Introduction

We score all our races (both handicap and pursuit style races) using the "Low Point Scoring system" set out in the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) Appendix A. In this system, a smaller number denotes a better score.

First we work out the finishing order, and the boat that is first receives one point, the next receives two, and so on, for all the boats that have finished normally. If two or more boats tie, they share the points for the corresponding number of places.

Then for all other boats, we apply special codes, and award points accordingly. Most of these codes are defined in the RRS, but we have a few HLSTC special codes, and we also change the scores for some of the standard codes.

All the resulting scores are then used in calculating the scores for whole series,

Standard codes

DNC Did Not Come to the starting area. In most cases this means you did not sail on that day, or perhaps you chose to miss that race. Note it also applies if you were near the starting area, but your boat was tied up during the start period.

DNS Did Not Start. You came to the starting area, but didn't start in the race. For whatever reason, you didn't cross the start line within the time allowed.

OCS On Course Side. You were over the line at the starting signal, and did not make a proper correction of the error. You should have returned completely to the pre-start side of the line, and then crossed the line to start.

NSC Did Not Sail the Course. Covers the case where you started properly, but did not pass all the marks in the correct order and on the correct side. If you make a mistake, you should backtrack, and then go back to where you went wrong, and go forward again on the correct route. Note that, if you round a mark in the wrong direction, you first need to backtrack around to the side you came from, and then you still need to go on around in the proper direction to complete the mark rounding.

DNF Did Not Finish. Covers the case where you started properly, and followed the correct route, but did not finish, usually because you ran out of time.

RET (we also use RTD) Retired. You left the race course without finishing. Covers a variety of cases, including damage or mechanical failure, or accepting responsibility for a breach of a rule, or maybe you simply didn't feel like going on.

DSQ Disqualification. Rare, and usually applied after a protest hearing.

Scores for standard codes

For DNS, OCS, NSC, DNF, RET and DSQ, we follow Appendix A (including A5.3) in awarding a score of one more than the number of boats that came to the start area in the actual race.

For DNC, Appendix A prescribes a score based on the total number of boats competing in a series, but we apply a lesser score. In most series we see a fair number of one-off entries, which means that the total number of entrants is far higher than the realistic size of the fleet. So we award a score equal to the largest number competing in any single race of the series, plus two.

HLSTC special codes

RO Race Officer
OOD Officer of the Day

If you take on a duty as Race Officer or Officer of the Day, you are awarded one of these codes. This is so that you are not disadvantaged by taking on the duty. The score is the average of your scores (excluding DNCs) for other races in the series, and this is adjusted retrospectively as the average changes over the series. If you have no other scores at the time of the duty, the score initially defaults to the number of boats in the race; but is adjusted as soon as you get a score in a subsequent race.

CRW Crew. At most clubs, an entry to a series is made by a named helm in a specific boat, usually with a regular crew (except for single-handers, of course), and scores apply to the outfit as a whole. At HLSTC, we currently have few regular partnerships, but we permit casual partnerships for individual races in a series. This is particularly valuable where an experienced member acts as crew and coaches someone with less experience. So as not to disadvantage a member who normally helms in the series, we award an explicit score for acting as crew. The score is the average of the member's non-discarded scores in the same series.