This post summarizes the Sailing Scoring Notations / abbreviations that may be found in sailing results and the rules associated with them. Occasionally, you may run across a notation that you don’t remember. We created this summary to help guide you through the notations that you might see.
NOTATIONS
DNC – Did not compete/start
Did not come to the starting area.
Scoring: Scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats entered in the series.
DNS – Did not start (other than DNC and OCS)
Scoring: Scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats entered in the series.
OCS – Did not start, Violated RRS 29.1 – Individual Recall
On the course side of the starting line at her starting signal and failed to start, or broke RRS 30.1.
Scoring: Scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats entered in the series.
ZFP – Violated RRS 30.2 – Z Flag Rule
RRS 30.2: If flag Z has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal.
Scoring: If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall receive, without a hearing, a 20% Scoring Penalty calculated as stated in RRS 44.3(c). She shall be penalized even if the race is restarted or resailed, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal. If she is similarly identified during a subsequent attempt to start the same race, she shall receive an additional 20% Scoring Penalty. RRS 29.1 still applies.
UFD – Violated RRS 30.3 – U Flag Rule
Disqualification under RRS 30.3
RRS 30.3: If flag U has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal.
Scoring: If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, but not if the race is restarted or resailed.
BFD – Violated RRS 30.4 – Black Flag Rule
Disqualification under RRS 30.4
RRS 30.4: If a black flag has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal.
Scoring: If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, even if the race is restarted or resailed, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal. If a general recall is signalled or the race is abandoned after the starting signal, the race committee shall display her sail number before the next warning signal for that race, and if the race is restarted or resailed she shall not sail in it. If she does so, her disqualification shall not be excluded in calculating her series score.
SCP – Scoring Penalty applied
Could be RRS 44.3, appendix T, appendix V, or something in the Sailing Instructions
NSC – Did not sail the course
Scoring: Scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats entered in the series.
DNF – Did not finish
Scoring: Scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats entered in the series.
RET – Retired
Scoring: Scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats entered in the series.
DSQ – Disqualification
Scoring: Scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats entered in the series.
DNE – Disqualification (other than DGM) not excludable under RRS 90.3(b)
RRS 90.3 (b): When a scoring system provides for excluding one or more race scores, any score that is a Disqualification Not Excludable (DNE) shall be included in a boat’s series score.
Scoring: Disqualification in a race is not an excludable score.
RDG – Redress given
Scoring: Depends on redress provided by the Race Committee.
DPI – Discretionary penalty imposed
RRS 64.6: Discretionary Penalties – When a boat reports within the protest time limit that she has brokena rule subject to a discretionary penalty, the protest committee shall decide the appropriate penalty after taking evidence from the boat and any witnesses it decides are appropriate.
Scoring: The notation ‘[DP]’ in a rule means that the penalty for a breach of the rule may, at the discretion of the protest committee, be less than disqualification.
STP – Standard Penalty
A penalty often shown in the Notice of Race (NOR) or Sailing Instructions (SIs) for minor violations. Examples include failing to check in with safety personnel upon return from the race course or to turn in a Race Tracker.
Scoring: As noted in the instructions.
TLE – Time Limit Expired
A special penalty that may be specified for those finishing after a specified time “limit” from the start of the race.
Scoring: As noted in the venue/event instructions.
UNOFFICIAL
DFL – Dead F…….. Last
Scoring: Compulsion to spend more time on SailZing.com to improve one’s skills.
Select Rules from the Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024:
RRS 30 – STARTING PENALTIES
RRS 30.1 – I Flag Rule
If flag I has been displayed, and any part of a boat’s hull is on the course side of the starting line or one of its extensions during the last minute before her starting signal, she shall sail across an extension so that her hull is completely on the pre-start side before she starts.
RRS 30.2 – Z Flag Rule
If flag Z has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall receive, without a hearing, a 20% Scoring Penalty calculated as stated in RRS 44.3(c). She shall be penalized even if the race is restarted or resailed, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal. If she is similarly identified during a subsequent attempt to start the same race, she shall receive an additional 20% Scoring Penalty.
RRS 30.3 U Flag Rule
If flag U has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, but not if the race is restarted or resailed.
RRS 30.4 Black Flag Rule
If a black flag has been displayed, no part of a boat’s hull shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before her starting signal. If a boat breaks this rule and is identified, she shall be disqualified without a hearing, even if the race is restarted or resailed, but not if it is postponed or abandoned before the starting signal. If a general recall is signalled or the race is abandoned after the starting signal, the race committee shall display her sail number before the next warning signal for that race, and if the race is restarted or resailed she shall not sail in it. If she does so, her disqualification shall not be excluded in calculating her series score.
RRS 44.3(c)
The race score for a boat that takes a Scoring Penalty shall be the score she would have received without that penalty, made worse by the number of places stated in the notice of race or sailing instructions. When the number of places is not stated, the penalty shall be 20% of the score for Did Not Finish, rounded to the nearest whole number (0.5 rounded upward). The scores of other boats shall not be changed; therefore, two boats may receive the same score. However, the penalty shall not cause the boat’s score to be worse than the score for Did Not Finish.
RRS Appendix T – ARBITRATION
RRS T1 POST-RACE PENALTIES
(a) Provided that RRS 44.1(b) does not apply, a boat that may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 or RRS 31 in an incident may take a Post-Race Penalty at any time after the race until the beginning of a protest hearing involving the incident.
(b) A Post-Race Penalty is a 30% Scoring Penalty calculated as stated in RRS 44.3(c). However, RRS 44.1(a) applies.
(c) A boat takes a Post-Race Penalty by delivering to the arbitrator or a member of the protest committee a written statement that she accepts the penalty and that identifies the race number and where and when the incident occurred.
NOTE: Refer to the current Racing Rules of Sailing and/or Notice of Race (NOR) and Sailing Instructions (SIs) for updated rules, requirements and penalties.
Thank you to John Porter, Lake Beulah Yacht Club member & certified race official, for input on this list.
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Race Signals 2021-2024: Summary, Quiz, and Worksheet
Read our SailZing Racing Rules of Sailing Articles for explanations and diagrams/ animations of the racing rules.
