Sailwave alternative: score races from a phone
Sailboat Racing is a free web app for scoring sailing races. If you use Sailwave now but want to score on a phone and have your results online automatically, it is worth a look.
Where Sailwave wins
Sailwave has been around for years and a lot of clubs rely on it. It is completely free, has a plugin ecosystem, and runs on a Windows laptop, so it works with no connection at all. It also sends results straight to RYA PY Online.
Where Sailboat Racing differs
- Runs on any device: any phone, tablet, or laptop with a web browser, where Sailwave is Windows-only.
- Mobile-first: capture laps and finishes from a phone, not a desktop.
- Public results website: fast, embeddable club pages, published automatically rather than exported.
- Modern interface: built for touch and small screens.
- RYA PY Online: direct submission, plus one-click XML export.
| 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.
Switching from Sailwave
There is no Sailwave import yet, so for now you set up your club and start scoring new races. If a direct import would help you switch, get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a modern alternative to Sailwave?
Yes. Sailboat Racing is a free-to-use web app that runs in any web browser, on a phone, tablet, or laptop, captures finishes from a phone, and publishes results to a public club website automatically, where Sailwave is a Windows desktop tool you publish from manually.
Can I import my Sailwave results into Sailboat Racing?
Not yet. A Sailwave import path is planned but not built. You can set up a club and start scoring new races straight away.
Is Sailboat Racing free like Sailwave?
Yes, it is free to use today.
Try it free. Set up your club and score your next race from your phone.
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