Following the Draycote Dash, where no one can deny that Green Bananas and King Tubby had a lot of fun, the issue of handicaps at open handicap events arose. it soon became quite clear that there was quite a big gulf between 05 rules boats and 97 rules boats, and as such a massive handicap penalty for the 97 rules boats to sail off the 05 rules handicap.
I have done a little digging and been in touch with both the Portsmouth Yardstick, who have so far failed to reply, and the Great lakes who have been most helpful. after a little bit of back and forth by email they have said it would be more than likely be possible for our handicap situation to be looked at. they have sited a couple of other classes where the situation exists for two different designs but both the same class exist.
International moths - if a foiler turns up then the lowriders sail off the foiling handicap, if no foilers they use the last lowrider handicap
national 18 - boats to the classic rules rather than the latest carry a letter C on their sails to signify to the race officer that they are a classic design.
international 14 - they didn't actually say how they distinguish between the two but did say that they do something similar for them.
so my question to you on the here, and maybe the committee (not sure if its something you would want to discuss or not), is this a route that we would want to go down? would it encourage more 97 rules boats to take part in open handicap events?
i will continue to pursue the portsmouth yardstick people and see if i can get any sort of a dialogue going with them. in the meantime, please let me know your thoughts so that i can feedback to the Great Lakes.
if anyone wants to read the full dialogue i can forward the emails to you.