@TwentySix - the "N/S" actually the North-Sails logo on the genoa. Racers often have someone on the bow during the starts who hold up their hands and countdown boat lengths to the start line. The skipper has a clock and hears the countdown and can adjust the speed and angle so that the boat's bow doesn't cross the start line before the official signal that the race has started. It is hard to judge the distance from the aft section of a larger sailboat, so the bowman's role is crucial.