Handicap Racing
Re: Handicap Racing
I think the biggest problem most clubs have in adjusting handicaps is that it's seen as so personal. When there's very few of any class it's very difficult to separate crew skill factor from the boat's performance. I changed the Byte handicap at my last club when someone turned up with the new C2 rig and had loads of abuse. They swore it should be on the same handicap despite me asking why they had spent £2000 if they didn't expect their speed to improve! It's only when it's obvious that to win you have to sail a certain class that handicap changes are successful, and even then you have to be quite sure that it's not just that the best sailors are sailing that class.
PeterV
Finn K197 & GBR564
Warsash
Finn K197 & GBR564
Warsash
Re: Handicap Racing
To paraphrase Nessa, "So many themes, so little time"!
Firstly, to Dave C's 3 main requirements I'd also add....
'A placid and friendly nature, not given to sudden displays of wrath or emotion'.
That way, when even the thickest of skin gets broken, you just turn away and say "c'est la vie" and not repeat not suddenly starting to act as if you're the US Marines when out on a Mission (as in...."you in there, you're gonna die") (though come to think of it, isn't the latin version of that, what is written on the Hypocratic Oath?)
Handicap Racing..... you know Nigel, you could be right but then, there is a school of though, which I admit is neither popular nor widely held, - that says handicap racing 'against the clock' could actually be the purest form of racing.
a quick pause there for you to catch you breath...okay, here goes.
New Years Day is a good example! Racing away, coming up to the top mark, I tacked across early, so that I could bang in a cover tack on the boat behind me. Did it protect my psoition..... you're damn right it did, all the more so as I made sure he then couldn't lay the mark and had to tack and tack again...in Netley's tide. Thank you and good night...job done.
But hang on a mo.... what is the object of the exercise here? To ensure that I finish ahead of boat B...or to sail the very best I can. The 'best course' option in that case was for me to stand on..... and in handicap sailing that is what I should have done.
It is interesting that people who do well in their respective fleets also do well when sailingon handicap. Why...years ago, one of the sailmakers had the tagline for their adverts "Boatspeed makes you a tactical genius"
I think the two sides of sailing.... the wringing the few precious seconds out that could mean win or loose in a handicap race..... or the tactical ability that is best represented by Team Racing are both great...and equal!
A novel way of thinking somewhere in there!!
D
Firstly, to Dave C's 3 main requirements I'd also add....
'A placid and friendly nature, not given to sudden displays of wrath or emotion'.
That way, when even the thickest of skin gets broken, you just turn away and say "c'est la vie" and not repeat not suddenly starting to act as if you're the US Marines when out on a Mission (as in...."you in there, you're gonna die") (though come to think of it, isn't the latin version of that, what is written on the Hypocratic Oath?)
Handicap Racing..... you know Nigel, you could be right but then, there is a school of though, which I admit is neither popular nor widely held, - that says handicap racing 'against the clock' could actually be the purest form of racing.
a quick pause there for you to catch you breath...okay, here goes.
New Years Day is a good example! Racing away, coming up to the top mark, I tacked across early, so that I could bang in a cover tack on the boat behind me. Did it protect my psoition..... you're damn right it did, all the more so as I made sure he then couldn't lay the mark and had to tack and tack again...in Netley's tide. Thank you and good night...job done.
But hang on a mo.... what is the object of the exercise here? To ensure that I finish ahead of boat B...or to sail the very best I can. The 'best course' option in that case was for me to stand on..... and in handicap sailing that is what I should have done.
It is interesting that people who do well in their respective fleets also do well when sailingon handicap. Why...years ago, one of the sailmakers had the tagline for their adverts "Boatspeed makes you a tactical genius"
I think the two sides of sailing.... the wringing the few precious seconds out that could mean win or loose in a handicap race..... or the tactical ability that is best represented by Team Racing are both great...and equal!
A novel way of thinking somewhere in there!!
D
David H