New RYA Portsmouth Yardstick website

PY dinghy racing © RYA

Quality of data goes from strength to strength

When it comes to the Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) Scheme, for the past few years the buzz has been around the quality of the data coming into the system rather than concentrating on the quantity. With the introduction of the RYA's PY website, it appears that the buzz has paid off with the quality of the data going from strength to strength. This has allowed the RYA's Portsmouth Yardstick Advisory Group to be much more reactive to changes in boats relative performances as seen and recorded by clubs.

The Portsmouth Number list for 2015 reflects the changes being recorded by clubs around the country. The Experimental number welcomes three new classes to the PN list this year, with the D-Zero, Halo and Icon being introduced based on website data.

The RS Aero 5, 7 and 9 are also looking to be added as Experimental Numbers in the coming months as more data becomes available from clubs.

The majority of the changes introduced are a continuation of performance trends seen within classes over a period of years but the RYA has also seen a settling down of some classes indicating that there is more stability in certain areas.

An area of development for 2015 has come via the PY website, which has seen providers changing over to www.pyonline.org.uk. This new website will hope to provide clubs with some significant enhancements to their club handicap data – with the focus on providing the clubs with a more reactive dashboard giving them more confidence to adjust local handicaps.

Bas Edmonds, RYA Technical and Racing Services Manager commented: "Being an empirical system, the PY is not able to fully cater for the nuances of each clubs fleets, sailors and boats which are squeezed together into a national average for each class. The RYA has been working hard on educating clubs on the benefits of adjusting handicaps locally if the national average as published by the RYA does not work for their clubs. The new PY website has been designed with the clubs in mind, rather than the RYA, to give them the best shot of provide their members with fair racing."

For more information on the Portsmouth Yardstick Scheme and how it works please feel free to contact the RYA Technical and Racing Services area who would be happy to arrange a talk at your club, or for more information on the PY Online website, please email

Details on the Portsmouth Yardstick Scheme can be found at www.rya.org.uk/racing/Pages/portsmouthyardstick.aspx

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