Yachting or recreational sailing's the specific act of sailing as a sport. Competition Whilst sailing's invention's prehistoric, racing sailing boats's believed to have started in the Netherlands some time in the 17th century, whence it soon made its way to England where custom-built racing "yachts" began to emerge. In 1851, a challenge to an American yacht racing club in New York led to the beginning of the America's Cup, a regatta won by the New York Yacht Club until 1983, when they finally l… (More on Yachting)