D-Zero

Actually
I dont think either will be handicapped out of existence because I have heard from a top ten Phantom sailor that he regularly gets beaten on the water by an Aero 9.
So The Aero sailing of above 1002 is possibly a bandit, and people seem to think the zero is virtually the same speed.
Until we see how these boats do in a handicap race like Sunday who realy knows the answer to what speed they are.
Both guys sailing the Zero are very good sailors so it should be a decent result.

[QUOTE=iGRF]Are you interested in the D Zero? Or the fact its been nobbled by the association for the preservation of the status
No it hasn't

For once I am with IGRF on this point-

Originally posted by SimonW99 For once I am with IGRF on this point- Originally posted by Simon Lovesey " then guess at a handicap that is worst than the benchmark class so the new design doesn't whip everyone on its first outings.    " Py is fundementally flawed as it only measures one metric, but to then say we actually give all boats a deliberately low py to start with so they don't upset anyone is just so wrong. I think Simon might want to reflect on that statement. Perhaps it's why boats like the Alto, icon etc have struggled.

"RS think the Aero 9 is about 1040..." So that's where that number, 45 points above the GL number came from on the first battle of classes list then Simon..

2547 - Playing devil's advocate, the sport is fragmented between a lot of classes already - perhaps we should aim to follow a more french model of a few core classes.

For what its worth I think that the system as is works well, and I am very grateful to Chris, Bas, Jim and anyone who was worked voluntarily on it, and I believe that it has made real steps forward in the last couple of years.

I guess that re: launching a product, I had underestimated again what an emotive subject it is, and feel pretty sad to lose Graeme as a customer - it is one of the perks of designing for the boat, if not the yardstick, to have given him some pleasure.

The only way that we could do something less arbitary for new boats are:
1) Hire some independent industry professionals to sail the new boat against known benchmarks over an intensive period in the requisite full range of conditions and circumstances, and record performances. Use this as a "Pre EN" until the first year of returns come back when a proper number can be used.
2) Run a few major representative classes (laser, fireball, N12 in vogue design) through an IMS style VPP in light, medium and strong breeze and a representative variety of courses - weight these as necessary. Then when a new class comes out, do the same and use the difference in seconds per hour against the most similar benchmark to get a "Pre EN" -  this means not moving wholesale to such a system, but gives a rigorous engineering basis for the first year until returns are back (poss longer where its a niche class and not many samples in the statistical set)

Option 1 would be like herding cats, but option 2 could be relatively do-able and modest price wise. I suggest it needs to stay the property of the RYA though.