Handicap racing now pointless?

Originally posted by JimC Originally posted by Thunder Road ...Handicap class, we in the latter are treated like second class citizens, Readily solved at your AGM by turning up en masse and voting as a block...

This. There's probably only a tiny hardcore of the solo and laser fleet that can actually be bothered to run things. If there's enough of you in the handicap class fed up of how things are bing run, then a gentle coup is definitely in order- though don't upset the Solo/laser guys enough to make them leave.

I don't think handicap racing is pointless.  Without it I'd be forced to sail a Laser or travel for miles to find a club with a more suitable fleet.  Handicap racing gives me the opportunity, however imperfect to get out there in a boat dictated by me, not the other members of my local club.

It's a bit arrogant to say you're a better sailor than someone who can consistently beat you week in, week out on handicap racing... that's kind of the point, the vagaries of boats suitable for specific builds/althletic abilities are neutralised through PY. Unless there is a gross discrepancy in a locally adjusted handicap, then PY racing actually tests the purity of sailing far better than one-design racing once its over an entire series.

Edited by rogue - 10 Jan 12 at 10:37pm

No it shouldn't be in the Olympics. The Olympics has a clear agenda to focus on athleticism. Sailing, in my opinion, covers more than this; unless of course you define your sailing purely in its ISAF controlled environment.

What I am talking about is the purity of sailing- seamanship for want of a better word. That's not necessarily the Game of Sailing under ISAF RRS either, although for a global institution I don't think ISAF does a bad job of finding common ground to implement this 'core nub of sportsmanship' in this respect.

With handicap racing you have the luxury to choose the boat to suit you, your budget and your primary racing locations that makes the most competitive combination possible. I'd be the first to admit that this is a skill in its own right and one I have certainly failed miserably at in the past. However, in class racing you can be grossly uncompetitive purely down to weight. At 100kg I could NEVER sail a Streaker competitively to handicap, whereas I could have a fair shot in a Finn. I've sailed neither before, but I know who would win on corrected time if I was able to ghost myself on the same water, in the same wind.

If applied properly, the RYA PY scheme would take into account localised variables and even adjust to a suitable rating for any given boat's age, especially if it's not representative of the latest design with <2 year old FRP that's gone a bit soggy.   This (theoretically) takes away the 'arms race factor' of one design racing. Well it does in principle, sadly most clubs would find it 'too political' to even entertain it as an idea.   However there are positive precedents we fail to applaud enough out there- take Northants and their implementation of differing numbers for epoxy/carbon Phantoms verses FRP/Woodies with tin rigs. The recent 'whinging' from the Bloody Mary- fan-bloody-tastic they had the bottle to change the numbers as they saw fit. As long as they note where they were maybe a little generous/punitive this year and change it for next, who can really complain?

One design racing is often in SMODS, or certainly to be competitive in the latest iteration of an open 'one design', you are restricted to a tiny handful of professional builders. You are then investing a large part of the trust for equality of the racing into their manufacturing processes and tolerances of your given builders. This is the reason why the RYA 'measure' Laser parts at the Youth Games, they need to do it to be fairer to the competitors. There are countless other SMOD/One Design examples from your club can-bashers that have colourful histories regarding 'measurement'- just ask RS300 sailors about mast rakes on 500-510, or the entire batch of Solos from another builder which were strictly speaking'out of class' until the RYA shoe-horned them in. What about the historical variable weight in the Topper Manufactured Mk1 Blazes... some of those are reportedly 100kg+, which is a bit different to Cirrus' much tighter controls now at what, 72kg is it? Same boat though folks, enjoy your equal racing...    We have a fleet of Fireballs locally who all are adamant it's the fairest racing on offer... why do you need a Winder with a finer bow to standa chance of winning then?     

In my opinion the 'one design' ethos only really stacks up with event supplied equipment, not something many of us have the luxury to experience outside of a sunsail holiday- the closest I got was the 1st RS100 Nationals- all the boats were all so new you couldn't argue there were differences, although even then I have my suspicions some were fast than others... they weren't released with a weight certificate were they?

Handicap racing on the otherhand embraces the diversity we all sail with, even if we decide to hide behind the facade of the same class emblem on our mainsails. As long as you accept it's a process of continuous improvement, then handicaps given to boats can adjust appropriately, therefore provide a far more even platform to assess pure sailing skill between competitors.

Edited by rogue - 10 Jan 12 at 11:34pm

Originally posted by Rupert I'm pretty sure there won't be a formula as to how your 3.7 handicap was worked out - it will have been done by looking at a picture of the boat and sticking a finger in the air...

That's my point.