One screen for the race committee.
The start sequence, every boat on the chart, possible early starts flagged for you to decide, SOS the second it happens — and the tally that tells you when every crew is back ashore.
For the race officer, the safety officer and the volunteers on the committee and safety boats.
Race committee day, fixed.
What the committee sees.
One start sequence for everyone
You run 5-4-1-0 or 3-2-1-0 with postponement and general recall; every phone shows the same countdown and flags, synced to the race office clock.
Flags, not verdicts
Phone GPS is about ±3–5 m, so a possible early start shows as “possibly early, 6 m” for you to confirm or clear. Missed marks work the same way.
The safety tally
On the water, finished, retired, ashore — ashore is marked automatically at the harbour, and the race closes at 12 / 12.
SOS and the nearest boats
The skipper’s phone guides the call to the right rescue centre; you see the SOS with position the same second and can ask the 3 nearest boats to help (RRS 1.1).
Low battery and a crew backup phone
A low-battery warning before a boat drops off the map, and a second crew phone as a backup.
Roles for the team
Race office, RC boat and safety boat staff with their own view. Message the whole fleet when plans change.
Your race on VesselSOS, step by step.
- 01 · YOU
Write the safety plan
Roles, safety boats, weather limits, emergency numbers — start from our free race-day safety plan template.
- 02 · YOU
Check everyone out
Share the race code; joining the race is the check-out, with persons on board and an ashore contact.
- 03 · COMMITTEE
Start and watch the course
Run the sequence, decide flagged early starts, keep an eye on retired boats heading in.
- 04 · COMMITTEE
Close at 12 / 12 ashore
The race is done when every crew is ashore — not when the last boat finishes.
Every crew back ashore.
Joining is checking out
Name, boat, persons on board and an ashore contact come with the skipper’s profile — no sign-out sheet.
A tally until 12 / 12
On the water, finished, retired, ashore. Ashore is marked at the harbour; the race closes when everyone is in.
SOS, with the call guided
SOS on the competitor’s phone guides the call to the right rescue centre and alerts the race office the same second, with position.
The 3 nearest boats
One tap asks the three nearest boats to help (RRS 1.1). The time they spend assisting is logged.
VesselSOS is not a rescue service and never alerts a rescue centre for anyone. It does not replace safety boats, VHF or your club’s safety plan. Write your race-day safety plan →
Honest limits.
- VesselSOS is not a rescue service. It does not alert a rescue centre for anyone: the competitor’s phone guides the call, Racing alerts you. Keep your safety boats, VHF watch and safety plan.
- RC-boat mode in the app is SOON. Today the committee uses the race office web app in a laptop, tablet or phone browser.
- GPS gives flags for early starts and mark roundings; the race officer decides.
- Positions need mobile coverage; positions recorded without signal upload when it returns.
Free tools for this race.
In your browser, no account. Downloads ask for an email; the tools never do.
Questions
Does the system decide OCS or missed marks?
No. Phone GPS is about ±3–5 m. VesselSOS Racing flags a boat as possibly early or a mark as not seen in its zone, and the race officer confirms or clears it with one tap. The decision, and any scoring, stays with the race committee and the sailing instructions.
Who is alerted when a competitor presses SOS?
The SOS screen on the competitor’s phone guides the skipper to call the rescue centre responsible for those waters, with the position ready to read out. In a race VesselSOS Racing also alerts the race office the same second, with position and persons on board. VesselSOS itself never calls or alerts a rescue centre.
Do competitors need a new app?
No. Race mode lives inside the free VesselSOS app, under Profile → Races; home stays the same. Race mode arrives in an app update for the 2027 pilot season — VesselSOS is on iPhone today, Android later. Organisers and spectators use the web.
What happens when someone sends SOS?
SOS works exactly as in the app today: the SOS screen guides the skipper to call the right rescue centre for those waters, with the position ready to read out. In a race it also alerts the race office the same second, and the race office can ask the 3 nearest boats to help (RRS 1.1). VesselSOS does not call or alert the rescue centre for anyone.
Who sees the competitors’ phone numbers?
Only the race office, for safety. The public live page shows boats, positions and results — never phone numbers or contacts. Contact details are deleted 30 days after the race.
What does it cost?
It is free for competitors, always. We are onboarding a small group of clubs as pilots for the 2027 season and agree the terms with each club — no prices yet.
Other races on VesselSOS Racing
Run the whole race on one screen.
VesselSOS Racing is the race-office web app we're building with pilot clubs: draw the course, share a 6-digit code, see every boat live with line and corrected positions — and every crew back ashore. Skippers join in the free VesselSOS app they already carry.