approximately 120 uploading their
results regularly, be it every week, at the
end of a series, or still just once a year.
The data received currently is also
skewed towards winter, when clubs were
traditionally asked to submit their data.
The RYA is on a mission to encourage
more clubs to upload their results more
often – preferably each weekend or
at the very least at the end of a series- then for clubs to have a look at the
website to see if any adjustments are
recommended for the numbers they use.
A Laser PY number, for example,
could be affected by the quality of the
fleet; whether the racing is windward-
leeward or round-the-cans; and if it’s
the slowest boat in the medium fleet, in
the wind shadow of other boats, or the
fastest boat in the slow fleet with clear air.
“How a club divides up its fleets,
the type of racing, the number of
competitors, the courses and the
location – all of that would have
an influence and is why each clubshould really have its own numbers
based on the racing it delivers and its
sailors,” says Bas. “The challenge for
us is trying to change the perception
that what we publish is gospel.”ENCOURAGING OWNERSHIP
To support clubs, pyonline.org.uk
enables a PDF to be printed, with an
RYA logo and signed by Bas, making an
official recommendation for a locally
adjusted PY number based on the data.
Nevertheless, there is reluctance by clubs
to step away from the national list.
“The fact is that once you start
adjusting numbers you’re affectingsomeone’s racing and it becomes very
personal very quickly on that front.
There’s a lot of desire in clubs just to not
upsettheapplecartandsowhenthe
RYA, the governing body, publishes a
handicap,there’safeelingof‘that’sthe
handicap we should use’. But when you
think about it, we publish an average,
astartingpointforaclass,andit’snotgoing to work in all cases,” says Bas.
“In our opinion, if you’re not adjusting
numbers to suit your conditions,
then you’re not really providing your
members with the fairest racing. We
would like to see clubs taking a bit
more ownership of the scheme by
looking at their racing and having
the confidence to adjust PY numbers
based on their own race results.”SHINING EXAMPLE
Draycote Water Sailing Club started
uploading its results from Sailwave to the
original PY website back in its infancy, in
approximately 2008, and so now has race
data on the system for nearly 10 years; it
submits menagerie fleet race data at the
end of every series – four times a year- and in summer uploads Wednesday
evening series results for the whole club.
Club member Chris Gandy, who is
chair of the RYA Empirical Handicap
Advisory Group, says: “Bearing in mind
thisdatacanonlybeharvestedfrom
races that we have recorded times for (so
does not include fleet races) and that the
PY algorithm excludes poor performers
(beginners, or gear failure, for example),
we have amassed quite a depth of
If you are not adjusting numbers you are
not really providing the fairest racing
INSIGHT DINGHY HANDICAPS
This spread
Close handicap
racing at the Tiger
Trophy 2018TIM OLIN/SAILJUICE WINTER SERIES
April 2018 Yachts & Yachting 49