Glossary

Key terms used throughout Sailboat Racing.

Term	Definition
Category	A grouping label for series (e.g. "Dinghy", "Keelboat", "Junior"). Used for filtering on the public site.
Circumstance	A race code applied to an entry that didn't finish normally or received a penalty (e.g. DNF, DNC, OCS). See Race Circumstance Codes.
Corrected Time	An elapsed time adjusted by a handicap factor, allowing different boat types to be compared fairly.
Discard	A worst result dropped from a sailor's series total. Also called a "drop". See Discards.
Division	A sub-grouping within a series for separate standings (e.g. "Monohull", "Multihull").
DNC	Did Not Compete - a series entry that didn't participate in a particular race.
Elapsed Time	The raw time from start to finish, before any handicap correction.
Entry	A boat/sailor registered for a race. Includes boat class, sail number, helm, and optionally crew.
Entry Fields	The configurable set of data collected for each race entry (e.g. boat name, club, tally).
Handicap	A numeric value assigned to a boat class that adjusts finish times to allow fair comparison between different boat types.
Handicap List	A collection of handicap values for multiple boat classes under a specific system (e.g. "Club PY List 2025").
Handicap System	The method used to calculate corrected times (e.g. PY, IRC, ASY). See Handicap Systems Guide.
Helm	The person steering the boat.
Lapping Race	A race format where boats complete as many laps as possible in a set time, rather than racing to a fixed finish.
Low Point	The standard scoring system where 1st = 1 point, 2nd = 2, etc. Lowest total wins.
Nett Score	A sailor's total series points after discards have been applied.
Organisation	A sailing club, class association, or sailing association registered on Sailboat Racing.
PY (Portsmouth Yardstick)	The RYA's handicap system for dinghy racing.
Race	A single sailed event within a series.
Race Officer	The person managing a race on the water; also a role in Sailboat Racing granting race management permissions.
Scoring Key	The fields used to match entries across races within a series (e.g. class + sail number). See Scoring Key.
Series	A collection of races scored together (e.g. "Wednesday Evening Series").
Slug	A URL-friendly identifier (e.g. "wednesday-evening-series").
Start Line	A group of boats that start together. A race can have multiple start lines with separate start times.
Tally	An optional entry number or identifier used by some clubs for registration.