Streamlining the use of the ISAF Sailor Classification system

The ISAF Sailor Classification Code exists as a service to provide Events and Classes with an international system of classification for sailors. Under the Code, sailors are classified as either Group 1 (amateur) or Group 3 (Professional). For Events and Classes seeking to either limit the influence of Group 3 sailors, or striving to recognize teams with all Group 1 sailors, the ISAF Sailor Classification Code is the system that is used.

However, the use of the classification system adds to the administration of the event. To aid in this endeavor, the Yacht Scoring event management program has some helpful features. Luiz Kahl explains…

One of the significant issues for an event when using the ISAF Sailor Classification system is the verification of each sailor’s classification. Each entrant must submit complete crew lists which the one design Class Administer or event Organizing Authority then take to the ISAF website and manually, one by one, search for each sailor’s ID to determine their classification status – either Group 1 or 3 – and the classification expiration date. If you consider an event with 30 boats and 8 crew each, that is 240 searches they will have to do!

For the last few years, Yacht Scoring has been enhancing the crew database to provide the Owners and Events/Classes with features that will save them time and effort in their work. We have also been pushing for the Owners to enter their crews online so they have them in their “Crew Pool” and can easily “add” crew to their events with a quick selection. One of the critical bits of information in that crew list is their individual ISAF Sailor ID numbers.

Behind the scenes, we have worked with ISAF and have been granted a live query into their Sailor Classification database. This access allows Yacht Scoring to provide the Owners (for their crew) and the Organizing Authority (for all sailors in the event) with a “one click”, real-time, live “Sailor Classification Report” for the event. The output of this live query generates a report with every sailor’s ISAF Classification, Expiration Date, Nationality and Residency.

Similarly, if an event requires US Sailing membership, a real-time query function and report is also available in Yacht Scoring which generates a report providing the name, type and expiration date of each sailor’s membership.

The availability of these live queries saves a tremendous amount of time and potential error on what would otherwise be a tedious job.

ISAF Sailor Classification – Yacht Scoring