AMS and SMS Ratings in Australian Sailing

AMS and SMS are Australian rating systems administered through the Yacht Racing Services Association rather than Australian Sailing's IRC/ORC certificate processes. They are encountered particularly in parts of the Australian yacht and sportsboat racing scene.

Because their use is regionally uneven, SailingClubs.com.au should not present AMS or SMS as universal Australian standards.

AMS#

AMS, the Australian Measurement System, is used to rate yachts using measured characteristics. It provides corrected-time competition between different designs.

SMS#

SMS is associated with sportsboats and similarly provides a measurement-based framework for corrected-time racing.

Why the distinction matters#

A sailor moving interstate can find that the familiar local rating system is not the dominant system at the new club. That can affect certificate costs, measurement requirements and which events the boat is competitive or eligible for.

What to verify#

Before entering or buying a boat specifically for a fleet, check:

• current Notice of Race
• rating certificate requirement
• certificate authority
• measurement requirements
• division rules
• whether the club also scores PHS, IRC or ORC

External reference#

• Yacht Racing Services Association information is linked by the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria in its AMS/SMS resources: https://www.orcv.org.au/racing/22-winter-series/4001-ams-and-sms-handicaps

How ams and sms ratingsn sailing appears in a real club program#

A racing label is useful only when it can be tied to current documents or results. For ams and sms ratingsn sailing, the strongest evidence is normally a current Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions, series page or results set.

A club can use more than one system or format at the same time. A yacht series might publish line honours, performance-handicap and rating-rule results from the same start. A dinghy club can provide class results and an overall yardstick result. The directory should preserve those distinctions rather than forcing one racing label.

Boat preparation and cost#

The cost of participating in ams and sms ratingsn sailing depends on the format. One-design racing can create pressure around sails and class-legal equipment. Measurement-rule racing can involve certificate and measurement costs. Offshore formats add safety equipment. Club performance handicap can be comparatively low-barrier.

Newcomer suitability#

The existence of ams and sms ratingsn sailing does not prove a beginner can enter easily. Look for novice divisions, development fleets, coaching, crew placement or lower-pressure series.

For keelboats, joining an established crew is often the fastest way to learn the format. For dinghies, a development fleet or coach-led first races can reduce overload.

The framework behind this page#

Entry and eligibility, the race documents worth reading, what published results reveal about a fleet and the questions to ask a sailing office apply to every format, so they are set out once in how club racing is organised.