As with any online environment that involves a chat channel, there are commonly used acronyms or abbreviations. When an article already exists to explain an acronym a link is provided with no further explanation. Otherwise, a brief expansion or explanation is given here.
- AFK
- Away from keyboard
- AI
- Artificial intelligence i.e. computer controlled boats
- AWA
- Apparent wind angle
- BS
- Boat speed
- CNM
- Course to next mark
- COG
- Course over ground
- DNC
- Did not come (to start) - the race result for a boat that registered for a race but did not show up at the starting area in time
- DNF
- Did not finish - the race result for a boat that starts a race but does not finish for whatever reason
- DNM
- Distance to next mark
- DNS
- Did not start - the race result for a boat that did show up at the starting area in time but never started
- gen
- genoa and sometimes gennaker
- GO SPEC
- Go to spectator mode (please!) ... Race results cannot be computed if even one boat has not yet finished. You can expect to be kicked if you are making no effort to finish a race promptly.
- GW
- either Good winds or Give way
- HDG
- Heading
- ISAF
- International Sailing Federation
- KC
- NPC
- NVM
- never mind
- OCS
- On course side (of start line) - when a boat has been detected over the start line within the 60 sec prior to the start signal she is OCS. If she does not clear her penalty before finishing then her race result will be recorded as OCS.
- PC
- PH
- Penalty hunter
- PODIUM
- top 3 place winners. As in gold, silver and bronze medals awarded on a podium or dais.
- ROW
- RRS
- Racing Rules of Sailing published by ISAF
- RTT
- SI
- Sailing Instructions (supplemental rules or requirements for a regatta)
- SOG
- Speed over ground
- SPEC
- see GO SPEC
- spi
- spinnaker
- STBD
- TITS
- this is the start
- TOP
- the first few boats to finish
- TS
- TeamSpeak - a free to download and use voice over internet tool for hands free chatting while racing. Especially suited to team racing but also just for social value.
- TWA
- True wind angle
- TWD
- True wind direction
- TWS
- True wind speed
in contrast with: Beaufort scale - TY
- Thank you
- VMG
- Velocity made good
- VPN
- Virtual Private Network see also: Tunngle and Hamachi
- VWD
- Very well done
- WD
- Well done
- 360
- 720