© (2023) Robert Woodbury
Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Use by clubs for conducting races is deemed a non-commercial use.

World Sailing uses a system of assigning symbols to courses (course signals) comprising combinations of letters and a single digit. The letters occur in three groups: course type, finish type, course modifer. At most one letter occurs per group and the groups have a specific order. The digit always occurs last and specifies the number of beats required to sail the course.

Course designations

Course type

Finish type

Course modifier

Thus an LRA2 course would be a windward/leeward course with a reaching finish and an offset mark at the windward end with two windward legs. However, different courses may have exactly the same designation. For instance, an L course might have a gate or a single leeward mark. Another way of saying this is that many course features lie outside of the course symbol system. This is generally a good thing as it means that a race committee can use a small set of course letters and competitors do not have to remember many fine distinctions in course designations.

These conventions cover only some generally used courses. Specific courses arise for several reasons, for instance, unusual race format types, class rules and local conditions. For instance, the Optimist class has a particular trapezoid course designated IOD.

The above follow the World Sailing conventions. They provide a model scheme, but do not dictate the course designators for a particular event. Many factors may be in play, some as simple as the number of characters available on a course board. In addition, some designations may be common practice, such as H for a “Hollywood” finish (that is, a reaching finish) instead of R. In any case, competitors appreciate clarity and consistency. Choose carefully.

This site provides each diagram in two forms: with and without mark rounding orders. Some race
officers prefer to write their own mark rounding specifications, for instance, when the signals they use differ from the norm (and this is OK!).

Nota Bene. None of these diagrams are to scale. Graphic clarity trumps correct relative sizes and distances. In particular, mark diameters and vessel lengths are much larger than scale would dictate. In some courses, notably trapezoids, leg lengths differ that should be equal. However, specific angles are always correct.

Windward Leeward Courses

Name		Course Designator	Course Description	Download
COURSE L (most simple)		L	The simplest possible windward leeward course. Suitable for club races with few starts.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE L (basic)		L	A basic windward leeward course.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE L (mid-course finish)		L	A windward leeward course with the start and finish line mid-course. It can be difficult to record finishes with large fleets and multiple starts.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE L (finish line)		L	A windward leeward course with a separate finish line.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE L (gate)		L	A windward leeward course with a gate..	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE W		W	A windward leeward course with a windward finish	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings

Winward Leeward Courses with an Offset Mark

Name		Course Designator	Course Description	Download
COURSE LA		LA	A windward leeward course with an offset mark.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE LA (gate)		LA	A windward leeward course with an offset mark and a gate.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE WA (gate)		WA	A windward leeward course with an offset mark a windward finish.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings

Windward Leeward Course Marks to Starboard

Name		Course Designator	Course Description	Download
COURSE M		M	A windward leeward course with starboard mark roundings. Often used for match racing.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings

Trapezoid Courses

Name		Course Designator	Course Description	Download
COURSE O		O	A generic outer trapezoid course.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE I		I	A generic inner trapezoid course.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE IO		IO	A generic trapezoid course for both inner and outer loops.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE O-ILCA		O	The standard ILCA class outer trapezoid.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE I-ILCA		I	The standard ILCA class inner trapezoid.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE ILCA		IO	The ILCA trapezoid course specifiying both inner and outer loops.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE TL		TL	A triangle course with leeward finish	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE TW		TW	A triangle course with windward finish.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings

Team Racing Courses

Name		Course Designator	Course Description	Download
COURSE OPTI TEAM 1		OT	An alternative course for Optimist team racing.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE OPTI TEAM 2		OT	An alternative course for Optimist team racing.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE OPTI TEAM 3		OT	An alternative course for Optimist team racing.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings

Courses Used at CORK

Name		Course Designator	Course Description	Download
L		L	A windward leeward course with a gate and a direct finish from the last mark.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
LR		LR	A windward leeward course with a reaching finish from the port gate mark.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
CORK LHA		LAR	A windward leeward course with an offset mark and a reaching finish.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE CORK OPTI GREEN		G	A course for the Optimist Green fleet.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE CORK OPTI TEAM		OT	A course for Optimist team racing. Very similar to a general team racing course.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE CORK TH		TR	A triangle course with a variant finish	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
TRAPEZOID		IO	A general trapezoid course specifying both inner and outer loops	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
WASZP		X	A CORK course for the WASZP class.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
WASZP SLALOM 1		X	A CORK course for the WASZP class.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
WASZP SLALOM 2		X	A CORK course for the WASZP class.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
WASZP LONG DISTANCE		X	A CORK course for the WASZP class.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
KITE		X	A kiteboard course.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings

Boat Specific Courses

Name		Course Designator	Course Description	Download
COURSE WASZP		T	A course specifically for the WASZP class.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE WASZP CHAMPIONSHIP		C	The WASZP championship course.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE OPTIMIST TRAP		IOD	The Optimist class trapezoid course	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE MOTH		L	A course for Moths. Note windward gate and wide gates.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE FORMULA KITE 1		X	A course for kiteboards.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE FORMULA KITE 2		X	A course for kiteboards.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE FORMULA KITE 3		X	A course for kiteboards.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE SAILBOARD SLALOM		SL	A sailboard slalom course.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings
COURSE MR3-IQFOIL		TP1	A slalom course for foiling sailboards.	–With mark roundings –Without mark roundings