Megabyte handicap

We sail off 1074 at Hunts, I sailed off 1074 at the Brass Monkey, the chap I bought mine from also sailed off 1074 at Shoreham but I think there are some who sail off 1052 at West Oxford.  Alton Water gave me 1060 for a race down there, and the Great Lakes gave me 1020!

These are all with the mk1 rig.  Take your pick, but I think 1074 is about right.

Nessa

To put in context - I once pitched upat the Bloody Mary  a few years back with an early 'large rig' Blaze (aka Halo)  and was lumbered with an eye-watering PN of 925 (down from the Blaze 1040something at the time) by QMSC...  (beat that !!) Handicappers ... erm have a difficult time especially with new classes but some numbers 'offered' do feel more than a little 'random'.

Of course  they have to be punitive to some extent and err on the side of caution with new classes.  However it is sometimes tempting to  suggest that just perhaps they would possibly like to don wetsuit themselves (or appoint somebody else) and show exactly how such 'assessments' are justified ... in person.    Not practical for 'one-ff' events but maybe a challenge that could and should be taken up at club level to get things somewhere 'near the zone' to start things off.

I've had the timerity to suggest exactly this course of action locally on occasion and received little humour or personal takeup in return !  Each to their own ...

Mike L.

While on a minor rant - I do have a problem with the suggestion 'from some quarters'  that manufacturers are always trying to frig a 'soft' handicap for their classes.   Why ?  When have these people approached manufacturers on the subject  ?  Having spoken to more than a few other ones over the years NONE of them/us want to be put in the position of having to suggest any handicap - "we get damned if we do and damned if we don't" is the general sentiment.  We/they ONLY do it because nobody else wants to start the ball rolling - ie there is no real formal proceedure out there for new clasess to establish that initial first figure that is not extremely  'difficult to tease out' ....   Ideas on a postcard please ....


Edited by blaze720 - 05 Mar 13 at 11:56am

Originally posted by blaze720 I do have a problem with the suggestion 'from some quarters'  that manufacturers are always trying to frig a 'soft' handicap for their classes.   Why ?

Presumably because its because manufacturers are always keen to portray their new boats as being dog slow compared to the opposition...

Halo handicap ??  Only one example .....  Well here I am again avoiding being drawn into suggesting a handicap for a partricular class variant we developed ... and er no thanks again for all the previously mentioned reasons.   Not my job or that of any manufacturer to do that nor should they be involved imho.  btw what on earth its got to do with whatever the Phantom or any other class is or goes like ?     You may as well say a 11' moth is faster still so anything longer must .... you get the argument by now hopefully.

However ... what do you think ??  Is there a better way of getting new classes off the chocks without manufacturers having to suggest a number out there ?  But who wants to take responsibility in their place then ?  Should there be a standard proceedure even ?  RYA Technical got any ideas ?

Surely it is in the interest of everybody to extract makers and sellers from the dilemma !   I am merely suggesting that 'they' ('proper' handicappers) and not the manufacturers set initial number using a bit of common sense and 'have a go' approach themselves or get another grown-up or three to do so.   Plus add a 'safety margin' for a while ...  then in time 'real numbers' will naturally help establish a results driven number and so towards a formal PN all can accept. 

 Perhaps the alternative is to start ALL new classes on a base of 1000 and see what happens ....  it might just take longer to 'zero in' a real number for classes that will end up a long way either side of this reference point  than applying a bit of measured judgement to get there from a more reasonable starting point though.   But as a default for new types it might have some legs if nobody can come up with anything better.

Mike L.

PS - Jim  If relative 'speed' was the key to popularity amongst boats  then you  have to explain why we have the classes we do have !  ... and also why don't we all go boarding, diet to 'moth it' or race Cats...  Speed is good ... but not the whole story by a country mile !




Edited by blaze720 - 05 Mar 13 at 2:20pm

I think Jim was agreeing with you in an ironic sort of way, Mike - the irony aimed at the previous post suggesting manufacturers like to set a slow handicap.