PY Inflation?

.....and to add to my previous rant ;-)

Any handicap system based on returns and number crunching is not going to work on one off races anywhere.

The PY system wasn't (I think) intended to work on anything other than a longish series of races, say a spring series or summer series etc. where weather conditions can average out. Waste of time on one off's.

I'll shut up now as I don't want to upset anyone's Karma (too much) lol

Lights touchpaper and stands back...

Tide: what about the lee-bow effect?

I'll get my coat...

Originally posted by fab100 Lights touchpaper and stands back... Tide: what about the lee-bow effect? I'll get my coat...

Originally posted by ChrisI But when you say the RYA should invest more time and money in sorting it out what are you looking for....... a quadratic equation of some sort with variables of the percentage strength of tidal flows and the percentage direction of flows during which parts of the race? While you are at it others will probably want average wind speeds included during the first part of the race while the fast boats are sailing or the the whole race while the slow boats are sailing or.....etc etc? Surely adjustments are best done by the club itself that knows its waters best, exactly as HISC have done, rather than being dictated from above?

This where it gets complicated.....

Your second para in my quotation.
On paper you are right the club that knows it's waters is best positioned to adjust the numbers.
In reality this will never work for various reasons:

Lack of expertise within the club.

Over burdening the club with another volunteer job that needs doing. It then gets done for a season, the volunteer gets some grief and then gets fed up with it and then the task is dropped.

..... and this is the most important part......What folk are comfortable with ......In short: Moses receiving the tablet of stone from God is a marvellous parable in this context. Many, many people, atheists and all are emotionally more comfortable with this approach to directives........this is also why I would advocate that the RYA do it. It needs to have authority and people need to have faith in it.

Regarding your first above para:
I cannot believe the PY team haven't got enough data over the years to do a comparison just to see How boat speed is affected by a tidal stream. Don't compare classes because classes develop and get faster (maybe), compare PY groups, see how it affects the average results of boats within a certain py band. Compare various categories of venue in the same way........They have years and years of data all of which is relevant. It would take time and expertise and require some investment of cash no doubt.

Regarding the desire by some to investigate wind strength, gustiness, including (no doubt) humidity, temp and state of the crews underpants......well what can I say?

No system devised by man is flawless, this includes the current PY system (obviously). The question is not how we can make it perfect? The question is how can we make it less flawed? 

I would suggest we start with tide. It's predictable, easier to isolate and it's quantifiable.

To stay on topic:
If the slow boats PY's are increasing and the fast boats are decreasing and this is because of more returns from coastal clubs what will we end up with?





Edited by Sussex Lad - 24 Aug 22 at 3:22pm

That'll be why I used the word If. 

A purely speculative question.

Edited by Sussex Lad - 24 Aug 22 at 4:14pm