Handicap - A Final Solution?

Have we uncovered the means to one in that VMG thread? Am I alone in thinking the system as it stands has become so screwed up by all the muddling?

My pet hate being the ludicrous state of affairs with the Laser, a boat with known data, performance down the ages unchanged, yet for one reason or another has been gerrymandered, presumably in the name of greater participation, which, in itself is not a bad goal, but if in doing so the system itself and it's integrity is called into question not good at all.

Anyway all that aside, tell me you clever maths types, why, using all the technology we have, not least that stuff discussed on the VMG thread, can't a mean performance table be tabulated factually rather than via anarchic fiction.

Ignoring all the variables like sailor input, waves, sailing by the lee, other conditions and using exactly the Laser as a mid point at 1000, could not a Yardstick style table be reformulated and only once that is established should the numbers be permitted to vary up and down around it, and unless there were significant changes, like a new rig or hull construction it should remain permanently at that 1000 null point.

If it were me running it, I'd have an annual event each year, round robin style to do physical checks, accept applications for new craft, use jockeys of a known skill level, and address Merlin style development issues.

It could all be so easy and not unenjoyable to participate in.

Tell me I'm idealistically naive and in cloud cuckoo land.

Tell me it couldn't all be constructed to be self financing even..

Edited by iGRF - 06 Sep 13 at 11:22am

Once upon a time,

The Firefly was one of the primary yardstick dinghies at 100; there were a couple of others at different points in the system.

Obviously, this had flaws - not every club had a significant number of one of the primary yardstick dinghies, so there as no way of determining whether the one or two dinghies with the primary yardstick were super good sailors, or back markers.
In order to keep using a dinghy as a primary reference, there needs to be a reasonable fleet sailing regularly. At my club, the beginning of the year was well attended - except for the laser fleet...

Averaging all the returns from all the clubs will reduce this problem.

Notice that I haven't mentioned boat speed differences due to different rigging packs, nor the use of different size rigs (let alone the non-one design sail makers!)

Colin

I think you need class racing- too many vested, competing interests in PY racing to make it a sensible, competitive format. You either need to accept it- flawed but a pleasant, vaguely competitive sail with mates- FOM, NWF attitude only or Dump it, get a Solo- at least you're the right age for it and you could always go down to Salcolme and hand your old buddy Roge a good slapping.

The Laser was very difficult to win with all over the place. Once the system of returns changed, the Laser changed handicaps quickly because there were plenty of returns upon which to make the call. How is that a problem? Yes, the majority of returns came from inland clubs, where the lack of salt in the water meant the bubbles in the hull construction weren't activated, so the boat floated 6" lower in the water (or something like that) so some clubs, where the Laser wasn't struggling, will see it as an anomaly. It has made racing more fair where we are.

As for this business of needing a fixed boat - I'm sure that on several threads it has been explained by cleverer people than me that statistically it isn't needed, and practically it screws things up.

Originally posted by Rupert The Laser was very difficult to win with all over the place. Once the system of returns changed, the Laser changed handicaps quickly because there were plenty of returns upon which to make the call. How is that a problem? Yes, the majority of returns came from inland clubs, where the lack of salt in the water meant the bubbles in the hull construction weren't activated, so the boat floated 6" lower in the water (or something like that) so some clubs, where the Laser wasn't struggling, will see it as an anomaly. It has made racing more fair where we are.As for this business of needing a fixed boat - I'm sure that on several threads it has been explained by cleverer people than me that statistically it isn't needed, and practically it screws things up.

Well that may be, but in my experience for the first few years a Laser won our series convincingly and it was only when the helm switched to a Contender and new guys took up the mantle that it changed, hell I'd win our series if I used a Laser as things currently stand.

It just proves the point that the Laser has been gerrymandered to suit inland water users with whatever intention good or not, rather than doing what should have been done and revolved the other classes around the Laser which is an unchanged standard boat.

If an item has a fixed collection of unchanged energy developing devices, it shouldn't change speed. What has happened other classes that developed around it became faster with all those extra bubbles in the laminate lighter carbon masts, bigger or more efficient sails, none of which applied to the Laser.

So a fixed course defined on the distance a Laser travels in 1000 secs in a nominal windspeed should be used along with all that other stuff and boats that want to be part of the system, be timed over that course. Then at least you have some cold hard facts upon which to base the rest of your calculations.