So you want to go fast......

Originally posted by Medway Maniac Would be a bit of a dog in light airs though,

Ultimately all boats drift at the same speed, so all fast boats will look doggy in very light conditions.

Its another of the dodgy approximations of handicapping: we use time on time handicapping which makes the assumption that if boat a is twice as fast as boat b in 20 knots of wind it will also be twice as fast in 5 knots of wind, which is dubious, and also that it will be twice as fast when both are virtually stationary...

Mind you US leadmine sailors tend to handicap on seconds per mile which is even more dubious - except when both boats are stationary...That makes the assumption that if in 20 knots of breeze boat a sails a mile in in 5 minutes and boat b sails it in ten minutes then in 5 knots of breeze if boat a sails it in 20mins boat b will sail it in 25mins.