So? I am not a number article?

The passions raised and often expressed here are a clear measure of how important handicap racing has become today.   

Previously in the ‘class racing era’ the vagaries and methodology of any handicap system simply did not seem to matter that much to many dinghy people – let alone upset them.  However as Dougal says the horse has already bolted and in parallel many have questioned the handicap approaches on offer and perhaps as many doggedly ‘defend’ the status quo however that is defined.    Views have seemingly become rather polarised !

What is now important in such a debate is transparency and openness - and a willingness to accept new thinking occasionally.  Society in general has shifted that way in recent decades and continues in that direction.  This is particularly true for any contentious issues.  Conversely a lack of openness can quickly undermine confidence in any official committee or rule making body - innocent or otherwise.    The not unnatural assumption of many largely ‘kept in the dark’ is that any maintained darkness is to avoid ‘awkward’ questioning.   

Given this background it is difficult in any walk of life simply to now say or imply ‘leave it to the experts – they are the qualified ones’ (and you lot could not even understand  etc etc !).  Dan even suggests   “....  it doesn't add any value to the process and the majority of those who would seek to change the system don't have a basic grasp of the statistics or the physics”.   He is right of course but only in part as a very great many will be very suitably qualified both academically and professionally.   This sort of generalisation about those who might seek any change is hardly rigorous or even reasonable.      Even where questions come from those supposed to be ‘incapable of understanding'  they have as much natural right as anyone else to a hearing and reasonable treatment.    

Dougals request was reasonable imo.   We are all stakeholders here and the RYA’s representatives should perhaps see it as an opportunity rather than a threat.  Closed session courts and closed official committees are an anathema in our society except in a very few specialist instances.   Dinghy handicapping  is hardly one of them !!   The RYA would do themselves a huge favour by letting a bit of journalistic light in.