Australian Sailing Club Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the sailing terms Australian clubs use without explaining — from burgee and yardstick to PHS, NOR and sailing instructions.
Affiliated club
A club that is a member of Australian Sailing within the national sporting framework.
Australian Sailing Number
A unique identifier used in Australian Sailing's national system.
Beach cat
A lightweight catamaran normally launched from shore.
Boat class
A defined type of sailing boat, usually governed by class rules.
Clubhouse
The club's shore facility. It can range from a simple building to a major hospitality and administration venue.
Corrected time
A race result adjusted using a handicap or rating system.
Dinghy
A small sailing boat normally launched from shore.
Discover Sailing Centre
An accredited centre delivering recognised Australian Sailing programs.
Fleet
A group of boats racing or sailing together, often from the same class or division.
Green Fleet
A development stage used for sailors progressing into participation and racing.
Handicap
A method used to allow different boats or performance levels to compete on adjusted results.
Hardstand
A shore-based area where boats are stored out of the water.
Keelboat
A sailing boat using a weighted keel for stability.
Launching ramp
A sloped hard surface used to launch trailerable boats.
Learn to sail
Structured instruction for beginner sailors. The exact program can be club-run or part of a recognised framework.
Marina berth
A wet berth alongside a pontoon or dock.
Match racing
Head-to-head racing between two boats.
Mooring
A fixed anchoring system used to keep a boat afloat away from a berth.
Notice of Race
The event document that establishes important entry and competition information.
One-design
A class or racing format where boats are built and configured to a common rule.
Off-the-beach
Small boats that are launched directly from shore rather than stored afloat.
Passage race
A race over a geographically extended route rather than repeated short-course laps.
Race officer
An official responsible for important parts of running a race.
Rating
A measurement or calculation used to compare the performance potential of different yachts.
Rescue boat / safety boat
A powered support boat used during organised sailing.
SailPASS
An optional introductory or short-term membership mechanism used by participating Australian Sailing affiliated clubs.
Sailing Instructions
Event instructions that provide operational detail for the racing.
Skiff
A lightweight high-performance sailing boat, often using trapezes and large spinnakers.
Social sailing
Organised sailing where racing is not the primary purpose.
Sportsboat
A lightweight performance keelboat, often trailerable or dry-sailed.
Tackers
Australian Sailing's games-based introductory sailing program for children aged 7 to 12.
Teams racing
A format where the combined finishing positions of a team of boats determine the result.
Trailer sailer
A small yacht designed to be transported and launched from a road trailer.
Twilight racing
Late-afternoon or evening club racing, commonly used by keelboat fleets.
Wingfoiling
Sailing a foil board using a handheld wing.
Yardstick
A handicap number used to compare different classes in corrected-time racing.
Related comparison
Do not evaluate australian sailing club glossary in isolation.
A good club decision normally combines:
- travel practicality
- local sailing waters
- boats and classes
- sailing activity
- training
- membership
- storage and launching
- facilities
- season
- verification freshness
The weight given to each factor depends on the sailor.
Turning this into a decision
The steps that follow any guide on this site — narrowing a shortlist, checking what a club's record actually verifies, and asking the club itself about anything that changes season to season — are set out in how to choose a sailing club and questions to ask before joining.
Where to go next
Chosen from the editorial link graph: the pages that answer the question this one raises next.
How to read this page
This is editorial content. It explains a category and never asserts a fact about a named club. Club records — addresses, contacts, boat classes, racing status, training, facilities and verification dates — come from the YouSail database. Editorial pages explain how to interpret them and never assert facts about an individual club. Read the verification methodology.