuhashi (both from Yamato District ) were merged into Yanagawa. Yanagawa has
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#1732790213847902-462: The birch bark canoe , the animal hide-covered kayak and coracle and the dugout canoe made from a single log. By the mid-19th century, some boats had been built with iron or steel frames but still planked in wood. In 1855 ferro-cement boat construction was patented by the French, who coined the name "ferciment". This is a system by which a steel or iron wire framework is built in the shape of
943-401: The 1920s, but it was not until the mid-20th century that aluminium gained widespread popularity. Though much more expensive than steel, aluminum alloys exist that do not corrode in salt water, allowing a similar load carrying capacity to steel at much less weight. Around the mid-1960s, boats made of fiberglass (aka "glass fiber") became popular, especially for recreational boats. Fiberglass
984-400: The 1930s boats built entirely of steel from frames to plating were seen replacing wooden boats in many industrial uses and fishing fleets. Private recreational boats of steel remain uncommon. In 1895 WH Mullins produced steel boats of galvanized iron and by 1930 became the world's largest producer of pleasure boats. Mullins also offered boats in aluminum from 1895 through 1899 and once again in
1025-441: The balance above and below the surface equal. Boats have a natural or designed level of buoyancy. Exceeding it will cause the boat first to ride lower in the water, second to take on water more readily than when properly loaded, and ultimately, if overloaded by any combination of structure, cargo, and water, sink. As commercial vessels must be correctly loaded to be safe, and as the sea becomes less buoyant in brackish areas such as
1066-473: The clock reaches zero, and with about 12 seconds remaining the boats begin to race up towards the start line at full speed. Boats must cross the start line within one second after the clock reaches zero. Unlike typical powerboat racing, where if a boat crosses the line too early, there is a time penalty added to the offending boat, in Kyōtei, crossing too early - called a false start ( フライングスタート , furaingu sutāto , "Flying Start") or crossing too late - called
1107-424: The course (1,800 meters). Races are generally over in about two minutes. Kyōtei employs the flying start system of beginning races. Once competitors receive the signal to pit-out of the docks, they will maneuver their boats in an effort to secure a starting position while a large clock situated at the start/finish line begins a one-minute countdown. Starting positions are usually established with 30 seconds before
1148-453: The middle and adding a central plank to make it wider. (Some of these methods have been in quite recent use – there is no simple developmental sequence). The earliest known plank-built boats are from the Nile, dating to the third millennium BC. Outside Egypt, the next earliest are from England. The Ferriby boats are dated to the early part of the second millennium BC and the end of
1189-635: The outskirts of Yanagawa, and it is estimated that rice cultivation began in this area around that time. During the Heian period , Yanagawa was a stronghold of the Tachibana clan against Fujiwara no Sumitomo 's Revolt. Yanagawa was reborn as a castle town of the Kamachi clan during the Sengoku period during the 16th century, and became the castle town of Yanagawa Domain under the Tachibana clan during
1230-752: The past, similar boundaries that have moved as the world's climate has varied. The earliest boats may have been either dugouts or hide boats. The oldest recovered boat in the world, the Pesse canoe , found in the Netherlands , is a dugout made from the hollowed tree trunk of a Pinus sylvestris that was constructed somewhere between 8200 and 7600 BC. This canoe is exhibited in the Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands. Other very old dugout boats have also been recovered. Hide boats, made from covering
1271-476: The practice run. Competitors are assigned an engine and a boat at random to use for race day. Competitors can tune their own engines between the exhibition run and the race. Up until 2012, they were also permitted to use their own propellers. Similar to other water and land-based motorsport where a minimum dry weight requirement includes the driver, rules require men to weigh in at 50 kg or more, while women must weigh in at 47 kg or more. If any competitor
Kyōtei - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-427: The public for tours. The Yanagawa Municipal Folk Museum is mainly dedicated to preservation of Hakushu-sensei's works and memorabilia. During the months of March and April, Yanagawa also plays host to a number of festivals, most notably Hinamatsuri or Girls' Festival on March 3. A great number of finely crafted Heian era styled dolls are placed on display in a number of private homes, shops, and businesses throughout
1353-460: The reclamation embankments and villages along the embankments from each era are lined up parallel to the coastline of the Ariake Sea . Fukuoka Prefecture Saga Prefecture Yanagawa has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa ) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Yanagawa is 16.3 °C. The average annual rainfall
1394-406: The resin sets. An alternative process uses thin sheets of plywood shaped over a disposable male mold, and coated with epoxy. The most common means of boat propulsion are as follows: A boat displaces its weight in water, regardless whether it is made of wood, steel, fiberglass, or even concrete. If weight is added to the boat, the volume of the hull drawn below the waterline will increase to keep
1435-492: The settlement of Australia sometime between 50,000 and 60,000 years ago. A boat differs from a raft by obtaining its buoyancy by having most of its structure exclude water with a waterproof layer, e.g. the planks of a wooden hull, the hide covering (or tarred canvas) of a currach . In contrast, a raft is buoyant because it joins components that are themselves buoyant, for example, logs, bamboo poles, bundles of reeds, floats (such as inflated hides, sealed pottery containers or, in
1476-597: The sport to a wide variety of people as well as internationally, the Kyotei Promotion Association began referring to the sport as BOAT RACE, and the organization itself was renamed the BOAT RACE Promotion Association. There are 24 kyōtei stadiums in Japan, all of which refer to themselves as BOAT RACE courses. A Kyōtei race is conducted on man-made lakes with a 600-meter oval boat course. Six boats race three laps around
1517-428: The start of a race, competitors conduct a practice start and run a few laps around the course to practice their straight runs and cornering. These ensure that their boats are functioning properly, and also provide the betting public with useful information. During the practice, a straight run of 150 meters is timed for each boat and announced to the public. Also, competitors are not penalized for false or late starts during
1558-721: The third millennium. Plank-built boats require a level of woodworking technology that was first available in the neolithic with more complex versions only becoming achievable in the Bronze Age . Boats can be categorized by their means of propulsion. These divide into: A number of large vessels are usually referred to as boats. Submarines are a prime example. Other types of large vessels which are traditionally called boats include Great Lakes freighters , riverboats , and ferryboats . Though large enough to carry their own boats and heavy cargo, these vessels are designed for operation on inland or protected coastal waters. The hull
1599-518: The two. A cabin may protrude above the deck forward, aft, along the centerline, or cover much of the length of the boat. Vertical structures dividing the internal spaces are known as bulkheads . The forward end of a boat is called the bow , the aft end the stern . Facing forward the right side is referred to as starboard and the left side as port . Until the mid-19th century, most boats were made of natural materials, primarily wood, although bark and animal skins were also used. Early boats include
1640-413: The very first turn of the race. The first boat across the line after three laps is the winner, with the first three finishers deciding the payouts for bets. If a boat causes interference with another boat, is involved in an accident or becomes disabled, the boat is disqualified ( 失格 , shikkaku ) . No refunds are given for disqualified boats, unless all boats are disqualified for some reason. Prior to
1681-532: The world is located in Poland). European brands are known all over the world - in fact, these are the brands that created RCD and set the standard for shipyards around the world. Yanagawa, Fukuoka Yanagawa ( 柳川市 , Yanagawa-shi ) is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture , Japan. As of 31 January 2024 , the city had an estimated population of 62,268 in 26426 households, and