Sailing race scoring software compared: Sailboat Racing vs Sailwave vs HalSail
Most clubs pick between three tools. Sailwave is free and runs on Windows. HalSail is a paid cloud app. Sailboat Racing is free to use and runs in a web browser on any device. Here is how they compare, including the things Sailwave and HalSail do better.
| Feature | Sailboat Racing | Sailwave | HalSail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | Any device with a web browser: phone, tablet, or laptop, installable as a PWA | Windows desktop app | Cloud web app |
| Works offline on the water | No, needs a connection to capture and publish results | Yes, it runs locally on the laptop | No, needs a connection |
| Mobile race-day timing | Built for mobile, with lap and pursuit finish capture from a phone | Windows desktop app; not built for phone timing | Phone finish capture |
| Cost | Free to use | Free | Paid: around £100/year, with a 45-day free trial |
| Public hosted results website | Yes: fast, schema-rich, embeddable club pages | No, you publish exported files to your own site | Yes, hosted results pages |
| RYA PY Online | Direct submission, plus one-click XML export | Direct submission from within the software | Direct submission from within the software |
| Maturity and plugin ecosystem | Newer, focused feature set | Been around for years, with a plugin ecosystem | Established club adoption |
| Handicap systems | 8 systems: PY, IRC, ASY, CYCA, ECHO, NHC, SCHRS, YTC | Extensive handicap support | PY, IRC and other common systems |
Last reviewed: 2026-06-16. Competitor details are sourced and re-checked periodically.
Sailwave
Sailwave has been around the longest and many clubs know it well. It is free, has plenty of plugins, and runs on a Windows laptop, so it works with no connection. The catch is that it was made for a desktop rather than a phone, and you publish results by exporting a file and putting it on your own website.
Read the full Sailwave alternative comparison.
HalSail
A paid cloud app, around £100 a year. It has hosted results pages and lets you take finishes on a phone.
Read the full HalSail alternative comparison.
Sailboat Racing
Free to use, and runs in any web browser on a phone, tablet, or laptop. You can also install it like an app. You take laps and finishes on a phone, and every club gets a fast public results page that other sites can embed. It submits straight to RYA PY Online and can also export the XML return.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best sailing race scoring software?
There is no single right answer. Sailwave is free and well known, but it only runs on Windows. HalSail is a paid cloud app. Sailboat Racing is free to use, runs in a web browser on any device, and is built around scoring from a phone. If you want to score on a phone and have your results online straight away without paying, Sailboat Racing is a good fit.
Is Sailboat Racing free?
Yes, it is free to use for clubs today.
Can I submit results to RYA PY Online?
Yes. Sailboat Racing submits directly to RYA PY Online (the same direct integration HalSail and Sailwave offer) and can also export the return as XML in one click.
Sailboat Racing does all of this for you, and it is free to use. Set up your club and score your next race from your phone.
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