Yet another PY number moan

Hi
Big debate going on at the club ref PY's & Optimists.  More Optimist sailors are now sailing in the main club races and winning almost everything.  11 boats the other night and the 3 Optimists are 1,2,3. In an average 30/40 min race a laser radial can be 10 mins ahead and still lose..  Put the same sailors in Toppers and they are doing well but not coming first all the time.

My question is how many clubs have Optimists sailing in the main fleets and how well do they do?

We do have the option to use Personal Handicaps and apply this to all Optimist,  but the Optimist parents will get upset

Possibly a case of tidal/non-tidal swings and roundabouts. In lakes they will do a lot better than in tide. (and I mean a lot).

or 

Possibly the Oppie sailors are better than you think they are.

Our club races in a shallow harbour - fairly tidal.
Our top 2 or 3 Oppie sailors are competitive and can win in mixed fleet races.
They're pretty good sailors and do well in a confined course.
I think there's a hint of arrogance when our "established" adult sailors in Finns etc moan about being beaten on handicap "by kids" but then again the big boys tend to race against each other rather than concentrate on sailing the fastest race.
No prospect of us changing PY's anytime soon and I suspect the Oppies would have a tough time in sea races against the same fleet.



Edited by chrisarnell1 - 16 Jul 15 at 1:54pm

I guess if handicap racing doesn't dampen their enthusiasm for the sport enough, then a bunch of moaning adults rigging the system against them sure as hell will...

Agreed. To win on any handicap you need to be sailing pretty damn well. I can think of several adult classes where the average yardstick is driven up by inexperienced sailors, which is what is happening here, and they don't usually get changed. Send the returns in and your results should add to a reduction in PY next year if other clubs are finding the same. Betthey get thrashed in some conditions, anyway.