OCS vs DNS; Which is More Appropriate?

It seems at least once or twice every year, we have a boat that starts a handicap race with the wrong fleet. This usually happens in our JAM (non-flying sails) fleets. The question that arises is how should a boat that starts in the wrong fleet be scored?

Obviously, if a boat starts with a later fleet, SI 11.4 applies; that SI requires that boats start within 4 minutes of their start signal, and if they do not, the boat gets scored DNS. But if the boat starts with an earlier fleet, it is open to discussion as to whether they should be scored “On course side” (OCS) or “Did not start” (DNS). There does not seem to be a definitive answer to this question. As far as the points are concerned, it doesn’t matter, but which is more appropriate?

It is the author’s opinion that DNS is more appropriate if a boat is on the course side of the starting line or one of its extensions from before her preparatory signal, and never returns to the pre-start side of the line, as would be the case if the boat starts with an earlier fleet. An OCS score might suggest that the Race Committee displayed, or should have displayed, an “X” flag, but that would not be the case in this situation; in most instances, it would not be reasonable to expect the RC to note a boat that starts with the wrong fleet. Furthermore, even if the RC did note that a boat had started with an earlier fleet, it would be very confusing to others in the fleet for the RC to signal an individual recall, and to leave the “X” flag displayed for 4 minutes. In practice, it usually only comes to light that a boat started with the wrong fleet when the race is scored, and a boat’s finish time is ~6 minutes less than expected.

It should also be noted that the de facto definition of OCS in Appendix A is “Did not start; on the course side of the starting line at her starting signal and failed to start, or broke rule 30.1.” Notably, this definition does not mention the extensions of the starting line, referenced elsewhere in the RRS. Hence, per this definition, a boat that is on the course side of one of the extensions of the starting line is not OCS, though she has obviously not met the definition of start. This is another compelling argument in support of DNS vs OCS, for a boat that starts minutes ahead of its start signal.

A final argument in support of DNS vs OCS is that per the RRS, a boat isn’t racing until its preparatory signal. It seems inappropriate to score a boat OCS if they were never racing. DNC (Did not compete) is also not appropriate in this situation, as the boat did come to the starting area.

Though in prior years, in our interclub racing in Ottawa, we were inconsistent in how we scored boats that started with an earlier fleet, since 2024 we have been consistent in scoring such boats DNS.

It would be nice if this guidance were incorporated into the World Sailing Race Management Manual, or some other authoritative document, though at this time, I am not aware of any such guidance.

Page updated: 2025-08-18.
Page maintained by Hugh Morrin.